Flowers Bloom, Hearts Shatter
By: Li
Chapter Seven: To Die (another day)
-s-s-s-s-s-
Summary: Auron, throughout all her adventures with her reserrected guard Haku, arrived in Konohagakure last chapter. After meeting a few key characters, traveling the length of both Water and Wave countries, said girl as been gone from her mystic home somewhere around six monthes. Now with the boy to become her Lord (Kitsubi-sama) stay at the rented house in Hidden Leaf's main district, something odd begins to happen... Why is she having nightmares, and who is this 'Yuki'?
Helpful Notes: "This" is someone talking in a foreign language. --this blah blah-- equells telepathy between Auron or anyone else. Kyuubi and Naruto speak with each other with no mark surrounding the text. Anything with a number by it means to see the footnotes, as # is to the glossary. Gods talk like this, and this in flashbacks.
Warnings: shounen/shojo ai (non grafic and mostly just hints), disruptive OC,
Nothing to say, so just read...
-s-s-s-s-s-
"You sure this is the way, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked her jounin instructer as two gennin and the former ANBU members of Team 7 headed toward their comrade's temporary residence. After announcing that Naruto would be out of their way for a week on a speciel requested C-class mission, and getting stuck finding that stupid cat Tora again on their assigned D-class one, Sasuke and his pink haired team mate had demanded to see the loudmouth blonde.
Kakashi summoned his dog (the one sent with Naruto to find Gaara) and gave the command to follow Naruto's scent, who then took off with his master and students hot on his little paw heils.
"Hey, pinky," stated the cute runt (Inner Sakura: PINKY? I'll throttle you! Outwardly she was unfased, though her green eyes were oddly homosidle...) as he continued to jump from roof top to shutter. "I'll have you know my nose is topnotch."
"I wasn't asking," muttered Sakura beneith her breathe as Inner Saku made an appearence for once. Sasuke, hearing this, snorted as his fangirl blushed. Kakashi smiled behind his mask, though he knew the team was missing another to balance it out evenly.
Naruto.
Sure, the kid was hyperactive, loud, and hot-headed, but he had potentual even the most inexperienced nin teacher could see. If only there was someone better to teach him; Kakashi himself wasn't that type of never-let-die ninja. Heck, Sakura was more compadable to him than the blonde! Well, Sasuke more so than Sakura.
Sighing in dejection, the one-eyed jounin took out the only comfort he had, Icha Icha Paradise Volume 1. His students glared hotily, though Sasuke's was more subdued due to his cold exerior, as the mutt just continued to run.
So could up his book was he that Kakashi was surprisingly startled when said small dog stated, "We're here." The former ANBU almost fell from his perch on a random tree outside the house marked 'Kandai Residence', though he did regain his possition in time.
Team 7 just stared in awe. The house was huge (in a big kinda way) and more mansion than home. It looked as if a whole Clan could fit in comfortably, though the Hyuuga would most likely have a hard time accomidating...
Everything was bamboo and Japanese style, with (from what they could gather) tatami mats and paper screne doors. The outside walls were thick and chakra enforced, though the jutsus that had been used were quite old. Sakura wondered how such a supposibly young woman could afford a place so big; Sasuke just 'Hn'ed. Kakashi, on the other hand, continued to read his book, a heavy blush tinting his clothe covered cheeks.
"This... is where Naruto's staying?" Sakura asked absently.
"Apparently," Sasuke answered. All he needed to complete his I-don't-care-so-fuck-off image was an older body and ciragette.
"He's here," the kawaii ii inu growled, then disappeared in a puff of smoke as Kakashi canceled the jutsu. No use wasting chakra; you never knew what could happen.
A buzz of unfamilair chakra coming from within said house caused the jounin instructor's head to shoot up, visable dark eye alert. The wave swept over and throught them, followed by a mind's determined scream that only one familar with dark sorrow could understand, let alone hear.
Sakura heard nothing, but Sasuke clutched his head, showing momentary weakness as he remembered his family's murders, and Kakashi his comrade's deathes. Someone, or something, had just released pent-up pain in a not-so-standard form; who it could be, the jounin teacher didn't know, though he was determined to find out.
As the sorrow enforced with a massive amount of chakra faded slowly from their minds, Kakashi jumped toward the guarded house that surprisingly let him past, intruction his students to do the same. Whoever had that much comtrol over emotions and spiritual energy was letting Naruto stay with them; most likely his Shinsetsu Kuhaina, whom Sandaime-sama had said was a high chuunin rank nin guard.
