ok, I'm not going to lie XD this chapter sucks.
That thing happened again, where it's like, a zillion one shots glued together o.o;; this chapter kicked my ass XDD I had to rewrite everything like, five times. It never felt right XD It still doesn't really .
Sorry n.n;;; And I'm sorry certain parts are so vague... I hope it'll make sense later xD;;
XD oh yeah... alternate title: the really really awkward chapter! XD -pokes rating- don't worry XDD no smut, I promise.
Oh! and we have another appearance of the lovely Noako! who belongs to NOBUKANE n.n NOT ME! credit for her goes to HIM
Naruto: Masashi Kishimoto
Naoko: Nobukane n.n
"You'll be with Ogakuzu."
The man standing in the solitary square of evening light projected across the room frowned. "I never work with that senile old-"
"I know, I know." Sharp teeth glinted in the darkness, the other shifting slightly in his seat, watching the distorted shadow cast by the subordinate, and the menacing weapon on his back. "But I have something special in mind for our rather outspoken...friend." The wink that followed relayed the intent wordlessly.
"You want me to...?"
"If it's not to much trouble? Feel free to bring your subordinate along." He inclined his head, a sickly sweet tone dripping with malice. The lower ranking ninja nodded hesitantly, processing the implied order.
"Understood, Mizukage Sama. I'll take care of it."
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
The kunoichi shivered, cold air leaking in through the window, and drafty kitchen door. The snow had been falling heavily for days, and there seemed to be no end to the cold winds howling outside.
Kotone bit her lip, taking the steaming hot cup of tea from the counter as she set the kettle back down in it's place. A look down at her aching limbs showed that she was indeed trembling, and, had she not been leaning against the counter, may not have been able to support herself. She drummed her fingers against the counter top, the clicking sound much more prominent than usual. She had to thank the tiger for one small inspiration... She'd gotten into the habit of sharpening her fingernails to claw-like little points.
She had them, they might as well be good for something in a fight.
The past few days had been lonely, and nerve wracking, as Hisui had returned home. Though that was fine by the kunoichi. The leopardess tended to be a worrier, and had not, by any means, agreed with Kotone's medication related plans. It had occurred to her a while ago that, though not exactly concerned with her condition, her partner was frighteningly sharp, and would undoubtedly notice if the bottle of pills never emptied. She'd hidden the proper amount in a little cardboard box in her night stand, as a precaution.
She was fighting with the thought of returning to bed, not sure wether she was more cold, or tired, but thought against it. She hadn't been able to sleep properly for days, not since she had given up the pain medication. Her back, stomach, and side were all throbbing, and lying in a way that was comfortable was almost impossible. And when she did manage to find a position, and nod off, she would soon jump awake again, as she moved unconsciously, and opened a small wound on her arm, or calf. Standing was nicer, but her legs didn't want to keep her upright. Consequently, she really had no idea how long she had spent leaning against the couch these past few days. She lifted the mug, feeling more warmth than she considered drinkable through the ceramic against her hand, and moved to set it down, as it began to burn.
Kotone gasped, and spun as a noise from behind her was heard. But before she could see the sound's cause, the room tilted slightly, she had moved much too quickly, and her knees buckled, objecting to the strain. The kunoichi moved to right herself, but saw that nothing happened. Her mind knew what it was she needed to do. Shift her weight, move one foot, and get away from the boiling water she was about to spill on herself. But her body refused to obey rapidly enough.
A large, dark hand flung the cup away suddenly, scalding water and ceramic shards clattering to the wooden floor as it shattered against the far wall. Kotone fell hard, but against something a bit softer, and much warmer than the kitchen floor. A strangled cry slipped out, as her back made rough contact with the firm surface, much to her embarrassment.
"What are you doing up?" Something inside her chest relaxed. Of course she knew who it had been, but her newfound weakness had somehow made her hyper vigilant. His arms wrapped guardedly around her waist, as he helped her to stand. Kotone made no move to walk, still stunned by the sudden close proximity he was allowing her. She closed her eyes, and before really taking the time to consider what she was doing, closed her eyes, and resting her head against his chest, one hand fisted weakly in the front of his shirt.
