Chapter Thirteen: Of Blood and Teeth

A/N: Look! This chapter is finally finished! So - long story short - a bunch of real life, uber craptastic things happened one right after the other. I've been writing on Emiko's story the whole time, I just haven't been able to devote the time to it that I previously could. Anyway, please read and if you enjoy it, please let me know. Or if there's something that doesn't make sense, or doesn't seem to "jive", please tell me. Constructive criticism is the BEST way for my writing to improve. I crave it just as much as (if not more than) the reviews that simply say how much you liked it. ^_^ Thanks so much & happy reading!

Darkness. I walk with caution, each footstep echoing into the void with a slight splash. Bending down, curious, I brush my fingers across the ground and encounter a wet, slightly sticky substance. Bringing it gingerly to my nose, I'm not really surprised by the tang of iron that meets my nostrils.

Unsure what else to do, I call out, "Is anyone there?" It's meant to be a shout, but comes out barely louder than a whisper, raspy and soft.

Without purpose, I step further into the surrounding shadows. There is no sound beyond my own movements, but I can sense...something. Suddenly, I'm on my knees, felled by an unseen obstacle. There's liquid here, too; it coats my hands and soaks through the legs of my pants. As if sensing my frustration the darkness fades, replaced by a dull, grayish light that seems to come from nowhere and everywhere all at once. Getting slowly to my feet, I turn to examine my prone assailant. The body should surprise me...but it doesn't, and the longer I stand there the more certain I become that it's my brother, Daisuke.

I take a step forward, needing to confirm my fears, but the light unexpectedly fades, leaving me in inky darkness once again. When it returns just seconds later the scene has changed. I'm in someone's home, shadowed and unfamiliar...and the body is still on the blood-covered floor, its identity becoming less and less certain with each passing moment. A young voice calls out, "Father?", but there's no one in sight. Now I'm more determined than ever to discover the identity of the prone form. Taking a deliberate step forward, I suddenly find myself falling as a gaping hole opens up beneath me. Scrabbling frantically, I cling to the edge as the puddled blood begins to flow down around me, slicking my grip. Fading in like a shadow, a young boy appears above me, hair starkly white in the darkness of the room.

"Kakashi?" I try to ask, but not even a whisper comes out this time.

"This is all your fault!" His voice is a whisper, barely discernible over the sound of the quickly-rushing blood, but filled with more malice than I ever imagined a child could have. "You don't belong here!"

I try to protest, but the blood is coming even faster now, pouring into the hole from all sides, over my head and into my mouth. Spluttering, I look up to meet his gaze...but the boy is gone, replaced by the man. He reaches out, offering a hand and pulling me gently into the safety of his arms. Time freezes as we stand there, his touch making me tremble. Then he leans in close, lips brushing softly across my cheek, and whispers, "Your. Fault."

And I'm being pushed away, back down the hole, into the blood and darkness. Flailing, I cry out...as an icy splash of water is dumped unceremoniously in my face. I bolt awake, squinting at the unexpected morning sun and gasping from the shock and the cold. Mizuki is standing over me, an amused glint in his eyes.

"What the hell was that for?"

"You looked like you were having a nightmare." He gestures to his now bruised and swollen nose. "I figured it was safer not to touch you."

Glaring daggers, I stand quickly, doing what I can to shake off the water. "Thanks, Mizuki. Now I'll just change into something dry...oh, wait," I continue, voice dripping with sarcasm, "I can't - My clothes are in the village."

He shrugs with a smirk. "Oops."

"It is way too early in the morning for this," I mutter under my breath, reaching into my belt pouch to pull out a pair of barrettes. As Mizuki finishes dousing the last embers from the previous night's fire, I pin back my dripping bangs, wishing that my hair was still long enough for a braid.

"If you're done primping, your highness..." My former friend gestures upriver with an overdone look of impatience on his face. "We should keep moving."

Refusing to take the bait and start yet another bickering match, I gather up the basket Kaede gave me and brush past Mizuki with a look of controlled indifference. "Fine, let's go."

