Chapter ten
Feeling

----

Kakashi and Akio made their way to the village shortly after Sakura left to examine Izanami. Her fiancé seemed to need distraction from the proceedings and it looked like Kakashi had drawn the proverbial short straw.

He would have sighed at his unfortunate situation but over the years he'd developed a tolerance for overbearing, hyperactive and talkative people. In fact he actually counted his blessings that the policeman only slotted into one of those categories, as some people he knew were most definitely in all three.

"Shall we go, then?" he asked finally, after watching Akio fret for a while. He was sympathetic to the other man's plight but could only take so much pacing.

"Ah, yes," Akio replied, moving quickly out the door and off down the corridor. Kakashi double-checked he had everything he needed then followed suit. It was much easier to navigate the large and convoluted house with a guide and so they reached the foyer in what seemed like no time.

"Have you eaten, or are you hungry?" Akio paused before leaving and fixed Kakashi with a questioning look, apparently determined not to be a bad host this time around.

"I'm not sure," Kakashi hedged, not wanting a repeat of the tempura incident. "What were you suggesting?"

Akio considered. "Well, usually the cook has some pork buns made up, in case Izanami requires sustenance."

"Then yes, I am hungry." Kakashi tried to ignore the other man's increasingly formal speech pattern because he knew that if he thought about it too much, a headache would most certainly ensue.

They dropped into the kitchen on the way out and palmed a couple of the buns, and then they were finally out and off down the long drive. Considerably less tired and nowhere near as hungry as he'd been last night, Kakashi took the opportunity to soak in his surroundings this time, noting well-kept gardens and pathways snaking off to each side. The estate was beautifully tended and he expected it required a goodly amount for upkeep...so how exactly had a small town police officer managed to marry himself into such a rich family?

Akio followed Kakashi's gaze and gave a tight smile. "It is difficult for simple men like ourselves to become comfortable in such majestic surrounds as these, no? I often feel out of my depth at the estate. My apartment is only slightly larger than the front room here."

Kakashi compared the foyer to his own home and concluded they too were of similar size. He hadn't really noticed it before since all his apartment provided was a place to eat and sleep. More often than not he was out training or on missions so there had been no need for a large or comfortable home.

"I expect Sakura-sama's house is much the same?"

He started. That's right. "Yes, the estate is - was, perhaps - as big as this one, but the actual homestead's a different design. Not so...traditional." In fact the Harunos' split level was only a few times the size of his own flat, but he took creative licence and stuck to their story.

Akio nodded, still with that same tight smile. "The Hirogaris are a rather traditional family. My father was the mayor of Ontou when I was born and Izanami's father, seeking a favourable alliance, petitioned for us to be trothed. It was a pleasing arrangement to both parties before my father fell out of favour with the Tsuchikage and lost his position."

He didn't offer a reason for the falling out; Kakashi didn't ask for one.

"Izanami's father became desirous of obtaining another suitor for her, and would most certainly have called off the engagement had he not died before he was able to do so." His pace slowed until he stopped and Kakashi paused also.

"How did he die?"

Catching himself, Akio let out a short bark of laughter, and started walking again. "Ah, it was nothing suspicious. He was thrown from a horse while out checking the property and was left there until nightfall before someone thought to go looking. The entire household was dispatched for the search but it was Izanami who found him first. She stumbled upon his body down in a far corner of the garden and became ill for the first time that very night." His eyes flashed with pain and Kakashi looked away, unwilling to intrude upon his memories.

"And so the engagement was never cancelled. Despite my family's loss of station, Izanami confided in me that she would accept no other suitor. She loves me for myself, which I am forever grateful for. I cannot ever repay her generosity or selflessness, no matter how I try to improve myself."

Well, that went a long way toward explaining his awkward and formal speech pattern. The poor boy was just trying too hard.

"That is why I must thank you and Sakura-sama for giving your time and seeing if you can help Izanami. If anyone does not deserve the lot life has dealt them, it is my innocent and benevolent fiancée."

Kakashi had a great deal to say on the unjust and capricious nature of life, but he held his tongue. Nothing would come of comparing tragedies; he doubted the other man would understand anyway. And then he found he didn't have to say anything at all, because they'd reached the village and it was time to go their separate ways.

"Thank you for allowing me to accompany you, Kakashi-san. I hope I was not too supercilious in my companionship."

"Not at all," he said, inwardly flinching but outwardly smiling and shooing the policeman off. "You go and run your errands and I'll take care of mine."