"Thirsty... I was cold." Kotone choked, voice hoarse from lack of use, and hesitant. She found herself otherwise diverted at the moment. She felt, rather than saw him nod. She felt him tense as she rested against him, but didn't feel him pull away, at all. She sighed, happily distracted. How strange. She'd forgotten how safe she felt, being held like this...she could feel his heart beating...
"Kotone..." He breathed, shifting uneasily in the camouflaged embrace. He relaxed though, slowly, and it was a long moment before he seemed to find his voice again."You...You're bleeding." She made a soft noise of inquiry, and Zabuza responded only by laying his hand flat against her back, and causing a brief instant of searing pain as he applied pressure. It was wet, and stained red when he drew it back.
"Oh,"
Zabuza sighed resentfully, still eyeing the mess in the kitchen the splintered mug had left. He slipped one arm around her waist more firmly, walking her to her room, and sitting the damaged kunoichi down on her bed. Her eyes followed him heedfully, (too much so. The sedative must have been wearing off) as he left the room, reappearing with a substantial quantity of bandages a moment later. He diverted his eyes in a way she was hesitant to regard as shyly, muttering an order of "Turn around."
She complied, eyes widening as he took a seat behind her. "Kotone," He tugged hesitantly at the collar of her nemaki, and she nodded, before assuring herself that she was completely turned away, before removing her arms from the sleeves, and shivering as she shrugged it off. A glance over her shoulder would have, however would have proved this unnecessary. Zabuza had shut his eyes.
"Are you decent?"
She scrambled to cover herself with the bed sheets, both to save her dignity, and keep warm. Their home wasn't heated, and was never much warmer than the glacial air outside. "Yes,"
The seventeen year old opened his eyes hesitantly, relaxing as his mind processed that there was nothing awkward about the scene. Just her back. Which was surprising, albeit for a very different reason. There was a growing patch of dark red seeping through the bandages covering the vast majority of her torso, and he grumbled something as he brushed her long, dark hair over her shoulder, busying himself with loosening, and unwinding the wrappings. He let out the breath his was holding sharply, a noise suggesting disapproval.
The deep, badly healed scars were a stark, gruesome red against her fair skin. Parallel, jagged tears that he imagined would continue from her shoulder to her waist on the opposite side, hidden by her clothing.
"These must hurt."
Kotone shook her head weakly. "I'm an interrogator... I'd by a hypocrite if I said the pain bothered me."
"No," He heard her exhale sharply, and grip the sheets more tightly to her chest, as he pressed a clean towel against the bleeding portion of the wound, holding it in place. "You'd be a hypocrite if you said it didn't."
He pulled back the cloth to examine the wound, that had stopped seeping blood, and lay the end of one thick, stip of cloth below the deepest part of the injury, passing it to Kotone, who handed it to him again from the other side. They continued this way in a silence that dragged on stubbornly, punctuated only by pained breaths, and other discreet, nonverbal messages. Zabuza raised an scant eyebrow as she pulled the bandages around her chest tighter than he'd have imagined to be at all comfortable. There was a smothered whimper when she spoke next, that he chose to ignore. "How was the mission?"
"Horrible. Kasumi is an idiot, and someone got themselves killed. We had to take the body with us, and that was annoying."
"Why'd you have to do that?"
"Because of this," Zabuza's eyes flickered downwards, resting on the left hand side of her lower back. He felt a familiar, enraged tightening in his chest as he examined the marks burned there. As much as Zabuza liked to consider himself unscathed from his time as a ninja, that was, technically untrue. He had one scar to be ashamed of.
All of Kirigakure's ninja did.
It was something pushed to the back of their minds, completely forgotten. But it weighed heavily on the tracker captain's mind. He growled low in his throat, somehow aware of the irregular, seared skin he always kept hidden, still able to remember the white hot pain of heated metal against skin, and the nauseating stench of his own burning flesh. "When did they do yours?" She raised her eyebrows surprised by the faint, contemplative tone.
"Just after they found me. About a day before I met you." A grunt and a nod were his only answer, as his own situation had been similar. It would have begun to heal by then, why she'd never complained of it.
