Good Girl: The Rewrite

Eternal: Computer still stupid. =(

Chapter 10

Snow was falling.

Reija looked up from his solo training and saw the white substance floating down to the earth. Holding out his hand, he caught one and it instantly melted away thanks to his overactive body heat. Due to his training with fire, his chakra nature, it kicked his body temperature through the roof, repealing any chance of fever or basic illnesses. Could it already be time for winter? Taking a seat on a log, he unlatched his water bottle and took a big drink. He was exhausted. All he ever did was train and even though he was a ninja, he wasn't allowed to go on missions since he was from the Grass village, taking residence in Konoha.

And they still had no lead on Taki.

He lowered the water bottle and watched the snowflakes for awhile, just thinking. When had she gone missing? It seemed like ages ago. The weather was still nice then, not too hot, not too cold. Late spring perhaps? And now it was snowing.

A year, or at least a few months shy of a year, she had been the Akatsuki's prisoner. His memory was failing him and he couldn't even remember the way her voice sounded. Soft, she herself was soft but he couldn't quite recall how she sounded. Did that make him a bad person? That he couldn't even remember the voice of the person he was trying to rescue?

Naruto, the host of the nine tailed beast, was sympathetic to him and Buisura. He explained that he was in current pursuit of his friend as well.

"But his 'friend' left willingly," he grumbled. Shuddering, he started to actually feel the cold. He stood up slowly, body sore. With a groan and some stretching, he looked back up at the overcast sky.

"I wonder what she thinks of the snow…" On that note, he went inside, to see if they had learned anything new about their teammate.

They shuffled through the shallow snow, hats donned and bodies close. It was bitterly cold, as Hidan often complained. For whatever reason, he would not button up his cloak or wear the straw hat.

"Hidan, y-you're going to freeze to d-death," chattered Taki, arms folded so to conserve her body heat.

"That's if we're lucky," grunted Kakuzu on the other side of her.

"Sh-shaddup you b-b-b-" He couldn't even finish the insult as another breeze came through and he convulsed with cold. "Oh J-Jashin, why is it so fuckin' cold?!"

"I'm sure you would be better off if you actually wore a shirt, dumbass," said Kakuzu, from the comfort of his warm clothes and cloak.

"Sh-shut it you—"

"Look! We're n-nearly there!" rejoiced Taki pointing at the hideout, which was, by the love of God, drawing closer. With a whoop of joy, Hidan began to sprint toward the heated home, his feet kicking snow into the faces of the other members.

"Finally! Heat! Thank you Jashin for such a thing!" he praised as he easily passed the boundaries of the hideout. Taki gave a little laugh before turning to look at Kakuzu.

"I-I'll race you, K-Kakuzu," she challenged good naturedly. He huffed and she couldn't see the smirk as he said, "Fine."

Snow was kicked up again as they used chakra to enhance their speed. Quickly, they gained on Hidan and he looked over his shoulder to see them approaching at an alarming speed. Shouting all sorts of swear words, he began to increase his own.

The door opened fully so they could have a fight to the finish. Shoulder to shoulder, using more chakra than necessary, they pushed each other, shoving childishly and when they were within reach, they all leapt simultaneously for the slim doorway.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Y-you're smashing me!"

"Get off Hidan!"

Smashed uncomfortably in the doorway is where the three man team resided while the other members laughed at their misfortune. Beneath her hat, Taki's face was turning red as she became further smashed by the two men. But with laughter all around, it really wasn't all that bad.

Sheltered by the snow covered trees, some of Konoha's ANBUs peered from the shadows. They had witnessed the three Akatsuki members walking to the secured hideout. Due to the height, lightness of the voice and white hair that appeared beneath the hat, they were able to identify Taki Iwasura. Though donned in criminal clothes, it could have been a ploy devised by the organization but all in all, they had located the heiress.

With a nod to each other, they used a hand sign in order to teleport out of the area.

The head of the Iwasura clan sat idly at his desk, sifting through papers that required his signature. As of late, he found himself losing interest in his paperwork, instead, he found himself looking through the random pictures he had in his office, specifically the album that was in a hidden drawer.

After making sure the door was locked and he wouldn't be bothered, he brought the album out of hiding, flipping to where he left off last. The first picture on the page was of Taki in the garden with her mother, simply helping her with the chores. He remembered that day very clearly.

"Mama!" she exclaimed, plucking a vibrantly colored flower from the dirt. "Look at this!" Quickly, she rushed to her mother's side, wanting to see her expression.

"Oh honey, it's beautiful," she cooed, kneeling to her daughter's height. "You know who would really like it?" Taki's eyes got huge with curiosity.

"Who?"

Her mom looked around, as if it was a big secret and the little girl rose onto her tiptoes, prepared to hear it.

"Your father." She gasped with excitement and spun around to see if he was outside, which he rarely was, but she had to check anyway.