Akio nodded dubiously but left after reminding Kakashi he'd have to remember the way back on his own. Kakashi in turn assured him it was no problem - and it wasn't, he was a ninja after all - and projected an aura of confidence as best he could. When the policeman finally walked off down the street, Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to be alone once more. He was nice enough, really...but just a bit too much.

And now he was free to stock up on things they'd need for when they got back on the road - which, if Kakashi had his way, would be sooner rather than later.

----

Shops lined the streets but he heard strains of a market drifting through gaps in the buildings so he followed the sounds until he found himself in a bustling square. Vendors hemmed him in at all sides and the press of people was a slight annoyance, but least he was in the right place.

"Fancy a sea bass?" a fishmonger bellowed right next to him, holding up a large fish that glinted wetly in the sun. "I've got plenty, going for a good price! Just right for dinner, so fresh you'll think it jumped right onto your plate!"

Kakashi stared at the fish for a good thirty seconds, then let his eye travel ever so slowly up to the man's face. The fishmonger fidgeted under Kakashi's gaze and looked away first, spotting another potential customer. "Now you, fine miss, you look like you want a sea bass!"

"I do?" he heard the lady say behind him as he walked away. He wondered idly why they bothered with ocean fish when there was a more than satisfactory river not too far away, but put it down to the old grass is always greener adage. Everyone always wanted what they just couldn't have.

For the first time the thought struck him as odd, but he dismissed it a second later, coming across a stall that looked to be overflowing with second-hand clothes. He hoped Sakura had no objections about wearing pre-owned things, but if she did it was just too bad. The Hokage had conveniently forgotten to provide him with funds for this "mission" - and he had a sneaking suspicion Tsunade really shouldn't have been put in charge of the town treasury - so the only bit of cash he'd manage to scrounge up was entirely his own. Luckily he'd had a few weeks' wages sitting at home, because he hadn't had the time or foresight to visit the bank before leaving. For some reason bringing a larger sum of money hadn't occurred to him, but then again most missions were much shorter and did not involve trips to market.

"Good day sir," said the less obnoxious vendor behind the clothing stall. "Can I help you with anything this morning?"

Kakashi eyed the clothing. "I think you just might be able to." He explained what he needed and the stall owner came around to his side, helping him rifle through the assortment of clothes. He settled upon a few items and handed over the amount required after engaging in a bit of friendly haggling.

Actually he was deathly serious about the haggling, but the Yamanaka man who owned the flower shop had told him once that most shopkeepers liked friendly customers, and it never hurted to go that extra step.

Once his purchases had been wrapped up he thanked the man and left, walking for a while before stopping and wondering where to go for noodle mix.

"Makoto-san!' a loud voice called very close to his ear. He scowled and moved away a bit. Most of the market chatter had faded off into background noise but this booming voice was strangely piercing with its volume.

"Makoto-san!" It came again and he looked up, hoping to see this Makoto-san since he was now tempted to tell him to be a bit more aware next time. He found himself staring at a great burly man whose swarthy features jogged a memory, and he suddenly recalled telling a similar looking man his assumed name only a couple of days prior.

Makoto-san, he told himself silently, be a bit more aware next time.

"Innkeeper-san," he returned brightly. What had Izanami said his name was? "Ah, no, it was Taro-san, wasn't it?"

"Good job," the other man replied with a hearty guffaw, bringing a meaty arm up to pat him on the shoulder. He fought to remain upright under the gentle tap and thanked his lucky stars Taro had gone into hospitality instead of following his calling and becoming a shinobi.

He smiled and nodded and they stayed like that for a moment, until it became awkward. Taro cleared his throat as he dropped his hand. "Look, mate, just wanted to thank you for saving my arse back there. I thought I'd done my dash and my only regret was sweet little Masa-chan not being able to get out. But then you appeared from nowhere and saved the day, like one of them bloody superheroes you read about when you're a kid!"

Sobriety, it appeared, made the man no more charming, but his appreciation was genuine and Kakashi couldn't help but laugh. "Truly, it was no trouble. I'm just glad everyone was saved."

A shadow crossed the big man's jovial face and he instantly doubted his own words. "Did I miss someone?" Kakashi ground out harshly, afraid to learn the answer. If only he'd been faster, if only he'd used a less violent method for dousing the flames, if only --

"No mate, you managed to get everyone out of the fire, no blame on you at all!"

