AN: Well, I just lost this tab. I had all these wonderful author's notes for you, but I'll just give the the quick version: 1) sorry this is so late. Life sucks and fanfiction unfortunatly cannot be the top of my priority list 2) This chapter was extremely difficult to write because a: its the beginning of the end of what I call "arch 1: arrival" so its extremely plotty and b: there's the first kakashixsakura moment in this fic and I was extremely nervous about writing it and somehow dissapointing everyone. Please tell me that I didn't. [and yes if your wondering this is the short version]
ok! That's that. Although there is a bit of a notes section at the end which should help to explain the first part a little more to you. Hope it helps.
(Sakura's inner voice is back to kick ass!)
I am the kyuubi - fear me Note: I have given the Kyuubi a different annotation for speach becuase he is not exactly human. Also note this only applies for the "cave scene"
Disclaimer: It is now 1:36 in the morning and at this time I do not own Naruto. In fact at no point in time will I ever own Naruto. *sobbing* Life is so unfair!
9 - Increasing - 9
The cave was hot. The pulsing, angry red chakra pushed against him like a physical force, increasing the heat, but he merely brushed it aside. He cared nothing for the demon's anger except that it would bind the creature further to his will. Increasing its rage, blinding it to anything other than revenge was just what he wanted.
You dare show your face to me
Burning red eyes bored into passive red and black ones. "Your anger does not frighten me. You forget your place."
I know my place, human. It is not this cursed cave. Release me
"You are aware of my terms."
I bow to no human
The burning red eyes were captivated immediately by the twirling black shuriken in his eyes. "Their deaths will bring you much pleasure. You know this." The spinning black eyes seemed to bore into the burning ones he stood casually against.
It took minutes before the low warning growl of the beast reverberated through the cramped space. The killing intent in the room sky rocketed. One side of the man's cruel lips twisted upwards in a parody of a smile. He was very close to his goal. So very close to complete control.
"Soon, Kyuubi, you will be released. Until then, rot in prison."
The flames of the fox's eyes flickered, shifted, and burned. The massive jaws of the beast lunged forward toward the man and snapped the body in half. A poof of smoke curled around his nuzzle, mocking him. His roar of rage echoed in the lonely cave.*
"Is the world coming to an end?" The bemused blond haired Hokage earned himself a disdainful lookover the top of a violently blue book. Casually, Minato noted the title of the book (it was hard not to notice the electric yellow lettering).
Undercover Lover: Can two ninja over come their hatred to fulfill their mission?
The picture on the front cover made it obvious that the kuniochi at least had crossed the fine line between hate and lust if her expression was any indication.
Minatobarely held back his annoyance. One blond eyebrow rose. "You finished the autobiography already?"
"Don't sound so disappointed, sensei." Kakashiremarked with a hidden smirk as he continued to read the far too mature book.
"And you showed up at my office at 6:30 in the morning without being summoned and without a mission report."
Kakashi's dull look clearly said "and what's your point?"
Minato's lips quirked upwards in amusement. "I feel I must ask again. Is the world coming to an end?"
Kakashi shook his head in something near exasperation. Really was his behavior that odd? Thankfully for Minato, he had just finished his page. Gently dog-earing the page he shut the book.
"No, sensei, the world is not ending." He looked towards the open window briefly before his eyes darted back to his teacher's. "I saw Rin yesterday."
Minato's eyes lost their teasing light entirely. He ran a hand through his rumpled hair, clearly affected by the change in conversation.
Kakashi noticed it keenly. "Is she working too hard again?" Or is something worse. The words hung heavy in the air between them, unsaid but clearly heard.
"No." Minato admitted though the tension in the air did not dissipate. "She lost two patients about a week ago."
Kakashi's stomach dropped. "Two?" His voice sounded strained even to his ears.
"A young mother went into early labor. Baby was strangled on the umbilical cord before Rin could get to her. The mother hemorrhaged out not a minute after." Minato's voice was tight. His piercing blue eyes met Kakashi's dropped grey one. "I looked at the report. Rindid all she could to save the child first. She followed all protocol. It wasn't her fault." But she blames herself. Again the unspoken hung between them, far heavier than the spoken.
"She isn't taking it well." Kakashi noted dully. "She looks like she hasn't slept well in days."
"She hasn't been back to work yet either. If I didn't know her better, I'd say next week she'll be reading porn in public." He gave Kakashi a pointed look. "She's withdrawing."
"She's not me, Sensei." Kakashi bit out. "Rin's strong."
"So are you, Kakashi."
There was a pause before Kakashi continued, changing the subject. "I told her about the D rank mission you gave me. They had supper last night. Maybe having a female charge will help."
