PrismRootStarlight: Thank you so much for the review! It made my day. I'm so glad you're liking the story and Gohama (I was afraid she could an unlikable character). I love writing this story just for myself but it's amazing to know someone out there also enjoys it and my writing.
Any feedback is more than welcome!
Part II | Chapter 1
Gohama sat on the wooden swing at the entrance of the Academy. The classes had already started and, except for a few late kids speeding through the grass field in front of the building, the place was deserted. She pushed her foot against the ground and swayed lightly. As a child, Gohama had always loved to swing. The rhythmic back and forth through the air was soothing. Even if it didn't sooth her now.
Gohama was… she was something… The idea of interacting with children for five hours every day for a month unsettled her. Besides the obvious boredom, there was the problem of not knowing how to act. Children were weird. The fascinating, foreign type of weird. They were both stupid and smart, both straightforward and bizarre. She couldn't fandom the fact that she had been a child before. That life seemed to have been lived by another person entirely. Maybe it had been. She had changed completely. Had it been a sudden process, caused by the Massacre, or a gradual one? One day she had looked behind and she felt different in everything. It had been frightening to lose the image she had had of herself. Maybe it happened with everyone.
What did she like when she was a child? Playing, hunting, exploring. She certainly hated Keiko-san's propriety classes. But she enjoyed the ones with Osamu-hanshi and Katsuo-sensei. The classes with her Academy sensei, Enoki, where fun because she was with her friends and messed around. She also used to mess around a lot. Now that Gohama thought about it, she used to be an obnoxious little brat. It had helped her forget the responsibilities of her position. She had always borne the weight of duty and power. Her childhood was filled with diplomacy shows, special training, expectations to meet… Fear and doubt. But she had been happy. She truly had. With her family and her clan and her friends and her village.
A tight, cold pressure started narrowing her heart. Why did she have to fall into wistful memories? It always brought the same longing ache to her. Gohama pushed all that away. A month was nothing.
Kisamaru reached the grass field in front of the building and went to her. He was clearly nervous. "It's 8… should we go in…?"
"We have to wait for Nikato, if we want to survive this."
"You're not good with children too?"
"I haven't talked to a child since I was a child. Not being good is an understatement."
Gohama pushed the swing gently with her foot, while they waited. As always, Nikato arrived late.
"You look like you're about to enter a battle."
"We are." she joked.
"It's just children. They're easier to take than adults."
"You say that because you have younger siblings. You're used to it."
"You have dozens of younger cousins. At least Gohama has the excuse of being alone and an only-child."
"I'm not." She corrected firmly and added "An only child. I have a younger brother."
"So there's another Kyura out there…" Nikato whined.
"No, there isn't. But he's still my brother."
His mocking expression quickly turned into one of guilt. That was new. "Yes, I… I didn't know… I'm sorry…"
"Let's get this over with" Gohama said as she walked towards the entrance door.
Her two teammates followed quietly. They were directed to one of the Academy's training fields. The job was to instruct third year kids in their shuriken practice. There were about twenty kids standing in front of wooden posts, shuriken at hand. The three chunin watched the two lines of students silently, while the children waited for their instructions.
"Are we supposed to teach them?" Gohama whispered to her teammates.
"I have no idea." Nikato whispered back.
"Come on, you're the one good with kids, do something." she urged him.
"This is different… they never looked at me like I am… like I have authority… I don't like it. It's weird."
"Authority, hm?" she muttered. Taking a step forward, she addressed the kids "Well, class, today we'll" she gestured to her own team "be instructing you in shuriken handling. Fir—"
"Where's Kuro-sensei?" a boy towards the back of the line asked.
"I have no idea." she dismissed.
"Is he dead?" a girl shyly asked.
"Again, I have no idea, so maybe yes, maybe no."
Scared gasps and whines loosened from the class. The students started whispering between each other. Gohama was ready to call them to attention, when a voice broke free from the murmur. "Aren't you the Kyura?"
"Yes. Now, yo—"
"My family says you're bad news." a girl commented cockily.
Gohama turned her attention to her. "That's because you're a Hyuga. The strange thing would be them liking me."
"Do you like the Kyura, Cousin?" the girl asked Kisamaru.
The Hyuga choked at the sudden attention directed towards him. "Gohama is my teammate."
The answer seemed to satisfy the girl and yet didn't compromise Kisamaru inside his clan. Smart one.
"Is it true the Arms used babies for target practice?" a boy asked.
Gohama smirked. "No." she threw a shuriken that skimmed the skin on the boys cheek and imbibed in the trunk beside him "We used children, eight-year-olds more or less." several terrorised eyes snapped at her "We can try that here, if you kids don't shut up." she said lightly. All that could be heard was the muffled giggles from Nikato and a worried whine from Kisamaru. "Now, onto the lesson. Just practice your throws and" she pointed to her left "Nikato" then her right "Kisamaru" finally to herself "and I will stop by each one of you and correct the posture, force and aim. Questions?"
They shook their heads and started practicing obediently.
"So you're the daunting, intolerant type of teacher?" Nikato joked.
"It worked, didn't it?" she shrugged.
"What if they report on you throwing a shuriken at a student?" Kisamaru asked her with concern.
"I'm already stuck in D-rank missions and the Academy. I have little to lose." she dismissed him with a mischievous smile.