He waited.

"It was just Fudo-san, the old drunkard, got himself up and missing after everything went down. No one's seen hide nor hair of him since you brought him out. I had to say a few things to the cops, and then I looked around and the bastard was gone."

Kakashi repressed a wince at the butchered language but the term seemed almost affectionate and he wondered suddenly what he'd prefer, the cheery rudeness of Taro, or Akio's stilted politeness. Hmm, tough call.

"Ninja-san!" He was distracted from further contemplation by the happy voice of the innkeeper's tagalong, who bounded up to them from another stall.

"Hello, Masa-chan." He smiled down at the child - the girl, he reminded himself - and asked her how she was going.

"I'm fine and so is papa, thanks to you and the pretty lady!" Pretty lady? Oh, Sakura. He froze for a moment, remembering those same words from another mouth, in what was starting to feel like another time.

She's almost pretty, isn't she?

Strange how all these people were commenting on Sakura's attractiveness. He thought she looked nice because he was viewing her through the biased eyes of a longtime teacher, but maybe it wasn't the case. Lee and Naruto used to fight over her, after all.

And Sasuke had never even given her the time of day.

He cracked a finger joint with the pad of one thumb and kept the smile going strong. "I'll let her know, Masa-chan. Look after your papa for me, okay?"

"Un!" The girl nodded, eyes wide.

He was about to continue on his way when a thought struck him. He swivelled slowly, almost slyly, and asked the innkeeper, "Seeing as you're in the food industry and all, can you let me in on the best place to get trail packs from?"

Taro returned his look shrewdly, a calculating smile appearing on his face. "I see you're a man who appreciates a bargain. Come with me, mate, and watch and learn."

He beckoned and Kakashi followed, thinking that maybe, just maybe, his small supply of coins would hold.

----

"Dammit, not this one either!" Sakura flung the last of the medic-scrolls she'd brought with her across the room, where it breached the rice paper and lodged itself in the wall. Oops. She got up and pulled it out, smoothing the torn edges back into place. It took a while, but she kept going until it looked just right, and only someone who was looking for the flaw would notice. Sighing, she flopped down onto the futon and racked her brain for something - anything - to explain why Izanami's body felt like a corpse.

It just didn't add up. She was warm to the touch, and although sickly, seemed to be breathing evenly and regularly. Blood was obviously being pumped through her veins as no appendages had dropped off yet, and it was only recently that Sakura had been admiring Izanami's hair, which had a gloss not usually associated with the dead. Something had gone horribly wrong somewhere, and she just didn't know what it could be.

So what to do, what to say? She wasn't a quitter and she'd definitely keep trying, but it was a matter of delicate wording to somehow omit the overwhelming presence of death from her report to Izanami.

No, maybe she was just confused. She'd been sorting out too many bruises and scrapes at the hospital, she was just out of practice, that was all. Her crazy chakra didn't know what it was doing, so she'd need to do some meditation tonight and sort it all out.

In fact, why wait until tonight? She was already alone, and she was less likely to be distracted while Kakashi was still in town. She got up off the futon and settled herself on the tatami, reverting to the cross-legged position she favoured for concentration. Allowing her hands to rest loosely on her knees, she spiralled down to the core where her chakra seethed and roiled.

Be calm, she told it, and it obeyed, smoothing out into a shimmering blue sphere that bobbed and hovered in a sea of black. She rose slightly until the chakra was out of sight, and darkness blanketed her, soft and warm.

She breathed steadily, a sense of peace overtaking her, easing the worries from her mind. She waited for something to come to her: a forgotten jutsu, a snatch of conversation with Tsunade, anything. But though she sat there as long as she could, no answers miraculously appeared.

Eventually she sighed and opened her eyes. It was early afternoon now; the sun had crossed the sky and was angling in through the window behind her. She hadn't remembered anything useful but the sense of peace remained, and she vowed to calmly and rationally put today's confusing effort from her mind and make a fresh start by trying again tomorrow.

She was just standing up when the fusuma slid open and Kakashi let himself in.

"Ah, you startled me," she said, and she really must have been deep in thought to not detect his returning chakra.

He gave her an unreadable look before depositing his packages on the floor at the end of his futon.

"Supplies?" she guessed and he nodded, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"How did it go today?"

She sighed. Trust Kakashi to skip the small talk. "It went...okay."