Minato's eyebrow rose. "You trust her with Rin?"
"I was watching." Kakashi's voice had a sulky edge to it.
Minato nodded and leaned back. "You're mission is going well then?" He asked.
Kakashi nodded absentmindedly.
"Have you talked to her since you gave her the tour?" Minato asked pointedly.
"Sensei," Kakashi sighed, "you can't expect me to talk to her. She's extremely irritating. I can watch her just fine from roof tops."
"That wasn't what I asked you to do."
"But-"
"I think," Minato's blue eyes flashed with something that made Kakashi extremely apprehensive, he quieted his protest as Minato spoke. "You need some incentive."
"What?" Kakashi's posture tensed. His grey eye focused warily on his mentor.
Minato's stood and came around the desk. Kakashi stood frozen in place as Minato's hand extended towards the teenager. "Give me the book." The blond said calmly.
Kakashi recoiled. His hands curled over the vibrant cover as if to shield it from the Hokage. "You can't be ser-"
"Hand it over, Kakashi. You can have it back after you've talked to Sakura-san and learned what her favorite food is. And yes, I do know what it is, so don't even think about lying."
Bewildered, Kakashi watched as Minato pried his fingers off his newest book. His empty hands twitched while his mind schemed. He knew exactly where other copies of Undercover Lover were.
"You are also banned from all bookstores until I give them permission to let you in."
Kakashi gapped unable to believe what he was hearing. Damn it.
Minato grinned sadistically. "You're dismissed, Kakashi. Have a productive day, or else."
Something was wrong.
No, something was very, horrifically, scarily wrong. That was the conclusion that Mai had reached after being in the Daimyo's palace for two days acting as the newest poor farmer's daughter looking to make money for her impoverished family.
Every one of her informants was gone. All of them. Since she had arrived, she had subtly yet deliberately tried to find her informants in the castle. What she found was enough to make even the densest person wary. Two died of the new influenza outbreak. One died of a heart attack - at 34. Two were exposed as spies and executed publicly. Three never made it to the public execution. One had been mugged to death in the nearby village. Four more who had inadvertently given her information had received news from home and had to leaveimmediately - none had been heard from in seven, five, two and one month respectively. There were more, but the tragic accidents and flat out disappearances all basically had the same tone. In fact, if she didn't recognize some of the workers as ones who had been in the palace the last time she had done undercover work, she would have suspected that Kyo-donohad cleaned house.
But he hadn't, and that was what scared her. The only people who were missing from the palace were people who had slipped her information. It didn't matter if they had been voluntarily committing treason - though most did it gladly because Kyo-dono was such a bastard to servants (and everybody else too) - or had inadvertently furthered her own objectives - there were always rumor mongers in the servant quarters. But some of the obviously deceased had been A ranked undercover operatives who had remained undetected for most of their lives.
If that wasn't bad enough, it was enough to raise the hairs on the back of her neck when she had heard almost by accident that Makoto-sama's girls had not been seen in the palace for weeks, if not more. Some of Makoto's top ladies qualified as S ranked ninja with their kuniochi specialized skills. It wasn't even funny how good they were at their job. Mai was almost positive that if Whirlpool didn't have an alliance with the woman, that the group of girls would have been silenced just out of fear of what they could coax from someone. That they had been either removed from the palace or frightened away really didn't matter. All that mattered to Mai was that something had changed in the River Country's head palace.
Mai had stepped right into a very dangerous situation and she wasn't sure that even she would make it out of the palace alive. Information or no.
"He's coming back tomorrow!" A young servant hissed as she rushed up to the washers gathered at the river. The unexpected noise pulled Mai from her thoughts. She wasn't the only one. Immediately, all conversation stopped. Mai noted the looks of apprehension, blatant fear, and horror displayed on the faces of her fellow washers. The shiver that raced up her spine felt like a horrible omen instead of the chill of the wind.
"Who?" She questioned in a quite whisper that was more real than faked. In the silence of the clearing it sounded too loud.
The girls all shared pointed looks. The tension in the air rose drastically. "It is none of your concern, little one." The eldest scratchy voice rasped. Her wrinkled face worried but gentle. "He will not harm you if you keep your chin down, yes?"
Mai frowned, but kept her alarm hidden. "He hurts us?" Kyo-dono might have been a jackass, but he didn't tolerate anyone (other himself) hitting his servants. Surely that had not changed.
One of the others shook her head. "No, little one," Mai scowled at her nickname but said nothing, "but he gives us all the shivers."
Another nodded. "The first time I saw him I swear his eyes were red." She whispered.
The others said nothing, but by the looks in their eyes she was not the only one who had had bad experiences with this mysterious person. The tension was so thick it could have been cut by a dull kunai.
