Child's Play
Chapter 3: Game is On
By: Vampire Toy
PG13 (Rating may go up later)
Disclaimer: Don't own ;-;
…
The next morning I felt slightly better than I had last night. My quick shower was refreshing and the red mark on my cheek from where I'd scrubbed furiously, was near gone; hopefully the sign of a good day. I hurriedly put on my clothes and went throughout my morning routine. When I was done I rushed out to get to my students; I wouldn't tell them about what happened, but I wanted to make sure that while Baki was messing with me, that they were alright.
"Good morning class, did you all rest well?"
"Yes thank you Kurenai-sensei, did you rest well?" Hinata asked.
"Uh…yes, thank you Hinata."
"My rest was satisfactory." Shino nod.
"Its too early!" Kiba whined.
"Wonderful; Kiba, learn to go to bed earlier."
"Feh."
"Well, assuming you all got at least SOME sleep…." (And no one was hurt…) "Let's begin today's mission!"
"A mission? It's been a while since we'd gotten one." Kiba perked up.
"Yes, this should help us get back in the game, we need to deliver something to the Hidden Snow."
"Aww, snow…..that means its cold there!" Kiba cried.
"One could assume." Shino answered.
"Now, now, it's a nice scenery change, besides, it should be quick, it's doubtful it will be an overnight trip."
"Should we pack things just in case?" Hinata asked.
(They should be ready for anything, I suppose it would be the wisest decision) I looked up at the sky curiously, I recalled there being no moon last night, which meant there were clouds covering it. If it was going to rain here it might be snowing there, but that village's snow is either light or vicious, never in between.
"Yes, why don't you all go pack? Be sure to pack for winter."
"But it's spring, isn't it spring there too?" Kiba asked.
"Their winter lasts much longer than ours."
"Ah, ok, damn I hate the cold."
…
The longer our trek went on the more thankful I became that Hinata had suggested we pack. It had been raining when we'd left and even though it was lightly, the heavy clouds proved it would become heavier throughout the day; our spring showers being the equivalent of the Hidden Snow's end-of-winter snowstorms.
By late noon we were forced to set up camp; thankfully we were at least inside the Hidden-Snow's borders, meaning we didn't have too much further to go. Kiba went off to find food with Akamaru while Hinata helped me set up tents. Shino busied himself with making a fire for us then lightly declared he was going to find us some water.
"Kurenai-sensei, what is our mission exactly?" Hinata asked brushing off her hands when she finished placing the last pillar.
"We're delivering something, that's all. This mission isn't too tough for your rankings; it just seemed the easygoing kind of task we needed to get back in the game."
"Yes there haven't been many missions lately….do you….suppose that Orochimaru is already dead?"
"….one can't be too careful."
"Of course…and we haven't had many trouble with any other villages…especially now that the Sand is our ally." Hinata smiled, but I cringed at the thought.
(Allies….. means I can't become violent with them…)
but no worries, we're not even in our own village anymore, there is no way we'll run into them here….
"KURENAI-SENSEI!"
"Ah! W-what!"
"Kurenai-sensei!"
"WHAT! Who's screaming?"
Hinata looked around and stared off to where Shino had left, Kiba and Akamaru burst through the bushes a moment later followed by a less frantic appearance by Shino.
"Kiba-san! Shino-san! You two are hurt! What happened!" Hinata cried running over to her bleeding teammates. I rushed over after spotting the blood and pulled the boys closer to the fire so I could examine them better.
"Hinata, go get the medical kit."
"Yes sensei!"
She rushed off and I examined each boy over as Kiba blared out angrily and Shino stayed silent. Each had holes in their clothing accompanied by a wound large enough to match it. The only difference between their cuts were that Kiba's were more like slashes than Shino's, which were simple and quick penetrations and stabs.
My heart began beating faster, there was no way that they would be HERE as well…
"…and his shitty purple makeup…"
(How did they…?)
"…with his ugly kitty-hood…."
(Kankuro….)
"…his stupid doll, what guy plays with dolls anyway!"
"Kiba! Please, just silence for a moment!" I said suddenly. His whines died down but the strained look of anger was still on his face and it was apparent that his thoughts were a lot more colorful than his words out loud had been.
