Author's note:
This chapter takes place right after "Snowflakes."
"An eye for an eye, Itachi-san. You took my weapon, now I've taken yours."
The Great Capitol of Earth country consumed the blazing orange sun as it sunk below the horizon. The illusory warmth of the tinted light shattered under the icy touch of the atmosphere.
The sight of the Capitol's famous gateway should have been inviting. She should have sprinted towards it heady and relieved. Instead, the ornamental gateway and its bulwarks towered over her with all the soundness of a mirage. Was it truly there, or did she just wish it to be so? She thought again about the glowing sunset and how the season should have been summer.
After so many failed escape attempts this must be a joke. Asaya had been running for a few days at this point, alone and away from the towns and roads. And with no food because she was too afraid to light a fire to cook game and the winter forest offered no vegetation. She hadn't the energy to be excited.
The sun completely disappeared below the horizon, and its warm glow quickly faded into a purple twilight. Asaya looked back at the way she came while dozens of people walked past her into the city. The night sky bled its blackness like ink on paper. She had better enter the city before they closed the gates.
Crossing under the threshold, she couldn't buy into the idea that this was any sort of salvation. Bright, neon lights littered every inch of wall, loudly competing with each other for attention. She wanted to feel relieved, but the city was so unfamiliar and unwelcoming. Iwa, and the northwestern part of the country for that matter, were nothing like this. There was no economy of trendy consumer goods, fast fashion, "in" dining, or any other markers of economic prosperity great enough to produce pop culture. Well, at least not on this scale.
In Iwa, no shops played energetic pop music loud enough to be heard outside. No one wore bejeweled acrylic nails and neon eye shadow for fun on a Saturday night. Middle aged men did not carry polished leather briefcases on their rush home from work while periodically checking their conspicuously consumed watches. University students did not spend weekend nights drinking until they vomited- there was no university.
Iwa was a military city-state independent from yet dependent upon the country it was founded to protect. It was utilitarian before all else. Most of her and Tsuta's favorite magazines and publications had to be special ordered and they would receive them a week after they hit stores in other cities. And here the latest editions were sitting on the racks in front of her, along with countless other options.
Sure, Earth country had a reputation for being old-fashioned and behind the times, but right now she felt closer to any of the foreign cities she had traveled through than her village.
The last light of sunset faded into the night. The contrast between a clear night sky and the buzzing neon lights made the city streets even more affrontingly ostentatious: jetting out from the walls, cramping the space between high rises, and bleaching out the stars. It was unsettling to see everything at once but nothing clearly.
The clock in the storefront next to her read 6:30 pm. Well, 6:27, but Asaya always rounded to the next number divisible by 5. Perfect. Not only did she not know where any government buildings were but this late on a weekend they were probably closed.
Asaya came by a koban and decided to ask for help. "Um, hello, sir." She demurely addressed the police officer at the desk.
"Hello, Miss. How can I help you?" The officer was a clean-shaven man of about 35 years.
"I was wondering where the Iwagakure Embassy was. Or the Department of the Military." She noticed the officer was wearing both a full formal uniform and a security vest. The pristine white gloves and neon yellow vest was an odd combination for an officer at a regular civilian koban, even if it wasn't that far from the city gates.
The officer scrutinized her, raising a brow. Presumably at her shabby appearance. "They are both located on the other side of the city, Miss." He said. "What business do you have with them?"
None of yours, she thought automatically. Yes, she probably looked like a tramp, a vagabond, or a drifter. Yes, she was a short, unimpressive looking young woman with the face of a baby doll. But- whatever.
She hadn't an ID or other documentation to show the man, not even a hitai-ate. Maybe she could walk up a wall or across water but that would just cause more problems.
"Well," she hastily thought of a lie. "I was going to meet my cousin there after work because she just started a new job and…" Ugh, so stupid.
"They wouldn't be open today, Miss. All non-essential government offices are closed for the parade tonight."
"The parade…?" She was confused. New years was weeks ago.
The officer tried to remain professional, but he couldn't quite hide his disbelief when she didn't know what he was talking about. "The parade celebrating the birth of the Emperor's first son? It will be starting soon."
"Oh, I see." That explained his unusual uniform combination. "Well, could I just get a map the city, please? I'm from out of town."
"Yes, miss. Here you are." The officer pulled a pamphlet from a rack and handed it to her. "Is there anything else I could help you with?"
"No, thank you, sir." She said and walked out the door.
Great. Fucking great. Her most obvious choices for help weren't available. Whatever. Might as well head toward them anyway while she thought of new plans.
The city glowed like a thousand birthday candles in a dark room.
"You're sure she'll be here?" An incredulous Kisame grumbled.
"Yes." Itachi replied. "The Capitol is the easier location to reach, even though it's the farther distance."
"And the opposite direction." Kisame added.
Itachi said nothing in response, but kept walking toward the city. He could argue with Kisame about why he chose to pursue Asaya towards the Capitol instead of Iwa like Sasori and Deidara, but he was not in the mood to condone his partner's ornery behavior. It was childish.
"Majong!"
"Ugh." Three resentful nin said in union.
