If she kept this particularly professional in her mind, she didn't have to think about the fact that she was walking forward, with the intention of asking the first single boy she found to dance with her. As in, having to share physical contact with a boy.
Kabuto wouldn't have been bad. He was her sensei. She trusted him.
Sasuke was fine. He was her cousin, with a new protective streak to run along side his tormented brooding one. A silver lining of unknown compassion for a long lost sibling to go with his dark mental cloud.
But…a boy she didn't even know? Any other boy other than Kabuto or Sasuke? How would she even ask him?
But she didn't have time to figure that out, as she hit her mark.
She stumbled face first into the back of a much taller boy, possibly a year older than her, in defining green spandex, with a red Hitai-ate tied around his middle, yellow lined shin sleeves and a bob of shiny black hair. The boy turned, and Mamushi forgot her reason, her logic, her comfort blanket of an impersonal agenda, withered and died at her feet, as the boy turned to face her, bright eyed, bushy browed and beaming a youthful smile.
Her golden eyes were wide, her lips trebling, her hands shaking, as she gaped up at the boy. He sweat dropped at her, scratching the back of his head as he chuckled.
"Konichiwa. I'm Rock Lee, nice to meet you." He gave her the thumbs up, and his teeth shone with a 'ting'. It made her lips twitch, and slowly, they curved into a timid smile, a soft giggle escaping and making him blush.
"Pleased to meet you, Lee-kun." Mamushi barely whispered, and bowed her head to him. "My name is Mamushi."
"Yosh! You called me Lee-kun." He grinned, and gave her the thumbs up again. "Gai-sensei told me it was your sensei who organised all this, and invited every Genin team and their sensei!"
"Yes, Yoko-sensei thought it would be a reprieve for us to-"
"Oi, Lee. Stop standing around and ask her to dance already!" A girl with a soft pink oriental top and dark three quarter trousers appeared from behind Lee, poking his arm and grinning at him. She had two large, round brown dumplings on either side of her head, and brown eyes sparkling with mischief. "A pretty girl comes up to you, smiles, laughs, isn't scared off by your spandex and 'Yosh'ing, and you still standing here?" She chuckled, and play punched his arm.
Mamushi suppressed a chuckle, at the colour Lee's cheeks tinged. Deep rose.
"Well, erm, Tenten-chan, I just, we've only just met and-"
"I'd like to dance with you." Mamushi looked down to the floor immediately, fidgeting with her hands in front of her.
If he says yes, we'll dance, I'll ask him questions, I'll go back to my room. End of the night. Nothing to worry about. If he says no, I'll go back to my room. She gulped again. And hide.
"…you mean…me? With me?"
Mamushi raised her eyes, and saw that not only was he blushing as hard as she was (though it looked worse on Mamushi, as her skin was ghostly white and blushing, where Lee's was much peachier), but he was also pointing at himself in disbelief.
"Hai. With you. Rock Lee-kun."
"Yosh!!!!" Mamushi almost fell over with the sheer force of enthusiasm he barked at her, grabbing her hand and running with her in tow back to the dance floor. When he jerked her to a stop, he chuckled nervously, and looked off to the side, scratching the back of his head again. "…erm…you can change you mind, if you want." Mamushi frowned, and saw how dejected he looked already. He obviously assumed she wouldn't want to dance with him from the get go, so after he manhandled her like that… "Gai-sensei is always telling me, watch your strength with those who have yet to gain it…especially delicate girls…" Mamushi giggled behind her hands, unable to stop herself.
Delicate girls? I wonder what Koneko would say to that?
"For your information, I first specialised with my first sensei in Taijutsu, so I'm used to tough love." The glowing beam of his grin somehow made her feel all fuzzy all of a sudden.
"You're a Taijutsu user?! Can we spar some time?!! I want to be the best Taijutsu user in the world some day. It's my dream."
He's trains specifically in Taijutsu. Mamushi made note of that, and started to sway her hips to the music, like Yoko taught her. Nothing too fancy or overboard, just casual. Lee took precision steps from one side and back, the other side, and back. bless him. he isn't blessed with moves outside of the fighter's ring. Mamushi giggled again, and he laughed too.
It seemed, this was his first ever dance with a girl.
"I would love to. You're the first person to see me as a fighter, not just a girl with Senbon needles."
"You prefer them to kunai?" Mamushi paused. Don't want to give him information on me either.
"Not really. I like to use a variety, that's all."
"Sounds like Tenten. She's the weapons expert. Always telling me off for holding my kunai blade at the wrong angle, or something else." He laughed, and Mamushi nodded.
That girl is his team mate, a weapons expert, probably close contact. Good. I'm her worst nightmare, since I fight from a distance. She can't use her weapons on me if she can't get close enough. And Lee isn't good with weapons either…
"I'm in a two man cell too."