The rest of our journey is done in silence as Mizuki and I fall into the norms of our ninja stations, moving quickly and quietly through the trees. However, several hours later, as we stand staring into the one of the most beautiful valleys I've ever seen, I can't help but ask, "What do you think's in there?"

He glances at me with an unreadable glint in his eyes. "I already told you, I don't know..."

His answer sounds suspiciously defensive. "That's not what I asked. Knowing and thinking are two different things. You're a ninja, you fought the thing - use your intuition."

Mizuki stares down into the valley, saying nothing before finally shaking his head. "There wasn't enough light...it smelled earthy...and sweet - like honey, I guess."

I wait for him to say more, but when the silence drags on I sigh impatiently. "Alright, fine, let's just get this over with. Maybe we'll get lucky and the thing will be nocturnal."

We're cautious as we make our way in; my eyes are going everywhere at once. After seeing what this thing did to Mizuki, I don't want to be caught off guard. But nothing happens...not a twitch or a shiver from the surrounding foliage. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "This can't be just luck."

Mizuki shrugs. "Maybe you were right, maybe it's nocturnal."

I shake my head in disbelief. "But that would mean ALL of the previous groups arrived at night..."

"It's not so hard to believe...you would have too, if I hadn't been around to warn you."

"Yeah, but the villagers wouldn't have had any reason to travel at night...it doesn't make sense."

He shrugs again, crouching down for a closer look at a cluster of the plants we've been sent to collect. "Why look a gift horse in the mouth? Let's just get what we came for and get out of here."

"But it's eerie, isn't it? I mean, it hasn't been that long since you were attacked, but there aren't any signs of struggle...no drag marks...no bodies even. Hey, did you actually see this thing kill anyone? What if they're still..."

Mizuki's features darken as he interrupts. "Give it a rest, Emiko - you can't save everyone! Do you want to help the village or not?"

"Of course I do, but..."

"Then can we focus, please?"

His sudden agitation surprises me, especially given Mizuki's typically laid-back attitude; is it because I suggested there might be survivors? I need to know what's really going on here...but can I justify wasting time when there are so many innocent lives at stake? The decision isn't an easy one...I don't trust Mizuki, but I can't figure out what his motives would be for lying to me. Besides, he's been through a fairly traumatic experience; it's possible that fear is the only thing causing his unusual behavior. In the end I decide I can't risk other people's lives on the possibility that my distrust stems from the past and not the present.

"Okay," I reply, giving my former friend a steady gaze. "Let's get to work."

Mizuki seems a bit taken aback by my sudden complacency, but says, "Uh...right, I'll keep a lookout while you fill the basket."

The idea of him watching my back isn't exactly a comforting one, especially when he's been acting so strangely. But arguing about it isn't going to help the people in Koshimoto, so I simply nod and head for the nearest cluster of plants. Kaede was right about them not being in bloom yet, but otherwise they're exactly like her sketches...although I have to confess that something about seeing them in person makes my skin crawl. Kneeling, I pull a kunai out of my belt pouch and, doing my best to avoid the thorns, immediately begin sawing away at the closest stem.

There's just enough time for me to register the dark, viscous fluid oozing out of the gash I've created, before a sharp, aching pain wraps itself around my ankle and pulls...hard. I'm yanked onto my back and my head hits hard enough that my vision goes a little dark around the edges. A split second later, I'm being dragged through the valley's vegetation so fast that the world around me becomes nothing more than a blur of blues and greens. Shouting for Mizuki, I dig my hands into the earth as it goes flying by, trying to find purchase, grabbing onto anything that might slow me down. My hand finally latches onto a rock wedged deep enough in the ground that grabbing it nearly wrenches my shoulder out of it's socket. Gasping for breath as my unknown attacker yanks ferociously on my leg, I shout again, "Mizuki! Where the hell are you?"