Running towards the house, eyes cold and determined, Sasuke had similair thoughts as Kakashi. Now to find that sorrow's source... He sweatdropped. It would be hard to find, in this big a house.
-s-s-s-s-s-
Staring down at the prone form of his sweating mistress, Haku felt an unknown feeling clench his heart. It hurt, to see her in such mental pain. All the time he'd known her, she'd never shown the slightest bit of weakness, only a lonesome sadness often pushed away. Who, or what, could cause the strong girl to break and cry out so?
Whilest the 'cousin' thought and stared, the hired guard Naruto was glancing around carefully, away where but at the vulnerable figure on the bed. He noticed, though it may have been irrelevant to some, that Kandai-san's room was sparsely clad, with no form of personal touch any where in the room. A wooden desk sat close to the bed, an eletric alarm clock blinking in glowing red numbers '2:55' a top it within reaching distance of a sleepy-head's arm.
The walls, a common creamy white, held no pictures or posters, though nails to hang such things on shot out from the pale surface at uneven intervals. All in all, it was an impersonal, motel-like room (without the feel of comfort the more expensive ones had).
Haku's startled gasp caught the blonde's attention as he turned his wandering gaze to the bed and prone form. Kadai-san's form was still sweat drenched and skin paler than normal, but she no longer tossed and turned as if in a nightmare, but lay still beneith the sheets. A murmur rose from her throat, words Naruto did not understand, but Haku did.
"He was here..." Auron muttered in Flordinese to Haku, opening a pale eye with difficulty. "Yuki was here..." It took all her strength to talk, something neither male was used to seeing, as the girl coughed weakly.
The raven haired man had many questions, such as: 'Who is Yuki? Why are you having nightmares? Does the Song1 have something to do with this?' Yet Haku dared not ask his sickly mistress for fear of tiring her from the sprain of speaking.
Lost in his own thoughts and musings, Naruto noticed something he didn't: Auron was asking for something again, this time in Konoha's native language. "Water... and the tablit... please," murmured Auron sleepily, then began to cough again. The kitsune carrier immeadiately glanced around the room, looking for what she'd asked for. He found a sheat of unlabled tablets next to her eletric alarm clock, an empty cup of water beside them.
Ignoring the silvery sheen of pastic hold his ward's medicen, Naruto raised to the nearby bathroom to fill the cup so Auron would be able to swallow.
Haku awoke from his musings just as the younger male raised from the room, jumping slightly as both the girl's eyes stared into his darker ones. "Sorry," he whispered, still meeting her captivating gaze, ashamed that he'd been inattentive.
Auron's lips curved upward into a tired smile; she was obviously not the Auron he knew, and his thoughts were confirmed as she spoke again. "Hello there," she paused to cough, "Haku-kun. How are things?"
He avoided the girl's question with one of his own, "Are you Sukien?"
Sukien, Auron's other personality with two sides of her own, had saved Haku's life from bandits after he'd taken a sword slash meant for her. It had taken him weeks to recover, his soul transparent as his body went into a coma like state. It had been Anger-Sukien, then; he assumed this was Nice-Sukien, whom he'd only had the pleasure of meeting breifly twice before.
Her smile was enough of an answer. "Yes."
His mistress began to cough again, weazing as she was racked by wave after wave of fits, making her body short on air. She needed her the pills Shizune had given her, the tablets for "any delayed reactions" to what had happened a month ago. Why would they start now?
As if hearing his thoughts, the posessed-Auron gave an answer. "The dream... nightmare... Auron had..." Despite speaking Japanese, she spoke her Alternate's name perfectly, "Yuki was in them..."
"Yuki?" Haku asked tentitively, not sure if this was a touchy subject.
Sukien nodded shortly, eyes hardening. "Yuki." Before the guard could speak again, she shushed him with a gesture. "Ask no more; we have company."
Though curious about his mistress, Haku knew his top priority was to protect her. Listening closely, he heard the sound of ninja sandles on the roof tops and felt not-so-low chakra signatures a floor above them.
"A jounin," he murmured to Auron, glad of the highened senses being bound to her gave him, "one with chuunin chakra capasity but obviously a genin and," he sniffed, catching their scent from the open window, "a female genin. They are... familair." He glanced at his mistress, who only nodded, expression serious.
"Auron is coming now," Sukien whispered to Haku, who whipped around a moment later as three known strangers crashed through the window.
