Chapter twenty-one.
I do not Umineko no Naku Koro Ni or Naruto.
The black-and-white scene in front of Deidara vanished, and was replaced quickly by the barren, cold light of the witch's tower. He leant back and sat down on one of the ornate padded armchairs, scowling at Beatrice, who sat on the opposite side of the room. The witch had picked up a gently steaming cup of tea from the small table beside her, a smug and arrogant smile taunting him.
"None of this proves that witches exist, un." He declared, crossing his arms.
"You evidently just switched the lucky charm for an unbroken one in your pocket whilst Maria had her eyes closed!" Deidara added.
"Oh? And what about its dissolving into butterflies right before Neji's eyes?" The witch countered haughtily.
"A hallucination, un! A trick of the light!" He barked, gesturing as he made his points.
"I see," Beatrice said, setting down her cup and leaning back into her chair, "So this is how you take my moves. You dismiss them as such trifling occurrences, rather than reasoning them out. Interesting. However, it is not yet your turn. Allow me to progress to my next move."
Beatrice's shoulders began to shake as a laugh began to form in her throat, her eyes creased up with glee.
"There's still much more to come yet in the turn of the golden witch! KYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The scene before Deidara changed quickly, colour and movement restoring as he sat back and watched.
Four people we standing in the drawing room in a circle, all of their faces deep in thought. Kakuzu left the other three, and crossed the room to the tall arched window, looking out at the gathering dark clouds and the rain that had started to pound the old house before he drew the dark burgundy curtains across it.
Pein and Konan stood facing Sasori, whose eyes were closed.
"So," Pein said, "You say you actually saw her? Beatrice? The locals had told us that she was only a legend."
"Correct. I definitely saw her. She was just the same as she was in that huge picture that hangs in the hallway. Only her clothing had slightly changed." Said the puppet-master.
"How so?" Asked Kakuzu.
"Well, she was wearing a blazer rather than the bodice in the painting and the skirt was...shorter."
"I see." Pein said.
He looked at the three people standing close to him, his strange ripple-patterned eyes making them all uncomfortable except for Konan, who showed no response.
"This could prove potentially problematic." He murmured.
"Why is that, Leader?" Kakuzu asked inquisitively.
"Think," replied Pein, "She is probably here after the power source that we heard about, or she has some claim to this island. Either way, from what we heard she was an extremely powerful entity to the people here. They even went so far as to call her a witch. Our chances of success on our mission are severely decreased is she turns out to be as powerful as that. Particularly seeing as all of us have lost out chakra. She also may have had something to do with that."
"Especially if she doesn't want us sniffing around." Sasori added.
"However, it might have just been a descendant of this woman. After all, the villagers that live around the mainland say that 'Beatrice' was present on this island more than twenty years ago. She couldn't possibly still look like the young woman that Sasori described. It is likely that this person is here for the same reason of us, and it is coincidental that she resembled Beatrice. After all, you said she was clothed differently." Konan said.
The other three looked at her, Sasori and Kakuzu showing mild surprise. They were used to her always staying quiet and not inputting much to conversation.
"Therefore, I suggest that for now, we do not jump to conclusions and believe she is this 'Beatrice'. We know according to Sasori that she is staying in this house."
"So we'll do it like this," Pein continued, "Until we can confirm this woman's identity, we will not acknowledge her yet, until she showed interest in our goal."
"In other words," He added, "neither she nor us can do anything until the typhoon passes and we can move about freely to search for out goal. At that point, if she is proven to be this 'Beatrice' we will kill her, as she is essentially a threat to our mission."
"And the Konoha nin?" Asked Sasori.
"If necessary, we kill them as well." Said Pein.
The grandfather clock in the hallway ticked down the seconds, filling the space with its mechanical noise. Neji stood looking up at the huge portrait of the witch, Hanabi at his side.
"Hanabi...who was that woman in the rose garden?" He asked quietly, looking from the painting to the young girl at his side.
"I've told you so many times now...it was Beatrice!" Insisted Hanabi.
Neji sighed and knelt down to her level.
"Have you ever met that woman before?" He enquired, his eyes searching hers. However, like all Hyuuga eyes, they disclosed very little.
"Yes!" Hanabi piped up, with a smile, "I see her lots! Even at home sometimes!"
"When? Since when did you start seeing her, Hanabi?" He queried incessantly.
"Oh...since quite a long time ago..." Hanabi said, her eyes hidden in shadow and her grin becoming more sinister.
What? Neji thought to himself, his eyes widening. She must be lying...there's no way a woman like that could have roamed freely among the highest level of the Hyuuga household without any of us noticing!
"When you meet her, what do you do together?" He asked.
"We play games; sing songs...learn magic..." Listed Hanabi.
"And where does she live?" Neji continued.
"Here...because she is the witch of Rokkenjima island, although she can instantly travel wherever she wants with her magic." Replied the young girl quietly.
Meanwhile, Beatrice sat cross legged in her room, by far the largest and most luxurious guest bedroom in the mansion. She drummed on the small beautifully carved coffee table to her left with the thin golden pipe absent-mindedly. She looked up with a dark smile as the door opened quietly, and a person entered the room.
Kiba looked emotionlessly at the witch for a second before crossing his arms.
"Itachi told me to come up here and check to see if you were happy with your room, Beatrice." He said, with a rather forced polite expression.
"My dear Kiba, it's 'Milady' to you." She said. She was smiling at him, but there was a definite threat in those cold sapphire eyes of hers.
Kiba said nothing, although it did look like there were several things he really wanted to say, but wouldn't dare in front of the witch.
"The time is now, you know, Kiba. I have returned to carry out the rest of my contract, and your days of shame as but a half-being will soon be over…" She said indifferently.
Kiba remained silent.
"What's this? Why are you not overjoyed?" She asked, grinning, "Is it possible that you have any ties to this worthless life of yours?"
"I do not." Kiba said quickly, before turning to leave. Akumaru wagged his tail from the other side of the door; Beatrice would never allow a beast such as that in her chambers.
"Aaaaw…you're no fun, Kiba." Purred Beatrice.
"I guess I'll just have to amuse myself with Tenten then…" Beatrice said silkily, her eyes lighting up with glee as she noticed the sudden change in Kiba's face, "I'm sure that with her new-founded…romance…that her regrets will entertain me quite worthily. Especially if she is chosen as one of the first sacrifices."
"You wouldn't!" Burst out Kiba, clenching his hands into tight fists.
"Oh?" Beatrice said quietly, with a hint of menace.
"Kneel." She commanded.
"What the…?"
"Kneel, and kiss my toes! If you do as I say, I might be compelled to perhaps listen to your pitiful pleas."
Kiba growled with frustration, but did as the witch demanded, loathing and disgust smeared across his face as kissed the tip of her black leather boots. He drew back and exited the room, wiping his mouth as is he had touched something filthy.
From within the room, he could hear the witch's hysterical laughter as he strode away, a flash of lightening illuminating the corridor.
"KYAHAHAHAHAHA!"