"But, who is he?" She asked frustrated.
"He's a friend of Kyo-dono." One said.
"Came to the palace almost a year ago."
"Really silent." The tallest said.
The eldest nodded. "Silent, but scary. Do not cross him child." She repeated as if she could not emphasize that enough.
"He might be one of those," the girl's watery blue eyes shifted restlessly around the stream for a moment before meeting hers with a searing intensity, "shinobi." The word was whispered and seemed to ring through the clearing.
Mai's pupils dilated, the only sign of her shock. Kyo-dono never hired shinobi for his personal use, ever. Sure, they did seedy jobs for him out of the palace. But the Kokuei - the dark shadows who swore fidelity to him alone - guarded his palace. That didn't mean they were any less skilled. Kokuei were just as skilled in shinobi arts as Whirlpool's ninja, just not loyal to a village.
Warning flags went off in her head. For him to have a shinobi - not a member of the Kokuei - in his palace meant trouble. Huge, massive, dangerous trouble. She pulled out of her thoughts when she saw all the women looking at her with worried looks. She looked down, letting her fear settle onto her face in order to keep her cover.
When Mai looked up, she nodded gravely, appeasing the worried washers. Not that she would leave him be, but because she knew these women either didn't know his name or were afraid to say it. If he was the reason that all of her contacts were now either KIA or MIA (which was looking more and more likely by the second), she would not put these women in danger like she had the others.
She would not underestimate him.
Tomorrow, tomorrow she would meet the elusive man. The cool breeze brushed against her dyed (she never used illusions when deep undercover) sooty black hair and goosebumps exploded on her skin. She really hoped she survived this.
Sakura stretched her hands above her head and let out a very contented yawn. Today was a good day. She grinned as she munched on her hearty but cheep breakfast and settled further against her favorite sakura tree in the park - or what would be her favorite tree in a couple of years. It had been strangely amusing to find her favorite spot on the tree - a limb about seven feet off the ground - wasn't quite sturdy enough to hold her yet. So she had settled for sitting at the base of the tree instead.
She was pleased at the time off. Originally, she had planned on working today. After all, Inoichi-san had practically barked at her as she left yesterday that he expected her there at eight o'clock sharp in the morning for duty. Having nothing against working (and making money), she had readily agreed and waved goodbye.
That night had been so much fun as well. Sakura truly felt like she had found a friend in Rin.
"Those clothes looked great on you." The shy, soft voice of the brown headed girl reached Sakura's ears and snagged her attention.
She gave the girl a pleased smile. "Thanks, Rin-chan. You were a big help, I would have never found this store by myself." Sakura confessed as the two kuniochi left the second hand store tucked down a side street. Rinducked her head at the praise. She knew more than she wanted to about saving money, but if Sakura understood the implications of what she had said, Rin was glad she said nothing about it.
The truth was that Sakura had been more than pleased at the shopping trip. She had gotten a few second hand clothes that looked distinctly civilian (probably for undercover missions) that had been more than equipped for a shinobi. The pants had been loaded with reinforced pockets perfect for weapon storage (if she could ever afford them) and were loose fitted. The tops were sleeveless and formfitting, just the way she liked them. Best of all, they had been super cheep even if they weren't "in style."
"You got a great top too, Rin-chan. The green will really bring out your eyes." Sakura said with a sly grin.
Something about the brown headed girl tugged at Sakura. It wasn't their similar hairstyles - though Sakurafound it strangely bizarre to see someone else share her favored cut. It wasn't even that they were both kuniochi and almost the same age. No, if Sakura didn't know any better, she would be temped to think it was the medic in her reaching out.
It was undeniable that Sakura saw a piece of Hinata in Rin. The same type of air sounded both girls. For Hinata, the pressure had come from the harsh expectations of her unforgiving clan and the drowning hopelessness of a one sided crush. It had bowed the younger Hinata almost visibly.
Rin had the same fragile air about her, but it wasn't the same. Except for the shyness, Rin showed no visible signs of anything being wrong. Sakura guessed few people even knew something bothered the girl. Honestly, Sakura wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't known Hinata, she hadn't known the subtle signs. It bothered her, ignited her curiosity and her empathy. She wanted to know what it was that weighed Rin down, but she knew better than to ask. She didn't know the girl well enough for such a personal question. Still, Sakura wanted to see what Rin's real smile looked like. She supposed it really didn't matter right then. It was just nice to connect with someone.
Rin blushed. "Oh, thanks. I would have never bought it if you hadn't suggested it."
Sakura's sly grin grew. "It looked fantastic on you. It bet you'll have some admirers if you wear it."