"You sure are bad news, Kyura." the redhead chuckled.
The light gliding through the leaves was a placid auburn. A soft breeze ruffled the branches and Gohama's hair. It tickled her sweat stroked face, some fine hairs stuck to her skin. It was already autumn and the air was still warm. Too warm for punishment laps around the Village. Gohama had chosen a thick branch to settle in while she waited for the end of training. Her feet were propped up against the trunk, one hand cushioned her head and the other traced the relief of her hitai-ate.
It would have been a pleasant afternoon, if there wasn't this uneasiness caught under her skin. The Academy was pushing on her perfectly perfected mental balance. At least, she only had to bear it for two more weeks. It would not do her any good to think about it, but she couldn't stop her rebellious mind. She had been left alone for a week with a fourth year class while her team was on a B-rank mission. Nine-year-old kids. They were too young. Had she been that young? Gohama felt so grown-up at that age, but she was just a child really. It had been seven years ago. Almost half her own age. Half her own life living with nothing. How hadn't she gotten used to it by now? Did she want to get used to it? Didn't the pain remind her of the ones she had lost? She would never forget them. She should never ask for pain to cease. Still she did… Sometimes she let her weakness drive her. As now…
Those kids from the Academy. They reminded her of her own friends, her own classmates. They had all been so young, too young to die. The shinobi life was a life of death, but for duty during missions, not for slaughter in their own homes. They would never reach their silly dreams children have. They would never master their chakra nature. Never fulfil the purpose of their childhood of studying and training. Most of the kids at Konoha's Academy would also die. How could their sensei's prepare them for death so lightly? Did Iruka know his students would end up with their names carved on the memorial stone?
Every ninja was raised for death. It was the shinobi way. There was no changing it. There was no gain in thinking about it. But, no matter how much Gohama forced those thoughts out of her mind, she was always aware of that latent mortality. Everyone was. Except some of those Academy children. Some were still blissfully untouched. It made everything crueller. It made her chest narrow and ache.
Gohama held her hitai-ate at the level of her eyes. A shuriken. The symbol of her entire Village was a weapon with the sole purpose of killing. She was a weapon with the sole purpose of killing. For her it was out of duty and honour, but she was still a tool of death. She served the one she had loathed for most her life. Gohama laid her hitai-ate back on her stomach.
Hansuke's chakra signature entered her sensorial field. She didn't move, she was too tired to pretend. His feet landed on either side of her head.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Sleeping."
"You don't even have the decency of pretending you were running."
"You prefer that I lie to you."
"It's not lying it's— Why do you think you're above everything?"
"I don't think I'm above things. I just don't care."
"You should care because, as a punishment for not fulfilling your punishment, you'll run five more laps each day."
"You can't control that. Unless you're willing to run them with me."
"I'll find a way. Don't worry, Gohama." he lay on the same branch as her, the hairs at the top of his head touching hers as he shuffled to get comfortable. Once he settled down, he sighed deeply "I see you chose a nice spot for a mid-train nap, while you left the boys to run alone."
"Or maybe they were the ones that left me to run alone." They had run together for two laps until Gohama was too bored and sped up ahead of them to find the perfect branch for resting on. Nikato had thought she was challenging him and had also sped up. He was probably still killing himself with a ruthless rhythm, wondering why he couldn't reach her. The image made her chuckle to herself.
"They told me you're a good, slightly sadist teacher. Except when you indulge the kids in their pranks. Kisamaru wasn't happy at all about that."
"You'd think Nikato was the gullible one."
"Hm, tell me about it. Enjoying your time at the Academy, Gohama-sensei?" he joked.
"You already made me run five more laps, there's no need to punish me anymore."
"Don't you enjoy my company, Gohama?"
"It's nothing personal really."
"Oh, yes. I forget you're a girl out of the monastery. You're scared of being sociable with other human beings." he teased her.
"My one and only fear."
They kept quiet and after a while Gohama did end up taking a mid-train nap.
"Gohama-san!" a man shyly called for his teammate.
The three of them stopped and turned around. Nikato knew his face from his time at the Academy, but he hadn't been his sensei. The Kyura annoyingly sighed beside him. She wasn't enthusiastic about the man, which didn't surprise Nikato. He didn't think she was a fan of anyone in the Village or even in the world.
"Iruka, I've already asked you, no "san", please."
Right, that was Iruka-sensei. The man cringed in embarrassment, a light colour breaking from his cheeks, and brushed the back of his head.
"I'm sorry… Gohama." he stressed the informal treatment "I needed a favour. You see… I have this last minute emergency so I have to leave. I was wondering if you could stay with my class for the next two hours. Please? It's a kunai practice, so not as boring as a theory class."
"Sure. They were going to make us clean the closets…"
His concerned expression lifted slightly and he gave them a head bow as thanks. "Thank you very much!" he said already leaving in a hurry 2Next time you have to turn in a report after hours, talk to me!" he raised his voice, halfway down the corridor.
"Hope you didn't get yourself into trouble, Iruka." she teased.
Her tone hadn't been the one she used to provoke or annoy people. It was the one she used with Hansuke-sensei and, nowadays, a little with Kisamaru.
"How do you know the guy?"
"If you actually turned in reports you'd know, Nikato." Kisamaru explained.
"Still, you seem to get along with him."