There stood Hatake Kakashi, the gray haired jounin, ready and alert, his genin subordinates Sakura (long pink hair now tied back with a loose bow) and Sasuke (who Auron knew had semi-mastered his shirigan eyes, at the moment an onyx dark as the stone). The Leaf nin's eyes widened as they saw just who Kandai Shurina and Shinsetsu Kuhaina were.
"Airan-san?" the adult murmured in disbeleif, staring at the sitting girl drenched in sweat with a shock visable eye. "You are Kandai Shurina-san?"
The girl smiled wryly, amused by the younger two's gaping, as she replied jokingly, "Whom did you expect, Hatake-san? An old woman and her twenty-some chuunin guard?"
The man sweatdropped, knowing of her sense of humor from spending eight days in her constant presense, though he'd never found out her real name. "Mah, mah. You haven't changed."
Auron raised an eyebrow, trying her best not to cough. "It hasn't been that long, Hakate-san. Only a few monthes."
Before either could continue, Sasuke interjected, "You're the Snow Country ambassiader?" His expression was shocked, something that didn't happen often, and he blushed at her reply.
"Hai, Sasuke-san. Why so surprised? It is my home village, before we began our travels." She gestured to the stone faced Haku, paused as she gave the Uchiha a once-over, and continued, "You've grown. Going to be a real heart-throb when you get older, I bet. If you aren't already." She meaningfully glanced at Sakura, a glint to her ice eyes, after winking in the flushed boy's direction.
Suddenly, a worried blonde rushed in, holding a full glass of water without spilling, and all eyes turned in his direction. "Got your water, Airan-san, then I heard voice and-" he trailed off, seeing his teammate staring.
"Hey Sakura-chan!" he shouted happily, not moving to her side like he normally did. "Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke-teme (growl). Did you invite them over too?" Naruto addressed this question to the pale Auron, walking over to her table and setting the glass of water down.
The sickly girl smiled, a glint to her eye, as she ignored her apparent illness for the time being. "They seemed concerned for you, Naruto-kun, and stopped by to check on you." Kakashi winced slightly as he understood the look in her eye. "Hatake-san was just asking about you, truely."
Naruto's grin widened, still as happy and carefree as ever, and addressed his teacher. "No need to worry, Kakashi-sensei! Airan-san was nice enough to let me stay."
"So we heard," muttered the now-normal-colored Sasuke, unaware of Auron's giggling. (She'd taken a picture of him embarassed, with the video camra survalencing the room.) Sakura nearly swooned at hearing his voice, though met Auron's gaze before she could turn into a Sasu-fangirl.
'Leave it,' the girl's gaze said warningly, eyes cold as their icy color. 'Come here.' Sakura did so.
As if in a slight trance, Sakura walked closer to Auron as said girl began to cough. Naruto, surprisingly, didn't panic and handed his weezing ward the water glass and pills he had stood by.
Slightly confused, all of Team 7 stared questioningly at the girl talking medicene and the rigid boy beside her. "Anything interesting happen?" Kakashi asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence.
As the tabits took effect, Auron just glanced up and sighed, sharing a small thought conversation with Haku. "Where to begin?"
"After leaving the Wave Country? And the power surge?" Kakashi volunteered, perverted book absent from his hand for once.
Auron just sighed again, sitting crosslegged under the sweat-soaked sheets, head on hand, elbow on knee. "This could take a while."
The jounin instruter smile, eye a happy arch. "We have time."
-s-s-s-s-s-
After a twenty minute explaination and various questions from the three genin, Auron and Haku's fake story was complete. Kakashi was still wary and suspicious of them both, though he was glad the girl had startled a reaction out of Sasuke several times with teasing and snide remarks. To their jounin instructor, Team 7 seemed to be getting along better in the Snow Country reprosentative's comany than out of it.
During the conversation, Haku had seldom interjected and stayed tense, all the while staring passively at the strangers. He looked familair to Kakashi, but the man knew he would've remembered such a beautiful face (even if it belonged to a man) and the name assosiated with it. Kuhaina was a nice name, though pretty feminine for a guy...
"How have things been here, Hatake-san?" Auron asked as the last question was answered, the power surge forgotten for the moment.