"Two too?" He chuckled. "Only two of you? There's three in our team." Mamushi twirled, sashaying a little closer than could be called 'casual' anymore. Her long slender navy black ponytail swayed with her body, drawing poor Lee's innocent eyes…to the soft curve of her hips…the dimple of her back…the smooth round shape of her breasts, packed into that small purple boob tube…
"Other team mate? Who's she?"
"He. Neji Hyuuga. He's the genius of the team."
Genius. Like Sasuke on team Kakashi. She popped her snake hips, her stomach and back flexing, her long legs and delicate feet stepping in time with the music. Like Me, on our team.
Mamushi's caught on. I hadn't even gotten round to that team yet, and she's already interrogating him. Koneko grinned, and waved off a rather perverted rain Shinobi, intent on finding her father, when her shoulder was grabbed.
"Look, buddy, I'm feeling rather tired right now so-"
"Awww, poor baby. Does the little vixen need a cat nap?" Koneko blinked, and couldn't believe what she was seeing.
His golden spikes were wildly ruffled, his grin wide, his teeth slightly sharper than usual, especially his canines, his scar like whisker marks wide and darker…and his baby blues stared back at her, a dark crimson, with thick black slits looking her up and down hungrily. He licked his lips, and returned to looking deep into her sapphire eye. "Personally, I'd like to dance, not sleep."
"Naruto-kun…you…erm…" Koneko chuckled nervously, and scratched the back of her head. Hot?
Was this really Naruto? Or the Kyuubi person who marked her stomach with the mysterious 'seal', which no one seemed to want to talk about.
"Dance with me, Koneko-chan." She gulped, his slightly clawed fingertips tracing the low front of her khakis, feathering round her hips, until he held them at either side, tightly. Koneko immediately gripped his shoulders, and suppressed a breathy whimper. "P please?" Koneko beamed, and relaxed into his hold, as he nervously looked to one side.
Yep, that was her Naruto. He was just a little…ampped up?
"I would love to, Naruto-kun. Just watch those hands, ne?" she chuckled, and he smirked.
"No." He licked his fangs, and groped her bum, giving her a soft squeeze. "Not even if you begged me not to. You can't just dance with every guy in here but me, and expect me to accept the same treatment, ne?" Koneko blushed madly, but recovered well.
She just hooked her foot between his, pushed against his chest, and sent him flying to his ass. "Unnn, maaaa, Itai! What was that for?"
"For trying to bite off a little more than I'll let you chew, yet." Koneko winked at him, and beckoned him towards the dance floor. "You've gotta prove yourself to me first, remember?"
"Oh, I remember. Not that I particularly want to. Dattebayo." Naruto smirked, pushed himself
"Oh…" Mamushi swerved, and Lee immediately reached forward, steadying her by her shoulders.
"You ok?"
"Hai, I just…" Over did it. I'm still low on Chakra…so drained…
"Need some fresh air? I could take you out onto the veranda if you like?" Mamushi smiled beautifully, and nodded.
"Arigato, I would like that." Lee beamed, and was just about to hook her arm, when someone tapped his shoulder.
"Lee. What are you doing?"
"Oh, Neji-kun. I was just taking Mamushi-chan for a little fresh air to-"
"Let her pump you for more information on our team?" Neji narrowed his lilac eyes at her, and pulled back slightly on Lee's shoulder, persuading him to let go of her. Mamushi looked him up and down once, and made an instant decision for the first time in her life.
This boy, she did not like.
"I was feeling a little faint, and Lee offered to-"
"Point you in the right direction, and come back to his team." Neji ordered, gently pushing Lee further away from Mamushi, and wedging himself between them. Lee looked angry, but didn't say anything.
so, this Neji Hyuuga is their genius Tensai, and obviously their leader too, the way Lee doesn't argue about his decisions. "You see, we Shinobi are taught to never trust a Kunoichi, or she might end up stabbing you in the back." Mamushi frowned, and looked away.
True, she was getting Intel from Lee…but she wasn't going to ambush him outside or anything.
"I'm feeling a little woozy…arigato, Lee-kun. I'll leave you alone now I guess…" Mamushi held her elbows, suddenly reminded of how every other person in the village treated her.
Speculation. Prejudice. Judgement.
"See you later Mamushi-chan. Arigato for the dance."
"…no problem." She forced a smile, though it was obviously a sad one. "You're a really cute guy, Lee-kun." She giggled softly, and turned, walking away from a very silent, very red Rock Lee.
…I'll leave the Intel to Koneko-chan. She's good at this. I'm obviously not…
What little confidence Mamushi had developed, had been shot down in that one conversation. She wandered around the edges of the hall, to avoid people as much as she could, and slipped out of the back door to the veranda.
The night air was cold, licking at her moon kissed skin as soon as she opened the veranda doors. She closed them, and walked forward aimlessly, lost in her self, only stopping when her navel pressed against the stone ledge of the veranda. Her hands smoothed over the ledge, and she raised her head.
