CHAPTER 2: DEATH SHOCK

Tatsuki looked at her hands as if they were not her own. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of the running water from the small drinking fountain.

Tatsuki stared as the blood of here enemy spilled on her hands and knife. Her pupils dilated and she turned white as all the blood rushed from her face. She looked as if she were going to be sick and rushed to the space in the wall where the guards could relieve themselves.

Tatsuki doubled over and wretched into the small ditch.

When she was done she washed her mouth out with water from the drinking fountain. She then washed then cleaned her hand and knife of the blood.

"Tatsuki, what's wro…" Takeshi cut himself off as he remembered that Tatsuki had never killed anyone before. He realized that this was Tatsuki's first kill.

Her eyes filled with tears as Takeshi watched her with sympathy, something that he didn't often feel.

"Oh, Tatsuki…" Takeshi said as he brushed away some of hair from her face. She jumped into his arms and gave him a warm embrace. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, his arms not all the way around her; he then gave her the first hug since he ran away from his parents, arms around and all.

She started to let out quiet sobs in his arms. He patted her back and whispered, "There now, it's okay. You're gonna be all right. He didn't feel a thing; it was the right thing to do." This was the closest he'd ever been to her except for that time when one of her friends pushed her into him and their lips had met, but neither of them talked about it much. His semi -friends on the other hand still hadn't let him live it down. He was sure that she had the same problem.

She cried for a few minutes into his shoulder, Kohaku's expression stayed calm and unchanged as usual. He had never seen her this bewildered. She looked up at him, eyes full of tears; he gave her a big smile, another uncommon thing for him, and she smiled back. He wiped some of hears tears away. And she seemed to feel better now. They let go of each other and Kohaku asked, "Did you let it all out?"

She nodded her head, still smiling her eyes a little puffy.

"Good, now that that's out of the way, shall we finish the mission?"

"Yes Kohaku-Sephou they both said.

"Good, the file room is in that room," he said pointing to the door.

-a few hours later at the Oboro village-

"You know, I still remember my first kill." Takeshi said as they were walking toward the D.Y.S. (Dormitories for Young Shinobi) as some of the adult shinobi called it, it was just a fancy title though.

"Really, who did you kill? Knowing you it was probably some big congressman that was threatening to expose us." She said giggling a little bit at her teasing.

"Actually he was threatening to bulldoze our village." He said obviously serious. She looked at him surprised. "He wanted the land for a casino or a strip club or something like that."

She started laughing that she had guessed it without even trying.

She's really smart, and funny, and kinda pretty. Takeshi looked at her black hair, still in the cute little twin buns on top of her head, accenting her Asian appearance. She always wore them when she trained or went on a mission, or, sometimes just for no reason. He was surprised at how much he knew about her without even realizing it.

"Does everyone wretch when they have their first kill?" she asked.

"Yup, I did, Kohaku-Sephou did, Nagasaki did (their teammate who is now in the hospital from their last mission), and I would bet more money than you would like to know that Hotsuma-sama (yes I know, I finally mentioned Hotsuma) did to."

"Oh no!" she exclaimed.

"What is it?" he asked slightly alarmed at her outburst.

"I completely forgot, we promised Nagasaki that we would visit him in the infirmary as soon as the mission was done!"

"Oh that's right! He's gonna be pissed when he sees that we're still in our armor!"

"Maybe he won't notice? I mean maybe he'll think that we just forgot we had it on," Tatsuki offered, they were now running in a different direction that lead to the infirmary.

"Doubt it," Takeshi said, "he's smarter than that, he knows how hot it gets in this stuff."

--later at the infirmary- -

"Hi Nagasaki!" Tatsuki said happy to see her cousin. Technically they were all cousins in the Oboro clan but you get the idea. He was like an older brother to her.

"Hi Tatsu- oomph!" was all that he got out before she almost tackled him with a hug.

"OOHHH, the missions just aren't the same without you there."

"I-miss-you to," he said between him choking gags. She let him go and stood next to Takeshi.

"So, how long till they let you out?" asked Takeshi.

"Well, it was supposed to be one more week, but after that 'hug' I think I might have to stay for an extra one," Takaehi and Nagasaki both laughed at that.

"Sorry, I've been getting stronger since your…accident." said Tatsuki.

"Really?" asked Nagasaki.

Takeshi nodded his head and said, "That's right. This little maniac here has been training every day since your last mission."

"Is that so?"

"She even had her first kill today." Takeshi said.

Tatsuki looked proud of her self.

"Seriously! Dammit! Of all times I had to take a shuriken to the gut it had to be now," he turned his head to Tatsuki and asked her, "Did she blow chunks?" he asked.

"You bet; tempura and all!" Takeshi and Nagasaki started laughing hysterically at Takeshi's joke.

Tatsuki looked at Takeshi annoyed, and slapped him on the back of his head.

Nagasaki started laughing even more, then started coughing and hacked up a little blood.

"Nagasaki!" they said in unison. They went by his side and called for a nurse.

When the nurse came she said, "He'll be fine as long he gets some rest. He gets out of the infirmary in a week but it'll be another two weeks before he can go off doing missions again."

"Awww," Tatsuki said disappointed.

"Now out! The both of you! Your friend needs some rest and some quiet wouldn't hurt either. No go! Flee before me!" the nurse shooed them away.

"Bye Nagasaki!" Tatsuki said just before the nurse pushed them out the door and closed it behind them.

"Why the nerve of that nurse! I'm gonna show her who she's messing with!" she raised her hand about to knock.

Takeshi knew what she was about to do, she didn't take crap from anyone without either getting a little vengeance or at least giving that person a piece of her mind (usually a very BIG piece). As she raised her hand to knock, he reached out and said, "Tatsuki. Wait, no!" he held her hand back.

"That nurse-needs-a lesson- in-manners!" she said, straining to inform the nurse about her thoughts about her actions.

"Tatsuki, she's just-doing-her-job." Takeshi said actually having to strain more than usual.

"Ughh, fine," she stopped trying to knock on the door and they started walking down the hall, heading to the dorms.

End chapter 2