Behind the Mask
Rated: T for language and violence
Disclaimer: Naruto characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto,
Summary: We all wear masks. That only makes it harder to tell the difference between truth and lies.
Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone!
4 reviews till next time
025: 嗣
(heir)
Sakura opened her eyes lightly, her fingers feeling out for her surroundings. The air was warm, comfortable and familiar, like a well-worn blanket. Smiling lightly as her eyes drifted to a close once more, Sakura stretched her limbs. Remarkably, she felt no tension, no sore muscles. It was quite amazing really, as there hadn't been a day where Sakura hadn't woken up without something aching. But her limbs felt like butter as she flexed her fingers, grasping at her surroundings. To her surprise, she felt nothing, although there was the vague feeling of cotton and skin on her flesh.
Sakura's eyes shot open and this time she was fully awake. White. It was the only thing Sakura's mind could process. Gasping, Saura turned her head, her pink hair flipping around her. There was nothing, her surroundings completely painted in a blinding white. Sakura sat up and squeezed her eyes shut before rubbing them. She just hadn't fully awoken yet, this was still a dream. She kneaded her fingers into her eyes, hoping to wipe away any sleep before she opened her eyes again.
Just white. A plain white that seemed to echo on for miles. More than miles really; for eternity. Frantic, Sakura's heart was beginning to pound. She jumped to her feet, almost pleased to find the action was like floating and took no effort at all.
"Where am I?" She called. She could hear her own voice, but it sounded so pathetically small, like a whisper.
"WHERE AM I?" She screamed, belting out the words from her diaphragm, using every ounce of breath she had. But the words were still so small and soft, as if they barely tumbled from her lips.
Sakura closed her mouth. There had to be some explanation of her whereabouts. She tried to think. Her mind was so vague, and cloudy, like a veil was being held over it. There was a battle in the forest; a boy with a strange and familiar neck marking and red eyes. She won, although barely. Her limbs hurt and she was tired, oh so tired. The flashes of memory were vivid, strikingly vivid with colors that almost hurt Sakura's eyes. She pushed them away and tried to delve deeper. It was hard, as if nothing existed after that. But there had to be right? How did she end up here, in this white place if nothing else had happened? She could feel something in her mind, an echo of something, but it wasn't concrete and Sakura couldn't grasp it. It seemed to flow out of her reach like smoke. It was hazy, yet familiar, and there were many people. It seemed…old. A memory?
Sakura frowned at the word. Memory. The idea of a memory seemed familiar.
An echoing voice suddenly resounded around her. It was woefully loud and Sakura clasped her hands over her ears. What was it? She spun around, looking for the source yet found nothing, only white.
Hesitantly peeling a few fingers back from her ears, she listened to the booming voice.
"…ra, come back to me. Come back to me Sakura …"
Sakura gasped, although it made little sound compared to the booming voice. She knew that voice! It was Naruto.
Sakura started running, her feet making no sound as she ran forward, in which direction she didn't know. She screamed out for Naruto, yet her cries made no sound, only a faint whisper that seemed to fall flat. She screamed and cried, reaching out for Naruto, yet never reaching him, only running forever. A lone figure against a white backdrop.
"Sakura, come back to me." Came an incoherent mutter from Naruto's shaggy blond head which was currently embedded in his pillow.
His arm, still tucked around a sufficiently warm Sakura pulled her closer to him. His fingers stroked the warm flesh on her arm, his subconscious reveling in the feel.
As Naruto breathed in, inhaling her scent, Kakashi shifted his position from by the door.
"Should we wake him?" Kakashi turned, eying Shizune who was tentatively peeking in. Purplish bruises tainted the skin underneath her dark eyes and her dark hair swung in front of her face. Kakashi noted her cheek bones were slightly jutting out from underneath her pale sun-less skin. Kakashi shifted uncomfortably, wondering if perhaps Tsunade had been over working her as of late. He quickly masked his discomfort with nonchalance.
"Let him be." He said simply.
Shizune nodded and rubbed her slender fingers against her weary eyes. "The reason I'm here…"
Kakashi noticed a tremor in the young woman's voice and turned toward her, his expression deepening. "Shizune?" He asked carefully.
She rubbed at her eyes again, this time with both hands. Kakashi turned his full attention toward the woman. Something was definitely wrong. He felt his brain kick into overdrive as it suddenly started analyzing all the possible situations that could have Shizune so worry and tired. Albeit, he didn't know the woman as well as he would have liked to, but she was a serious and reliable woman who wouldn't get worried unless it was truly something to worry about.
"Sifu Tsunade sent me here to tell you…" She paused and looked up at Kakashi. It was easy to detect the worry in them. "…Governor Feng is dead…murdered." She quickly corrected. "Sifu only found out not that long ago." She said simply.
