For Wind and Loyalty

By shukuchi

Chapter 10

Many, many thanks to all the reviewers who made the fanfic get this far!!!!!! Go you!!!!!

On the other side, that isn't an excuse to not review more. Now go give me some input!!!!

FoR isn't mine. Wow, the concept.

Ha, Raiha's finally stopped moping about Raijin. The fic's got some way to go yet, though.

I was unable to save you, master.

Out of the darkness, it is not him or Raijin that answers my sad comment. It is...

Just snap out of it. The guy chose what would happen to him, and didn't let you get a word in. So stop griping, "what I could have done," and get on with life!!!! It's not like thinking about it will help anything!!!! Besides, he'll be reincarnated at some point, and then your reincarnation can mope at him all he wants!!!!

The voice is female, and offers no sympathy. Maybe it's time I stopped waiting for it....

So are you my new inner thoughts, here to replace Raijin?

You make it sound like I work for you. Yeah right, I'm just here 'cuz it's better than having to deal with all the "poor me"s you keep groaning out.

Are there many others inside me?

Since when have I been inside you? I'm not a split-personality, and frankly, I don't wanna be wandering around in a male body. So keep your "inside me" crap to a minimum and maybe I'll chat later.

Indeed. I much prefer you to Raijin.

Like that's saying much.

I suppose not.

You're gonna have to wake up now. See ya!

Bye.... Fuu-chan!

With a stretch, I get up from my bed. Raijin thrashes ominously, and I find it rather disturbing. Thus, my only option is to tie the annoying... what do you call it anyways? Critter? Thing?-to the bedpost. I jam Fuujin's main crystal into the appropriate spot on the weapon and leave the room. Ah, now I want to see that madougu's wieldier. Can't be helped, I have to see her now.

With a grin, I step out the door. I bet she'll visit me for training soon!!!

Why haven't I learned? Whenever I want or expect Fuu-chan to do something, it's always exactly what she chooses not to do. I lightly sigh and start creeping through the shadows.

And stop. I don't want to be some sort of creepy stalker who sneaks into the room of the object of their affection, or follows her around or any of that stuff. Tree waiting it is.

You are a baka.

I'm lying on my stomach in a hammock on a beach staring at a single large white sign with those words printed on it. A voice from behind me jokes, "You really are, you know." I turn my head to look back, but find myself, surprisingly unable to. Everything fades to black, and I force myself to open my eyes.

Well... Fuu-chan's glancing amusedly up at me. Wait a minute-up? A moment later, it all becomes clear. For reasons currently unknown, I seem to be tied to the bottom of a tree branch.

"Did you know that you narrate your dreams? Sign saying "baka", eh?"

I sigh with exasperation. "How did I end up like this?"

"Well that's simple: I bound you there. Not very hard, really. All I had to do was tie you to the branch you fell asleep on, again, and shove you off an edge of it." With every word, her smugness builds. This is... a bit bad.

"What if the knots hadn't held?" I ask, hoping for reassurance.

Like she'll give you that...

"Then you would've fallen off. So what, you could've rolled off in your sleep anyways." I sigh.

"And... you're going to untie me now, right?"

"Nope. Why?"

What did I expect....oh well, I guess....

In one fluid motion, I position a shurakin to where I can use it, and slice off the ropes. Very drama-ow! I wipe the dirt out of my eyes and groan. That is why you are more careful when falling from a tree than I just was....

"How on earth did a clumsy idiot like you become a ninja? This is my instructor!!!!!" Fuuko-chan chokes out amusedly, running out of breath from laughter.

"That's not fair, Fuu-chan, I'm usually better..." I mutter embarrassedly. That girl is having a negative impact on my reflexes....

"Well, all I have to say is that you got lucky, getting into the UBS semi-finals. We actually had to work for it."

"That's still not fair..." I sigh unhappily. Ugh..... "So... do you want to train?"

After rolling her eyes, she points at me and groans, "Someone has a one-track mind. Fine, fine, we can get to work."

Training goes the same way it always does, without anything particularly remarkable happening. However, at the end, she actually stays behind to talk. I think Fuu-chan's actually starting to at least somewhat enjoy my presence!

"Why'd you decide to be a ninja?" she asks curiously, sunlight glinting off her violet locks.

A smile gently settles on my face. "It really has to do with my family. My brother, Tokkan, a few years older than me, was always studying them, and I suppose.... that influenced me a bit."

Traitor. They won't tell you 'cuz they think you'd get upset, but it's what you are.

No I'm not. Not anymore.