"Nothing but stupid D-rank missions!" Naruto cut in loudly, and began listing some of them, "Cuting grass for some old geazer, finding the Lord's wife's cat (I swear that thing hates me), weeding the Yamanaka's garden (That lady's strict! Hit me over the head too many times...), clean-"
Sakura, eye twitching, hit the blonde over the head in annoyence. "She doesn't want to here those boring things!"
Team 7, used to the two's bickering and violence, just ignored them, Kakashi turning to Auron. "What he means to say is nothing interesting has happened so far."
The girl nodded, laughing at the blonde and pink haired gennin's anticts, smiling lazily at the jounin. "Ah, I see. You did tell them what's happening in a month, right?" Sasuke, who was listening, didn't understand her last comment and went back to watching Naruto and Sakura chase each other around the room, leaving the older two (three if you counted the statue-like Haku) to their conversation.
Sweating nervously, the lazy adult whiped out his orange book, grinning his usual smile. "No... not yet. They're not ready, at the moment."
Auron smile was sweet, and Kakashi knew from experience that anyone who fell for that act would have to do as she said if they wanted to live peacefully. "Have you trained them reacently, at all?"
The instructor nodded, skimming his book's text. "Of course. What kind teacher would I be if I didn't?"
"A lazy ass one who's alway's late," Auron stated charmingly, making Sakura stop mid-chase and Naruto turn and stare; Sasuke was already looking.
Kakashi sweatdropped.
Airan continued, still smiling, "I suggest you take them seriously, Hatake-san. Not just sparing; Sakura, I'm sure you've noticed, has been lacking the reading material her mind can now handle, and Sasuke needs more jutsus to perfect. As for Naruto..." As the gennins couldn't see her face, they didn't know why their teacher's eye had widened in fright. When Auron decided something, it was final; her knowing, territorial grin proved that. "...Haku-kun and I shall help Naruto-kun."
"Mah, mah, fine," said Kakashi nervously, glancing at the watching trio. "I'll need him for missions, though." He didn't like appearing weak, or being seen pushed around by a teenage girl who wasn't even a nin. But if they new the power she had Up There... and the dirt on anyone imaginable...
Auron continued to smile, this time sweetly, as she sent a quick look to Haku, who in turn nodded slightly and rose, startling the Leaf nins. Said chuunin walked to the door, before asking emotionlessly, "What would you like?"
"An ocha (green tea), mixed with rosemary and mint please, Haku-kun." The nin nodded, turning his attention from his mistress to her friends.
"Ocha," Sasuke grunted, once again cold.
"Some of that stuff Airan-san made! It's good!" commented Naruto with his usual enthusiasum, now sitting next to Auron.
Sakura shifted nervously under the guard's dark eyed gaze, her own orbs staring at the blank wall. "Lemonade, please. I'll help..." she offered softly.
Haku nodded shortly, knowing he couldn't carry six drinks on his own, in exceptence. "Hatake-san?" he questioned the silent jounin, who was (un)suprisingly glued to his perverted novel, giggling every now and again.
The jounin glanced up and blinked owlishly, "Eh?"
"Your drink," the young man stated, blushing faintly. He'd read a copy of the book while browsing with Auron in a random shop on their travels; it was extremely graphic, cheesy, and something only dirty old men would like. His mistress, having read a borrowed copy of a carvan member's openly and without so much as a pink tint to her pale cheeks, seemed imune.
"Oh." Kakashi paused, "Tea?"
Haku nodded and left, followed by a nervously stumbling Sakura.
A silence fell, only to be broken by Naruto of all people (and not with some stupid question either, surprisingly).
"What did I need a yukata for?" he asked Auron seriously.
Sasuke stared (since when did the dobe own a yukata), Kakashi stared dreamily into space (a Naruko -Naruto's Sexy no Jutsu- in a kimono... kawaii), and Auron replied, "For the festival, of course. Didn't you know?"
Naruto shook his head, eyes gaurded and sad as he let down his mask for a moment. All three others in the room noticed, though the older two acted oblivious as the younger stared in surprise for a moment, then quickly over came it.
"No? Well, I think it's a Konoha tradition to go with family, and I thought I'd go with you and Haku, since (most) of my own isn't here..." she trailed off, expression wiskful, inwardly shuttering. 'Not that I mind,' she thought in Flordinese, making sure the one connected her mind hadn't heard. 'It's better that thay aren't.'
Naruto's face was bright with shock, before he recovered and his face came alight with something akin to sunshine happiness; his smile brighted his face and made everyone looking smile in return (including Sasuke). "Sou ka?" he asked, glancing meaning fully at the reading Kakashi and his broading rival.