"Not really. Just some small talk. I'm stuck in D-rank missions. I deliver reports a lot."
The three reached the training ground that had two lines of several wooden posts. The children were already scattered in front of them, some playing with their kunai while others murmured and talked.
"Alright, class!" Nikato called their attention to him "Iruka-sensei can't be here, so we'll teach you this class. Start practicing and we'll stop by each one of you."
The kids gave a collective grunt of acknowledgement and turned to their respective post. The sound of chatting died out, replaced by the thuds of pierced wood. As in every other target lesson, Nikato sat on one of the free posts and the Kyura on another, both making sure the kids didn't stab each other, Kisamaru stood perfectly poised in the middle of the two lines of targets. It was a boring task, but at least they had little to do and could simply let their minds wander in distraction.
Theory classes actually asked of them to teach History, Physics or, worst of all, Introduction to Cryptograms. Nikato, since his time at the Academy, had never managed to understand the workings of cyphers or had the patience to memorize codes. Kisamaru and the Kyura were both incredibly good with it. She went far enough as saying it was fun, like cracking a puzzle. There was nothing fun about puzzles, they served only to infuriate him when he couldn't solve them. Luckily he only had to learn two coded languages, the Konoha common code, which was obligatory to learn for any ninja, and his team's secret one. He sometimes mixed a few hand signs and written symbols, but it was good enough for his teammates to understand. It had taken him an exasperated Hansuke-sensei forcing him with daily private lessons to somewhat learn it. The Kyura was fluent in less than two weeks.
Damn Kyura. At the same time as he thought it, she jumped from her seat and started assisting the students. There was something different about her when she was with children. Nikato couldn't grasp exactly what changed. She instructed them on the perfect position firmly and carefully. Almost afraid of hurting their feelings. He laughed at his own absurd observation. She did not care about anyone's feelings. The patience she had at dealing with children quickly vanished when they disrespected her or passed any line traced only by herself.
As a girl hit the bullseye after her pointers, Nikato had to admit she did a good job at teaching the kids how to throw a kunai. This made him jump from his spot. Sometimes they had unacknowledged competitions to see who bettered the most kids' aim. She, much to his chagrin, usually won. Damn Kyura. This time he would show her. He started with the nearest boy, correcting his footing and flick of the wrist. She noticed right away and smirked cockily. Moving quickly to the next student. He hurried his pace in response.
The two of them were too distracted in their rivalry to notice the agitation of a few kids down the line. A boyish cry made them both snap their eyes to the scene. Mocking laugh erupted from a group of kids. Before he could react, she was standing in the middle of the uproar. She gently examined the whimpering boys arm and, from where he was, Nikato could see a superficial, nonetheless bloody, cut. Kisamaru started walking towards the boy, but stopped when she kneeled and green chakra flowed from her hand to the wound.
"There! Good as new!" she softly said, whipping tears from pale, chubby cheeks.
The two male teammates gazed at each other in confusion. Neither one of them knew the Kyura could make medical jutsu, but most of all neither had ever heard that sweet tone leave her lips. She whispered something in the kid's ear and he whispered back. The Kyura stood up and ruffled his dark hair. With a draft of air, she was hovering over a little girl. The girl's satisfied smirk gave place to a frightened pout. She didn't dare look up at a menacing chunin, especially not when it was the Kyura. Nikato was certain the rumours around the clan's heiress could be chilling for impressionable Academy children. The Kyura grasped the girl's ponytail and pulled it down to tilt her head up.
"D-do you k-know who I am…?" the girl stuttered.
"I don't and I obviously don't care. All I care about is that you threw a kunai at your own classmate." her tone was calm, but threatening "Why?"
"It-t was an a-accident."
"I'm sure it was. I'm sure all five of you also laughed by accident."
His teammate dragged the girl by her ponytail until she had her back pressed against a wooden post. Oh, shit. He looked back at Kisamaru and the same worry he felt was printed in the Hyuga's features. The Kyura took a few steps back and grabbed a kunai from her pouch.
"Maybe we should target practice on you. Hm, girl? What do you think? Since you're so eager to aim against your classmates."
She wouldn't. Would she...? Did she have the ruthlessness to aim against the poor, shaking child. The hand holding the kunai settled next to her ear, in throwing position. The girl clenched her eyes shut, a single tear sliding through her cheek onto the grassy ground. Her shivering limbs would only risk her more. The Kyura's arm started its swift movement when a whimper left the girls mouth:
"I'm sorry!" the chunin froze mid drive "I threw the kunai at Daiki on purpose. I wanted to make fun of him." she blurt out.
"You're not made to be a kunoichi." she harshly accused while putting the kunai back on her pouch "You and your group can spend the rest of class running laps around the field." the girl didn't react "Move." she ordered austerely.
The five kids flinched at her tone and quickly spread onto the periphery of the training ground. The Kyura went back to the bullied kid and gently began helping him handle the kunai and aim for the target. Instead of being scared, Daiki was gleaming because of her tender attention. The other students, seeing there was no more drama in which to relish on, went back to their training.