Rin smiled an extremely shy smile. "Maybe." She paused for a moment, her eyes dropping in hesitance, before she asked a little unsure, "Do you have any plans for dinner, Sakura-san?"
Sakura's brows furrowed in thought. She really didn't have much money left, but she also didn't have any plans for dinner. Sakura had always been a social creature. She missed company. Maybe if they ate somewhere very cheep…
"No, not really." She replied nonchalantly.
Rin smiled, a smile that Sakura noticed almost reached her soft eyes. She grasped Sakura's hand with both of hers, boldly, and looked at the pinkette with pleading eyes. "Then you must come eat with me."
Sakurawondered if there was a person alive who could resist that look. She shook her thoughts away and smiled realizing she didn't even want to. She was looking forward to supper.
It had been a good supper too, Sakura thought as she took a deep inhale of the earthen scent of nature around her. The similarities between Sakura and Rin just kept adding up. Rin was a medic too.
"No way! You're seriously a medic?" After Rin's tentative nod, Sakura laughed. "Me too-" she grimaced, "well, not technically, you know."
Rin nodded with an understanding in her eyes.
Sakura's own lit up. "But I'm going to be one of the best. I'm good at it, shisho said I was anyway." Rin listened intently as Sakura rambled on, entranced by her passion. "I'll finally be able to do something. I don't have to watch anymore, I can fight too. Being a field medic," Rin flinched. Sakura gave a wistful sigh too lost in her daydream to see Rin's reaction to her words. "It's my dream."
"Do you go on lots of missions, Rin-chan?" Sakura asked happily pleased that the two had so much in common.
Rin shook her head. "No, I prefer to work in clinics."
A little put out, Sakura frowned. "Why?" She asked truly not understanding why someone wouldn't want to fight.
"Most people don't like working there," Rin began. "But I don't mind it. I do those shifts so that ones who really want to can have the field nin positions."
Sakura beamed. "Oh, Rin-chan, you're so sweet!"
Rin had blushed but given a tentative smile.
It had been a good evening Sakura thought. Well, until she had gotten back to the apartment anyway. She just really didn't know what to do about her roommate.
Both girls stood facing off in front of Sakura's room in their pajamas. It was the standoff of the century.
"What were you doing in my room?" Sakura began.
Hotaru held up something that looked suspiciously like an alarm clock. "I was setting your morning wake up call."
"Why?" Sakura bit out testily. She had her own alarm clock and they both knew it worked perfectly as it had gone off at 8:00 that night instead of the morning - which didn't really matter since Sakura had been up since 6:30 that morning (thanks a lot you lousy morning brat!). It was fixed now to the a.m. and would be perfectly fine to wake her up in the morning.
"So you can give me the Kawasword for my training tomorrow morning with Chou-chan."
"When exactly would this alarm have gone off, Hotaru-sama?"
Hotaru grumbled something indistinguishable. Sakura's temper flared.
"When?" She bit out.
"6:30."
"I am not getting up at 6:30 tomorrow; put that damn alarm clock back in your own room!" Sakura fumed.
Hotaruhuffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, how else am I supposed to get the sword away from you in the morning without being decapitated?!"
Sakura had the decency to wince. "I don't know."
"Don't you want to be a kuniochi too?" Hotaru hedged.
Sakura's eyes narrowed. "What of it?"
"You need to start practicing. You need way more stamina. Its obvious you sleep in too much anyway." Hotaru smirked.
Sakura held back the urge to punch the girl through the wall only by a little bit. (Who the hell does she think she is?! Let. Me. At. Her!) She took a deep inhale and forced herself to look away from Hotaru and into her room. Think calm thoughts, think calm thoughts…
"Maybe…"Sakuramused as her eye flickered between bed and the dresser beside it as an idea formed in her mind.
"I'm not sleeping in the bed with you." Hotaru deadpanned.
"WHAT?!" Sakura's voice cracked as her head swiveled to look at Hotaru. Too dumbfounded to do more than gape at the girl.
"I said I'm not sleeping in the bed with you." She repeated as an uncomfortable pink rose on her cheeks. When Sakura continued to stare at her, Hotarulashed. "Well, you kept looking at that bed, and we both know the sword wants to be close to you."
Sakurafelt vaguely light headed as it dawned on her how different their minds worked. "I was going to suggest we put it on the bedside table to see if that's close enough."
Hotaru's blush increased. "Oh, well, fine then."
The girl stomped down the hall toward her room with the foiled alarm clock still in her hand. Sakura heard her grumbling something about being "armed" in the morning "just in case," but let it slide. She was getting a headache again.