"Hai," Auron stated smiling. "And since your team is your family as well..." She turned to the teacher and student as Haku and Sakura entered the room, carrying their drinks. "Would you like to come to the festival with my cousin, Naruto-kun and I, Hatake-san, Uchiha-san," she turned to the confused pink haired on, still smiling, "Haruno-san?"
"Eh?" Sakura her tray on top of the dresser, glancing from the elder female to her not-so-secret crush. 'Go to the festival with Sasuke-kun? Inner Sakura: HELL YEAH!' "I'll ask my partents..."
Kakashi regarded Auron for a moment before nodding. "It will promote teamwork. I'll join you."
"Don't be late," Naruto yelled, grabbing his KoolAid-like drink and sipping it. He turned to the silent brunette, scowling slightly, "What about you, Sasuke-teme?"
Haku remained silent regarding them all as Sasuke answered with a snort, "I'll go, dobe."
Sakura swooned, Naruto yelled at the Uchiha survivor, who ignored the shouting 'baka', Kakashi read his book again, sipping tea, as Auron just watched, smiling. "It's settled then. We'll meet at the park at six PM that day, shall we? All of us have a week to prepare."
'A w-week? It sounds like a date... with Sasuke? Oh, what'll I wear, what'll I wear!' -Sakura
'Hn. It will be nice to not go alone this year.' -Sasuke
'Airan-san's a nice person, inviting Sakura-chan and Sasuke-teme... Grr, he gets all her attention! At least this time we can spend time together...' -Naruto
'Hmmm... good for you, Aiko! Ooo... is that even possible? I wonder when the next volume of Icha Icha Paradise comes out...' -Kakashi
'What is mistress thinking? We don't even own yukata!' -Haku
'I wonder if they know I can hear them,' Auron sighed, leaning against the blonde sitting beside her. "It was nice seeing you again, Team 7 of Konoha. But don't you think you should report to Hokage-san? You've been here over three hours." She was right, the clock stated 6:02 PM.
Kakashi nodded, and soon Sakura was following Sasuke home, asking for a date as their instructor went for a report. Naruto headed to make dinner (surprisingly not ramen), leaving Haku and Auron alone to talk.
"This is interesting, ne, Haku-kun?" commented the girl, leaning her back against his.
"Hai, Airan-sama," the guard replied, body tense.
The light haired girl turned to face her friend, meeting his guarded eyes. "You're too rigid, cousin. What do you people do to relax? I can give you a massage, if you want."
Haku shuttered at the thought of what had happened last time his mistress had offered such; his own needles had never seemed the same again. "No, thank you, cousin. Most go to the onsen (hotsprings)... and that sounds like a good idea."
Truthfully, his body had been tense from stress ever since they'd come within ten miles of Konoha's walls. He needed a break, and Auron's comment had given him a way to relax once again. "Shall you come as well?" he asked. If she did, there was no way he could guard her as he bathed, unless they went in the mixed baths, and (blush) that didn't seem right.
Auron shook her head, smiling in amusement. "No, no. Go and enjoy yourself, Haku-kun. I have protection enough here, in Naruto-sama as well as the walls." In private, she gave the younger boy her respect even though she showed much effection in public and said boy's pressence.
Haku nodded in agreement, raising and glancing back at his bemused mistress. He left shortly after, taking the long way to the hotsprings a few blocks away, unknowing that his mistress followed him twenty minutes later.
"I'll be going out for a while, Naruto-kun," she'd said before leaving, "I'll be back in an hour or so, enough time for you to make supper in peace. And if I'm late, don't worry; I'm going where Haku is." The boy had just nodded and continued his brewing in the kitchen, intent to please the warm eyed girl.
-s-s-s-s-s-
At the onsen...
Jiraiya heard a giggle from behind him and automatically turned around. There stood one of the prettiest teens he had ever seen, all chestnut hair and laughing eyes. Too bad she wore a cloak that hid her figure, though; he was sure she had a nice, fine one.
Suddenly feeling inspired, the ero-sennin (as Naruto would later call him, instead of by his name) whipped out his notebook and prepared to write, stopping only as he heard the beautiful angel's voice. "You really shouldn't be peeping," she paused to giggle and point at the wooden wall, "at a boy, sir. I'm not sure my cousin would appreciate it much."