"Dammit, Tetsuya-san!" One of them said. "One of these days I'll figure out how you always win when it matters."
"Luck is my only real skill in life." Tetsuya said with a satisfied smile.
None of his colleagues seemed amused.
"Alright, alright, I promise not to win next time."
The other three men rolled their eyes while picking up tiles. One of them gave Tetsuya a pat on the shoulder and said, "Well, enjoy your night off, kid. Try and enjoy some of the festivities for the rest of us."
"Mission accepted, sir!" Tetsuya raised a hand in a small, mock salute.
Bang!
Asaya slammed the heavy brass knocker on the door of the Iwa Embassy. "Hello! Is anyone there?" She shouted into the crack in the doorframe.
Silence.
Asaya pressed her forehead into the door and slumped to her knees in defeat. Stupid imperial family, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she then released it as a long, low groan.
She had climbed mountains, crossed oceans, and walked countless miles in all kinds of weather, but this… this was just upsetting.
What options did she have now? She turned to look in the direction of the Imperial Palace. There was only one exception to the laws explicitly banning active duty nin within the Capitol: the imperial guards of the Emperor, his family, and his estate.
But what could she do about it? Stroll on up to the gates of the Imperial City and say, "Hey, I have no proof of identity, but I'm an Iwa nin too, so could you guys just let me speak to the captain of the guard on good faith? I swear I'm not trying to assassinate the Emperor."
Standing up, she dusted off her knees and turned towards the palace. It was so much brighter than the dim, deserted district she was in now. On second thought, interrogation and confinement in a jail cell was probably safer than being out here. Besides, they'd eventually figure out who she was in a background check or something, right?
She hurried towards the parade.
"So how do you suggest we find her in this commotion, Itachi-san? Ask every stranger if they've seen a cow recently?"
What an intentionally asinine thing to say. "If you would like, you are more than welcome to."
Kisame did not respond.
"The first place she'd seek out is the safety of other Iwa nin." Itachi elaborated. "In this case, that would be Iwa's embassy, or whatever they have as an official institution. Earth country does not allow an active military presence within its capitol city, unlike other countries."
"I know that." Said Kisame. "But what if she already got there?"
Itachi kept walking down the main street of the city, where the parade had already begun.
Asaya slowed from a jog to a walk when she arrived at the crowded main street. She could see the gates to the Imperial City just up ahead. This was such a stupid idea… She was going to cause a huge scene, the Imperial Family was going to get mad at Iwa for her misconduct, then a bunch of people who outranked her were going to give her talkings-to about her behavior regardless of the circumstances just to feel self-important and… Ugh. Bureaucracy.
As she walked, she examined the clothing of her fellow countrymen. Many of these styles were nearly alien to her. Perhaps then, hers would have been to them. The civilians wore a variety of attire from semi-casual to semi-formal, but they were all dressed nice enough for a special occasion. Some people, particularly women and children, wore more traditional garb. Why not take advantage of an opportunity to dress up? It looked fun.
Little kids waived sparklers around and chased each other while wearing cartoonish masks. Others watched the dancers, musicians, and displays marching down Main Street. Parents of small children held them up and pointed out notable things so that they might entertain themselves. Groups chatted about things Asaya couldn't hear. Many purchased delicious–looking street food from vendors, making her stomach turn in frustration. Some young people dared to hold hands.
No, it couldn't be…? Asaya froze at the sight of the unforgettable black and red. Damn it! She thought they would have chased her towards Iwa, not here.
Her eyes momentarily locked with the familiar black ones. She panicked as they turned red and she unapologetically shoved the person next to her out of the way as she turned to flee towards the Imperial City.
Itachi saw her. His vision may not be that great but he knew it was her by her chakra, even from the corner of his eye. He furtively kept his head down and made no indication he'd noticed anything.
Kisame inhaled sharply through his nose, tantalized. "Prey."
Fresh from his victory, Tetsuya walked through the festivities. Not that he had much to do other than just enjoy being there, but that was more than enough. It was an exciting break from the everyday norm of standing stiffly behind the imperial family while they tediously discussed taxes, policy, diplomacy, or what they thought about breakfast.
Tetsuya stopped at a corner and looked up at a huge, old clock on the façade of a historic building. The fireworks were about to start.
"Oof!" Something slammed into his back.
"I'm so sorry!" A young woman exclaimed.
"Not at all-" Tetsuya turned around. "Asaya-chan?!"
They stared at each other, shocked and bewildered.
"Tets-" She choked, then shook her head. "I need to run. Now."
Tetsuya looked behind her to see two black-clad figures quickly approaching. "Down the next alley on the left. Then to the top of the Blue-roofed building and straight towards the Imperial City gates." He pushed Asaya in front of him. "Go!"
They dashed through the crowd, into the alleyway, scaled the five-story building, and ran across the blue tiled roof. When they reached the far ledge, an audible gasp came from the crowd below. Kisame had leapt onto the roof behind them, completely disregarding any sense of discretion.
"Keep running!" Tetsuya yelled. They leapt to the next roof, but Kisame closed half the distance between them with a massive swing of his sword. Its impact with the roof reverberated under their feet.
Tetsuya stopped and turned back. "I'll stop him. Keep running." He commanded.