Wow…it really is late. I can see the moon and everything. The stars are so bright tonight…
She sighed deeply, and closed her eyes, the soft light of the full moon bathing her pale skin, until she glowed like a goddess of the night herself. The light breeze swept over the veranda, silencing the drone of heady music from the closed doors behind her.
This is where I belong. In the darkness, the silence, the beauty of solitude. Mamushi's hands clenched into shaking fists on the ledge. They can't stare at me here. No one can hurt me when I'm alone.
Again, the late breeze ruffled her skirts and hair, and she sighed into the wind.
Mamushi almost shed her skin, when her hips were grabbed abruptly from behind.
"You look cold and distant tonight, Viper." Mamushi's head snapped up, and a familiar heat prickled her earlobe, blowing her bangs forward softly. His voice was as void and stoic as ever on the surface…but there was something reassuring about that. Even with him stood behind her, she knew his penetrating heat as it radiated through her, making her shudder pleasantly.
"Gaara-kun." His hands held her a little tighter, and he stepped closer to her. "I didn't expect to see you."
"I don't normally do what's expected of me. But…" His hands vanished, only to rest almost possessively on her shoulders, his voice getting sinisterly softer by her ear. "I told you we'd continue our conversation later. Talk later."
"Why did you push me away?"
"I was scared…"
"Of me?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I don't know. You just…don't scare me."
"Honest?"
"Honest."
"We shall talk of this later."
Oh no…now is later…later is now… Mamushi gulped, and slowly turned her face to look over her left shoulder.
As she expected, his black rimmed aqua eyes were staring at her so intensely, she felt her knees threaten to buckle beneath her. Butterflies rippled in her chest, fluttering through her arms and down to her trembling fingertips. She gripped at the ledge of the veranda, his body heat radiating through her cold limbs. Fire, melting her ice.
"…talk?"
"Hai." His hands slipped away, but he still stood close enough to give her hot chills down her spine.
Why was it so…mmm…having him so close?
Was there even a word for this feeling?
No. "You're using a Genjutsu." Mamushi flinched, and bit her lip.
"…how did you know?"
"I can sense the constant regulation of Chakra around your body. It's weak, but it's there."
"So ka…" Mamushi paused, hoping he was simply stating the fact, not addressing it. But she wasn't that lucky.
"Remove it." She sweat dropped. Oh no, I need to keep it up to hide my 'seal mark'.
"Iie, I can't, I-"
"Have you got something to hide? From me?" There was a certain level of personal offence in his words, and it made her push away from the veranda and turn on her heels.
"No, honest! I-"
His aqua eyes had flames of ferocity, merciless ferocity dancing in their depths, his lips in a perfect stoic line, and his gaze unwavering. His hands were in fists by his sides, and the sudden wish to be invisible came over her.
"Honest? You say that a hell of a lot, Mamushi. No prove it." The light breeze ruffled his already ruffled crimson hair, his deep red Ai symbol contrasting his skin as much as Mamushi's dark navy black locks to her soft ivory skin.
Wait…Ai? Love… Mamushi blinked once, formulating a brilliant plan.
The Genjutsu over her curse seal wasn't the only Genjutsu she was using.
"Ok." Gaara simply waited, giving nothing away, as she held her hands together before her. "Release!"
In a small puff of smoke, a delicate pendant appeared over her chest. It was a soft ivory cream colour, with three Kanji carved into it, and suspended over her bosom by a strong yet elegant black leather cord. Mamushi watched as his scrutinising aqua eyes looked over the necklace, and could have fallen over with relief when he nodded, seemingly satisfied. Even as his eyes scanned the kanji, and his lips formed the words, Mamushi couldn't believe her luck.
"Gift of love…?" Gaara didn't look away from her pendant, as if offended by it. "Did you carve that?" Mamushi shook her head, and smiled softly.
"It was a gift. From my old sensei. It was my 7th birthday, white day. He gave me this with all his heart…" Mamushi frowned, placing her hands over her pendant, and feeling her chest well up again.
Yes, Kabuto had given her this with all his heart, and Mamushi had never felt so…loved…treasured in all her life. Yet…she couldn't stop hearing his voice screaming to her.
"Kabuto-kun!"
"Get out of here Mamushi!"
"N, no! I, I, I won't leave you!"
"…Mamushi…"
"KABUTO!"
"Forgive me, please…"
"KABU-AAAAAAAHHH!!"
He'd left her. To be captured by the enemy. Sure, the enemy turned out to be anything but that to her…but they didn't know that. She could have been killed for all they knew. And Kabuto waltzes in here on his next mission, refuses to answer her questions, and hasn't once apologised or at least explained why she was left behind.
Mamushi pursed her lips slightly, her golden eyes closed. "But he betrayed me too."