Jiraiya glanced through his peeping hole just to make sure the pretty stranger wasn't lying, and sure enough, the pure-snow looking 'girl' had a surprisingly straight chest. Chest-fallen, the frog hermit wilted, causing the girl to laugh even more.
"Those are the men's baths, you know. The women switched because of complaints that a strange animal was making noises. Was that you, sir? Cause it sounded high pitched and ready to mate."
He looked up, she was smiling, and that unnerved him. Usually any woman that caught him staring would've yelled "Pervert!", slapped him and beat him within an inch of his life (not that it bothered him or he minded. Some times they wore towels that came off and really short shirts... -drool-) Had me met a woman as super-perverted as he was? She looked kinda young, though.
He glanced at her warily and childishly asked, "Are you gonna hit me now?"
The girl just blinked as if the concept of hitting someone was inconceivable, then answered, "Why would I hit someone who is just trying to fulfill their passions without causing undue distress to the female population by peeping instead of just walking into the woman's bath naked?"
Jiraiya stared at the sky, a heavenly light enveloping him as chibi-angels danced around his oblivious head, thanking the Gods that there was a girl out there who didn't mind his peeping! However, the last part of her comment sunk into his vulnerable-just-messaged-a-God's skull as he began to turn toward the girl.
'Woman's bath... walking... naked..' drooling interpretation.
He felt a massive nosebleed coming on, a trickle of blood was already coming out, only to be whipped away by a pale hand. Said hand snapped him out of his hentai musings as he focused on it for dear life. Who knows how she'd react to a passed out super-perverted hermit she didn't mind peeping. You never know with women...
He the got a good look at her pale eyes, near transparent icy blue, warm instead of the expected cold, and to him that made her incredibly sexy. He felt another nosebleed coming on and was thankful when the female teenage stranger stuffed a few Kleenexes up his nostrils.
"Are you alright now, sir?" She sounded concerned.
"Fine, fine."
She just smiled, then seemed to notice his notebook. "You are the writer of Icha Icha Paradise?" Jiraiya nodded, silently fearful that she would act like Tsunade. She didn't appear to be a ninja or have any combat training, but in Konoha you could never know for certain.
Her (lovely) voice interrupted his train of thought; speaking but not hitting was a so-so good sign. "I just noticed your female on female scenes are a bit off..." Eh? "You see, my... sister likes these kind of things and kept insisting for me to make sure our guardian did find out..." Sure, he thought sarcastically.
"Anyway," she continued, smiling. "You are also Jiraiya of the Three Sennins, correct?"
He gave a pose, intent on giving a grand wave-crashing introduction. Her smile just widened as she interrupted, "I'll take that as a 'yes', Frog Hermit Jiraiya."
The fifty year old sulked, only to be patted on the shoulder by the nervous looking girl. "Please cheer up. I just wanted to introduce myself, Jiraiya-san."
'No -sama?' he thought in reply and disappointment, then remembered her eyes. They weren't similar to any he'd ever seen in Konohagakure, and unless she was a genetically mutated Hyuuga (which he would've heard of), she was from somewhere else.
"I am Kandai Shiruna of the Snow Country. My cousin, whom you were spying on," she stopped to giggle at the look on his face, "is Shinsetsu Kuhaina of the same Country. It is a pleasure to meet you, Jiraiya-san." She bowed politely.
'Snow Country; that explains it,' the sennin thought, inwardly serious. No one knew much about the new ruler of the Snow Country or it's occupants, only that the Hidden Village they had was moderately powerful. What the girl said made perfect sense, but why was she here?
Instead of asking, he leered questioningly, "Do you like my novels?"
Catching the suggestion in his tone, the girl Shiruna just laughed and waved him off. "I am sorry, Jiraiya-san. Flattered, but sorry. I have a fiancé waiting for me at home, and I do not think my Clan would like me to do as you will before marriage. Plus, I am illegible to brake my chastity-till-married vow until I am sev-17 years old."
"Such a strict family," Jiraiya muttered, downtrodden by the girl's polite refusal. The only one he was actually serious about was harsher, so it really didn't hurt as much or matter.
"But don't worry; I'm sure she'll come around some day."
His head shot up. "Eh?"
The girl just smiled and reached up to pat his shoulder, "Your destined mate, I mean. Someone who travels so much and gathers all the data you do is bound to find his perfect female -or male, if you prefer," he wasn't that used to such jibes, and the wink he gave him signaled she was teasing about earlier, "sometime or another."
He wasn't that reassured, but silently thanked her for trying to help.