With a little dose of healing chakra to her head, Sakura laid the Kawa sword on the bedside table and eyed it warily. She didn't think it was close enough to kick her instincts into action, but wondered if that also meant it was too far from her and would cause the seal to activate instead. She sighed and decided thinking like that was making her headache pound, again. It wasn't worth it so late at night.
I guess we'll see in the morning. Was the last thought she had before she slipped under the covers and fell into a deep sleep.
And so this morning, Sakura had been woken cheerfully by her own alarm clock at 7:20 am. There was no sign of the Kawa sword or Hotaru and quite frankly, Sakura couldn't have been happier. It was amazing what little things one took for granted every day, Sakura decided as she continued to munch on her late breakfast. Like a bed for example. Granted Sakura had stopped taking a bed completely for granted a long time ago. Too many missions with only the hard dirt and a flimsy sleeping bag for comfort made her appreciate any type of bed to some extent. Perhaps, she mused, it was sleep that she had taken for granted more than the bed in general. She had forgotten how wonderful it was to sleep as long as you liked and wake up not to an urgent message from your irate shisho or a late mission briefing or interrogation or more interrogation but instead when ever you felt like it - or when the (correction - your) alarm clock wakes you up.
She found herself more and more thankful for the small miracles she would have overlooked if this whole thinghad not happened. Another such miracle came in the form of a beautiful, yet strict Yamanaka matriarch who had told Sakura quite plainly when she showed up for work that morning:
"Go on, I'll be watching the shop today. I'll be perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much." A flick of golden hair. "I'm sure my husband will contact you again when your services are required."
Sakura had known Ino's mom was thrifty, but she hadn't really knownif that made any sense. Sakurafigured someone else was watching the Ino today and that had left the female head free to work again. Sakura wasn't too upset though. The time off was nice in and of itself. She hadn't had many quite moments and sitting under the sakura tree enjoying breakfast was a nice piece of calm.
Very soon, the library would open for the day. When it did, Operation: Recon would finally begin in full. Honestly, Sakura was itching to go through the scrolls and find out what exactly was going on. Truthfully, she felt a little lost without knowing about the power struggles of this Konoha. She was anxious to remedy this problem. From somewhere in Konoha a bell began to toil. Sakura let a brief smirk lift her lips.
9:00 - Mission start
She was humming some unnamabletune loudly and rather off key, he thought, when he slid silently into the kitchen. He stood there watching her bustle around gathering odd things for her own lunch. He didn't know if she truly understood how beautiful she was to him. Her whole body glowed with her pregnancy. Her hair seemed more vivid (if that was possible) as it swished behind her. Her face was flushed giving a pink, almost innocent, tint to her face. Her belly, swollen with his child, brought a rush of masculine pride flooding through his veins, and he found he couldn't just watch her anymore. He needed to touch, hold, and feel her. To prove that she was really real.
Just as he shuffled forward, she turned around. She blinked, a little startled when she saw him behind her. It didn't last long. Not a second later, her eyes lit up and a grin stretched her generous mouth.
"Welcome home." She chirped. "I wasn't expecting you." Her eyes flashed mischievously. Like she knew something he didn't.
His hand brushed ran his hair as he sheepishly admitted, "I missed you."
"Of course you did." She grinned. "So, what do you want for lunch?"
He grinned as he came forward and enfolded her into his arms inhaling her comforting scent. "You?"
She laughed and smacked his arm. "No, stupid, don't you remember what the doctor said? We can't have fun anymore."
He smiled into her hair. "Yeah," he sighed regretfully, "I remember."
She snuggled deeper into his embrace taking comfort in his strength. "So, what do you want?"
He closed his eyes and rested his head against the top of hers. His hands found her stomach and moved over it slowly, reverently.
"Just give me a minute."
She smiled softly, knowingly, and placed her hand over his to move it just slightly to the right. They both felt their son kick against their entwined hands.
"I've got time, Minato."
"Thank you, Koishii." He whispered into her hair.
It had been such a productive morning. Yes, as Sakura rolled up Annals of the Modern Shinobi Villages, she allowed a contented smile to lift her lips. Now at least she understood where she stood in the world a little better. It worried her that there was such tension between Whirlpool and River Countries though. Actually, it made her very nervous for two reasons.
Number one: Whirlpool didn't exist anymore - or at least it didn't exist in 58 y.k. Sakurahad checked a map just to make sure she knew exactly where Whirlpool was located. She now knew that the majority of that claimed land belonged to River Country's northern stretch. This also brought on a tingle of anxiety because, well, River Country had no shinobi village - even in this time. So, obviously, they couldn't go to war against Uzu because Uzu would kick their ass. And no shinobi village would fight a war for them if they didn't get something substantial (like land) from it. (So, how the HELL do they get that land!?!)