"And... I'm actually a descendant of Hokage who, rather than fight and die with their clan, chose to run." I carefully keep my voice calm as I continue. "Working for Kurei-sama was a way to remove the stain of 'traitor's blood' from my veins."

She blinks confusedly before rapidly changing the subject. "So... what was your family like? Did you have any other siblings?"

I nod. "Just one, a younger sister named Hekireki. She was four years younger than me. I... don't actually remember much of her, now that I think about it," I comment, rubbing the back of my head. "You?"

"Eh, Ganko moved in with my family, but that's about it."

"Ganko..." I smile serenely. "I'm glad to hear she's doing well. I... don't think she was really the type of person who should be an Uraha, so..."

Fuuko-san simply shrugs. "Yeah well, the Uruha seem to have a habit of recruiting kids who are better off elsewhere. I mean, Koganei-chan's young and he quit too. You'd think they'd learn..."

"I joined when I was young and remained loyal. He's been fighting all his life... why should it be any different for others? Besides..." I give a slight smile, "the Uruha is actually a friendlier group than you'd think. It may not be entirely child-friendly... but some of us try."

Her eyes roll in clear disbelief. "Yeah, I can just see Christmases with everyone sitting by the fire, opening presents..."

I involuntarily wince. Once, a few years ago on that very holiday, Joker got it into his head that it'd be... funny to cover Raijin, not some fake cloth imitation, but the madougu itself, with glue and put it in a spring-loaded box. Now, I'm not a complete idiot, and it had been a long time since I had opened a present from him myself, but he had put on the tag that it was from Kurei-sama instead. So there I was-feeling too comfortable and secure to have my guard up, thinking that my master and friend had decided I was worthy of recognition, happily contemplating what the box might contain-and then the horrible... thing that was Raijin sprung out right onto my face, sticking on as though it was some horrible face-hugger from those "Aliens" movies Joker loved, and it seemed to cling with its own malicious intent. Of course, the Fuujin main crystal was securely attached, but I only realized that after my frantic pulling had dislodged the weapon from my face.

"Hey," I give a forced smile through clenched teeth. "Some of the Christmas celebrations have been really fun." There's one of the few aspects of being Kurei's ninja that I doubt I'll miss.

"Okay, so the group of blood-thirsty assasins-no, I don't mean you-can give off some good cheer. So what? I'd still rather be with the Hokage. Much less rigid, much more of a life. I mean, we may have ninja geeks and be obsessed with fighting, but there's more to us then that."

"Like what?" The question is only said out of curiosity, not meant to be snide or anything, because I really do wonder about that sort of thing. What does a normal (or at least more-so than me) teenager care about? What matters to a high-school student?

She, however, is still on the subject of combat. "Well, I mean we aren't fighting because we have to or because someone told us to. It isn't a job; it's more like a part of us... Yeah, it's probably that way for you but what I mean is... Well, when I've got a few shurakins in my hand, it's like I can do whatever I want and prove or change anything. That's probably just me being egotistical-but don't think you won't still get punched if you agree that it is."

I laugh and lightly hug her, letting go before she can regain enough composure to smack me. "You really are amazing, Fuuko-chan. No... I don't have the strength and optimism to have felt everything you spoke of... But I understand what you meant. I guess that's why I have something to ask you." Okay, take deep breaths, keep eye contact, and no matter what expression she has, stay calm. "Over the time we've spent together, I've enjoyed training with you. Both your physical and mental strength are amazing, and-"

"So... what's the question?" She tapped a foot in agitation. "I do have to get home at some point, even if I already gave Mom an excuse for being late."

I take another deep breath, force myself to look in her eyes, and give an anxious smile. "Will you go on a date with me?"

Red slowly but steadily covers her face, and she starts opening her mouth to yell something-before closing it and nodding. She gives a small wave with a hand, muttering with her eyes fixed on the ground, "Send a note with the details or... whatever..." and quickly turns to wander off. I sigh with nervous anticipation and slowly lean against a tree. "Fuu-chan agreed" runs through my mind over and over again, until I laugh and shake my head. The funny thing is, I'm probably more of a romantic than her. Now just to figure out where to go for the date...

There it is. I'm going to try to start updating roughly weekly from now on, so... Wish me luck. I'll update once I've typed the next chapter up, and hopefully have the date posted by the end of the first week of November. Please review... As a warning, the end of the first part of this fanfic will come a few chapters after the date, and I hope you all like what I have in store... Ugh, this fanfic with an actual plot, however can we manage? Ahem, now I'm just rambling. So review!!!!