By RequiemofDementia
Chapter Ten: Falling Flowers and Broken Glass
"Congratulations, Airen-chan!"
Chie winced at the volume of the yelled voice. Airen raised her eyes slowly, seeing Naruto walking towards them. Perhaps that was why Riki had insisted that they eat at the ramen stand again. Airen tossed the bright red apple she held from hand to hand, as the blond haired boy came walking over.
"Riki-kun. Chie-chan. Well done!"
Chie blushed brightly as Naruto said that, Riki chuckling softly. As Naruto came closer, Riki offered him a grin. "It's Chie-kun."
Naruto froze mid stride. His eyebrow twitched, and a vein in his forehead throbbed. "What?"
Chie nodded timidly, to confirm what Riki had said.
"ARGH! What is wrong with this place! Good looking girls being boys. You!" His finger pointed at Airen, and he advanced on her quickly. "You're still a girl, right?"
Airen giggled as she nodded.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto gasped out, his eyes going wide. She had better be a girl. He turned, and started running back the way he had come. "SAKURA-CHAN!"
Riki laughed then, softly, actually smiling. "Good job." Airen grinned at the compliment from him, and blushing Chie smiled timidly.
"Thank you, Riki-kun."
Suddenly, Naruto raced passed the stand. "I was only asking because I was worried, Sakura-chan!"
Sakura raced after him, her face a mask of rage.
A moment later, Sasuke walked passed the stand, his voice soft. "Baka."
Yume let out a laugh at this, and then looked to the others. "Come on, let's go."
"Where are we going, Yume-chan?" Chie asked softly.
"Home," Yume said softly. "We need to celebrate."
"I propose a toast!" Riki muttered out, as he raised yet another cup of sake. "To Chie, the most jutsu-ing jutsu-er that jutsu ever knew!"
The room was filled with giggling, as everyone raised their cups. Airen giggled loudly. "Jutsu-ing jutsu-er!"
Chie giggled, blushing brightly, as he too raised his cup of sake. Although Chie had never drunk before, they had managed to talk him into having a couple to celebrate. It was easy to miscount to two when you were drinking sake, so Chie had learned.
They all knocked their sake back, and then there was a knock at the door.
Riki loomed up, ready to be the intimidating door man once again. He staggered out of the room, and down towards the door. He leaned against the wall, as he opened it, peering out into the night. He blinked. "No one's there?"
"I'm down here, you big oaf!" came the familiar voice. Riki's eyes lowered, and settled on the spiky blond hair.
He reached out slowly, touching it with one finger. "Pointy…"
Naruto stepped back, looking confused. "What?"
Riki reached out, grabbing Naruto and pulling him inside. The door slams shut behind them. "See…" Riki began, as he pushed Naruto down towards the room that all the drinking was coming from. "…I like you… Naruto… you're all… little… and loud… like… one of those little dogs…"
"Hey!" Naruto pushed Riki away from him, and the massive man wobbled as if he was about to over balance and then fall. But he straightened after a moment.
Naruto continued ahead of him, peering into the room. Three beautiful girls… Wait, one of them is a boy, remember that Naruto. They lay sprawled out on the floor, giggling, tiny cups in hand, the smell of sake filling the room.
"Have you guys been… drinking?"
Chie tried to sit up, wobbled a little bit and fell back, giggling again. Riki stepped into the room, pushing Naruto ahead of him again. "Just a few… One… two… uh… A few."
Naruto looked around the room, and whispered softly. "Shinzui is going to be pissed."
"Yes," came Shinzui's voice from the doorway.
The world around Airen throbbed, and it throbbed painfully. She had never felt someone yelling before, but the pressure in her temples proved that it could indeed be done. One of her eyes opened a sliver, and then squeezed shut. The light burned.
Shinzui sat in the dining room, calmly eating his breakfast, as Naruto's three little friends ran through the house, screaming and yelling. It was not in Shinzui's character to torture people with hangovers.
He got others to do it for him.
Later that day, the four victims of a night on the sake slowly came out from their rooms. Lunch was already prepared, and waiting for them, as well as a little shock. Naruto sat at the table, eating as well.
"What are you doing here?" Yume asked, as she slowly, and very gently, sat herself down in her chair.