Unbenownced to him, she heard his murmured thought and smiled knowingly.
"I am sorry, Jiraiya-san, but I must go now. I am to meet a friend of mine soon. Maybe we can continue this conversation next time you are in town?" She looked remorseful to go, but anxious to meet her friend.
"Sure," he replied, removing his peeping pipe from the hole. "You know where to find me."
"That I do." She nodded and smiled, adding, "Follow the women's screams, eh?" He winced just thinking about those slaps and beatings, no matter how much he saw and touch.
With that, she was gone with a wave.
-s-s-s-s-s-
Auron chuckled to herself as she headed away from the hot springs and the long way to her temporary home just down the street. No need for the Sannin Jiraiya to know she lived close to one of his favorite peeping spot...
The foriegn girl glanced around, unfamilair with this path though she'd taken it more than once. It was close to a number of training grounds used by ninja ranging from gennin to jounin in their practice, though you would hardly ever see them since the Leaf''s trademark trees prevented anyone from observing unless they dared enter said Training Ground.
Walls enclosed the once-dirt path before Auron as the road become paved, telephone lines drifting down from their polls as she stared at the sky, silently stopped in the middle of the walkway. It was such a nice day; what could she do without causing suspicien?
"This way, Corps!" came the loud whispered, interupting her temporary peace. Shifting her gaze from the cloudy blue sky to the odd box dressed as a badly camofluged rock creeping across the road's edge in her general direction, Auron raised an eyebrow. Something nagged at the back of her mind that this scene was somehow familar, but she pushed it from her mind in favor of finding out whom had spoken.
Clearing her throat, Auron subduely stated, "Ano... Who are you?"
"HA!" Exploading with an overuse of gunpowder, the bow-rock-thing landed inches away from a stunned Auron's feet, only to reveal three coughing youngsters (just guess). Taking her surprise for their 'stunning' arrival and not her rememberence of prophecy papers, the dark haired one, a beeny and goggles on his head, smiled, missing teeth apparent.
"We are the Konohamaru Corps, wishing you welcome to the Village!" the Hokage's grandson declared, stricking a pose along with his recovered friends. Auron just blinked at them, speachless.
Konohamaru's shoulders dropped as he got no reaction from the light browned haired girl, sighing. Still stunned though she was, Airan quickly recovered.
"You are Sarutobi Konohamaru-san?" she asked politely.
Said boy's face lit up as he gave her a cocky grin. "So you have heard of me!"
Auron just smiled. "Of course. Sandaime-sama's grandson and..." She trailed off, seeing the younger's check fallen look as his friends tried to show their support and perk him up. Her smiled returned, larger this time, as she continued, "And the fellow pranster of my current guard, Uzumaki Naruto. He's mentioned you often. It's a pleasure to meet a friend of such a person, Konohamaru... -kun."
The boy's eyes widened to comical poportions, as did his grin. Finally, another who acknowledged him for himself, and not the Hokage's grandson!
"Just what I would expect from a friend of my rival's!" Konohamaru shouted, eyes shining.
Auron smiled brightly in return, "Not what I would expect from a future Hokage. Are your friends alright?" The with glasses was blushing as he stared at her, snott running from his nose, as the girl kept shooting jealous glances at her.
The Hokage's grandson, distracted, hadn't noticed his tutor's arrival before it was too late. "Konohamaru-sama--!" called Ebisu-sensei. All three scared youngesters took off at top speed, yelling "good bye" to their new aquantence Auron.
Smiling in amusement to herself, the girl thought as a light wind sent leaves dancing around her, 'You'll be a great leader someday, Konohamaru-kun, and all of us shall be watching.'
-s-s-s-s-s-
The next day...
Sandaime Hokage, once called the Proffesor, sat in his office, paperwork half way done, and sighed. For all the world he was bored, and when he was bored he tended to observe Konoha's amusing citicens through his crystal ball. And there was one such citicen he was curious about...
Gazing into his round glass, Sarutobi locked onto Kandai Shurina's chakra signiture. It seemed she was at her rented home, just leaving, as she waved to Naruto and Haku, who seemed to be training in the grounds behind the huge house.
He followed her as she walked towards the ninja Training Grounds, greeting various people politely alond the way, and as she stopped at number 44: the Forest of Death (think second chuunin exam with Anko as the instructor). His eyes widened as she easily jumped the fense, something he'd thought impossible for no one but a trained shinobi, and entered casually.