But there's no reply and before I can get my bearings enough to look for him, a thorny green tentacle is suddenly in my face, wrapping itself around my upper arm. It's hold on me tightens quickly, thorns piercing flesh, blood slickening my hold. I struggle to keep a grip on my rocky lifeline, but my arm suddenly begins to tingle and go numb. Unexpectedly weakened, I can do nothing as the creature gives one final tug, yanking me free. My head smashes against the rock and this time my vision really does go dark.

I'm awakened once again with water being splashed in my face. And somewhere in the hazy in-between of sleep and consciousness I wonder if maybe I'll open my eyes and none of it will have happened - Mizuki will be standing over me with his smirk and his broken nose, wanting me to get up and get moving. But the smell...it's nauseating - full of death and decay - and I'm sitting, propped, in what feels like several inches of water...at least, I hope it's water. Slowly, I open my eyes to be met by mostly darkness; up above me dim, incandescent light filters in through a multitude of diaphanous holes. Through them, about 16 feet up, I can just vaguely make out a small ledge where a single hole in the base, probably about 4 feet in diameter, offers the only visible sign of escape. A soft splashing sound alerts me to the figure hovering nearby, indiscernible in the shadows. "Who's there?" I mumble, reaching up to prod tenderly at the lump on my head.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," an unfamiliar male voice says. He clears his throat, but that can't hide the hoarse, raw sounds his vocal chords are making. And I wonder how long he's been down here…shouting for help. Before I can ask, he continues, "I guess it'll be good having someone to talk to again."

"Again?" I murmur, trying to stand. "Who are you? Where are we?"

Pain lances though my leg as I try to stand, forcing me to brace against the nearest wall. My hand meets with a sticky, spongy surface and I recoil in surprised horror, toppling back into the water as my leg unexpectedly gives out. The fall jars my injured arm which also flares in throbbing pain; I struggle to suppress the instinctual sob that follows but fail miserably.

Suddenly the figure is right in front of me, concerned eyes staring out of a scarred and haggard face. "Are you alright? You're not gonna die, are you? This mission's enough of a failure as it is…I'd hate to see anyone else to die..."

"Anyone else?" I ask, groggily noting the leaf-ninja headband wrapped around his neck.

The man nods. "There were two others, but..." He trails off, glancing silently into a darkened corner of the space we're in, leaving me to surmise their fates. Then he pulls something out of a jacket pocket. "Here, you'll need this."

I can't seem to clear the fog in my head and my vision is beginning to dance ever so slightly. "What is it?" I ask, not really focusing on what he's holding.

He takes my hand and drops something small and round into it. "An antidote – the poison in the barbs on those vines can do a lot of damage. It's generic, but that pill should clear your head up pretty fast."

Knowing the medicine is standard issue, I glance only briefly before popping it into my mouth and swallowing quickly. "Thanks…I was beginning to feel a little woozy."

The man gives a short, dark laugh. "You might not be thanking me in a day or so."

Attempting to stand again, this time prepared for the wall's texture, I reply, "I don't intend on being here that long. What about you? You're a ninja, right? Why not just use your chakra to climb out?"

"Mm...yes, about that - the...walls, they seem to absorb it."

"This just keeps getting better and better," I grumble to myself.

The man chuckles morosely. "You're telling me…First we're abandoned by a teammate, and now I'm being slowly devoured by a giant plant."

"Mizuki abandoned you, huh? Who would've guessed?" I reply, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. Then I realize I've just given myself away…although, judging by our current situation, that may not matter too much.

The ninja leans in close again, eyeing me thoughtfully. "Yeah…how do you know Mizuki?"

Deciding that lying would be pointless, I choose instead to simply gloss over the truth, "I'm…training to be a medical nin; I was out on a mission when I stumbled across Koshimoto and decided to help. Yesterday afternoon, on the way here, I found Mizuki floating in the river…pretty worse for wear," I admit grudgingly, not really trying to defend him.

The man grunts derisively. "Serves him right if you ask me. He's the only one of us that didn't wind up down here. We all figured he just ran off with his tail between his legs." The ninja's face is dark and angry, but his voice cautious when he asks, "So, where is he now?"