His eyes narrowed at the four undulating lines. Four waves, for an island nation, a county surrounded by water on all four sides. Their village's symbol, the thing burned into their backs before their entry to the academy. The thing they were branded with. Like cattle.
"How is it?"
"What?" The quiet, flinching question snapping him from his turbulent reflection.
"It didn't get ruined, did it? By the wounds?" He shook his head, making a negative grunt. "Oh good," She sighed.
"How can you like that stupid thing?"
"It's not stupid," Kotone turned slightly, careful to keep herself covered. "It's used to identify dead bodies as our ninja. It's necessary."
"Heh," Zabuza scoffed, to her confusion. "You think that's really it? You know what these marks really mean, don't you? The Mizukage... He owns us."
"Well of course he does." Kotone giggled, turning around again. "We're his ninja. His weapons."
"And you're fine with that?"
"Well yeah,"
Zabuza closed his eyes, breathing deeply for a moment. He needed to steer the conversation where he wanted it... It couldn't wait any longer. He'd have to go about this delicately, though.
His hands trailed distractedly down her sides, lower than he was entirely comfortable with, before tracing the marks burnt there. A barely audible gasp escaped her lips, but she remained still, not pulling away, or flinching, as he'd been expecting. "So is that what it is they teach you kunoichi then?" He spat, voice wry, and surprisingly bitter. "How not to shudder when a man touches you?"
"I wouldn't be much of a kunoichi if I shied every time a man put his hands somewhere I didn't want them."
"So that's what they use you for, then. Bait? And you're content?"
"Yes," But she was stammering, a certain quality to his tone catching her off guard. "I'm serving my village in every way I can, so...I'm content." Zabuza didn't reply, watching guardedly as the kunoichi fidgeted with the bed sheets, head hung timidly, in disgrace. "But I'm not good for that anymore, am I? These scars are always going to be this ugly." She blinked, examining the deep gashes along one hand, that didn't need to be bandaged anymore.
Zabuza grimaced, suddenly mindful of his hands, and their intrusive position. He was feeling a pang of something annoying. An uneasiness in his chest and stomach, that refused to desist, and left him shifting uncomfortably as the miserable little kunoichi continued to stare, and wince as she poked, at the scarred hand.
"Many ninja have battle scars." He pointed out.
"How many kunoichi though?" She sighed despondently, shoulders rounded.
"Like you were saying... that's part of our use. We're taught to throw male targets off guard, get them alone. So we can get information from them... kill them...But I'm not pretty anymore. I'm not useful."
"That's not true. You're perfectly functional."
"I'm repulsive."
"I'm repulsive." The young man corrected, tucking the end of the strip of cloth under the bandages, finishing the dressing. "You just have lines in strange places. And they're not as bad as all that..." He leaned forward, one hand trailing down her arm, to rest on top of the fist she had been clenching the sheets in. With bandages covering the area in question, she was not as worried about covering herself as she had been earlier. But the gesture still caught her off guard.
"Z-Zabuza?"
"I mean, the marks on your hands could be covered easily. And your face is fine...So is your neck..." Kotone felt her face flush, as the words were whispered more closely. She felt them, warm against her shoulder, a smirk apparent in his tone.
"I suppose you have a point...Yeah... I could hide them, couldn't I?"
The boy was quiet for a moment, expert hands tracing her radial artery . "Your heart is racing," Zabuza said suddenly, the statement laced with a hint of amusement. "I'm don't make you nervous, do I? I'll move my hands, if you'd like." She shut her eyes, breathing slowly, and tried to ignore the gravelly voice he had grown into so well.
"No. That's fine, I really don't mind." She smiled. She was surprised, yes, but her training as a kunoichi wasn't necessary. She had no aversion to his touch. "I trust you."
"Do you really?"
"Of course."
He sighed, and Kotone couldn't help but notice that his hands stayed where they were.
"That mission, in the land of lightning... You have been there, correct? "Kotone exhaled softly, the country's landscape flooding her mind's eye. The great mountain range that split the peninsula, the many rivers coursing through the landscape like veins... She'd found herself near scared to death as the sky cracked, and roared furiously- white fire falling with the rain. She'd never seen a thunderstorm before.