He continued to give her the unreadable look but truthfully she didn't know what else to say. It was ludicrous to admit that her patient felt dead, and she'd wanted this opportunity to prove to Kakashi that she was valuable to him. To the team, she amended, and looked down at her feet.

"What happened to the wall?" he asked.

She flushed. Trust Kakashi to skip the small talk and see the tiny rent in the wallpaper from right across the room. "I had an accident."

"Hmm."

They stood in silence for a bit longer, and she decided - not for the first time - he'd be a terrible man to have as an enemy. He had an uncanny ability to make people uncomfortable, and managed to do so without any apparent effort on his part. Sometimes she forgot he was a powerful and feared ninja. He'd always been irresponsible Kakashi-sensei; it was only recently he'd graduated to her protector, Kakashi. Their changing relationship was one she still didn't understand, and she thought it might be because she didn't want to. Their dynamic was something she'd taken for granted and her world could only handle being turned about so many times.

To her relief a gong sounded somewhere in the house and she straightened, the moment over.

"Dinner's ready!" she joked but he didn't crack a smile. "Hope it's tempura," she added and this time, managed to get a reluctant laugh. He pushed off from the wall and went to the door, motioning for her to go through first. She stepped through, feeling oddly relieved.

"Hope it's spicy," he taunted back, and she stuck her tongue out at him before making off to the dining room.

No, there was nothing to worry about. All was well. She'd somehow made a mistake, but she would definitely fix it tomorrow.

----

She didn't fix it tomorrow. Or the next day, or the next day, or the next. In fact a week passed and she could still determine nothing further than her original evaluation. Despite using different techniques they had all resolutely told her the same thing.

Izanami was still dead.

More dead, if her senses weren't deceiving her, though they more than likely were. The girl's body seemed to be deteriorating rapidly, tissue becoming soggy and ripe. To the naked eye Izanami was merely frail and ill, but to Sakura's chakra soldiers she was already a corpse, decomposing and bloating as if left under the sun.

It was an unsubtle reminder that she'd made no progress, and the juxtaposition of healthy against dead had become no less obvious.

Izanami coughed, startling her from her reverie. "Sakura, perhaps that is enough for today."

"A-Ah." Sakura bowed her head. Another wasted day that served only to exhaust her patient. She didn't want to face Akio either; knowing he was waiting outside expectantly made her feet drag as she walked to the door.

"Sakura." She turned, one hand on the handle, waiting for Izanami to speak. "I have a feeling all will be resolved tomorrow."

"That's good," she enthused, pushing down her skepticism. At this rate there was going to be nothing special about tomorrow.

"Indeed," Izanami replied, with a strange and secretive smile. Sakura hoped she wasn't going into one of her fits again - she wasn't sure what effect that had on the girl's body and mind. In fact, maybe the madness had something to do with this odd duality, a possibility she hadn't considered before.

Right, this might just work. She nodded to herself and slid the door wide, exiting down the corridor towards her room with purposeful steps. She saw Akio hovering but gave him a brisk shake of her head and a "Not now," before continuing on her way. She'd need paper, and a pen, and a fair chunk of time, but if this worked out she'd have solved this mystery once and for all.

----

Kakashi was bored. Really bored.

If they weren't still in a danger zone he'd wish for hordes of enemy-nin to leap out of nowhere and engage him in battle. As it was, even he considered that in bad taste and put the idea from his mind, tempting though it may be.

He considered reading Icha Icha Paradise again, and did so, on the fourth day, but with no one around to be outraged the book was almost dull. No offence to Jiraiya, of course - the man was an excellent writer who employed wit and innuendo to their full potential - but he had already finished it a couple of hundred times.

And this was volume five.

He was tempted to whip it out next time he saw Akio, but he'd probably give the poor man an aneurysm, and he couldn't very well do that. So he tried to combat his increasing restlessness by spending as much time out of doors as possible. He roamed the gardens, scaled the trees, and even engaged in a bit of kata before moving on to more strenuous training.

Nine hundred and ninety-six.

It was nice outside.

Nine hundred and ninety-seven.

The air was clear and he felt at ease.

Nine hundred and ninety-eight.

He could stop thinking about why Sakura was looking so downtrodden and exhausted.

Nine hundred and ninety-nine.

"Kakashi-san!"

One thousand.

He sighed and let his right hand drop to the ground, flattening the palm of his left from where he'd been balanced on one finger. He pushed up from the dirt and levered himself upright, reverting to a standing position as Akio trotted over.