"Can I take it to him, mama? Please, please may I?" She giggled and nodded, and the girl took off running. She rose to her full height slowly, supporting her exceedingly large stomach with her hand. She was due any time now…

Her socked feet padded against the ground since she had kicked off her sandals when she had entered inside, they always said no shoes in the house. One hallway, then the next and then finally, after a quick right, her father's office was in plain sight and she raced to open the semi-heavy door, well it was heavy enough to take both of her little hands.

Luckily, her father was only writing papers, like he always did.

"Papa! Papa, look what I found!" She launched herself as high as she could jump because her dad would always catch her. Which he did gracefully, eyes a foggy blue shade, signaling that he had used his family trait.

"Hey, that's cheating!" she laughed, folding her little arms. He chuckled and brought her onto his lap as he took a seat.

"Now, what have you found?" he asked calmly. Immediately, she began explaining her discovery of the colorful flower.

After a few entertaining moments and laughter, they heard a shrill scream come from outside. The Iwasura leader set his daughter down and ran swiftly out of the room. Scared, Taki followed him, wishing that she could use chakra so that she could catch up.

By the time she had made outside, a number of servants and her father surrounded the fallen lady. Her stomach felt sick and her chest was tight as she crept closer, unnoticed.

Her beautiful mother was lying in the flowers, breathing hard and crying. Her legs were covered in blood, Taki could it see as she dared to approach her. Her dad was holding her hand and shouting orders at the servants but oddly enough, she couldn't hear him.

"Mama?" Suddenly, everyone was aware of her presence.

"Get her out of here, now!" shouted her father. Servants started to reach for her but she dodged them and dropped next to her mom.

"Mama, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" she asked.

"S-shhhh, baby, it'll be all r-right…" She coughed fiercely and more blood came, some sprinkling on Taki's white cheek.

A servant had managed to grab her at last and carried her away as she wiggled and demanded to know what was wrong with her mother.

She had miscarried, a case so horrible that it brought upon her death, leaving her child with only one parent.

"Why is mama in the box?" whispered Taki at the funeral, in her little black dress. Her father didn't answer; he sometimes did that when they were in public. So, she turned her bicolored eyes back to the procession. The priest was saying some words and people were crying. No one had really explained anything to her, so she thought her mama was putting on a show; she was wearing the pretty Iwasura clothes after all. Her mother always acted, it was fun and she could play pretend too. So, why were the people crying? Didn't they know that she always stood up and bowed at the end?

"Papa, why are they crying? Mama's going to come out of the box and then they'll clap right?"

The workers closed the lid and began to lower the coffin into the ground and people were starting to disperse. Panic was growing in little Taki's chest, no one would answer her questions.

"How's mama going to get out of the box?" she asked, tugging gently on his hand.

"She won't be coming out Taki," said her father, face solemn. Her heart was beating faster now.

"But mama has to come out!" she argued.

"Taki, your mother has passed away. She has died and won't be able to come back," he said coldly. His voice scared her and she let go of his hand racing for the people who were putting dirt on top of her dear, beloved mother.

"Stop it! Sop it!" she cried, pushing at one. But she was so little, it made no difference and a servant came and picked her up in order to carry her away.

"No! They have to let mama out! Mama has to come back!" No one would listen to her and some of the ladies pulled out handkerchiefs. Her mama couldn't be dead, not her mama. Tears were streaming down her round face now and the little black bow was falling out of her white hair.

"Come back! Mama come back!" The servant took her farther away but her father and the people could still hear her crying.

"Mama!"

"What?!" demanded Reija, hands slamming down on the Hokage's desk. His blonde partner quickly restrained him, glasses slipping down his nose due to the effort.

"Behave yourself!" he hissed between his teeth before flashing the Lady Fifth a nervous smile of apology.

"Yes, Reija. Taki of the Iwasura Clan was spotted with two other members while wearing a cloak of her own," repeated Tsunade slowly and deliberately.

"That has to be some sort of twisted trick those Akatsuki bastards are trying to fool us with! Taki would never agree to it, they must have forced her!" argued the fire user.

She sighed. "Are you even thinking of the possibility that she could have joined Akatsuki?"

"Yeah, and the answer's hell no!" Buisura elbowed him the side.

"Some form of respect would be good right about now!" he whispered. "Calm down!"

"No!" he snapped. "There's no way I can calm down now!" He stomped back up to the desk where the blonde waited patiently, chin placing on the bridge her laced fingers made.

"We've been here in your freakin' village for almost a year now and now, when we finally get some scrap of a clue about our friend, you want us to turn traitor and treat her like some kind of criminal?!"

"Reija, there's a chance that the reason she's alive is because she agreed to become a member. Have you thought about it from her stand point? Heiress of a rare clan, young quiet girl against an entire organization of S-class criminals, the numbers are not in her favor." He had to hold his tongue on that one.

"Hey, just chill, they've already sent out the team and I know you're bitter about us being unable to go but just think of it—she'll be back," reminded Buisura. He took a deep breath and stood up straight again, ignoring the scorch marks his fists had left on the polished desk. Without saying another word, he turned around and walked out of the office.

You'll be safe soon, Taki… he thought to himself as he allowed his mind to wander. I'll make sure of it…

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