Land of lightning, indeed.
"We had to sneak into Kumogakure no sato itself. Do you know what I saw there, Kotone?"
"What?" She asked quietly, as the picturesque scenery drained from her mind, and she was reminded again of his flustering proximity, and her current state of undress.
"Actually, it's what I didn't see." His voice was steady, strangely so. Restrained. "The buildings weren't falling apart. There were no children starving, and freezing to death on the street." She blinked, noting his tone as accusatory.
"What are you implying?"
"Infer what you will." He ached to continue, make her see reason. But he needed to tread carefully. Should his fears concerning her loyalty be verified, to speak too openly would be damning. She inclined her head, eyebrow raised thoughtfully.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"Our village is in ruins."
"It's our home."
"And I want what's best for it. Just as you do."
"What?"
He opened his mouth to answer, the blunt truth on the tip of his tongue. But the words were merely mouthed, his voice failing him. Caution was needed. She's loyal. Blindly so. "Is this really all you want? Being Hachidaime's-" He was mindful of the word, fighting to keep his voice even, when instinct wanted to spit the name like poison. "Attack dog? You're satisfied with the state of things? Honestly?"
"Zabuza kun, I..." She paused for a moment, contemplatively, before a smile lit her face once more. "I know things might not be too great for Mizu no kuni right now... but things will get better. I'm sure they will. That's what we wanted, right? To make things better here? I am a shinobi of Kirigakure no sato... Mizukage sama's weapon. There is nothing more for me."
Zabuza's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, before his face twitched into a bitter little smile. "Spoken like a true mist ninja." He stood suddenly, turning his back to Kotone, to keep her from seeing the sharp teeth grit in frustration. She was either completely oblivious to his intentions... Or, more frighteningly, had understood exactly what it was he had meant to say, and had rejected him quite flatly. No... Kotone was a good kunoichi. Faithful, obedient. Completely devoted to her Kage. Which was admirable, but problematic. Had she truly understood his objectives, she'd have tried to kill him by now.
She was stupid like that.
He stopped at the doorframe, closing his eyes to listen as she twisted a pillbox open, and swallowed her medication. "Kotone..." He let out a loud breath, arms crossed guardedly across his chest. "Improving the village... that's still what I want. What I'm trying to do." With that, he disappeared from the doorway, before adding a last afterthought. "Oh, and the casualty was that Mukudori bastard. Hachidaime says the job's yours when you're well enough to take it."
"Wha?" She blinked, wide eyed, as her brain tried to process what it was she had just heard. "I can't run the department!"
"Yes, you can." He answered from somewhere in the kitchen. "You've been doing his job for months." He ignored whatever it was she answered, still milling over the one thought that as badgering him.
Kotone was loyal to their kage. Only their kage.
I should have let her die.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Kotone yawned, wincing as she rolled over in bed . Her seventeenth birthday had come and gone the day before ( she'd slept through it quite soundly) and still, her wounds plagued her. For the last week, her roommate had been home, another horrible bout of weather putting a damper on most missions. His presence somehow kept her feeling secure, and she had taken the pills happily, trusting herself to his care. But the snow had finally stopped, and this morning, he had a great deal of work to catch up on, that would take him away from the village for another few days or so. She'd spit out the painkillers as soon as he left her room, hiding them with the others, and feigning weariness, for the rest of the morning, as he readied supplies for the mission.
There was a muffled knock at the door, and she could hear her partner lumbering over to answer it, probably fuming. Zabuza loved his privacy, and Shinju had stopped stopping by as frequently. Indeed, he looked angry when he appeared in the doorway, Kotone struggling to sit up, and still look tired. "It's the Aoyama brat."
Zabuza rolled his eyes, and proceeded to make himself scarce, as Naoko popped up behind him, brightly. "Hey, Kotone Senpai!"
"Oi..." She blinked, faking a yawn, mumbling sleepily. "'S someth'n the matt'r?"
Naoko was smiling a little too widely, as she took a few springy steps closer. "Well I had heard the... terrible situation and I wanted to see how you were doing." Her smile grew slightly, and Kotone raised an eyebrow. "The nurses at the hospital said you were in critical condition, this must be a mess." There was an odd quality to Naoko's inquisitions. Expectant?