"Is that a requirement of ninja training?" the policeman asked, looking impressed.

"No. It's just something I do to pass my time." And how I have time to pass.

"Ah, so." Akio nodded, still marvelling. "And with one finger!"

Not knowing the correct response to that, Kakashi said nothing and waited for the other man to explain his presence. He had dropped in frequently for dinner over the past week but had not made another daytime appearance and Kakashi had supposed he'd been working. It looked like it was a day off now and he wondered what it would be like having a regular job instead of living as a shinobi.

There'd be security, surely, no living each day to the next. It'd be a steady income, as opposed to a small retainer and bonuses for completed missions. He'd have more of an opportunity to befriend people on their own merits, instead of forced camaraderie where he blindly trusted others, every person putting their life in another's hands. Maybe he'd even have an opportunity to find a girl and settle down into a comfortable married existence, like the one that awaited Akio.

Yeah. That'd be nice.

But...if he lived an easy, simple life, he wouldn't be the man he was today. He wouldn't have been shaped by his experiences, wouldn't have lived through the good times and the bad. He wouldn't have endured the pain that defined him, wouldn't have met the precious people that made it all worthwhile.

And he certainly wouldn't be here, with Sakura, now.

So he dismissed the idle fantasy, because he couldn't change the past. The future was in his hands and it was up to him to make it a good one.

"--Kakashi-san?"

Oh. Akio had been speaking. "I'm sorry, Akio. I was just --" dreaming? "--distracted for a minute. What were you saying?"

The other man repeated himself patiently. "I was wondering if you would care to take a stroll around the gardens with me?"

Well, not like he had anything better to do. "Sure."

----

"So when's the wedding?" Kakashi asked some time later, as they followed a pebbled path that wound around the back of the house. Ferns dangled their fronds over the edges and wild violets ran free, dotting the landscape with vibrant colour. He found it very relaxing and wished he'd discovered this part of the garden earlier.

Beside him, Akio sighed. "Technically, we could have been married at any point in the last six months. Izanami has been of age since March."

Kakashi blinked. Of age? Izanami was only eighteen? Sakura was seventeen, and she seemed so much younger. Or did she...maybe she was just as mature as Izanami but Kakashi had continued to keep her neatly labelled as a "child", and he just hadn't allowed himself to see how much she'd grown.

He shook himself. "Then why the delay?"

Akio looked off through the line of trees. "I wanted to wait until she was better. Her moments of madness worry me and I did not want her to go through any changes until she was well enough to do so."

Kakashi nodded but he was still distracted by Izanami's relative youth. If she was eighteen, then how old was Akio?

"Is Sakura-sama betrothed?" The policeman seemed to want to change the subject and Kakashi let him, answering without thinking.

"No, she isn't." The very idea was almost amusing. Who would she marry? Naruto?

"How surprising. I would have thought the heir to a family such as her own would have been plighted at birth. Ah well, perhaps she will marry soon, if she finds a man suitable for a young lady of Sakura-sama's calibre."

"There is no such man."

His response was immediate and surprised them both; he glanced away, unwilling to let Akio see the astonishment on his face.

That was rather...protective of him. It had almost sounded like he had some stake in the matter - like her father, perhaps, and he definitely wasn't old enough for that.

A brother, maybe? He'd never had siblings, and the more recent generations of Konoha had been predominately only children, precious beyond words to their families and loved ones. He'd admit under duress to possibly considering Naruto as an annoying younger brother, but felt he viewed Sakura differently.

What then? If not a sister...something more?

He stopped walking, horrified. Akio paused also but he didn't notice, lost as he was in this sudden, insistent, terrifying thought.

Did he have feelings for Sakura?

No. Of course not. It was preposterous, absurd. He was nearly twice her age, embittered and world-weary. She was fresh, far too naive, and very young. There was no way he could have feelings of anything beyond friendship for his seventeen-year-old student.

Even if that would explain an awful lot.

Like how he'd caved and let her remain here, practicing on Izanami. If someone else - Naruto, say - had suggested it, they wouldn't have stayed even a night. Or how he'd let that imposter get close enough to touch him, almost as if he'd wanted Sakura to act that way. Or even how he'd agreed to leave the village with her in the first place, knowing full well what he was getting himself into.

No. Yes? It was all too confusing. It was a question he hadn't wished to come to, but one that now had surfaced, refused to go away. It was plausible enough to be a possibility and disturbed and thrilled him all at the same time. It was almost very wrong but very nearly right.