Kakashi let out a gush of breath. His eyebrows furrowed, creating deep creases on his forehead. Governor Feng dead? And murdered no less…how? What idiot had let the man go off on his own? His mind was buzzing with useless, nonsensical questions which he quickly tried to quiet in order to assess the situation.
"How…" He began, the question forming on his lips; but Shizune simply held her hands up, as if the situation was just too far out of her league.
"I don't know the details." She said softly. "I'm sorry, Kakashi."
"It's ok." Kakashi murmured finally. He cast one look back at the still sleeping Naruto and Sakura before moving off to find Tsunade.
"Get some sleep, Shizune." He called back softly to the still waiting woman. She smiled, and nodded her head in compliance although Kakashi had long left her sight.
Glossary:
Sifu - Master
Sasuke opened his eyes, and he found that it felt more like lifting bricks than just a simple fluttering of eyelids. His dark eyes roved the area. Sunlight filtered in through a dusty window, warming his face with its glow. The room was bare of any contents, and he was lying on a rough cotton cot. He scrunched his nose, finding the room smelled vaguely of sweat and stench that wasn't his.
He took in a deep calming breath as he tried to remember the circumstances as how he came to be in the room. There had been a fight. His heart clenched automatically at the thought of the pink haired kunoichi. With a scowl, he pushed her image out of his mind, not enjoying how his heart seemed to both flutter with desire while his blood boiled with rage.
She had injured him rather critically. Looking over, he found that his arm was lying perpendicular to his body, caught in a tight splint. Padding was strapped thickly over his shoulder where her foot had come crashing down on him. Surprisingly, it was devoid of pain. Continuing to think, he remembered a man, a white haired man with glasses that said he would take him to the man who promised him power. He had neglected to kill the kunoichi, which brought another scowl.
He remembered being carried somewhere, deep in the forest. His memories were slightly hazy. The pain had been overwhelming by then, clouding his senses. Cool fingers had stroked his head, stroked his hair. He remembered trying to shy away from them, but it was a half-hearted attempt. They fed him a liquid and it had tasted horrible and bitter as it flowed down his throat. Then everything went black.
Sitting up slowly and careful not to move his arm, Sasuke pulled his body into an upright position. It proved difficult to completely hold his arm up and his shoulder gave a slight spasm of pain. "Take it easy, Sasuke."
Sasuke quickly turned to the sound of the voice, his body jerking which caused his shoulder to erupt in pain. Sasuke let out a hiss and clenched his teeth and his un-injured hand grabbed his shoulder. Looking up, his dark eyes found a pale man, standing in the corner near the doorway, a slight amused expression on his face. Sasuke dropped his eyes from the man's gaze, his face growing heated with humiliation. Here he was, an Uchiha, looking inferior and weak in this man's presence. He felt infuriated with himself to say the least.
"Where am I?" Sasuke snapped.
"My humble abode." Said the man. The same amusement that was written on his face was apparent in his voice. "Welcome, Uchiha Sasuke." He said, sweeping his hand out to him. His yellow eyes were dancing and it irked Sasuke.
Sasuke huffed and looked away, refusing to be the object of this man's amusement and entertainment. "I didn't catch your name the last time we met."
"Orochimaru." He heard the man reply.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. The Konoha traitor? Intriguing. Hadn't the pink haired kunoichi mentioned his name during the fight? "You promised me power." Said Sasuke curtly, reminding him of their deal.
"I did." Replied Orochimaru. "My gift...was to your satisfaction?" He inquired, mouth twisting into a sadistic smile.
"Yes…" Said Sasuke. He turned toward Orochimaru, his eyes blazing. "I want more."
Temari looked around superstitiously, her eyes milking in the entire environment. Her ears were tuned to any sort of sound that she might hear. Fortunately, the forest seemed void of any sounds that could have been classified as being made by a person. Sighing, Temari rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and began to disrobe. Tossing her dirty, worn out garments on the ground, she gingerly poked a toe into the steaming hot springs before her.
Her toe was instantly bathed in warm and a rush of delight overwhelmed Temari. Taking another glance around, Temari quickly plunged her whole body in before her body could contract frost bite. She closed her eyes and rotated her neck, reveling in the way all of her muscles seemed to melt in the warm water. It had been too long since she last had a bath.
Dunking her face in for a brief instant, she felt all the vestiges of the cold leave her face. Picking her head up, she brushed the bangs off of her face. Her unwilling teacher, as she had now become accustomed to thinking of him as, had took it upon himself to wake her up early that morning by dumping icy cold water on her face. After a few minutes of sputtering and cussing from Temari, he had calmly told her they would start training.
When he said training, Temari thought he would actually be teaching her something useful, however she soon found out she was horribly mistaken. She had spent nearly an hour of just breathing exercises. It had pissed Temari off to no end and she did complain, whole-heartedly in fact.