"'S nothin'." Another counterfeit yawn punctuated the mumbling, as she slumped over slightly. From the doorway, she could hear Zabuza grunt a hurried goodbye. Usually, he would have been a tiny bit more mindful of his goodbye, but he would still have been flustered at Naoko's intrusion. One eye snapped open as she heard the door chick shut behind him. "Is he gone?" She whispered.
The smaller, more delicately built kunoichi leaned out of the room, nodding. "Yep. What's wrong? You don't want him to hear you're dying?" There was a certain hopefulness in her voice Kotone couldn't help but notice.
She shook her head, and gritted her teeth against the still painful ache as she tried to stand. "No, he'd be glad to be rid of me." A weak little laugh, and a wince, as she stretched out her stiff, afflicted limbs. "It's those stupid painkillers. They were really putting me out, you know? Had to stop takin' 'em. Of course, he'd have a fit if he knew, so I've just been acting drowsy and all that kinda shit when he's home." Naoko's eyes widened visibly, and Kotone inclined her head, slightly, finding the younger girl hard to read. She was after something...
"Haha, I'm glad to call you my superior. Actually.. about the whole superior thing. Are you coming back to work?"
"Soon as I can," Kotone said resolutely. "I hate being useless this way...Anyways, how are things?"
"Well the boss is as useless as ever" Naoko sighed, before continuing, with a tad more urgency. "Ummm, but in case you take a turn for the worse... do you think you should put in a good word for someone to be your successor, kinda?"
Kotone smiled knowingly, as Naoko's visit was explained.
That's it, then. She wants my job.
And she could see why. Aoyama Naoko was a prodigy in the art of physical torture, having surpassed herself in no time at all. Kotone relied on her knowledge of the human mind... But Naoko's understanding of the body was, perhaps, unparalleled by none but a certain demon they were both familiar with. It would make sense, if Naoko lead the group...
But still. She was recovering, now. Almost through with those accursed pills, and had been asked to help out with academy classes the next day. She sighed at the thought. It was 'sorry you're so useless' work. Oh well. She could always catch up on some profiling work.
"That's pretty practical, yeah. But I don't think I'll be dying anytime soon. Good idea, though. I'll look into that. "
Without any sort of warning, a very angry Naoko threw a punch at the nearest wall. Kotone remained unmoved, but began mentally taking stock of where she had hidden kunai in her room. Naoko was... she made a face. Lively? An interrogator should be able to hide, and fake emotions as well as they could read them. Naoko was an oddity among mist ninja. She wore her heart proudly on her sleeve. She felt things more than most.
Generally a disgrace, amidst the water country's ninja. But no one dared point this out to Hoshigaki Kisame prized student. And besides... it seemed to be working for her.
"Oh, sorry, I was just so happy that I had to... hit something." Kotone nodded, accepting the rather weak cover for her anger, and continued speaking as though the interruption hadn't occurred.
"Besides, If I die, it's Zabuza, Kurosuki and Hachidaime Sama that make the final decision, you know."
The bright blue haired girl's face lit, hazel eyes glinting happily. "I guess they'd just have to pick the hardest worker. By the way, you can take your time recovering." Kotone resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She had a feeling she knew exactly who would be vying for the position of 'hardest worker'. Kotone thanked her politely for the insincere expression of goodwill, before grimacing as she stepped into the kitchen, the wounds on her leg beginning to sting. "Do you want some tea or something?"
"Sorry, but I can't stay... I'm putting in extra hours at the interrogations center. It was nice seeing you." She bowed, Kotone returning the gesture, and departed in a hurry.
vvvvvvvvvv
She sighed, brushing the hair out of her face, playing the tape over again. "Yeah...I'm pretty sure he's telling the truth," The older man seated at the desk nodded, taking the recorded interrogation from the tape player. Of course, the records were outdated, and the prisoners had all been dealt with already. Kotone just wanted to get up to speed with the department's happenings. She adjusted the mask she'd retrieved from the eighteen year old Kasumi boy, and popped the next tape in, with a heavy sigh. They'd gotten a sincere confession each time, and that didn't leave her with much to do. The other ANBU inquisitor looked bored as well.