Nikato watched her teach the kid. Whatever difference he had sensed in their time at the Academy was insignificant compared to how she treated Daiki. Not just the tone of her voice, but the ruffling of his hair, or the encouraging smiles. Everything looked foreign in her features. What had caused such a change? Maybe the protectiveness over a helpless child. Or maybe—
The boy turned his face towards Nikato and he could see his deep green eyes against pale skin and dark brown hair. He could pass as a Kyura. Nikato remembered his assumption at the beginning of their month in the Academy. She had talked about having a brother. A dead brother. As he watched her kind attention, his chest clenched. Was this the Gohama before the Massacre of the Arms? An overwhelming compassion hit him so hard he had to look away. The image of his own siblings sprung in his thoughts. The idea of losing them was terrifying and she had lost her brother. Gohama had lost her parents and family and her friends and her acquaintances and her clan and her Village. A tingle of guilt weighed in his guts.
What was wrong with him? Stupid sentimentality. The Kyura was ruthless, arrogant and infuriating. Above all, she had stolen the place that would always belong to Ayame-chan. She had settled in it as if she owned it. She always acted as if she owned everything. But she had nothing and she could never replace Ayame-chan. Unworthy smug girl. He loathed her, everyone loathed her and justly. Kisamaru was only being soft because, again, she had acted as if she owned everything and traded her place for his. The Kyura did have something for taking someone else's spot. Hansuke-sensei didn't hate her because he could never bring himself to hate a teammate and subordinate. Kakashi-sempai was a weird, perverted man who read porn in public and probably had a kink for enraging girls like her.
"Where are you going?" Kisamaru yelled to him.
Only then did he noticed he was stomping away from the field.
"To the Hokage." he growled back.
If he was forced to live one more day with that despicable girl in his team, he would… He would do something...
Once he reached the Hokage Tower, Nikato realised how ridiculous his demand would seem. There was no textbook reason for why she should be taken out of their team. The animosity affected their dynamics, but the only mission they had had together proved they could still work together successfully. He would just have to endure it.
Beaten, he sat on the stairs of the Tower and remembered her words on that mission. «Unlike you, I can take annoying people if it means doing my duty.» He could also take despicable people for duty. Their time at the Academy had showed that. They didn't bicker, they mostly ignored each other, and had harmless, even helpful to the students, competitions. But it still hurt so deeply to have Ayame's place stained by her presence. It hurt so deeply not to have Ayame's kindness but the Kyura's harshness.
Nikato held his head on his hands with a desperate grasp. He still had the image of her final moments burned into his mind. That small acceptant smile as her eyes glazed and turned blank. She had been so young, so generous. Her life would do better for the world than a dead clan's entitled heiress. It was painfully unfair. He couldn't hold his tears any longer. A shinobi should be stoic and detached, but it seemed disrespectful to bear her death impassively.
"Got dumped?" Hansuke-sensei asked. Nikato discreetly washed the tears behind his ginger bangs. "Hm, Nikato?"
Keeping his face hidden under his hair, he answered with a groggy voice, "You first need a girlfriend to get dumped, Sensei."
"So, feeling lonely. I see…" he sat beside him and laid a heavy hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. "I was on my way to lunch. Wanna come with?"
"I'm not hungry…"
Sensei was silent for a moment, probably accessing his next words. He knew why Nikato was having a break down, he always knew.
"I miss her too, you know. And it's okay to hurt, but Ayame wouldn't want you to become a bitter, brooding man. Not when you're so obviously the opposite."
Nikato accepted his sensei's words. He had heard them so many times now. From Hansuke-sensei, from his parents, even from Kisamaru, especially from himself. But he couldn't move on from the gaping hole in his chest, filled only with guilt, pain and anger. He could no longer hold the brutal uproar ruling his mind and spirit. Everything burned so intensely in him, Nikato couldn't bear it anymore. After two years, he was still being ripped apart.
He pulled his head up from his hands. "I hate her."
"Who?" Sensei asked genuinely confused.
"The Kyura. I hate her. I want—I need her out of the team."
"You do realise she has nothing to do with Ayame-chan's death."
"It's not because of that." Hansuke-sensei raised an unconvinced eyebrow at him "Yes, she's barging into a place she doesn't belong, but it's not only that. She's… I don't know… I don't like her… I can't work with her…"
"You're being childish, Nikato. I thought you'd help me welcome her into our team, maybe get some sense into Kisamaru's head. But no. You're even worse than him and he's a Hyuga." he gave a tired, long sigh "I'm really trying to make this work. You're the only one stopping it."
"The only one!?" Nikato stood up and, with big gestures, started shouting "What about her?! She doesn't care about any of us! She just likes showing off and pretend she's above everyone! I can't stand people like that! Ayame-chan would throw herself in front of a kunai for me!" again, angry and anguished tears escaped down his cheeks "And she did do it! And now she's dead! She's dead… because of me… and the Kyura is taking her from us…"
Hansuke stood up, looking down at his student, he pressed a strong calming hand to his shoulder. Nikato stopped his enraged commotion and let his heavy tired breaths quiet down, while he waited for his sensei to talk.
"We both know you're putting all that anger on her." he said softly "She deserves more than that. You deserve more than that, Nikato. You have to free yourself from it or it will eat you up." he then gave him a kind smile, squeezing his shoulder and shaking him lightly "Now, let's go get some food and a drink. On me."
Sensei was the most steady, reassuring person he had ever met. Hansuke-sensei always knew how to get him back on the ground when he freaked out or let his head wander the clouds. He could pull people out of the dark and wold give his all to his teammates, friends and Village. As Nikato watched his sensei's back lead the way as he followed, he couldn't help but swell in admiration and pride. He had been the luckiest of kids for the privilege of being taught by such a powerful shinobi and above all good man. Because Giranai Hansuke, above all, was a good man.