Hinata rushed over with our first-aid kit and in silence we both tended to our battered teammates. My mind etched angrily in my mind, telling myself to go out and find him….to just end it now.
(All my students are being hurt now….how long before they hurt Hinata too? Where does that little brat wanna stop?)
"Kiba…" I finally broke the silence, "Kankuro…attacked you two….were you both together?"
"Yeah, I was fishing and Shino was getting water."
I leaned back slightly to look at their gashes; Kiba's were long and drawn out…..as if Kankuro wasn't expecting him to be there! He thought he'd caught Shino alone again, but Kiba was there too, so he became hasty….no quick stabs, just frantic slashes.
"Where is Kankuro…? Did….he leave?"
"Eh, who the hell cares? He can freeze to death for all I care."
"Kiba!"
"Hmphf…..I dunno….he ran off."
"Which way?"
Kiba gave me a curious look but his fury was distracting him enough to keep him from asking me questions. He pointed a bruised hand in the direction they'd come from and relaxed it when Hinata began to bandage it.
"I'm going to check up on something for a moment…" I looked down at Shino in a side-glance, as if telling him that I had no other choice but to approach this.
(Not that you haven't already)
But this…is too much!
"Hinata, you are in charge, please keep watch and if anyone arrives and you're not sure if they are a threat or not then don't hesitate to go into defensive or attack."
"Yes sensei."
"…..don't let these two go anywhere alright?"
"Yes sensei."
I stood and looked down at my students, furrowing my eyebrows worriedly.
"I'll be back as soon as I can."
…
I didn't bother to conceal my chakara; I knew that if Kankuro's entire team was near, that Baki most likely would not hide from me. If anything he'd probably smugly be waiting to tell me off about how I should let my students become stronger.
(What a disgrace…)
I bushed through iced shrubs and tree limbs until I finally sensed a chakara near me. I turned and pushed through into a clearing where, who else, the Sand team was camping with their little fire and their tents.
"Baki…" I hissed; I must have looked horrible seeing as I'd been practically crawling through the snow.
"He's in the tent." Kankuro replied calmly.
"What are YOU doing here?" the blonde girl replied. (Temari I think it is?)
I scanned over the setting and almost smirked; the sand team had a very pitiful fire going and it was obvious they were all cold because they bundled close to the fire. Even Gaara sat near his sister hunched over trying to look uninterested and content in the cold weather.
"I should ask you the same thing." I responded looking down at Temari as she pulled a blanket tighter around her shoulders.
"How may I help you?" Baki's voice came from behind me. I spun and glared angrily as he let a small smirk spread over his face. I made a disgusted face at him and he waved his hand at his students.
"It seems Kurenai-sensei and I have something we need to discuss, you can stay alive till I get back cant you?" though the question was more of a mock statement as he eyed me. He turned after a simultaneous grunt from his group and walked out of hearing range with me following behind.
"Come all this way to see me?" sarcasm seethed from his voice once he was sure no one could hear us.
"What are you doing here?"
"Training….and you?"
"Mission."
"I see, how interesting."
"No, I see what you're trying to do…"
"What?"
"Following me? Is that it? You want to bother me? Leave my students out of it if that's the case!"
"…Hnn, your students?" he turned to face me, an obvious look of oblivion on his face.
"Kankuro…..attacked two of my students a few moments back."
"Impossible, he's been sitting here in my view for hours."
(He actually sounds concerned! Maybe he's starting to take me seriously…?)
"Well both my attacked students could point him out if you'd like."
"Replication."
"Huh?"
"That's probably how….smart boy."
"….I suppose…."
"He used it but was still able to balance the chakara enough for me to think he was still at camp."
(Is he saying that all these times Kankuro wandered off he had no idea?)
"Heheh, and you say I'm a bad teacher."
"What?" (Feh, he's not taking ANY of this seriously….and of course he knew Kankuro had left!)
"They probably ticked him off."
"You switch subjects as quickly as a five-year-old with ADD!"
"I'm just saying."
"So what if he was ticked off! It gives him no right to harm my students!"