Number two: Both Whirlpool and River lay to the westof Konoha. Normally, Sakura wouldn't have noted the direction of a dispute, but in this case she took notice. She knew now with certainty that the Kyuubiwould attack Konoha's western side (what else could explain why there were buildings now and empty training grounds in 58 y.k.). It made her anxious.
Something inside her (that would be me you dense idiot!) warned that the two reasons might be connected. She didn't have any proof, but everything that she knew from the future didn't make sense in the past. She couldn't connect the dots from this year and get back to the future. How on earth had Uzu been destroyed? Why had River gotten their land? Could it be coincidence that the Kyuubi attacked from their direction? Of course it could be. Hell, there were fourteen years between now and the future she knew. That was a lot of years for a shinobi village to die in. (But it seems that the tension to the west has been increasing far too rapidly in the past two years.)Sakura shook her head. She wasn't going to think about any of this right now. She was on vacation. V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N.
She nodded her head curtly and set about rolling up the other scrolls and closing the open books before gathering them to put them back up. She was starting to get hungry. A glance out the window told her she had missed lunch by a couple of hours. She sighed. Her stomach grumbled. She set her pace just a little quicker.
She was putting up The Brief History of Whirlpool, her last scroll, when she froze. Six slots to the right was an extremely old scroll. Sakura couldn't have guessed its age, but the thick coating of dust on it told her that no one had touched it in a very long time. But that dust despite its thickness had not been able to erase the back comma marks covering the edges of the paper. Remarkably familiar marks. Sakura's heart thudded hard in her chest as if her blood was too frozen to move without extra help.
She blinked hoping it had been a trick of the light. That those dark blotches were just her imagination. They weren't. Sakura's flingers clinched over the pristine white bandage that hid her right wrist from view. Could this scroll be a key as to how she had gotten here? Would she finally get some answers?
Her mind swirled with the possibilities. It took several minutes to finally get up the courage to pick up the scroll and several more before her hand moved towards it. Even then, her left hand shook. (Get a grip!) The moment the tips of her fingers touched the old paper, prickles erupted on her right hand. (Shit!) Her fingers flew away in a blur of motion. She was unwrapping her wrist before she even realized she was. The mark was still there, she noted in a hysterical mix of relief and disappointment. But as she looked closer at the three large commas, she realized that one of them looked lighter than the others. She didn't want to think about what that might mean. Not now. Not ever. (Grow up! Are you a kuniochi or not?) She had given herself a week. One week of relaxation; and dammit she wanted her full week! She didn't want to think about this right now. (Oh, boo who.)
Breathing slowly and deliberately, she covered the dark mark with the bandage again. Out of sight; out of mind. Somehow, she heard her inner voice snort at her. Irritated, Sakura's teeth ground together. Now that she was thinking about it, she couldn't get herself to stop. She could feel the hysterical indecision bubbling up again and forcefully pushed it down. Not. Thinking. About. That. (You keep telling yourself that.) Her eyes were drawn to the scroll again. She couldn't just ignore it regardless of her week. She just couldn't.
Two minutes and twenty seven seconds later, Sakura nodded curtly to herself and took the scroll hastily from the shelf. Her hand prickled. Ignore it. Ignore it! She walked quickly to the nearest table and almost threw the scroll onto it as she collapsed into the chair.
She was breathing heavily now as if she had run for hours. Her heart pounded in her head and her ears kept hearing an odd sort of rushing that drowned out everything else. She reached for the scroll and unfurled it just a small bit. A centered title greeted her:
- horaignis -
Sakurablinked, stunned. What kind of language was that? She unrolled the scroll more but could not understand anything else either. The scroll was useless to her without a translation. Sakura almost screamed in frustration. Great, just great. All that worry over nothing! (Idiot)
Naturally, she was so caught up in her disappointment that she jumped when someone sat down across from her. Her slightly wild eyes locked with his one lazy grey orb. She blinked, startled to see him and more than a little confused.
"Kakashi-se-san?" She stammered as she quickly rolled up the scroll.
His eye creased. "Yo."
She let out a shaky laugh that bordered on being breathless. "What are you doing here?" She asked incredulously. She had never known him to haunt the library.
Kakashi smiled, or at least she thought he did. "Well, you see, this poor academy child-"
"Cut the bullshit, Kakashi-san." Sakura smirked feeling more comfortable in a situation that felt so familiar to her. For his part, Kakashi looked slightly (very slightly) startled. "Why are you really here?"
For some completely unknown reason, that piercing look she gave him made him feel like a misbehaving child (the fact that he was one didn't help much). Oddly enough, the truth came spilling out before he could stop it.
"Sensei tookall of my books from my houseand banned me from the book stores. They even sealed the windows."