His stomach growled in hunger. The anticipation for food made him forget all about that little, very provocative comment about misplaced rage and resentment.
The children gradually left the training field for lunchtime recess. Some came to the two chunin for extra tips on their kunai handling. Most of them didn't seem scared of Gohama, albeit intimidated and wary. She didn't expected them to willingly approach her after the intimidation tactic she had used on that obnoxious girl, who, along with her group, kept running without further instructions. Gohama knew they were wishing for her to leave so they could stop without the threat of a kunai to the head. This, however, only made her more zealous in her advices for the few students left.
The last kid to reach her was cute little Daiki. Something about his helpless cherubic face preyed on her instinct to protect him. He gave her a shy smile, grasping a kunai in his hand eagerly. His chubby cheeks swelling from the twist of his mouth drew in her a need to crush the poor kid. She hadn't felt the instinctive rule of cuteness over affection in a long time and the violence of it unsettled her slightly. It was a strange contradictory need to both protect and crush. Those cheeks asked to be squeezed, not cuddled. She settled of ruffling his dark hair. He raised his green eyes to her.
"Thank you, Gohama-san." he quietly said.
She gave me a kind smile in return and another brushing of his hair. "Any time, kiddo."
Her heart suddenly twitched as another adorable childish face overlapped Daiki's. Only then did Gohama realise how much this kid reminded her of her brother Yukine. It explained why it had irked her so deeply when the girl injured him, why she had been especially attentive to him, why she had the urge to look after him. The warmth was gone. He must have sensed this, because he pouted slightly. It hurt too much to look at him. She waved and walked away.
"I didn't know you could use medic jutsu." Kisamaru commented, expecting her to explain.
"Simple ones."
"Did something upset you?" she didn't offer him an answer.
They were out of the Academy and Hyuga kept following her fast strides. Didn't he have nowhere else to go? She just wanted some alone time.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Nothing. I'm going to lunch."
Gohama was walking towards the catering area of Konoha, so he did get her there. She decided to focus on the sound of their crunchy steps against the dirt street. People out of work for their lunch break were beginning to fill the restaurants. It didn't bother her, though. She knew a bar that at this time of day only had a few usual patrons. She could already taste the soothing bite of alcohol down her throat.
"Hey, Kisamaru! Gohama!" she had hoped that chakra signature would just ignore her.
Hansuke and Nikato were sitting at the end of a long wooden table inside an open restaurant. She couldn't pretend she hadn't heard them, since her chakra sense would give out their presence anyway. Besides, Hyuga nudged her to attention too noticeably. There was such a cheerful tilt to Hansuke's tone that she didn't have the guts to ignore him. Another lovely meal as a team where their team leader would desperately try to force friendly conversation.
"For a moment I thought you would split." Hansuke told her as she sat beside Nikato.
"That makes both of us." she grumbled, grabbing their bottle of sake and filling a stray cup.
"That's our sake." Nikato said harshly.
"Don't worry," she smiled sweetly at him for his abrupt reaction "I'll pay."
"So, Nikato told me about your little situation with a seven-year-old child."
"No need to worry. The girl deserved it."
"Actually, I'm referring to the Kyura's heiress soft spot for kids." Hansuke gave her a self-satisfied grin.
Gohama's sour mood poured through her pointed glance towards him. She really did not need to be reminded of children being brought up to die.
"Fortunately, we only have one week left." Kisamaru shared. He was amusingly awkward around kids "Aren't there any missions for us, Hansuke-sensei?"
"Don't tell me you're more scared of some cute little children than missing-nin?"
"I have to interact with children, not kill them."
"At least, you understand that." he teased with a hard pat on his shoulder "Gohama not so much."
She snorted and jokingly mumbled, "I threaten one child…"
Their food arrive along with one more bottle of sake. Kisamaru had been traumatised since their last drinking session, so he hadn't tasted alcohol after that. The conversation ran more easily that afternoon while they burned time until their training. Older ninja would sit beside them on the long table, never refraining from greeting Hansuke. He always greeted them back with a friendly smile and a promise for a drink "sometime". If one wanted to be left alone, they should never go out with Hansuke.
"Asuma! I haven't seen you in ages…"
Gohama remembered the chakra signature, accompanied by a familiar one, behind her from somewhere… He was one of the sensei from the chunin exams. The one who had fought with Uncle Tsukate on the Third Ninja War.
"Well, you know how it is, between missions and taking care of my team…"
"Then join us." he said, pointing to the vacant spots next Kisamaru and Gohama. It was the first person between all he had greeted that he actually invited to lunch with them. "You too, Hatake, don't think you can scramble off without us noticing."
They ordered their food and sat. Asuma turned to her. "It's good to see you again, Kyura. How's Hansuke been treating you?"
"Like a princess."
"He always did have a soft spot for a pretty girl."
Gohama, with a smirk, turned to him, whose softly pinked cheeks showed his embarrassment. "I'll make sure to take advantage of that."
"Don't you need to be a pretty girl first?" Nikato boldly mocked her.
She could feel a warning kick from Hansuke underneath the table. She wasn't offended by the comment, but she could never let that slip. "You sure like to stare at my non-prettiness during training."