"Excuse me?"
Kotone turned, standing, and excusing herself temporarily to meet with the medic standing placidly in the basement hallway. She adjusted the tasuki pulling the sleeves of her yukata out of the way. It was a pale blue, and against the unofficial ANBU dress code, but the only thing she owned that would cover most of her scars. Bandages down her arms, and ankles hid the rest.
"Shinju, hey..."
"You're up! I'm glad."
"Yeah... fully functional again." The medic smiled, and proceeded to go through a professional sounding list of inquiries pertaining to her condition. Kotone answered them all favourably, and was told she could stop taking the medication now. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do about clothing, though. I mean, this is fine, but I really can't wear this out on missions with the trackers. It's not dark enough." She pulled on one tied back sleeve.
"I could help..."
"What?" Kotone's bright blue eyes widened at Shinju's reluctant offer.
"You want to hide those scars, right? I know somebody... Give me some money, and your measurements."
"You sure about this?" Kotone eyed her suspiciously. She was rather short on money...
"Trust me."
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Kotone, who was flipping through her own badly written profiles on criminals she'd questioned in the last few days looked up, as the front door was opened harshly.
"Zabuza kun!" He made no sign of having heard the greeting, charged past the couch, where she was sitting, and quite intrusively, into her room. She jumped to her feet, halting, a second too late as he threw open the first drawer of her bedside table. "Oh fuck."
Wordlessly, Zabuza took the container from the drawer, and shook a few of the small white pills into his hand. "Why didn't you just take them?" He asked, raising his eyes to her's.
"Who told you?" Kotone hissed, gritting her teeth. "I am going to kill Aoyama Naoko."
"It's your own business." Zabuza grunted hurridly, setting them back in their place. "If you want to suffer, that's not my problem. By all means, go ahead."
"I took them when you were home." She pointed out, in her defence.
"Why only then?"
"I didn't like being sluggish, and stupid. If something were to happen... Intruders in the village, some defecting psycho... I wouldn't be aware enough to defend myself. When you were home, I was safe."
He let out a bitter little snicker, pushing his way past her, and out of the room.
"And if something were to happen... what makes you think I'd protect you?"
vvvvvvvvvvvvv
Zabuza raised an eyebrow from behind the painted tracker's mask, as the final member of the mission's team joined the party. "Sorry I'm late. Had to stop by the Kasumis's for something."
The lead interrogator fidgeted with the netting over her hands, attached by a band of fabric around the middle finger, and wrist.
An unusual type of kusari katabira was covering the skin left exposed by her usual style of dark blue happi. The mesh was unusually thick, though, and showed almost no hint of the scars beneath it. A thin layer of fabric lay between the skin, and the metal, a harlequin-like pattern, of shades of grey. To protect from the metal's changing temperature, and to keep it from cutting into her skin if she was hit. He nodded, at the pattern. Using the Kirigakure no jutsu, this would break up her silhouette, some parts fading more quickly than others. The design wasn't necessarily any fancier than the fish netting worn by other ninja... but it was certainly clever.
Zabuza said nothing, stepping forward, and resting a hand on her now exposed forearm. He withdrew it quickly, though, in something akin to disgust. It didn't feel like skin anymore. It felt...wrong.
Fish scales. He thought to himself. The feel of the mail was reminiscent of fish scales.
He kept his distance from her for the remainder of the mission.
vvvvvvvvvvv
Hachidaime was examining the summer sunlight glinting off the unusually calm waves, today. There were still patches of angry looking clouds looming over the landscape, but that wasn't weighing too heavily on his mind today. He was in an unusually pleasant mood.
The most pressing matter at the moment was the comparatively unimportant mission he had a few newbie trackers and the interrogation department head working on, as their target was to be taken alive. He'd recently found an economic solution to his problem with the cloud village, and he hadn't seen one annoying platinum blond hair of Ogakuzu in months.
Was the Mizukage a superstitions man, he would have probably assumed that he'd jinxed himself, as a certain older man strode quickly into his office. Alone.