"You're guess is as good as mine; I healed him as best as I could and then he led me here, but I don't know what happened after I was grabbed."

"So, he abandoned you, too?"

"Yeah, it kinda looks that way."

Anger marring his face, the man briefly drifts off into his own thoughts, as if daydreaming about what he'll do to Mizuki if he ever sees him again. Then, visibly shaking it off, he holds out his hand. "I'm Raido, by the way. If we're gonna die in here we might as well know each other's names, right?"

Taking his hand, I shake it firmly. "Emiko – and just for the record, I don't plan on dying."

He chuckles. "If you've got an idea for getting us out I'm all ears."

"Well…" I reply, looking around as best I can. "It would help to know exactly where we are. You mentioned something earlier…about a giant plant?"

Grimacing, the ninja says, "Yeah, best we could figure is that the plants for the medicine are all part of one huge, semi-sentient creature – its touch sensitive...which is why it attacked us when we tried to cut off pieces of it. Tatsu, our botanist, said that the thing must go dormant or into hibernation in late spring to early summer – when the flowers begin to bloom."

"Which would explain why the villagers have never had a problem before now," I interrupt, speaking my own thoughts out loud.

"Exactly," Raido confirms. "The rest of the year it acts like a giant Pitcher plant – luring in prey and then dragging them down here to…" he pauses for a second, shuddering ever so slightly. "To slowly digest them."

"Who ever heard of a plant that goes dormant in the summer…"

He shrugs. "Maybe it doesn't like intense heat. This area is known to get pretty hot…and being so high up in the mountains only makes it worse."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense...so, any clue what's on the other side of this," I reply, pushing softly against the spongy "wall" of our prison.

"It's an underground cavern system; I didn't get a good look, but there were definitely more...stomachs...like the one we're in now, all rooted to the floor."

"Hmm...those vines are everywhere...Do you know if the stomachs are touch-sensitive, too? And how thick is this stuff? Have you tested it? And what about the other pods...is it possible there are others still alive?"

Raido just stares at me for a second, not answering.

"Hello...earth to Raido."

He jolts. "Sorry...for just a minute there I thought you looked familiar."

My stomach lurches a bit; having him recognize me probably wouldn't complicate things...but it still makes me nervous. "Well, we do live in the same village," I reply lightly. "It wouldn't be unusual for us to have run into each other at some point, right?" I smile reassuringly and he slowly smiles back.

"Yeah, I guess that must be it...so you were asking about the walls, right?"

"Just give me a run down of what you tried when you got here. No sense wasting time on stuff that's not going to work."

The ninja chuckles, but there's no mirth behind it. "Might be easier for me to tell you what we didn't try. It literally absorbed everything we threw at it. Freezing, burning, slicing - nothing worked."

"Alright," I reply, eyeing the hole above us in serious thought. "This may sound like a stupid question...but you DID try scaling it without using chakra...right?"

Raido gives me a withering look. "What do I look like? A genin?"

"Okay, okay, no offense meant - just tell me why it didn't work."

Sighing, he gives his neck a nervous crack. "Sorry, it's the frustration talking - the vines would always meet us at the top, covering the exit. They're just as impervious as the stomach seems to be."

"Hmm...so it sounds like we need to do something to it that we want absorbed."

"Yeah, but Tatsu wouldn't allow us to use any poison techniques..."

"And he was right not to," I agree. "Destroying this particular stomach is one thing...but poison could feasibly take out the entire plant. We'd be dooming Koshimoto for sure that way."

"But what else is there!"

"Maybe...jinto no jutsu..." I murmur, still trying to think it out in my head.

Raido quirks an eyebrow at me in mild disdain. "We tried that, too. But it only creates a localized anesthetic. There's no way to take out the entire stomach long enough to make a difference."