"I live here," he grinned, leaning forward. "HELLO ROOMIES!"
All four of them clutched at their ears, trembling. Naruto grinned a little, as he returned to his ramen. It was not the ramen that Shinzui had prepared, since even Naruto had not been able to eat that. Instead, Shinzui had hired someone to prepare the meal. His culinary arts were very, very abstract.
Airen looked around slowly, and then her hands came together before her. Focusing the chakra was very difficult in this state, but somehow she managed it. After healing herself, she moved around the table, healing her friends.
"Yelling bad. Airen good…" Riki reached for the sandwich on his plate.
"I trust that you have learned not to drink in my household?" All four nodded quickly, realizing that Shinzui must have been the one to cause all of the noise earlier.
"Good. After lunch, you are all going out with Naruto." Shinzui straightened slowly, and began to slip away.
"Where are we going, Naruto?" Airen asked.
"Sakura-chan, Sasuke-kun and I are going to visit a friend. You guys are coming along to meet him."
Gai-sensei watched as Rock Lee continued to do his push ups, one hand lifting him from the ground, his other, useless arm strapped to his chest. He was proud of what Rock Lee was doing. And that was when a gasp interrupted him.
He looked towards the direction it had come from, meeting the staring eyes of the young Hitomi girl that had returned to the village.
Eyebrows, Airen thought. The eyebrows are coming to get me!
Chie standing back, his eyes on the young man at the floor, and then towards Gai once more. He stepping in slowly, his voice soft. "We do not mean to interrupt a family moment…"
Gai smiled at that, his teeth sparkling in the light. Chie got the impression that his teeth would sparkle even in the darkest night. "Oh no, I am Rock Lee's sensei."
Rock Lee, meanwhile, dragged himself up to stand on his one good leg. "Naruto-kun! And you brought friends!" His smile as a perfect imitation of Gai's.
Naruto stepped in, a grin on his lips. "Hi, Lee-san. This is Airen, Riki and Chie. They're new here."
Rock Lee nodded to each of them, as they were introduced. "It is nice to meet you a… Sakura-chan!" It was as if the others had not even entered, as Sakura entered the room. In her hands, she held a small bunch of flowers, and there was a little smile on her lips.
"Hello, Lee-san. How are you feeling today?"
Rock Lee's one good shoulder moved in a shrug. "They said I wouldn't be able to move again, so I must be doing well."
Airen moved closer slowly, as Sakura gently slipped the flowers into a vase. "Excuse me, Rock Lee?"
"Yes, Airen-san?"
Airen stepped closer once again, her eyes traveling over the wounded arm and leg. "Would you lie down for a moment?"
Rock Lee looked towards Gai, who smiled and gave him the thumbs up, so Rock Lee did so. Airen's hands moved slowly, over the arm and leg, gently touching him. She felt the damage that had been done there, and it was intense.
"I am sorry, Rock Lee, but this will hurt very much." Everyone's eyes widened, as Airen's fingers flew through the jutsu once more, and then she lay her fingers on him, two on his arm, and two on his leg.
Rock Lee screamed, even louder then he had when he had received the injuries. The slivers of bone slid through his muscles, tearing flesh as they went, as they began to realign themselves. Gai rushed forward quickly, but he froze as he saw Airen.
She threw her head back, her hair streaming out behind her. Her eyes were open wide, and blazing with fire, as her mouth opened wide. Again, there were no words, but instead, the cry of a mighty bird, noble and powerful.
"What's going on?!" Naruto yelled out, trying to jump and peer over Sasuke's shoulder at what was happening.
Rock Lee's bones continued to slice through the muscle, but the muscle knitted back together after the sliver of bone had passed. He began to spasm in pain, knocking the vase to the ground where it shattered, flowers and broken glass meeting the floor.
Airen dropped back, quickly caught by both Chie and Riki. Rock Lee moved slowly, as he began to sit up. And then, his injured arm moved slowly.
Author's notes.
Two important parts to notes. First one, Naruto and Sakura! How would Sakura react if Naruto asked if she was a boy? Now you know!
And secondly, Airen's turn to shine! Just as most ninja's seem really great and cool, now Airen can to. More info on her next chapter. :D