"Ogakuzu! Wha..." The kage gaped, mouth moving stupidly, the words lost in his rage. He was alive. "Where are the other two!?"
The old man hung his head, in what, to anyone who didn't notice the slightest hint of mocking in his voice, might have seen as respectfully. "The mission was going excellently, sir. We spied on the lightning nobles for months, as you asked, and found that, even without the man you assassinated, they still have the impression that our trade prices are too costly." He sighed, bright green eyes meeting the kage's darker ones defiantly.
"My younger teammate... went mad, the day before we were to leave for home. He attacked me... I had no choice but to put the poor man out of his misery. His subordinate, sadly, committed seppuku shortly after, before I could stop him. Out of grief, I'd imagine."
The kage ground his teeth angrily, "I see."
He nodded solemnly. "With both Isoginchaku, and his student dead, Kubikiri Houcho is left without an owner." The kage, still seething, opened his mouth to answer, but the older man beat him to it. "And, as I'm sure you'll agree, as it's only myself and Hoshigaki san that use weapons Kubikiri houcho's size, it's safe to say that one of us will have to teach the next swordsman to use it. And, since Kisame has a student already..."
"You intend on doing it, then?"
"Certainly, sir. But of course, that means I can't spend my time finding a replacement." He sighed theatrically, poking at the serrated edge of the weapon he carried. "I'll jsut have to retire later."
"So it seems." Hachidaime spat.
"Have you anyone in mind, sir?"
"Yes, actually, I have..."
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"There's still the matter of the lightning country..."
The Kage scowled, glaring at the older man. "I have that solved."
"How...?"
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
"You're kidding." The petite girl's eyes widened, as she scanned the darkened room, the fireplace's light and warmth casting the scene in an orange light, and dancing shadows.
"I wish I was." Another replied slowly.
"A criminal, though? That's low, even by him." The third voice was younger, and held a sharper edge.
"The dirty rat!"
"Hey!"
"Oh. My apologies, miss. You too."
"No offence taken." The third answered.
"Wait, so this guy..." A more gentle female voice, standing by the greying man near the fire, asked hesitantly. "He basically...?"
The taller girl nodded. "Can do whatever the hell he wants with mizu no kuni."
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Zabuza glared at his front door, as though it was the wooden plank's fault people kept knocking on it.
The now eighteen year old demon had been enjoying a rare moment of peace, alone with his thoughts, and plans, as his partner was still on the other side of the island. He forced himself to his feet when the knocking persisted, growing in volume, speed, and urgency.
"Momochi san! Please open up!"
"Raiga...?" He muttered to himself, shaking his head as he pushed the creaking door open, envisioning exactly how satisfying it would be to kick Kurosuki in the face as soon as he was in sight.
Unfortunately, the reconnaissance captain, and swordsman was standing just a bit to far away. He was grinning stupidly, as he always was, but there was something almost nervous in his stance. "Ah! There you are! Alright, excellent..."
"Is there a point to this, Kurosaki?" senpai was generally the accepted honorific for the shinobigatana. But Raiga was trespassing, and Zabuza was in no mood for manners.
"Yes well, there's been a bit of a situation..." He bit one feminine looking lip, eyes rolled off to one side thoughtfully. Zabuza took a step forward, letting out an angry growl when he found himself dragged immediately to one side.
"In other words..." In a flash, there was a katana blade aimed at his throat.
A immense grey blue hand clamped down roughly on his shoulder, and another raw laugh joined the first's.
"You're coming with us, kid."
Ok, the thing with the brand marks... that was jsut something Nobukane and I came up with XDD seems like something they'd do, somehow. He mentions it in his fic... which you should go read n.n If you're wondering... that's what they were talking about last chapter XD Hatsuka wasn't pointing at anybody's butt.
And yes, I'm afraid that, due to a lack of cannon information... I had to invent some shinobigatana people. And resort to using Mr. Filler XD I mean, Raiga. Sorry... XD;; I left room for the Hozuki guy though, if it turns out he is one. Which I think he is XD
So yeah! I hope you enjoyed it, please review, Naoko belongs to Nobukane, and have a nice day!