"I already know the damn basics, I was taught for seven years." Temari had snarled.
But she was ignored and rather forcefully dragged into position. So while she was angry, she decided it would be in her best interest not to complain again. Afterward, the man had told her that she was allowed to take a bath in the nearby hot springs he found. Temari had been suspicious at first. This was the first act of kindness he was showing her, how did she know it wouldn't backfire on her later? Was he some kind of pervert? But so far, she found no evidence that he was watching her, let alone that he was even in the area. She had liked to believe her scenes had been trained enough for that sort of thing, but recent encounters with Konoha shinobi had proved otherwise.
Temari lifted an arm up, her skin glinting in the sunlight. She ran her hand along her arms, doing the best to scrub whatever dirt she could off. As she did, her mind couldn't help but trail painfully back to Shikamaru. He too had allowed her to take a bath similar to this and she had been skeptical then too. Was a pattern beginning to emerge? Temari shook the thoughts out of her head. God, she must have been becoming a pervert or something.
She was snapped out of her thoughts when something slapped against the rock in front of her. The man was standing there, peering down at her, hands crossed over his chest. With a squeal, Temari dove underwater so that only her eyes remained peering back at him. They hardened into a glare.
"It's kind of amusing when you can't talk back." The man replied. "I'm not here to peek at you. In fact I could care less. But I thought you would need something to dry off with."
Temari's eyes peered down to the rocks and she saw he had dropped some spare cloths for drying off. Still glaring, she picked her face out of the water, her arms securely around her chest.
"Thanks, I guess." She mumbled. "Now would you mind getting the hell away?"
The man seemed to be scrutinizing her as he stared down. Although she couldn't see his eyes, his gaze seemed to be penetrating and it bothered Temari. Blushing, she looked away. She wasn't exactly used to being the object of a man's desires, other than Shikamaru. Shikamaru was kind, and gentle and just as inexperienced as she had been. She had been in love with him and he with her. But to be shown affection by a grown man…It was disconcerting and she began to feel squeamish.
"I'm not into that sort of thing, I hope you aren't getting the wrong idea." The man stated plainly after a beat.
Temari scoffed, although still looking away from him. "Then why are you leering at me? I have no interest in perverted old men!"
"Old men." There was a hint of laughter and amusement and when Temari looked up, the man was gone. She slapped the water angrily with her hand. She really needed to hone her senses. Apparently she was no good at all.
Gaara sat outside, the cool winter's wind sweeping through his unruly red hair. He wasn't cold, even though the pale skin on his cheeks were stained a light pink. His rigid hands remained folded on his lap, tucked into the sleeves of his long black robes. He watched as people shuffled past him, in and out of their estate within Tsunade's compound, their looks always glistening with pity. Their whispering irritated him, the way their eyes would shuffle from the body of his dead father to him, the way the acted as if he couldn't hear or see that they were referring to him.
He stared back at them, face not betraying a single emotion as his green eyes, rimmed with black seemed to cut through them. It was unconventional; the black liner around his eyes. He saw that it disconcerted people when he looked at them. It made them pity him more, as if he had done it in attempt to act out, to physically show just how much his father's death hurt him. It was half true anyway. His father's untimely death would always be a part of him, he would always mourn his death, deep inside of him. He had finally learned to accept it. He had chalked the black around his eyes rather thickly, so it stood out in dark globs, contrasting with his white skin and pale eyes. It was messy and smudged, but Gaara didn't care.
He watched as the silver haired shinobi came striding through, his steps almost hurried. Tsunade herself had showed up only a little while ago, her steps hurried and almost agitated. His brother had sent out the invitations concerning the wake just this morning. As figurehead of the family, Kankuro had made all the arrangements for the funeral, but being the true heir to the Feng family, Gaara had granted him the money to do so. Everything was his now…
Gaara watched as the silver haired shinobi paused, his mask looking in his direction. Gaara wondered if the man was tempted to come up and speak with him, to offer him his condolences, but the moment seemed to have passed and the shinobi strode into the house. Gaara looked away, not caring, when his eyes rested on the one man his father hated most in the world.
Owashi Shimura was striding up toward the house, bodyguards in tow with his irritatingly long and confident strides. Gaara noted that the man was definitely crass. The surrounding environment had been particularly dull the past couple of days, what with the dull grey winter skies coupled with everyone's pale and washed out attire. But here was the Viceroy of Shantung striding up in an overly extravagant robe of white and dark purple. It didn't paint the same message as if he had shown up wearing red – a color that was only appropriate if the deceased had lived a long and fulfilling life, which Governor Feng had obviously not - but it still told observers that the Viceroy wasn't exactly mourning.