Nodding vaguely at the ninja's response, my mind drifts back to my training with Shikaku. At one point he theorized that I'd somehow managed to numb Tsume to the extent that she experienced a "living death" of sorts rather than the real death that I perceived. Using jinto no jutsu as a starting point, we adapted the technique, testing it gradually on bigger and bigger creatures. On a good day I could almost completely numb a large dog.

Grimacing, looking back up towards the exit, I mutter to myself, "This is WAY bigger than a dog..."

"Uh, come again?" Raido asks, looking at me as if I've lost my mind.

Instead of answering, I respond with a question of my own. "Did the vines appear when you were testing things down here? Or only when you actually tried to leave?"

The ninja pauses in thought, still looking confused. "I guess…only when we actually got up to the exit."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah...do you have a plan?"

"Maybe…if what you're telling me is accurate then I think we only need to numb the area around the exit's ledge and rim. Once we're out and in the cave, as long as we don't touch the plant, things should get easier, right?"

"I suppose, but that's still about a four foot radius and all the surrounding area - it'll need to be completely deadened. Can you do that?"

I stare thoughtfully up at the exit above us trying to figure out in my head if the surface area is bigger or smaller than a large dog and all of its..."insides". Unfortunately math has never been my strongest suit, so I simply reply, "I can't promise anything…but if you can vault me up there, I'll do my best."

Raido nods, and I can see the spark of hope reignite in his eyes. "Ready when you are."

My damaged appendages aren't too happy about the mild acrobatics, but as the ninja willingly gives me the leverage I need, I push the pain to the back of my mind. Reaching the ledge, the vines are immediately there, blocking our escape. Fortunately, they're not making any attempts to push me back into the "stomach" area, so I quickly begin focusing my charka into jinto no jutsu. It's time consuming work; I have to make sure I get every last patch of "skin" and also make sure the numbness goes deep enough to disguise any vibrations, too. It's tempting to lose myself in the work, but I can't - everything has to be synchronized perfectly. I have to make sure we have enough time to actually escape before any sensation returns.

Raido notices before I do when the vines finally begin to shift. Watching in hushed anticipation, I hold my breath as they slowly untwist, peeling away from each other at a sickeningly meager pace. Not quite believing my eyes, I continue to focus the jutsu, until each root has moved completely away.

"You did it!" Raido calls from below me.

"It won't last long," I call back. "Are you strong enough to...?" but before I can finish my question, the ninja bounds to my side on the ledge, most likely powered by mere adrenaline.

"I'll go down first and make sure there aren't any unexpected surprises."

"Just remember to stay away from anything that looks like part of the plant, okay?"

The ninja nods, then, looking down through the hole, his face suddenly goes pale. "Uh, that may be easier said than done."

Confused, I follow his eyes and can't help but let out a small gasp at what I see below us. "No..." The cavern floor is covered in a vast root system; there's no way to avoid them. "We'll be back in here before we've gotten two feet..."

Raido nods, confirming my fears. "There are way too many to possibly avoid them all."

"So what do we do now?"

"We test it," he says with conviction. Then, before I can comment, he removes his ninja headband and tosses it to the cavern floor as hard as he can. The metal band gives the object weight, bouncing once and then twice before coming to a rest amongst the roots. The vines take no notice.

"I don't get it...why didn't the plant react?" I ask him.

The ninja shrugs. "Maybe because the roots aren't that important for feeding. Think about it - this thing gets all of its nutrients from living creatures. I bet this place floods at least once a year - the roots just keep it from all washing away."

"That's a big assumption to make."

Raido quirks an eyebrow at me. "You planning on just staying here, then?"

I sigh softly. "Point taken...alright, after you."

Suddenly a voice down below us calls out, "You two need a hand?"

I barely have time to register the voice as Mizuki's before Raido is flying through the exit, straight at my former friend, knocking him flat on his back. Grabbing the front of Mizuki's jacket, he slams the other man's head into the ground, straddling his body to keep him pinned

"You! You left us to die, you bastard!"