So, what if he did think of Sakura as something aside from a teammate, a student or a friend? Maybe the real question was...what did Sakura think of him?

"Kakashi-san?"

He blinked and the spell was broken; he was back in the real world where silly thoughts like these ones didn't belong. He repressed the desire to indulge further in such pointless idiocy and looked back at Akio.

"Yes?"

The policeman appeared confused and he felt a bit remorseful for having tuned out on him again. Possibly Akio had been talking about something important and he'd gone and missed the whole thing.

Akio tried again. "Do you...smell something?"

He raised a quizzical eyebrow at that, but shrugged and took a deep breath through his nose anyway, to see what the other man meant.

A foul odour had indeed permeated the air and mingled with the sugar tang of violets that had, until now, drowned out all else. The combined stench was sickly sweet, like overripe fruit and fertilizer mixed with rotten eggs. He coughed and looked about for the source - surely it couldn't be too far off if the smell was this strong. He set off in the direction of a nearby cypress, and stopped just before stepping on something lying on the ground, protruding from behind the bole.

He looked down to see what it could be and upon identifying it, paled and froze. Behind him Akio let out a cry and rushed forwards, pushing past him and falling to his knees beside the tree. Kakashi stared a little longer at the limp object in front of him and waited for his brain to catch up and tell him what he was seeing couldn't possibly be real.

His brain refused to heed him and said nothing of the sort. Numbly he reached up to peel off his eye patch, then scanned the scene to remove any doubt. The tomoe spun; Akio keened, and the truth hit home with irrefutable proof.

He'd nearly stepped on the hand of a bloated corpse that he recognised as belonging to none other than their hostess, Izanami.

His mind went blank. This made no sense. He had seen her only last night, there was no way she could have managed to up and die in such a short time. Sakura had spent most of the evening working furiously on some new idea to heal her - there'd be no point in healing someone already dead.

Something was off, in more ways than one. He forced his brain to cooperate, to figure things out; this time his mind obeyed him, and then it clicked. His blood ran cold.

"Akio," he said sharply, and it acted like a slap, rousing the other man from the immediate and consuming grief. His shoulders stopped shaking, and Kakashi knew he was listening. "You're a police officer, have you never seen a dead body before?" His words were cold; they were harsh and he knew it, but something like it needed to be said.

Akio looked at him, betrayal writ across his face. You are heartless, his eyes said, and Kakashi could only agree.

"Well?" he ground out, willing the other man to follow his train of thought.

"I have," Akio said brokenly, his voice cracking. "But never the body of my only love."

Ouch. "Then look closely." Listen to what I'm saying. Somehow he'd landed the role of the villain again and he was really getting sick of having to be cruel to be kind. "I know you don't want to, but you must."

The policeman rubbed at his face and Kakashi tried to ignore the telltale wetness that lingered around Akio's eyes. He watched as the other man inched forward, crawling across the ground, one hand then another bringing him closer to his once-fiancée.

"Notice anything?" Kakashi asked, more to distract himself than anything else. The smell of death was everywhere, the familiar reek weighting the air and pressing down upon him. It was hard to draw breath and he could feel pinpricks of sweat beading his forehead, trickling their way down over his exposed face.

Below him Akio stopped a hand's breadth from the corpse. He shook his head, still too distraught.

"Look closer, then," Kakashi continued, relentless, impatience in his tone. "The body is old; you can tell that it must have been out here for weeks." He gestured to the mottled flesh, the bloated skin, then waved to incorporate the oppressive, intense smell. "What does this tell you?"

Again, all Akio could do was shake his head, tears now running freely down his cheeks.

Kakashi clenched his fists as his logic came full circle. "If the corpse is rotting, a sign of having been here a long time, then there's something wrong with this picture. If this is the case, then Sakura and I have never even met the real Izanami. If this is the case, your fiancée has been gone for longer than you think. If this is the case... who is with Sakura right now?"

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Notes on terms:

Tsuchikage: (Earth Shadow) Head of the Hidden Village of the Earth Country, just as the Hokage is the leader of the Fire Country
tatami: traditional straw mats that are laid down to cover the floor
fusuma: rice paper sliding doors
futon: traditional bedding

Heh. Slightly different cliffhanger from last chapter...so...yes. Anyway, I posted this one earlier because of all the stuffups last chapter, and I'm crossing my fingers that this one works okay. Thanks, everyone! (you know who you are)