"Everyone does, in the end." She flinched, and opened her eyes. She'd almost forgotten Gaara was stood there, a strange look on his face…was it…understanding? "I…had an uncle once. He was my sensei at the time as well." Gaara folded his arms, stepped back, and started to walk away, alongside the veranda railing and into the shadows. No one in the hall could see him now. not that anyone would have been looking anyhow. "He gave me love. Then threw it back in my face and betrayed me. Hai, I know what you are feeling. It's strange…" Gaara inclined his head to the side, addressing her in his own way. "…how alike we are. I could soon start to believe in fate, ne?" He snickered, the closest he had ever been to laughter in a long time. At least, that's what he seemed to be like with Mamushi. Closer to things he'd forgotten he was capable of.
Mamushi pushed away from the ledge and followed after him. She didn't even wonder why, she just did.
Like a lamb to the butcher himself.
"…I haven't believed in anything for a long time."
"I lost faith when I killed my uncle."
Mamushi stopped, her eyes wide.
Gaara had now confessed to her to killing his mother, through being born, and now killing his uncle too. And she knew about the people he killed to 'burry her sins in the sand', including people who had the poor luck of just being in the vicinity.
It was weird, how no one seemed to talk about that…
"…That boy…I can still smell his blood on my hands."
"Was he your first?"
"Hai." Her feet went back into motion, only to find herself stood in the darkness of the shadows round the corner of the veranda doors, Gaara leaning with his shoulder against a wall, and Mamushi stood obediently before him, her hands clasped together over her lap.
"There will be more." Her eyes widened in shock, but Gaara simply blinked, completely at ease with the way this conversation was going. "You felt alive, ne? When you physically effected someone so much, that you ended their life…" His lips curved into a wicked smirk, and his bloodthirsty aqua eyes snapped open. "I love it. The last moment, when in their eyes, you are God. The one in charge of whether they live, or die. The one who judges them. They can't deny your existence, when your ending theirs." Mamushi's lips pursed together slightly, and she looked away, thinking over his words. But they didn't feel right.
"Do we really have that right? To judge and execute them for our own ends. Are we not as human as they are?" Mamushi raised her head to look at him again, only to wish she'd never opened her mouth. His eyes narrowed, and he grabbed her wrists, flinging her to the side and slamming her against the cold wall. She yelped, but Gaara just pressed against her, snarling with his bared teeth inches from her trembling lips. His scowl was almost as intense as his murderous eyes, but Mamushi didn't push him away.
She would never do that again.
"We have no right?! We can do whatever we want to them. They'd do the same to us, if we let them."
"Dog eat dog." Mamushi gulped, but refused to look away from his deep aqua eyes. Even though her mind screamed for her to twist her wrists in his fists, slide down the wall, punch him just below the diaphragm, and run while he tried to catch his breath…she just stood there. Trapped in his hold, staring the beast right in the eyes.
And that, unnerved the beast far more than brandishing a weapon or strategy against him.
Obedience.
Utter and total.
Alien to him…
"Hai. Exactly that. There are them, and us. You understand that, ne?" His grip on her wrists tightened, but she didn't even flinch.
"Hai, I understand. I've always known I wasn't like anyone else…they made sure of that." Mamushi gulped, trying not to remember the feeling of being pelted with rocks back in Otogakure, just because she walked down the same corridor as the guards. Gaara was about to loosen his grip, until she spoke again. "But surely, not all of them are bad…"
"You still have hope that one of them will trust and care about you?" He scowled, and released her wrists, only to pin one of her shoulders to the wall, and the other hand grabbed her pendant tightly. The cord would snap any minute, he was pulling it that tightly. "Is this why? Do you think that because your sensei gave you a pendant, that you'll find love some day?!?!" He yanked on the pendant, obviously trying to snap it off her neck. Mamushi cupped his wrist desperately, her golden snake eyes watering, as she tried to stop him. "He betrayed you! You said it yourself! He threw his supposed love back in your face, just like Yashamaru did!" He hissed in her face, the cork in the top of his guard started squeaking in the background, and Mamushi hiccupped a sob.
This was escalating out of control, and fast.
"I know!" She whimpered. "It precious to me, for what it stands for, not who gave it to me!"
Gaara stopped, and blinked at her.
Good. He was listening now.
"…go on. What could a pendant stand for, when it came from betrayal?" He didn't release his tight hold on either her shoulder or her pendant, unable to look away from her watery golden orbs as they silently pleaded with him.