In fact, if Gaara wasn't mistaken, the Viceroy was probably down right gleeful that his father was dead. It practically ensured that he would be the next emperor. Gaara stood up from his sitting position and moved in front of the entrance gate just as Shimura approached. Although thin and seemingly unimposing, Gaara's tall and lanky form was on par with Shimura.
"Oh, Gaara-xiansheng!" Exclaimed the Viceroy, clapping his gloved hands together.
Gaara's face twitched subtly in irritation. His position, even as his father's son ensured that he at least be addressed as 'Gaara-gong', even by the Viceroy of Shantung. This man seemed to think very highly of himself.
"Shimura-gong." Greeted Gaara in return, his face twitching up into a subtle smile as the Viceroy visibly bristled at being addressed in such a demeaning way. But it was only fair wasn't it?
The Viceroy cleared his throat and the mirth instantly returned to his eyes. "My condolences to and your entire family. My goodness it is a shame that you have fallen on hard times, and so quickly at that. First your sister is kidnapped," At this, Shimura's voice sounded almost skeptical, "And then your father murdered? I would say someone has it out for you. Haven't offended too many Gods have you?" Shimura questioned, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
"My family and I appreciate your condolences." Replied Gaara smoothly, not missing a beat. "Many thanks for taking the time out to come here. I'm sure my father would have been greatly pleased." Like any other born and bred into high society, the courteous language flowed easily from Gaara's lips, although he didn't mean a word of it.
"Has the Emperor been here to see your father yet?" Shimura asked, his eyebrows creased in honest curiosity. "I'm sure he regrets the loss of such a valuable candidate for the throne. Your father would have been an excellent choice. Such a shame…" Shimura murmured, his voice overly sympathetic.
It was so painstakingly obvious to Gaara that he was lying and sugar coating his words. "It is a shame." Gaara allowed. "My father was perfectly suited for the throne. Perhaps His Majesty the Emperor has suffered a loss deeper than I."
Shimura's lips thinned into a line. His eyes had a hard edge to them. "I hope you'll be there when the Emperor announces that the Tianming has been passed to me. It will be a great honor." His voice lacked any of the mirth and teasing nature from only minutes ago.
"Of course I'll be there." Said Gaara serenely. "Although I cannot guarantee that the Tianming will be passed to you."
All decorum left Shimura's face. "Why not?" The Viceroy all but demanded.
A ghost of a smile passed over Gaara's lips. "You forget that I am my father's heir. And I intend to inherit everything that was his."
Shimura's eyes finally narrowed into a glare. "You dare think that a mere eighteen year old kid can compete against me for the throne? You must have ventured too far from your play pen, little boy. Just because you play dress up in the world of grown-ups doesn't mean you are one." Shimura sneered. His voice ghosted over the empty courtyard. No one was there to overhear their exchange.
Gaara smiled a full smile this time. He knew its effect on people and watched with glee as Shimura's face took on a disconcerted expression. "I hope you're not objected to a little healthy competition. Don't be caught in the illusion that my father's death means that you won something. If you did think that, I'm afraid you were sorely mistaken."
Gaara gave the Viceroy of Shandong one final penetrating glance, his eyes looking terribly formidable, especially with the smudges of black gleaming against his pale skin. Then he turned around and stalked off, his gait every bit as confident as Shimura's.
Glossary:
Tianming- Mandate of Heaven
Xiansheng - Chinese honorific, equivalent of Mr.
Gong - Chinese honorific, equivalent of lord
Despite being outside in the courtyard, the air was stale when Kakashi entered via the Feng household. He had rid himself of most of his shinobi attire, save for the kunai that was hidden in his sandal and instead had donned a heavy white shirt and pants. He looked washed out, just another ghost in the sea of pale flesh and downcast eyes that surrounded him.
He moved slowly with the line in front of him, finally approaching the coffin. A white shroud had been placed over the Governor's body, obscuring the body from view. Kakashi stared down at him, his mind still buzzing with questions. How had such a thing happened? Who could have possibly done it? He had no answers and he wasn't sure he ever would as remembered his place and forcibly pulled his eyes away. Quickly he bowed three times and set down a stick of burning incense at the altar in front of the coffin.
Kakashi spared a look toward the oldest sibling Kankuro, sitting with a mousey brown haired man at the side of the coffin before walking back into the comfort of the main estate. He quickly spotted Tsunade through the crowd and moved to approach her. She looked just as weary as Shizune had; her blond hair was pulled into a severe bun.
"This is unexpected." Kakashi whispered to Tsunade.
"I still don't know what to think." Murmured Tsunade. "This changes everything..."
"You inquired…?" Kakashi asked, his question drifting off.