Quickly, I jump down beside them, shouting "Raido, stop!" as I nervously try to keep my eyes peeled for any vine activity. Subconsciously I note that the cavern's "light" appears to be coming from lichen on the walls, before I'm forced to focus on the two men on the ground in front of me.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Mizuki grunts, trying to push the other ninja off. "I got attacked just like you! Emiko! Tell him!"

"Yeah, she told me!" Raido growls, refusing to release his grip. "You abandoned her, too!"

"It all happened too fast!" Mizuki cries out. "I saw where it took her and had to figure out how to get down here without getting attacked myself. It took time." His eyes skirt over to me. "Honestly, Emiko! Why else would I have come?"

Raido makes no move to release him, so I place a hand gently on his shoulder. As much as I'm loathe to defend Mizuki, I say, "He's got a point. Why else would he have bothered to come down here?"

The scarred ninja grunts, finally releasing his teammate, and Mizuki scrabbles backward before standing and asking the dumbest question possible. "Where are the others?"

My hand goes immediately to Raido's arm as he forms a solid, trembling fist. "Don't," I whisper. "Now isn't the time to be fighting; Koshimoto still needs us." The anger empties from Raido's face in a wash of concern, as I continue, "Mizuki, show us how to get out of here."

My former friend says nothing else, he simply nods and begins walking. Carefully, the three of us make our way back to the surface without incident. Once back in the daylight, it's easier than I would have imagined to avoid the plants that nearly took all our lives. Despite all of out injuries, we immediately begin using the jinto no jutsu technique to gather, one by one, more than enough plants to ensure Koshimoto's survival. My basket is long gone, but we stuff them into every pocket and flap of clothing we can manage and then quickly begin the journey back to the village. On the way I explain to them that I'm using a false identity with the people there and ask the two men to keep my true nature a secret; of course, there's no reason for them not to agree.

The look on Kaede's face when she opens to door and sees the three of us standing there frightens me for a minute. I'm sure she's going to collapse from shock. Then she grins, the most beautiful smile I've ever seen; it speaks of relief and happiness and hope, and I doubt I'll ever see its equal for as long as I live. She "tsks" at us all the way to her make-shift laboratory, summoning Mitsuko to help her treat our wounds. We all try to refuse, but the woman will hear none of it. So, as the younger girl nurses us, Kaede begins plucking the plants from our clothing and gathering the ingredients for the medicine.

"This is…more than I could have ever hoped for," she whispers in a voice that cannot hide the depth of her emotion. "I'm so very glad the three of you made it back here safely, although…I regret that your teammates have not returned, as well," she says to Mizuki and Raido. "As for you, Shizuka, dear," she continues, looking at me softly. "I've got good news. We found Hotaka shortly after you left. Once we've administered the medication, he'll be back on the road home in a matter of days.

"That's wonderful!" I reply with a grin, finally able to fully share in Kaede's happiness. "I hope you'll allow me to help you make what you need. Just show me how it's done; I promise I'm a fast learner.

She smiles at me again, "You really should rest…However," the woman continues, holding up a hand to stave off my protest. "I think I'd have to drug you to keep you from helping, so I'll be more than happy to teach you."

I know that Mizuki and Raido have to be at least as tired as I am, and yet once Mitsuko has us all bandaged up, and we have some of the medicine prepared, they both insist on delivering it to the various parts of the building. I'm not sure how long Kaede and I work, side by side, grinding and chopping, mixing and mashing, but when she finally says we've got enough for everyone I know that my arms and shoulders ache from exhaustion. Kaede finally have to take the pestle from my hands and then Mitsuko is there proffering a small cup of steaming liquid.

"It's the antidote," she explains shyly.

Beside me, Kaede nods. "Better safe than sorry; it will make you sleep – probably for the better part of two days given your other injuries, but you'll wake up feeling as good as new."

"Once you've finished," the younger girl continues. "I'll take you to where your friends are already resting."

"Thank you," I reply, smiling at them both as I place the cup against my lips and drink slowly, savoring the heated liquid as it slides down my throat.