"It's not—I'm not—I don't stare at you." his face was a burning red "I'm only accessing your fighting position."
The table laughed at his poor excuse, except for Kisamaru, probably out of sympathy for his shamed friend, and Kakashi that only let out a soft chuckle.
"Kid, you should know women always know when we're looking, even if they pretend they don't." Asuma explained with a wise tone that only made Gohama roll her eyes.
People and their platitudes about people. She only noticed Nikato because he did little to hide his glances. Gohama had caught him staring at her multiple times, not due to some womanly instinct, but only because his eyes were nailed to her butt even when she called him to attention over her shoulder. Kakashi noticed her distaste about Asuma's comment, which seemed to amuse him. However, with his limited range for expressing any type of emotion and under that mask, she could never be sure. It was understandable why he wore it.
"Maybe that's just what women what us to think." Kakashi countered.
Now she rolled her eyes even harder. What a stupid discussion to have at lunch and completely sober. He looked at her.
"Why would they want us to think that?" Nikato eagerly asked. He was enjoying the older men's experienced insight on the secret world of women.
"Well, kid," Kakashi started with a feigned wise tone, copying Asuma's "they obviously want us to think they are in control. It's all bluff. Women are as much lost as men are."
"As in a battle." Kisamaru whispered, his head nodding and pondering, almost scientifically.
"What do you think, Kyura?" Nikato questioned her "You're a woman…"
"Remarkable observation." she mocked. "Surprising coming from you, Nikato."
Provoked by her insult, the ginger starter lashing on her with weak, impulsive comebacks, forgetting his question. Gohama had managed to escape that tight room without being cornered against the wall.
Honestly, she had no opinion and no interest in forming one. She was, after all, a girl out of the monastery. Her contact for seven years had been limited from middle aged to ancient men vowed in celibacy. While gathering information about the massacre through the towns around the monastery, she had used her feminine, although extremely rough, charm to gain some intel. It had worked on desperate low class thugs because any attention from the opposite sex was enough for them to get careless. However, she was completely inexperienced in the games of seduction between men and women. It was too complicated for her. People were simple. They either wanted to have sex or not wanted to have sex. But, for some ludicrous reason, they loved to complicate things. Maybe it was the pressure and high of the games and manipulation. Maybe seducing was entertaining in itself. Gohama didn't know and she wasn't interested in knowing, unlike her hormone bursting teammate lashing out on her.
Gohama realised then that Hansuke had been surprisingly quiet in the discussion. She wondered what he thought of the subject. If anyone commented anything else, she would gauge his reaction.
"So, Gohama, what do you think?"
Outside the room she had just escaped was only a small closet and Kakashi was already blocking the exit, before she could get out. She was sure he was smirking under that mask.
"Why so interested?" she asked with an underlying accusation.
He gave, to much her chagrin, the finest expression of innocence to accompany his words, "You are the only girl at the table."
He knew she was uncomfortable with this conversation. Before Gohama could stutter the dignity out of her person, an ANBU operative materialized beside the head of the table. The six turned to him. "Hokage-sama requests the presence of Kyura Gohama, Hyuga Kisamaru and Hayashi Nikato."
Then he left.
"That was sooner than I expected." she lightly said.
"Why would Tsunade-sama care about such a small thing?" Kisamaru asked with concern.
"Maybe she just wants a reason to kick me out of the Village."
"Why do I always get dragged into shit you do!" Nikato whined with a finger rammed into her face.
"You're probably just a witness." the Hyuga reasoned.
The trial like language didn't ease the redhead's mind.
"There's no need to worry. For once, Gohama didn't actually act poorly, though she didn't have to be so brutal."
"What happened, may I ask?" the team snapped their heads to Asuma, after forgetting he and Kakashi were there.
"Kyura threatened to stab an Academy student." Nikato said dismissively and focussed back on his sensei.
"Were you always this troublesome, Gohama?" Kakashi asked with an amused tone.
"Oh shut up, Hatake. I'm sure you would have done the same."
"Mm, yes, but I wouldn't threaten, I'd just stab away."
She chuckled at his antics.
"You two psychos are good for each other." Nikato scorned.
"A little respect for your superiors, you wouldn't want me to start stabbing away." Nikato took the Copy nin's threat to heart "The audacity of kids these days," he complained with a shake of his head "comparing me to a Kyura."
"When you're so obviously inferior." she completed. Kakashi was ready to retort when she interrupted him "Deny all you want, but you did follow my lead by only threatening just now."
He glared at her, reluctant to give her the clear win. "Are you making me stab your teammate?"
"Oh please."
"Psychos…" Nikato mumbled under his breath a little hesitantly.
"Stop with your disturbing bickering, you two. And you three just go already. You shouldn't keep the Hokage waiting, especially not when you're already under disciplinary action." they raised from their seats "And, Gohama," Hansuke called "please, tone down on the insubordination. You don't want another month of D-rank missions."
Before they left earshot, Kakashi asked, "Did you actually reported her for insubordination?"
"No. It was against the Hokage herself." Hansuke sighed.
"Gods, that girl doesn't take shit from anyone." Asuma chuckled. "Well, she is a Kyura…" Asuma concluded.
Was that how people saw her clan? From what she remembered, Father had to take a lot of shit from a lot of people. She had had to take shit herself.