"Kid needs a stress outlet, your kids just happen to be in the way."
I was brimming with anger now, I knew its what he wanted but I couldn't stop myself from having the urge to strangle him. Was it that he was bored? Did he find me funny?
"If everyone could 'take out their stress' on anyone who happened to be around, then don't you think I would've done so already?"
"What? You mean taking it out on me?"
"…And you know, it wouldn't even be an innocent bystander would it?"
"You ARE talking about me, now that's not nice."
"You are the cause of my stress! So I would be doing myself a favor….it would be ok wouldn't it?"
"You say it as if your going to do it…..are you?"
"Will you keep giving me reason to?"
There was a long pause of silence and I realized that my fists had been tightly clenched the entire conversation and slowly let my fingers relax. A smirk spread again over his face and I had to bite my tongue from screaming at him yet again; I was beginning to feel like his mother!
"It's hard to take you seriously."
"What! Why!" (YOU WANT ME TO PROVE I'M SERIOUS!)
"I'm distracted."
"………what the hell could be distracting you every time I talk with you!"
"…Hnn, your makeup."
"……."
"What?"
"My….makeup? What the hell is your problem!"
"I have many…" he walked over to me and I threw up my arms for defense. He frowned and shook his head; "I'm not going to attack you."
"….well you're a little hard to trust."
"Why is that?" he asked continuing to move forward as I lowered my hands slightly.
"Don't you recall our last encounter?"
"Please, your still on our first meeting….though, we didn't really meet…"
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh come now, your smart! Don't you remember? Gaara turned into a big demon and nearly destroyed your city?"
"So…what, we're allies now…"
"You don't seem to think so." He took my wrists gently as he looked down at me, giving me what looked like a genuine smile.
"Wh-…..well…you attacked me….."
"I thought YOU were going to attack ME."
"…." (What is he trying to get at?)
"Let's see…..maybe I can get rid of this distraction…" his fingers trailed over my face and I froze. I wasn't sure what he was going to do or why. One of his fingers ran over my lips and I could feel my face heating up. He began rubbing it harder then squint, a frustrated look on his face as he leaned to for a closer inspection. Suddenly a wide grin spread over his half-covered face.
"I know what this needs."
"Wh-"
He leaned down with a quick swoop and pressed his lips firmly to mine, then pulled back only slightly so he could run his tongue over my mouth.
"AGH!" I stumbled back but he caught my arms and pulled me back up.
"I'm not done." He murmured pushing my head forward and crushing our lips together once again. I felt his free arm wrap firmly around my waist pulling me flush up against his body. I felt my entire body blush as he let the hand around my waist wander.
"STOP!" I shrieked when he finally gave me a breath. I shoved him away from me and stumbled back trying to catch my breath.
"What the hell are you trying to do! This isn't about my students or yours is it!"
He shrugged and muttered something, brushing himself off.
"Answer me!"
"Your students must be getting worried."
"…."
"Feh…..I'll see ya." He waved his hand and spun around, disappearing quickly.
"…..ARRRRRRG!" I grabbed my hair and tugged letting go before completely ripping out every strand.
"BAKI! BAKI COME BACK!" (I want this solved NOW!)
"Be patient, maybe we'll run into each other again."
"Baki where are you! Show yourself!"
"We're gonna train, you should probably rest up….your on a mission right?"
"Yes…"
"Goodnight then."
"Baki!"
I stood for a solid ten minutes before calming down enough to realize he was definitely gone.
(Baki! You son of a bitch)
My eye twitched and I shook out my head walking back to my students. I had to find some type of weakness he had; I had to play along if I wanted to win.
(Bastard)
…
Vampire Toy: Wootness, I finally got another chapter up for anyone who's reading XP I hope everything was ok, like Kurenai being in character along with Kiba, Shino, and Hinata. The Sand team hasn't made such a big splash yet but the main focus of that group is Baki and Kankuro anyway XD so I hope Kankuro's in character too. I'm hoping not to turn this story into a saga or anything so its gonna be only a few more chapterrs, but please tell me what you think and how you think I should improve :) well thanks for reading R&R&Flames welcome 3.