But as the strongest ninja in Konoha Village tried with all his might to lock on to Auron's as it began to fade, he couldn't find it within his crystal ball's area limits. The globe fogged up, leaving the Sandaime perflexed. The old man sighed, leaning back in his chair as he thought of other ways to cure his bordom, leaving the thought of the mystery that had just presented it's self for a better time.
There was nothing he could do to find Auron anyway; her essence and chakra signiture were gone.
Somewhere, in another demention of space where time didn't seem to exist, shadowed figures watched Auron as Sandaime had through a daimond-like looking glass. No light existed save from what reflected off the group's multipul eyes and the scene of the exiled Heiress entering a cursed wood.
"She has come," stated a nazily male voice weezingly.
"Why has she come?" asked another, the speaker obviously male from his throat's deep, booming rumble.
"To call upon us, of course," sqeeked a highpitched, female voice.
A pair of ruby eyes opened to veiw the gathering cridictly, glowing of their own right, then came to rest on the crystal scrying mirror. "She has come of her own right, to ask for reassurence that nothing shall come of her current decitions," spoke a firey female, sounding patient, calm, and powerful.
"She may have asked from a not-so-dangerous place," commented the mouse-like one, beady black eyes twitching around the many shadowed faces.
"It is the only succluded place she shall be left alone in," explained a soothing, airy voice happily. "There are those who would wish to interupt her meditation for menial Mortal things."
"Ah." The sound shattering voice sighed, "We all do not have the knowledge you of the Immortals do."
"To be expected, child," commented a powerful speaker, sounding as if a mear word could cause an earthquake. "You are young yet and have many years to gain what we have and you lot seek."
"Yes, grandfather," the booming one said sulkily.
"Shall we answer her unspoken call?" asked the highpitched one curiously, being reasonable.
"Yes, we shall come to the Last One's current Speaker. Be polite and do not overwelm the Heiress this time, child. She was not ready at the Mortal age of eight to fully bear your annoyence," answered a musical, smooth male voice, chuckling at the former's intellegable snort.
"Get ready for us, Leiya m'girl," the musical one continued, a smile in his speach, "We're coming early."
The looking glass shimmered as the shadowy figures appeared in the trees surrounding the smiling girl, leaving the darkness of their own demention. From within the darkness, a human, male voice began laughing hystericly, coming to gaze upon the crystal mirror the illuminated jewel-green eyes alight with madness.
"Soon, my sweet. Soon I shall have you back. You may have banished me with the help of that brat this time, but ever so soon you shall belong to me once again." Continuing to cackle loudly in the echoing darkness, shoulder-length light chestnut hair fell in his face as he leaned over the looking glass. "His power shall be mine to hold, as his brother's shall be to you, Leiya-chan. Wait for me to come, and I promise you won't be disappointed.
Grinning widely, insanely, the young man broke the mirror with a surge of dark energy, leaving himself in the darkness as he began to sing her song:
Your soul shall shatter
as flowers bloom
when spring comes
from winter.
Remember well,
the ice that melts
to bring refreshing
showers.
For all things come
with scarifies.
He laughed hystericly. "You have to finish the song some day, Leiya-chan. I'll be waiting until that day comes... soon."
-s-s-s-s-s-
Owari Chapter Seven
-s-s-s-s-s-
1 The Song... Flowers Bloom, Hearts Shatter is quoted through out the chapters. I'll have the full version later; it's written and all, but the words come in useful to confuse you all. Auron is the one who singings it, mostly; it is also where I got the title.
2 Auron's Nicknames vary. She hates her birthname, Lopeona Talance, and she nicknamed herself Auron (for a reason unknown so far). Leiya-chan is her childhood nickname, so Yuki (the last shadow figure, if you haven't guess) must have known her somehow in her when she was younger in Flordina. Information on him, how she's 'not-quite' human, the shadow figures she called, Kitsubi-sama, the Last One and her as he/she's 'current Speaker' shall be revealed in later chapters!
A/N: Ok, late late late and late, I know. But long is good, right? Most chapters from now on I'll try to make 6000 or so words, ok? And I think this one's good enough, since it's 6680 or so words.
Next Chapter: 8: Flowers Bloom (so much like love) (The festival starts, yet Auron seems shaken, as do Haku and Naruto. What did those shadowy figures want, and why is Sakura blushing? Others of the Rookie 9 make their first appearence!)
'Til next time, my beloved readers!
Li