Kaede wasn't joking about the sleep. When I finally wake up nearly three days have passed. Raido and Mizuki are already alert and eating at a make-shift table, and it's not long before Mitsuko arrives with some soup and bread for me, as well. She leaves and we share our food in solemn silence, each lost in our own thoughts. I sit and puzzle over Mizuki's odd behavior. The entire time we were together he acted like he had something to hide…and yet I can't figure out what it might be. I suppose it's possible he abandoned his team…but his injuries say otherwise. And he certainly didn't abandon me. But why? We aren't friends anymore. Why risk his life to save me? I'm pulled from my thoughts by Raido's voice as he pushes his chair away from the table and slowly stands.

"I guess it's time for us to part ways. Konoha will be expecting us back with our report, and the…inquiries…into the deaths of our teammates will take time." He holds out his hand to me. "Emiko – although you weren't an official member of this mission, I look forward to teaming up with you again soon. Good luck with your training."

Smiling softly, I take his hand and shake it with confidence. "You can count on that."

He nods and then releases my hand, saying to Mizuki, "I'm going to go gather some supplies for the trip back. Join me when you're finished."

My former friend barely looks at him, but affirms the other ninja's words with a nod. Grimacing, Raido leaves, and I'm suddenly very glad I'm traveling in a different direction.

Suddenly Mizuki clears his throat and says something so unexpected that I nearly fall out of my chair. "Raido's not giving you enough credit. We'd both be dead if you hadn't come along. Thank you."

Silence is all that fills the pause after his words, because I've suddenly lost my voice. After making the movements a couple of times, I'm finally able to rasp out, "Did you just…did you just thank me?"

Mizuki glances at me then, an unreadable look in his eyes. I nearly lost you Emiko. I…I didn't realize how much it would affect me until I saw that…that thing dragging you away." He pauses again, but when I can't think of anything to say, he continues. "I want to give you something…I know you're supposed to be undercover, but I'd feel a lot better if you had it. Please…" The ninja pulls a kunai out of his belt pouch and sets it on the table. The handle is ornate, wrapped in braided red and black leather and stamped with Mizuki's family crest at the bottom.

"Mizuki…I…" Still at a loss for words, he has no trouble interrupting me.

"Please just take it – you can always say it was a gift, right? After all, it's just one kunai."

Staring at the weapon, I finally manage a full sentence. "You abandoned me when I needed friends the most. Do you really think that just because I'm a ninja again, we can pick up where we left off?"

My former friend sighs, tugging absent-mindedly on a lock of hair. "No, of course not. I just…I don't want you to be out there completely unarmed. Think of it as…a peace offering. I won't harass you anymore, whether we're ever friends again or not. I'll tell the other guys to knock it off, too. You have my word."

Still unsure that this isn't all part of some weird, medicine-induced day dream I take the kunai and place it in my belt. "Alright, fine; I still don't think we'll ever be friends…but I'm willing to accept this as a…a beginning."

Mizuki smiles, relief washing over his face. "Thanks, Emiko!" Then he stands, saying, "Well, I'd better go catch up to Raido. Good luck with your mission; I hope you find your grandfather - I really do."

And with that he's gone, and I'm left to ponder the implications of his little speech. His words felt honest, but I know only too well how deceptive Mizuki can be. Besides, what would be his motive? Why throw me off-guard and off-balance in such a way? What's in it for him?

I'm still pondering these questions as I prepare to leave Koshimoto. Even once I'm back out on the road, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to Mizuki's words than what I actually heard. But the more I ponder the idea the more frustrated I become, and then I realize that I'm wasting all my time thinking about Mizuki – and maybe that was his intent from the beginning – to simply throw me "off my game". Angry at myself for having allowed him to do so, I shove the thought of his gift to the back of my head, forcing myself to focus solely on my mission. In my mind I've got a mental map of the places I've been and the places I need to go, and next on my list is a small village right along Taki's border. With any luck I'll be there in less than a fortnight, and maybe, just maybe, I'll find the man I've been looking for.