"Because." She sobbed. "H he said something to me, when he g gave me this, that I have c carried with me always." She closed her eyes, and turned her face to the side. "Love is a gift, and only certain people are meant to give you love, in life. No matter how hard you may work, or how hard you want someone to love you, if they aren't meant to, they won't." She felt Gaara release her necklace, as it landed safely on her bosom with soft pat, but he still held her shoulder against the wall. "At first I didn't understand what he meant by that. I asked him…how'd you know if someone is meant to love you if you don't give them a chance? But he just said 'Because love is a gift. And love is given to you, from the most unexpected places, in the most unexpected ways'." She whimpered again, Gaara having totally released her to slum against the wall. "I believe that, as I have never in my life been loved by the one I want to love me. My father…" Mamushi pushed away from the wall, and opened her pained, sad golden eyes. Gaara had reverted back to his defensive emotionless mask, but she knew she'd touched him deeper than he'd been ready for. "All I ever wanted was for him to notice me, to say he was proud of me…loved me…but I know now, that he never will. No matter how hard I try. I will never be loved." Gaara stepped forward, but stopped himself. "So I have prepared myself. You can't miss the taste of sake, if you've never drank any. Love is something that you don't demand or fight for. It is earned in life, and given to you by others willingly, when you don't expect it. So I'll wait and see if that happens. And if it doesn't, I know I was never meant to be loved. It won't have been my fault."
Gaara stared down at her pendant, and lifted a hand to trace it gently over her chest.
"All that…from this?"
"Hai. That is why it is precious to me. Because it was given to me by someone who once cared for me. But it wasn't the necklace that touched me, but the hope and idea within it. It's all I have."
"And I almost took it from you." He frowned, stepping back. But before he could escape, Mamushi pushed forward and grabbed his hands in hers.
"Matte, Gaara-kun." She sniffled, her tears drying, and she smiled softly to him, stunning him in place. "If you're afraid of taking what should be given, here." Mamushi cupped her Ai pendant, paused as she looked at it fondly for the last time, before lifting it over her head. "My gift to you, Gaara-kun."
Gaara's eyes were wide, and he just stood there, as Mamushi lowered the leather corded around his neck, and rested the pendant between his pecks. "The gift of love." Mamushi smiled brightly, brighter than she had in a long time, and felt so warm inside.
From the look of utter astonishment on his face, his slightly parted lips, his wide black rimmed aqua eyes…no one had ever given anything to Gaara before. Never mind something so personal and precious. He placed one hand over it on his chest, looking down at it, feeling like he was breathing for the first time.
His head snapped up, and he opened his mouth, but no sound came out at first. It took him a few false starts, making Mamushi giggle softly, but he managed it in the end.
"Your giving me this? This is all you have."
"And now I have you." His eyes blinked wildly at her. "I hope…this means we have a bond. A bond of friendship. I'm new at relationships…I lived in a cage for more than 11 of my 12 years." She giggled softly, not seeing the look of shock on Gaara's face. "But I'm willing to try. And…I'd really like to have a bond with you, Gaara-kun. I hardly know you…and yet…I feel as if I could know you better than I do myself." She giggled again. "Besides. It feels…strangely good to have someone to care about."
"You care about me?" He returned to his intense persona, stepping closer to her.
"Hai." She whispered, as he timidly held her hands in his.
"Then…maybe…I could have a bond with you. Only you. No one else has ever touched me before." He closed his eyes, and whispered to her lips. "And yet, you have never once failed to hit your mark. I seem to have no defences against you. Every attack I create to defend myself from you, crumbles like the morning sands to the high winds. Even if you just smile at me…it's soothing. I have never felt so calm as I have with you." Mamushi blushed deeply, nervously placing her hands on his chest, as he held her shoulders. "I can scream in your face, bruise and abuse you, threaten you, reveal my darker self to you, but you just smile and persevere with me. You have inhuman patience."
"No…just sympathy, and experience."
"And kindness." He held her shoulders tighter. "But you bring the worst out in me too." Mamushi blinked at that, his voice having gotten huskier. "I saw you talking with that four-eyed leaf freak, and dancing with the Uchiha, and turtle boy. I almost went in there and slaughtered everyone." Mamushi blinked, and then chuckled. "Nani? What's so funny?!""
"I was dancing with Sasuke, as he was saving me from talking to Kabuto, the 'four-eyed freak', and I was dancing with Lee, because I was trying to get information about his team before the next exam. Like Koneko-chan was with everyone else."
"Ne?"
"Hai, hai. But it didn't work. I promise I won't be dancing with anyone ever again." She frowned, remembering how hurtful Neji was with her. "I guess…I'm just not a good Kunoichi." Mamushi frowned, and hung her head to one side.
"You're better than she is. Stronger, deadlier." Gaara pressed his forehead to hers, and made her raise her head to face him. "I do not fight or act like the other Shinobi. But I am stronger than them. don't be like the enemy, be better."
Mamushi smiled, and pressed her cheek and hands to his chest. Gaara blushed madly, and snapped his head to look to the side.
"Arigato, Gaara-kun. You see, you're kind and patient too, when you give yourself a chance."
"Hn."
Mamushi snuggled up to him, never feeling as safe and warm as she did in his arms.
Strange…how he'd stopped talking. "Gaara-kun?" Mamushi raised her head, and resisted the urge to giggle at his blush. It matched the colour of his hair.
"…not used to holding anyone…or being this close to someone…" Mamushi gasped, and pushed against his chest to step back immediately.
"Oh! Gomen! I didn't mean to-" Gaara yanked her back, and held her against his chest tightly.