"I spoke to Governor Feng's brother-in-law." Her eyes outside to the coffin. Kakashi followed the motion. His light brown hair was pulled into a loose bun and his fingers were twiddling idly with the hem of his sleeve. His eyes were soft and a light amethyst color, similar to Temari's. He looked docile and timid compared to the Feng children and Feng himself. As it was, Kankuro was sitting next to him, looking menacing even in his relaxed position. And Kankuro was the least intimidating out of all of them.
Kakashi pulled his eyes away and hummed in reply.
"According to Yashamaru-hou, he, Governor Feng and Gaara-gong had been planning on joining the search party when none other than Uchiha Sasuke came stumbling out of the woods, alone, without a horse." Said Tsunade. Her voice was low, ensuring no one else in the room would hear.
"Uchiha Sasuke." Kakashi murmured, surprise in his voice. "Alone?"
"Yashamaru-hou said he looked very unkempt. Feng ordered for him and Gaara-gong to leave, that he wanted to speak with the Uchiha and he would catch up later. They left, however after maybe ten or so minutes, Gaara-gong turned back and Yashamaru-hou continued without them." Continued Tsunade.
"I didn't want to pry too much, but Yahasmaru-hou said that none of them ever caught up, so he returned here the next morning. He found Gaara calmly standing over Feng's body, his hands and face covered in blood. Gaara-gong calmly told Yashamaru-hou to alert the authorities, that his father had been murdered."
Kakashi gave a low whistle. "This can't be good." He breathed. "Condition of the body?"
Tsunade shook her head sadly. "I couldn't ask."
"Three suspects, but who did it?" Kakashi wondered. His thoughts traveled back to the young Feng heir who he had seen standing outside. While intimidating, was he capable of murder? Kakashi was pressured to say he honestly didn't know as he knew nothing of the boy's personality.
"Even if we did ask Gaara-gong, he could lie." Said Tsunade, reading through Kakashi's thoughts. "Governor Feng was perfectly adapt at it, no doubt his son is as well."
Kakashi murmured his consent. He couldn't shake the feeling that ever since arriving in Peking, he had been thrown into a dark swirling void that had no intentions of letting him out to see the light of day again. Things just kept piling up, one after another.
Speaking of the devil, Gaara brushed into the room, his long and gangly limbs surprisingly moving with ease and grace. He wasn't as built as Governor Feng or even his older brother Kankuro and his body seemed rather awkward with height, but he moved with such confidence that it was hard to tell. He brushed past Tsunade and Kakashi and stepped into the courtyard, turning to face them.
Gaara's light green eyes darted around and Kakashi noted he looked almost psychotic with the way he had apparently taken black charcoal to his eyes. Everything had gone quiet in his presence – even the wailing women and gambling men in the courtyard.
"I have an announcement," Said Gaara, his voice easily commanding the room. "I have decided I will be taking my father's position as Viceroy of Zhili."
Tsunade let out a gush of breath next to Kakashi.
Glossary:
Gong - Chinese honorific, equivalent of lord
Hou -Rank below lord
A smile crossed Naruto's content face as his eyes slid away and he lifted his body off the bed, stretching his limbs out above his head. He gave a loud yawn and turned toward the window. Sunlight was streaming in full force through the window. Naruto looked at it in surprise. Had he really slept in for that long? He thought for a moment, trying to remember the last time he slept in for that long, and that well. He scratched his head lazily, feeling rather good. His head felt clear and he realized it was the first good night's sleep he had since the sword was stolen.
Looking down, he saw Sakura's sleeping form. Smiling, he reached over and traced his fingers down her arm, when realization hit him that she wasn't sleeping. His heart plummeted in his chest, taking his smile with it.
Mist shrouded the forest, despite the winter month and from their position high in the trees, the clouds seemed eerily low overhead. From where he sat Itachi could spot the faint chakra signatures of three or more shinobi a couple hundred miles out, perched high up in the trees; higher than even he and Kisame were. As Itachi knew from his studies, these were guardian shinobi and they were tasked with the protection and security of the hidden village they were members of. They were supposed to eliminate threats before they could enter the village.
Threats like him.
The trip to the Land of Lightning had been a relatively easy one, or at least easier than Itachi had thought it would be considering he had never left the Land of Fire. Thunder often boomed ominously overhead and lightning struck far more times than Itachi cared to count, yet it never seemed to rain. Itachi was beginning to understand how the province had gotten its' name.
Kisame reaffirmed his grip on his tree branch as it swayed lightly under his weight. He was situated farther back than Itachi, but not so far as Itachi wouldn't be able to signal to him when the time came. Samehada had been left in a safe place; Itachi had deemed it would be far too dangerous for Kisame to have brought it with him. Despite the supposed secrecy of the hidden villages, it had been easy for Itachi to find Kumogakure. Although his Sharingan was no Bakyugan, Itachi was still able to use it efficiently enough to fit his needs.