"No." Kakashi countered "That's just Gohama."
"Yeah, that's just Gohama…" her team leader agreed.
The Hokage had called the three chunin because the girl Gohama had threatened was the granddaughter of one of the Council Elders, Homura Mitokado. Because the accused was benefiting from asylum, the other Elder were also present. It had been obvious they had just wanted to assess her in person. When they entered the office, both Nikato and Kisamaru had been ready to collapse from dread. Gohama didn't know who the three older people were so she had felt little uneasiness. Except for one of them.
She learned his name was Shimura Danzo. Gohama had shivered when she first sensed his eerie chakra. The type of chakra that emanated icy threat, as a snake, sliding through her awareness and constricting her with slyness and alarm. She hadn't shivered because of a chakra for some time now. He was hiding something under his bandaged eye and arms, there were several points of chakra build-up. Unfortunately, he had stayed quiet, impartial even, for the entirety of their scolding. If she hadn't felt his calculating eyes stripping every of her reactions, he would seem indifferent.
In the end, Gohama, along with both her teammates, was glad to leave that room, with a punishment or not. It was obvious Homura didn't want her in the Village, while Tsunade and the female Elder did. Danzo didn't express his position. Her handling of the bully kid was only Homura fishing for reasons to exile her, maybe even defend his family's name. In truth, she hadn't hurt any children, just dealt with a poorly behaving one. According to Iruka-sensei, who had been informed of the situation before, the Homura girl had a habit of tormenting her classmates. Tsunade went as far as saying she would have done the same. The children were learning to be ninja, they had to respect their classmates and handle stressing situations, such as threats. So, the team left with nothing but a warning and sour glances from Homura.
"This will taint our image with the Elders." Kisamaru worried when the office doors closed behind them.
"Homura was just bitter because his precious granddaughter got what she deserved." Gohama commented. "If I had actually gotten in trouble, it would have been pure nepotism."
"Nepotism?" Nikato asked.
The other two rolled their eyes.
"Do you know anything about that Danzo guy?" she asked them with a casual tone.
"Not really, just that he used to be one of the Elders. He's a secretive person." Hyuga answered.
"Secretive? Hmph, that's a nice way of saying creepy." Nikato turned to her with a shrug "That's what everyone thinks."
"Mm." was her only reply. "See you at training. Sorry for the trouble."
"Did she actually apologized to us…?" the red-head whispered.
She was too focussed on her thoughts to care. It was time to find Kakashi.
He was no longer at the restaurant, nor on some random rooftop. Since she had arrived to the Leaf, Gohama had found him occasionally on the stone head of the Forth Hokage, a tree near the training grounds or the memorial stone. After searching for half an hour, it was time to use her enhanced chakra sensing. Its effects were bothersome, but she was too lazy to rifle every corner of Konoha. She sat comfortably on top of a higher building near the grounds and blocked all her other senses. The rush of information left her as overwhelmed as the first time. Luckily, his familiar signature was close and fast to find. A headache settled on her nape and temples. Training fields it was.
Kakashi was sitting on a high branch, back against the trunk, soaking in the sun while his Icha Icha rested on his lap. She had already hidden her chakra. Trying to sneak on the Copy Nin was a game of hers, not that she encountered him often, but when she did, she tried. With slick movements, she landed on his branch. He still had his eye closed and seemed to be sleeping. Maybe this was the day. Her chest already fluttering in a victory she stepped with her feet on each side of his shins, ready to snatch his dear book. She lowered herself in a silent squad and slid her hands through the air towards Icha Icha Paradise.
"What do you want?"
The smirk on her lips withered into a frown. She was sure he hadn't sensed her chakra and had made no noise, so how was he always aware of her presence? Well, might as well take his book. Before she could touch the cover, his hand grasped her wrist. And his dark droopy eye finally opened.
"You're not old enough for that."
She sat heavily on his shins and he grunted too loudly for her added weight. "Old enough to have sex but not to read about sex. Makes no sense."
His eyebrow rose. "Who says you're old enough?"
"The law." she deadpanned.
He harshly pulled his legs from under her. "What do you want, Gohama?"
"Can't I be here just to enjoy your company?" she asked with a sweet voice and smile.
"No."
"Yeah, you're right. Who would ever enjoy your company?"
"Then I guess I should go." he threatened with a shrug and the movement of his hands for the teleportational sign. Before he could form it, his hands were trapped in a chakra field. "That's a very annoying trick."
"I just need to ask you something."
"Why not ask Hansuke?"
"I'm asking you." she coaxed with a coy smile.
"Are you stuck on D-ranks again and want me to ge—"
"No. Tsunade was very reasonable actually. If I ask you, will you really answer me with all your privileged Copy nin knowledge?"
His mask rippled into what seemed like a smirk. Gohama did not like that mischievous glint in his eye. "Only if it isn't confidential and" he stopped for suspense while raising his finger in the air "you answer what I asked you at lunch."
That's why he was so pleased. His bouncy tone was irritating. "What did you ask?"
"Oh, I know you know. About what you think about men and women."
"No. Nikato asked me that, not you." Gohama huffed at his reaction "Did you just roll your eye at me?"
"Yes. It's a simple and fair bargain."
"Okay." Gohama could simply throw him some cliché, expected thing. "Who i—"
"No, I asked first, you answer first."