"That was not an invitation to leave." He growled, but what little edge he had left, became worthless when he rested his chin on her silky head of navy black hair. "I adapt easily. I could…get used to this."
"I've never been held before either. It just…felt right." Mamushi blushed shyly to herself.
"Instinct?" He smirked. "Another thing we have in common."
"Hai." She closed her eyes, and simply let him hold her.
The music inside the hall still blurted out, but this time, it became slower, steady…romantic…
"I…I've also…never danced with anyone before." Mamushi blinked, and looked up, once again seeing Gaara looking firmly away from her. Not that it did any good. A blush as deep as his was unmask-able.
"Well, I guess one more new experience won't kill us, ne?" Mamushi blushed, when Gaara turned to look at her…but…he was smiling?
Her breath was taken from her, stunned to the core.
His smile was beautiful!
Why the hell didn't he smile more often?!?!
The softness of his eyes, the whiteness of his teeth through his curved lips…
Her heart thundered in her chest, and she griped to him tighter.
It seemed, just like Mamushi, he didn't smile often, but when he did…it was show stopping.
What Mamushi didn't know…was that this was the first time Gaara had ever smiled.
"You were taught to dance by your sensei, ne?"
"Hai."
"…show me?" He gulped, his blush refusing to leave, and Mamushi giggled loudly.
"Of course. But I'm not that good."
"I think you're…" Gaara pursed his lips together, and opened his arms.
Perfect. You're perfect. Like an angel God forgot and left behind with us mere mortals and demons. Touching you feels like a sin. But…
He held her hip, pulling her close, and Mamushi placed one hand on his chest, the other in his raised hand, as she stepped to the side, waiting with a patient smile for Gaara to follow her lead.
…but one more sin wouldn't make any difference, to an Asura, ne?
He smirked, stepping after her, albeit awkwardly, but never stopping.
They said absolutely nothing to each other for the rest of the night, both having said more in the last hour about themselves than they had in a lifetime.
Their movements were slow, but steady, Gaara beginning to lead and Mamushi follow, as she felt most comfortable doing. She rested her cheek against his chest, wishing she could spend the rest of her life, dancing in the shadows, beneath the full moon, in Gaara's strong, yet apprehensive arms.
But alas, like all good things…
"Mamushi-chan?!?!? Mamushi! Where are you?!?"
Gaara immediately sprang back, holding her against him as they hid in the shadows.
It was obvious that Gaara didn't want to let her go either, as he held her tight against his chest, scanning the veranda with his furious aqua eyes.
"I think she came this way, Koneko-chan."
"You sure Naruto-kun? Last I looked, she was dancing with Sasuke."
"I saw her come this way, I'm sure."
"Who invited you, Sakura?"
"Hn! I know where she went, so I'm telling you! Problem?"
"…yeah…I don't like you…that's all the problem I need."
Mamushi smiled as Koneko did her usual trick of snarkily brushing off everyone except her inner circle.
Which at the moment consisted of:
Kakashi.
Yoko.
Mamushi.
And Naruto.
Very small inner circle.
"Hay! I'm helping you!"
"Well, help me, and get out of my face. Your smell is making me dizzy!"
"Why you little b-"
"Sakura-chan, I think Sasuke's looking for you." Naruto side stepped between them, and sweat dropped when Sakura ran back into the hall quicker than he could finish the sentence.
"Hn, bimbo." Koneko muttered, and Mamushi turned to look at Gaara.
He was scowling, and looked like his set to stun mode, and been increased to kill.
"I should go to them, before they come over here." Gaara increased his hold on her briefly, but logic won out. He sighed, and released her.
"Tomorrow, I'll be waiting. Be sure to speak with me before the second exam. I will have certain instructions for you." He stoically nodded to her, and Mamushi could sense his Chakra pooling in the soles of his feet.
"Daijoubu, I'll see you tomorrow. And Gaara-kun." Mamushi blushed, leaned forward, and placed a ghost of a kiss on his lips. she pulled back before he could grab her, and ran off towards the 'search party'. But not before whispering- "You have an amazing smile."
So do you. He thought, but didn't voice it.
His pride and ego had been lowered for her enough for one night.
But…I'll tell her tomorrow.
Gaara ran up the side of the wall, and watched her as Koneko berated her for going off on her own. He smirked, when she just said she was sorry, and made Koneko feel bad about herself, enough to drop the entire thing and not question what she was doing all alone on the veranda for so long…
"Come on Mamushi-chan. It's late, we have a big day ahead of us, we still have to pack our supplies, Yoko and Papa Kakashi are waiting outside for us, and I have a ton of info on our enemies to share with you." . Koneko's sapphire eye curved, and she slung her arm around her shoulder. "I've planned a special pouch each for us, with all the things we need to trip up any of the Genin we meet in the forest. Oh, except for the Sand Shinobi." Mamushi raised a brow at Koneko, already being led half way into the hall and towards the door. "The guy with the bandaged bucket on his back wouldn't dance, because his sister wouldn't let him, no one knows anything about them, other than the rumours of 'Mr scary red head' himself."