Itachi's fingers repeatedly flexed against the branch he was perched on. It wasn't from nervousness or apprehension, but for the need to do something instead of just sitting motionless upon a tree branch. Itachi's mind had been put into overdrive as he repeatedly went over the plan in his mind and calculated their chances for success. Despite his studies and his training, this would still be his first time going up against actual shinobi. Being a descendent of them and actually being one were two very different things.
And truth be told, other darker and more ominous thoughts still occupied his mind as he wondered why he was actually on this mission to begin with.
The wind shifted restlessly without reason around them, swirling through the creaking branches, making them sway off their course. The winter sky was whitewashed its usual grey color, the sun nothing more than a mere yellow ball in the sky. The world was reduced to a dull monochromatic palette that even Itachi and Kisame did nothing to stand out against. Both were obscured by long beige hooded cloaks that managed to hide Kisame's brightly colored skin and Itachi's dark hair.
As Itachi flexed his frozen fingers again, his keen ears picked up on the slight crashing of branches, still some miles away. His eyes flicked to Kisame who wordless turned to greet him, his head bowing slightly in recognition. Itachi did a once over. His chakra and scent were completely masked, giving the illusion that he wasn't even there. Kisame had done a good job at masking his scent, although his chakra; given that he had so much of it, wasn't completely masked.
The sound of branches swaying underweight and of feet hitting wood echoed closer to Kisame and Itachi. It was two people from the sound of it. Kisame's muscles started to tense, his muscles coiling and ready to spring into action. Even Itachi's own muscles were starting tense and strain.
In no time at all, Itachi's eyes had picked up on two figures, moving through the forest. Already, Itachi's eyes were soaking up every detail that he could pick up, his mind analyzing every point and calculating a plan of attack that would be most effective. Both shinobi were male, almost equal in size although one was slighter than the first. Approaching closer, Itachi's ears picked up on the tenor of their conversation.
"Man, why can't this woman catch her own cat? I mean gods be damned." They were both young boys, likely no older than fourteen. This simplified Itachi's plan quite a bit.
The boy who was talking was slighter than the other and his voice was whiny and high-pitched. Moving closer into view, Itachi's Sharingan activated as he watched the slight boy. He had a slight limp to his left leg and moved awkwardly, as if he weren't used to it. Slight bruising and red marks peppered the left side of his neck, just above his collarbone but below his ear. He got into fights often; Itachi deducted and perhaps was a bit of a hothead, considering his language and mannerisms.
Itachi's mind buzzed with new information, his muscles twitched in anticipation of imitating them as the movements settled in his limbs like old memories.
"You idiot," Replied the other boy. His voice was deeper, more serious than the first boy's had been. "If we didn't get hired, then we wouldn't get paid." Itachi smirked. Obviously he was the smarter one as well.
"Well I guess." The slight boy grumbled, almost unwillingly. "I'm just saying…there really is no excuse to be that lazy."
The boy had done nothing to mask his chakra, which implied he was rather inexperienced. He also had low chakra levels, making him either an accelerated Genin or a Chunin. The other boy, however, had attempted to mask his chakra, although traces of it still leaked out. Perhaps the other boy was just naïve?
Itachi's eyes flickered to Kisame once more, who responded immediately. Communicating through eye contact was like second nature to them. Kisame disappeared from the tree branch; it swayed lightly from being released from his weight.
The huskier boy had no idea what was coming and fortunately, the slight boy wasn't perceptive enough to warn him. Kisame dropped down on the boy, his elbow going straight to the back of the boy's neck before he whisked him away out of sight.
The slighter boy gave a gasp of surprise and reeled backward but Itachi reached him in time, his cool fingers passing over his neck before pushing down on a pressure point, incapacitating him. With the boy hoisted over his shoulder, Itachi found Kisame standing at the base of a large tree trunk where Itachi had deemed a 'safe zone' – away from the prying senses of the guardian shinobi.
"It's been a while since I felt a rush like that." Kisame said, teeth barred in a grin.
Itachi only shook his head and deposited the slighter boy next to the boy Kisame had taken. The boy was conscious, but had no control over his limbs or speech, rendering him useless and unable to call for help. Itachi crouched before the boy and the boy gasped at him with wide eyes in fear. Itachi could feel his Sharingan begin to spin and the boy's eyes turned glazed as he looked at him.
"I'm going to ask you some questions." Itachi said softly, his voice taking on a soothing quality. Lightly, Itachi touched the boy's neck. "You will answer me truthfully."
Kisame watched, a bemused expression on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest. He had seen Itachi's Sharingan before, but he had never really seen it in action. Itachi seemed loath to use it most of the time. He watched the boy babbled on, answering Itachi's questions and wondered what it would be like if Itachi were to turn his Sharingan on him. But after a minute, Kisame decided he probably wouldn't like it much.