"You're unbearable, but okay, I don't care. Yes, women always know when men are ogling." she couldn't just tell the truth and betray her own gender.
"That was not my question. My question was what do you think about seduction?"
"You're coming out like a real pervert."
"I read porn in public, what did you expect?" he dismissed her diversion "I'm waiting."
"That if people want to sleep with someone they should just say it. Not toy with each other."
"Oh but where's the fun in that?" he asked in a teasing voice. He was messing with her and it was unfortunately working.
"In the sex."
"You're definitely a girl out of the monastery."
Before she could stop him, Kakashi grabbed her thighs and pulled her closer to him. He had his legs dangling on either side of the branch, as he settled her open ones on top of his. She wasn't used to being this close to another person and couldn't help but blush and push him away. He was still strongly holding her thighs, so she only managed to shove him against the trunk. The heat and pressure from his large hands made her uncomfortable.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked with a tired tone.
"Making you blush." he explained as he hands slid to hold her by her back.
She shivered from the unwanted touch. "This is closer to rape than seduction, you know."
"What happened to the Gohama that asked me to join her in a bath?"
Kakashi really didn't want her asking questions. She shoved him back against the tree and moved to straddle him completely.
"If you want to play, we can play, Copy nin." she whispered onto his ear.
Gohama pulled back, her hold strong on his shoulders, her legs intertwined in his, and smirked. With a push to the left, they both fell from the branch. She heard him gasp from surprise. He helplessly tried to free himself from her, so he could land safely. Right before they hit the ground, she released him and drove chakra onto her feet to cushion the fall. A loud thud echoed through the quiet forest followed by her laugh. For a moment, she wondered if the Kakashi grunting on the ground would disappear in a puff of smoke, but she couldn't sense any other chakra shadow. He could have teleported when they were falling. Warily, she crawled towards him, still laughing.
"Is that really you?" she asked between giggles.
He just glared at her, spread out on the grass. She would have felt vulnerable under his dark eye, if her laughs hadn't been racking her entire body. She lay beside him, holding her sore stomach, trying to calm her laughter that was now hurting. Her chest swelled in both victory and amusement. She felt so light. How long had it been? She had missed this abandoned, uncontrollable laugh.
"If you tell this to anyone…" his tone was enough to help her settle down.
"Gods, I haven't laughed like this for years…" her speech was still disturbed by chuckles.
Then, he let out a few chuckles of his own, but soon grunted again and covered his face in the crook of his elbow.
"This definitely counts for every time I didn't sneak up on you. How do you even sense me?"
"Pure skill." He slowly sat up and glanced at her. "Stop it."
"I'm not doing anything."
"Stop smiling, it's weird."
She sat up as well and poked his rib, he flinched.
"You're saying that because it's contagious. I can see you trying to hold yours in. There's no need to be a sore loser, Kakashi, even if you were played by a chunin." she teased to his profile.
He moved his face to the other side and passed a hand through his hair. "What did you want to ask me?"
"Your pride's that hurt?" she chuckled "I'd swear you're little play up there was to get out of answering me."
"Just ask." he mumbled.
"Who's Danzo?" She felt him tense up. "That bad, huh?" He didn't reply "We had a deal."
"He used to be one of the Council Elders."
"You know more."
He turned to her with an eye-crinkle. "That's it."
"We had a fucking deal, Kakashi."
"Why do you want to know?" he asked seriously.
"He was at the Hokage's office. He didn't leave the best of impressions."
"Stay away from him then. Be as invisible as possible."
"I'm not sure that will work anymore. He seemed particularly interested in me."
"What did he say?"
"Nothing. He just studied me." he let concern escape from his expression and quickly corrected it "Let me guess. That isn't good."
He turned ahead again, hiding his face from her. Not good at all. "Just stay away from him."
"What if I can't?"
"That's most likely." he brushed his hand though his mane again "Give me the combination for the locking seals of your apartment."
"I can't."
He turned his head back to her. "I know you think I'm the most trustworthy person in this Village, even if you don't actually trust me."
"Does he want to kill me?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. No one knows what he wants, really."
"Why don't you tell me anything more?" she asked, accusation underlying in her tone.
"Gohama…" he hissed, exasperated "I'm not out to get you. Didn't I show that enough?"
"You were behind Phase 2."
"No I wasn't. I tried to stop Tsunade, I was there to make sure they wouldn't go too far." his voice became harsher "Do you think I enjoyed watching that? I watched a friend almost kill himself, for fucks' sake. I felt what you felt. Everything. Even your mother's dea— I'm sorry we did that to you… I truly am… I still don't understand how Tsuna—" his words were interrupted by a gasp. He stood up quickly and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Gohama flopped onto the grass. She absently watched the light piercing through green leaves while thinking of what to make of this. The underlying, barely present, strain in Kakashi's voice as he spoke echoed still. Could she believe him? Had he not wanted Konoha to invade her memories? Uncle trusted him with no restraint. How well could Tsukate know him, a Konoha nin, to rely with such abandonment on him? She trusted Uncle's judgement, but still, people failed and people betrayed. Why would Danzo want to kill her in the first place? Maybe Kakashi was trying to manipulate her into fearing an nonexistent threat so he could win her trust. But again, why? Why would he lie?
She just hoped he hadn't disappeared to sink her in more trouble.