"Ne? Such as…?"
Mamushi looked back over her shoulder, and saw Gaara on the veranda, bowing his head to her, and she did the same back. Koneko had taken to walking in front of her, too engrossed with her own findings to notice how much Mamushi was actually smiling.
"Oh, that he's a mass murderer, son of the Kazekage, uses a unique technique that no one's ever heard of, no one ever seems to see him sleep at n-"
"Son of the Kazekage?!?!" Mamushi gulped. I did not know that.
"Oh, yeah. And his Otousan is meant to be watching the exam finals with the Hokage, so he'll be arriving pretty soon I imagine." Koneko whipped round on her heels, grabbed Mamushi's hand, and chuckled. "To of the five Kage watching our exams. And all of those feudal lords too! Papa's promised to watch the finals, so has Yoko-sensei, and…Mamushi…you ok? You look like you've just seen a ghost."
Mamushi was looking point blank over her shoulder, where a woman stood.
She a Kusagakure (grass) Hitai-ate tied around her forehead, no bangs, but long thick black hair framing her familiarly angular face. She had dark eyes, almond shaped, staring at her with a slight shock, but great amusement, curved feminine lips, that seemed to sinisterly mock her with their smirk.
But even more familiar, where the dark black leggings and long sleeves under suit she wore, the large cream white tunic and hanging skirt that attached to her sandals, and the thick purple rope obi around her waist…
…like the clothes Mamushi arrived wearing…
AS Mamushi stared at the woman, who was staring back through her smirk, Koneko also looked her up and down, and poked Mamushi's arm. "She's wearing the same clothes you wore. Does that mean you came from Kusagakure before you came here, Mamushi-chan?"
"I didn't come from Kusagakure." Mamushi never looked away from the woman, and continued to walk towards her, now leading Koneko.
And neither did he. "Konichiwa, Ms." She whispered, and bowed her head obediently, like she had for the last 12 years of her life.
"Why, what a pretty little girl." The woman stopped Mamushi from passing, by baring her arm out to the side, and half stepping in her way.
Mamushi raised her head and looked up to her in alarm, and then over to Koneko.
"Go back Yoko-sensei. I will follow shortly."
"Demo, I'm not leaving without y-"
"Do as your told." Mamushi snapped. For your own sake, please Koneko-chan. This once, do what I need you to do and leave while you can. "I will follow you shortly." Koneko took one look at her, then the woman, and blinked wide eyed, pointing from Mamushi, to the woman who looked strangely like her.
"Is…is that your Okaasan?!"
"N-"
"Hai." The woman smirked, loving this all too much, and placed her cold hand on Mamushi's shoulder. "This is my child, ne? Musume?" She sang towards the end, and Mamushi could hardly breathe.
"Well, is it Mamushi-chan?" She looked from Koneko, up at 'her mother', and nodded.
"Hai, I am her child. Now go. Now."
"I thought you said you're Okaasan was d-"
"I lied. Now go to Yoko-sensei before she comes after us. I'll see you later." Mamushi resorted to doing something she didn't know she knew how to do. She glared at Koneko, making her take a shocked step back.
"…erm…ok then…I'll…see you later…bye." Koneko hesitated.
This didn't feel right.
Why would Mamushi say her mom dead, if she wasn't?
Why would she be so desperate to get rid of Koneko if this was her mom? "Are you sure you want me to g-"
"Hai! Now go away!" Mamushi ran forward, and pushed Koneko hard enough to send her stumbling backwards. "I mean it, now go!"
"Fine!" Koneko spat, glaring back at Mamushi with the same intensity as Sasuke. "Gomen for giving a damn." She turned on her heels, and stormed off towards the front door.
Mamushi felt a chill down her back, and she whimpered, tears staring to fall down her cheeks.
It had hurt, the way Koneko had looked at her then. But she had to get rid of her, to save her.
"…I don't remember you ever being so…assertive. Bold."
"I don't remember you being a woman." Mamushi whispered, slowly turning and looking up at the grass Ninja. "Otousan."
His eyes widened slightly.
That was the first time she had opening called him her father to his face.
Orochimaru smirked, and tapped her nose with fake affection.
"Now, how on earth did you recognise me, Hmmm?"
"You're eyes. They may be a different colour…but they're the same." Mamushi gulped. "Wh why did you tell Koneko I was your child?"
"You are, aren't you?" He smirked, only to blanch when her golden eyes opened wide. He raised a brow at her, and folded his arms.
"…really? You think of me…as…" Mamushi gulped, and pursed her lips.
He was obviously toying with her.
Thinking about it logically; she could be useful to him now.
She was a Konoha Genin, entering the Chunin exams, closely affiliated with some of the top Shinobi of Konoha through her sensei, as well as visited by the Hokage himself.