Finally when Itachi had his fill, he stood up, the boy's mask in his hand. He looked over at Kisame, his Sharingan fading back to black.
"They will wake up in three days time and return to the village with no recollection of what happened." Itachi explained. "Help me move them to a safe location." He gestured toward the bodies.
"Shouldn't we just kill them?" Kisame asked, "It would make things hell of a lot simpler." At this, he gave a toothy grin, showing off rows of sharp incisors.
Itachi couldn't control the brief look of disgust that crossed his face and the way he physically recoiled from Kisame's suggestion as if someone struck him.
"It's that bad, huh?" Said Kisame, raising an eyebrow as if he were amused. "I would have thought that after – "
"It's better this way." Said Itachi quickly, before Kisame could utter another word. He bent before the slighter one and hoisted him over his shoulder. "We'll be long gone before they realized what has happened and return to Kumo."
Kisame watched as Itachi busied himself. Despite his overly physical nature and his usual desire to leave all the brain work to Itachi, it didn't mean that Kisame wasn't intelligent or that he couldn't be observant when he wanted to be. Itachi seemed to be far more uncomfortable with violence and killing than he let on.
Itachi waited for Kisame to hide the older boy among the dirt and leaves as he had the first before he placed the Genjutsu. He could tell that Kisame was holding his tongue, but decided it would be best not to acknowledge that fact.
Glossary:
Hachibi Jinchuuriki- Eight Tailed Ox Host
Shunshin- Body Flicker
Kage Bunshin- Shadow Clone
Fear was a funny thing. It defied all logic, weaseled its way in when there was perfectly no reason. Fear didn't bode well with Yagura, yet he still found it there, like a persistent weed that refused to be rooted out.
He found himself suffocating, choking on it, gasping for air because of it. He was sweating and that red hot itchy feeling coursed through his body, making him want to just shrug all his clothes off and jump into a freezing, ice cold lake. With a trembling finger, he pulled his collar away from his neck, allowing the soothing cold to touch him, yet it did nothing to help. He felt as if every piece of clothing touching his body was poking and prodding at him, casting his body into an irritation he just couldn't rid of.
He needed to be strong, he repeatedly told himself. He had people, his people to protect. He had a beautiful wife waiting for him. He was the Mizukage, for goodness sake, he had lost the right to be nervous when he first stepped up and donned the Kage hat.
Yet it was the Amekage who had made Yagura's stomach flutter with fear and pushed the weight of suffocation down this throat. Yagura couldn't explain the fear he felt when he thought about the older man, the way that images of monsters, bloodshed and death filtered through his brain. The Amekage was rumored to be positively horrendous, but it wasn't rumors that made Yagura worried.
Yagura took a large gulp of the chilling air, reminding himself once again that he needed to be strong for his people, that on terms of rank, he and the Amekage were on par with each other. The fact that Yagura was Kage to one of the Great Shinobi Villages gave him little advantage. With his mask securely adorning his face, Yagura amethyst eyes drifted around the scene before him. Although his heart was still beating erratically in his chest, each pound against his rib cage reminding him just how nervous he was, he tried to remain the epitome of calm in outward appearances. He folded his hands before him, although his shot nerves still kept his fingers twitching sporadically. A quick glance in a murky puddle before him showed his hair was perfectly secured in his top knot and that his azure robes were without wrinkles.
Ignoring the confused and interested looks of the civilians who were milling idly around him, Yagura's eyes shot around, eyeing the masked ANBU guards that he had stationed in strategic spots around him. Although they could probably do little to protect him from the Amekage despite their rank, Mei would have had a fit if he hadn't taken them. Truth was, he did feel a touch of comfort at their presence.
Yagura had chosen to meet the Amekage in Hangzhou, the capital of the Land of Water. While petty, he didn't want the Amekage to become too familiar with Shanghai. He had also chose to meet the Amekage in a crowded marketplace, with the mid-day sun still bearing down on them. It would at least force the Amekage to act discreetly.
Yagura smelled the Amekage's presence before he could fully see him. His nose became infiltrated with the scent of freshly fallen rain water, a scent that was deceptive and alluring considering who its user was.
"Amekage-gong." Said Yagura tonelessly, his voice low to keep their conversation discreet. He was pleased to hear that it didn't waver.
"Mizukage-gong." Greeted the Amekage, looking as foreboding as ever. He didn't regard his outward appearance as much as Yagura did and was simply clad in a white flowing robe, simple shinobi attire adorning him underneath. "I was sorry to hear we wouldn't be meeting in Shanghai. I enjoyed the city rather immensely that last time I was there." The Amekage stated simply.
'I'm sure you did.' Thought Yagura bitterly. He moved his hands behind his back, keeping them clasped tightly. "I've taken my time in considering your proposition."