Sakura couldn't help but laugh. He looked so forlorn. And it was hilarious. "Poor, Kakashi-san. Did you come here to lookfor a book then?"
Sheepishly, he held up a remarkably plain book.
Sakura's eyebrow rose. "No porn?"
He looked positively sulky. "It's a romance novel."
"Of course it is." She grinned.
"So what brings you to the library, Sakura-san?" He asked trying to get attention off himself.
She sighed. "I was reading up on Konoha. Kei-shisho told me a lot about Konoha, but I've always loved to learn. I came here to learn more about the shinobi villages." She shrugged.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Yes and no." She said. "It looks like you did though." She said with a grin and eyebrow waggle. Her eyes were almost twinkling with mirth.
He hummed and slipped the book back into his pocket. "Something has been bothering me, though." He said rather nonchalantly. Sakura tensed in her chair almost imperceptibly, all traces of humor gone from her eyes.
"Oh?" she remarked airily, a little too aloof. "What?"
"Is that your natural hair color?"
She gaped at him before flushing almost as pink as her hair. "What on earth made you ask that question? Of course, it's my natural hair color!" Sakuraexclaimed her irritation increasing by the second. The nerve of him!
He held his hands out in front of him to placate her even as his eye glinted with amusement. Sakura was flooded with righteous anger (and a touch of glee - a touch only) at the moment and didn't really care. "And where do you get off asking that question, eh? I'm not the one with grey hair in my teens!"
"Hey, hey," he cut in smoothly. "It's sliver. Silver, not grey."
Sakura snorted as a smile flitted her lips upwards. "Oh yeah? I can't tell the difference. You look like an old man."
"Ah, now that's not fair. I'm not an old man. I'm in perfect shape."
Sakura looked at him with a disbelieving expression on her face.
"Here," he said as he picked up one of her hands and placed it on his arm. "Tell me that's not rock hard!" He boasted. Sakura gave it an experimental squeeze feigning a look of mildness that completely contradicted her inner thoughts (Holy cow! He's harder than a rock! Damn!)
"I suppose." Her eyes trailed over him. "You're not so old." He wasn't she realized quite abruptly. When she looked closer, she could see the differences between this Kakashi and her own. He seemed softer somehow. It was hard to pin it on any physical attribute, but there was something in the air around him that made him seem more open. Granted, this was Kakashi, but at the same time this was Kakashi. What had made him fully introvert himself? (Probably has something to do with loosing Minato-sama to the Kyuubi, you idiot!) She softened then realizing just what he would go through. He's so young, she thought.
Sakura decided she liked him like this. He seemed more willing to joke, even if it was only a little, and the cloud of depression didn't seem so thick around him. He looked young and more carefree than she had ever seen him before. It was nice.
Sakura's stomach took that moment to growl rather angrily at her. She blushed as Kakashi's deep throatedlaugh enveloped her. His eyes seemed to laugh at her again. His eyebrow rose tauntingly. "You hungry then? I'll treat to make up for my poor manners earlier."
She sat stunned for a moment. Kakashi was offering to pay? He stood up and came around the table. "What's your favorite food?"
"Dumplings," she muttered distracted by his suddened and completely unprecedented kindness and surprisingly the way the light played on him. (Oh my God, Kakashi's hot!) Her mouth opened in an o of surprise. It dawned on her what had just gone through her mind not even minutes ago. She liked him. She liked him. He was being nice. He was being nice. It was enough of a revelation to make her on the verge of hyperventilation. She was surprised she hadn't fainted yet.
His eye crinkled in a real smile that brought her closer, much closer, hyperventilation. She was not attracted to her sensei! She was NOT attracted to her sensei!
"So, dumplings then?"
"What?"
He frowned (she thought) at her. Her mind was too busy whirling itself into oblivion to pay too much attention to silly things like Kakashi's words at the moment. "Are we going to eat dumplings?" (Is he asking you out on a date?!) Her stomach churned. Oh God! She was not ready for this. She had to get away. Yes, just get out of there!
"No," she stammered. "No, I'm not hungry anymore." She grabbed the foreign scroll and practically ran from him desperate to erase her new found observations. She could not handle this. Not now. Not ever!
He just watched her go slightly bemused at her reaction to him. Odd, it only made him want to get to know more about her. She was just so puzzling even if she was irritating as hell at times. He smirked and opened the library's poor version of a romance novel. He was only on the first chapter and it needed so much more sex…
Hotaru was gasping for breath. The Kawa sword felt like a thousand pounds in her limp hands. She wasn't sure if she could even hold it for much longer. Cooling sweat dripped down the back of her neck and made her shiver. Her dark eyes flickered over the training grounds that were still visible in the waning light of late afternoon. She was pleased by how many downed tree branches there were. She was getting better, even if the Kawa sword didn't seem to obey her very well.