He might be trying to use her, and this could be a ploy to get her to aid him, for what ever plan he has here.
There was one thing she knew for sure.
It was not chance she saw him, or that he was in a position to talk to her.
He had made sure she saw him, and made sure they spoke.
Orochimaru never did anything 'by chance'.
"I gave you life. That makes you my-"
"I have no mother, I have no father. I was picked up in the strong hold of an enemy force in another country, and brought back here for interrogation, and rehabilitation into the Konoha populous. I am a leaf Genin Kunoichi now, I have no advantages for any Shinobi, or Kunoichi. I am still utterly shocked that you are talking to me." Mamushi gulped, and hung her head forward, her hands cupped together over her front.
It seemed, today was determined to be a full and eventful day.
"You have certainly matured in you time away from home." Orochimaru grabbed her upper arm, and dragged her out of sight and into an empty corridor.
Damn this academy for having so many hidden places!
"I have adapted. I had to."
"What was that? Malice? Bitterness? From hollow, void, emotionless little Mamushi? Have you grown a backbone in Konoha too?" He cackled, and tapped her nose. "You've grown up. You dress like a girl, you have guts, talking to me like that, and you seem to have quite the cosy little life style now, don't you?" He lifted her chin with his fingers roughly, Mamushi not fighting him as usual. "Famous Kunoichi sensei? Famous ex ANBU captain's daughter as a 'friend', close contact with the my old sensei? The Hokage? You certainly adapted very well. I could almost be proud, if I weren't disgusted." He flicked her forehead, making a soft clang with her Haiti-ate as he sneered. "Wearing that leaf tat after all poor little Kabuto did to persuade me to let you wear a sound Haiti-ate. Tut tut, devious little Mamushi." He shook his head mockingly. "Oh, and you've got your finger in the sand pie too. Don't think I don't know about a certain incident, and your perfect manipulation of the Kazekage's son." Her eyes opened wide, and she whimpered. "Do you know how many he killed? All for your sake?"
"N no." She shook her head, pleading that he didn't tell her.
Though she knew he would.
"300. Well, 299. One of those was your kill, wasn't it?" He grinned madly, and it was hard to remember he was wearing a woman's face, with the insane fire flickering in his dark pupils. "Yes, you have grown up quite nicely in this last month. Feminine, connected, and a murder."
"S stop, otousan. Onegai!" She cried, and he released her, standing back with narrowed eyes.
"I've shown myself to you for one reason, and one reason only. I knew if you saw me in passing you would recognise me. After all, half of your genes may be filthy Uchiha, but the other half is mine. You do have some Tensai attributes under your belt." He stared down at her, void of all emotion as she quivered against the wall, sobbing and weeping heavily, but silently. "You are to ignore that I am here. You are to tell no one. Your 'friend' is to be told I am your foster mother, that is all. You will have no correspondence with Kabuto on his mission, or myself. And you will not get in either of our ways, understood?" She chuckled through her sobbing, and looked up at him with an eerie smile.
"…I should be honoured…that you personally came to instruct me, Orochimaru-sama. Gomennasai, I forgot my place earlier. For some reason, I thought I was talking to my father, not my master." She bowed her head to him, and whimpered. "I will have no involvement with either you or Kabuto-sensei, or interfere with your mission. Honest."
"Good." He smirked, and placed his hand on her head, making her look up at him. "If you're lucky, we may need to talk to you, then you may talk to one of us. I have plans for you, Mamushi." She trembled. That did not sound good. "If you behave like a good little girl…I may be willing to take you back with me."
Her heart stopped.
Her eyes widened, about ready to fall out of her head.
…take…her back?
To Otogakure?!?!
"After all." He continued, oblivious to her shock. "My new container will need a companion…and…it hasn't been the same without you haunting the halls, and sneaking around my office." He turned immediately, having come as close to a confession of missing his only daughter as Orochimaru could ever get.
Mamushi watched as he walked away from her, making sure to sashay like the woman he was pretending to be, finding it hard to breath, as she collapsed to her knees.
He…wanted to take her back with him?
Should she be happy that he seemed to take notice of her?
…or devastated that he chose now, when she had just started a new life, a new leaf in the village of leaves.
Her old life was starting to rear it's ugly head at her, roaring and snarling at her new one.
But there was something else, which buzzed about at the back of her hectic mind.
He'd said something about a 'new container'. A new container for what? And why would a container need company?
Unless…it's a living thing…
Mamushi pushed herself up the wall, her breath catching in her throat.
Her father and Kabuto were both in Konoha, which meant their spies and reinforcements were here too.
They were here, on a mission.
What would they be doing in Konoha during the Chunin exams?
Did it involve the exams itself? The participants, or was it something bigger, using this busy time to distract people from his true purpose.
Because Orochimaru had a purpose.
But…
…what purpose do I have? What does he have planned for me?