"I appreciate it." Said the Amekage. "It was not a decision to be made rashly." His words seemed to cut through Yagura who could understand the statement behind what he said.
"I am flattered by your offer." Yagura stated, only realizing that after the words escaped his lips, how lame they actually sounded. Stalling, a greedy little voice cackled in the back of his head and it took too much effort to do anything but agree.
The Amekage tilted his head and let out an amused sort of breath that chilled Yagura's blood. "I hope you aren't trying to butter me up with all this flattery. Remain straight with me, Mizukage-gong and everything will be for the best." His words were harsh, harsher than before and all the more accentuated by his deep and unforgiving voice. Yagura noted the way the Amekage spat out his title as if it were joke, as if a child as young as he wasn't deserving of it. It only made Yagura want to shrink farther away from view.
But Yagura forced himself to pull up right and look the Amekage dead in his eye. His heart drilled against his rib cage, as if it were pleading to be released. His stomach heaved unnaturally and he could feel the bitter taste of bile rising up in his throat. It was only with a tremendous amount of force and sheer will power that Yagura pushed it down and steeled his nerves for his next words.
"After careful consideration, I regret to say that, speaking for Kirigakure, we will be declining your offer. While I am sure it was in your best interest to ask, it is in the best interest of my people that I refuse." Yagura's words were plainly stated, not a trace of anxiety finding its way into his words.
The Amekage was silent, but to a shinobi, his body language spoke volumes. Immediately after Yagura spoke, the Amekage stiffened, his body becoming tight. The air pressure around Yagura seemed to thicken with pressure and Yagura thought that he could feel the tendrils of killer intent poking at him. He was sure, however, that in his present state, if the Amekage did decide to unleash the full force of his killer intent, Yagura would keel over on the spot.
"You side with Konoha." The Amekage spat, his words like acid. A few civilians spared Yagura and the Amekage a glance before quickly scurrying away.
"No." Corrected Yagura. "Kirigakure will remain neutral, should you decide to go to war with Konoha." It pleased Yagura to see the Amekage's position slacken with surprise.
"How…bold of you." The Amekage mused. Yagura shifted his feet, not looking at the Amekage.
"I suppose I could…commend your decision now." Said the Amekage, his tone surprisingly light. "But should the time come, I hope that you won't regret your decision of neutrality."
Yagura's eyes darted up. "Is that a threat?" He had meant for his voice to be louder, but he came out as nothing more than a whisper.
"No, a warning." The Amekage clarified. "Because I cannot guarantee that even neutrality can save you or your people."
Yagura bit his lip hard. He felt his teeth break through the already cracking skin on his lip and draw blood. As if the Amekage could smell blood, he stepped forward, closer than Yagura would have liked. Leaning in close to his face, his next words chilled Yagura down to the core.
"And believe me, the next time I threaten you, you'll know."
And he was gone, leaving the scent of freshly fallen rain and a pile of goo that was once Yagura in his wake. As Yagura's heart beat finally came back down, closer to its normal rate, Yagura's ANBU guards were already surrounding him, their blank white masks staring at him, comforting him with their presence.
"Mizukage-gong!" One exclaimed frantically. "You're injured!"
It was only then that Yagura looked down to see the blood leaking from his abdomen, spilling down his once clean robes.
Character Corner
Name: Umino Iruka
Age: 22
Height: '5-10"
Specializes: Kenjutsu
Iruka was the only son of civilian parents and was born in the Land of Rivers. His father was a professor and scientist who was researching the legend of the tailed beasts. As a result, Iruka moved around from town to town a lot as his father pursued his studies. Although Iruka didn't find out until much later, his father was trying to actually prove the existence of Bijuu. As a child, the moving around didn't faze Iruka and he kept to himself and his studies mostly, ignoring the other children's bouts of violence which Iruka thought was unnecessary. Upon growing older, Iruka grew bitter towards his father. Their constant moving around kept them from being a normal family and prevented Iruka from making friends. Iruka was often picked on for being the smartest in the class by stronger kids. When his father made a breakthrough discovery proving the existence of Bijuu, their father/son relationship was almost repaired as Iruka began to aid in his father's research. A year after the Kyuubi attack on Konoha, they were visited by a strange man. When Iruka's father refused to give him information on how to implant and extract Bijuu from a human host, the man killed his wife. Iruka's father gave him the information before the man killed him too, leaving Iruka an orphan.
After the deaths of his parents, Iruka resented the fact that he grew up the way he did. The strange visit with the man proved to Iruka that knowledge would get you nowhere in today's world and that violence was the key to survival. Iruka still holds the last significant piece of information about Bijuu that his father told him as he was dying. After the deaths of his parents, Iruka roamed the country before coming to Peking and enrolling in the police force. He takes his job as a cop very seriously.