With a sigh, she collapsed onto the ground as she tried to still her racing heart. How long had she been practicing? Hours? She knew she had stopped at some point for a quick lunch, but other than that time had flown by. Since Chou-chan had taught her that new kata, she vowed to be perfect at it - at least in slow motion - before the next morning practice. She would prove herself to Chou-chan. She could do this. She would make a great kuniochi even if it had taken her longer than her father ever expected to pass the first test.
Somewhere above her a black bird cawed. Hotaru glanced at the sky in surprise as one of her father's summons flew towards her. The bird was a young one, not able to speak yet, but it was still fast. It butted its head against her cheek as it rested on her uplifted knee. She noticed the scroll tied to its leg immediately and released it of its burden.
She smiled at it, petting the bird a couple of times before it poofed away; its job completed.
She unrolled the scroll a little warily, not knowing what to expect from her father. The words were in code, but that was to be expected. It wasn't too hard to decode.
Daughter,
Your mother is heavy with child, a healthy boy who I have named my heir. You are to return home immediately to prepare for your marriage to Kyo-dono, the heir to the River Country's throne. You will make me proud.
Your father
Hotaru sat in stunned silence as the world darkened into night.
Well there you go! I'm extremely anxious to see what you think of this chapter notes are next!
* Okay. I'm sure most of you understand exactly who the mysterious guy (known as MG from here on out) is, but in case you haven't I'm not going to name him here. What I wanted to explain was exactly what this scene is depicting. Normally, I don't explain because it makes me feel like I'm not doing my job right in the first place if I have to explain, but since this is slightly off cannon I'm going to explain what was happening here.
MG is hypnotizing the Kyuubi. I know in the cannon that the Kyuubi feared his clan because they could control him. So, I've taken a little leeway with this concept with the hypnotizing slant. MG is implanting thoughts into the mind of the Kyuubi so that the beast thinks the ideas are his own. Hence: "Their death's will bring you pleasure. You know this." You see?
Also, implanting thoughts permanently into the Kyuubi's mind is much more difficult that using short term illusions which is why he doesn't have the Kyuubi completely under his control yet. Slowly, MG is getting what he wants. I think the only real difference between this and cannon is the length of time it takes and the concept of implanted thoughts. Hope you understand better what my MG does now. Thanks!
Dictionary:
Horaignis- combination of Latin words. Hora meaning time and ignis meaning fire. Since Latin is one of those languages from the distant past but one with advanced thought (at least I think so), I am using it to show the age of the scroll and the people who wrote it. Horaignis is the name of an ancient clan who studied both fire and time long before the shinobi clans were created. It is from this particular clan however that the Uchiha Clan is derived from - the fire experimentation side. If you want more information about my Horaignis Clan and their history, just p.m. or review. Not everyone wants this note to last forever. Lol…
Koishii - meaning beloved. *squeal!* I'm sorry, but this term of endearment has got to be my all time favorite. I just couldn't help but put it in.
Nonmember reviews:
Bee: not to worry, I just missed your awesomeness. Jiraiya is coming in the next chapter actually so be excited! I'm glad you like the plot. Honestly it gets kinda complicated at times and gives me a headache, but I've got it all written down so I don't get lost. Yeah, Sakura always seemed to be a people person. I thought the lack of friends would hurt her moral much more than say myself (as I'm not as outgoing as Sakura is). Itachi? Eh, just keep watching, you might be a tad bit surprised… lol. So can I take it that you like Rin? I think she had been my most challenging character to write. Honestly, I think she's a little ooc but well, I can't really help it now. Hope you liked what this chapter introduced!
me: Thanks! I'm glad you like it, but very sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. Hope your still out there!
zemli: I'm glad you like the plot. I seriously anguish over the tiniest details with it just to be sure its perfect. I'm glad that they paid off. Sorry this chapter took so long, but hope it meets your expectations. Thanks for the review!
Seshaddic: I'm glad you found me. Horray! I'm glad you liked it so much. *glowing with happiness!* I have tried my hardest to do just what you said and I'm so glad to hear that from my readers. So very sorry this took so long. Please forgive me. Did this satisfy for a SakxKak moment? I thought it was good. Eh, your red eye comment would be correct. If this chapter didn't answer it, the next couple will for sure! Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're liking my story.
Azhure: Hello! Not to worry. Sorry I didn't update sooner. I completely empathize with the life being crazy part. Its current 1:00am for me - I guess that's not too terribly late. I'm glad you're still liking it. Hope this chapter does the same as the others have. Thanks again and sweet dreams to you too!