"There's another one. Maybe more." Asaya responded. "You can't take them."
Itachi appeared at the far end of the roof, red eyes ablaze.
Tetsuya stepped in front of Asaya, blocking her from view. "Which one can you outrun?" He asked. She was clearly in no condition to fight.
It took a moment for Asaya to process what he meant. She reached out her hand and placed it on his arm. "Look, Tets-"
"Which one?" He pressed, calmly but forcefully.
Small fingers tightened nervously around his arm. The real choice was between two poisons. "The farther one."
As soon as she finished the sentence, Tetsuya lunged at the sword-wielding shark man.
The new figure blocked Asaya from Itachi's view- his tall, lean frame hiding her like a pearl. Itachi was not sure who this man was, but instinct told him that he wasn't nobody.
Asaya's small hand placed itself on his arm, like it was pleading. A second later, the man lunged at Kisame and she leapt to the next roof.
Itachi ran after her.
A screech pierced through the air as rockets flew into the sky and exploded into a dazzling firework display. The entrance to the palace was so close, but could she run fast enough? The ceramic tiles shattered under Asaya's feet. Her calves were disintegrating, her lungs collapsing. But it was right there…
Drums, music, singing, and all manner of noises were squelched by an arm encircling her waist, like a lasso around a horse's neck.
"No! Get off me!" With no other option, she thrashed wildly against him, managing to break free save for a hand around her wrist.
"I'm not here to hurt you!" Itachi's familiar voice yelled at her.
She looked at him like a wild animal in a trap- desperate, violent, waiting for the right moment to strike or flee. Liar! Her eyes exclaimed.
Itachi addressed her earnestly. "Asaya…" Another firework ruptured overhead. Reaching into his pocket, he pressed an object into her hand with a soft rattle. A string of small, spherical beads entwined itself around her fingers, finally reunited with its owner.
"'An eye for an eye,' remember?" He let go of her wrist.
Voiceless, she whispered inaudibly…
Sparks of white, gold, red, and all manner of scintillating colors ephemerally burst above them, twinkling brilliantly against the clear night sky before crackling and fading into nothing as they fell. As if the stars were sublimely dying all around them.
Asaya ran her fingers through her wet hair. Her whole body felt so clean. The last time she had a shower was… some time ago. Luckily, they had let her take a shower and given her a fresh change of clothes. Just a spare t-shirt and sweatpants, but they were soft and comfortable.
Right now, she sat in the break room waiting to speak with the captain of the imperial guard- which was just a fancy way of referring to the guy in charge of all the Iwa nin stationed here. The AC unit softly whirred while one fluorescent light in the back corner of the room blinked every other minute or two. This was a surprisingly modern room for being located in the Imperial City. She'd thought they would have matched the interior design with the traditional architecture, but no. This was utilitarian.
"So, how did you get away?" Tetsuya felt compelled to break the silence. The question felt dumb as soon as he asked it, but it was too late now.
"Luck." She answered. "It's the only thing I'm good at." He could've had her if he'd truly wanted it. She had been exhausted and unable to put up a real fight- not that he wasn't stronger than her anyway. And he was no longer handicapped without his sharingan- a decision she didn't regret now but certainly did in the moment.
Massaging the string of beads between her fingers, she meditated on how they had been severed from her for so long their weight now felt surreally heavy around her wrist. Or not heavy, but noticeable. It wasn't what she remembered, but did she really remember it? She had kept them on her person almost continuously for years, ever since she was first granted them. It was strange how she didn't even realize she had forgotten their sensation when she had once become so familiar with them she didn't feel them at all. How they were a part of her yet she had adjusted to them being gone so quickly.
Yet, having them back did, in some way, keep her grounded.
"Just go." Asaya remembered. That night left her nothing but dazed, conflicted, and embarrassed. Maybe even a little ashamed. Ultimately, though, she'd never see him again.
In any case, she had made it to safety. She had succeeded. She would be back in Iwa soon. And she'd never know the answer.
Asaya looked visibly uncomfortable. Tetsuya should have realized she had been through a lot she probably wouldn't want to talk about. And regardless, she may not be all that excited to see him.
"Would you like some tea?" He walked over to the cabinets and pulled out two mugs.
"Please, don't bother." She urged him. It felt too awkward to accept his kindness. Kindness he really shouldn't bestow her. Kindness she didn't deserve.
"Nonsense," he said while ripping two bags of bergamot tea open. "It's the least I can do. And besides, it will take some time for my captain to get here, so…" he trailed off. He would have mentioned something about how she looked tired, but she probably would have taken offence to it. Or maybe not offence, she wouldn't get angry, just… self-conscious.
He dispensed some hot water from the coffee machine into the mugs and brought one to her. "I know it's not what you like, but it's the best I've got at the moment.
Asaya hesitated before accepting his hospitality. Couldn't he just stop being a genuinely good person? "I like all tea." She reassured him. Bobbing the teabag a few times, she stared at the tag which read "Bergamot." Great.
"That's not true…" He said casually.
"I'm not a snob." She whispered.
"I'm not insinuating that. I just know you don't actually like everything all the time."
He was too damn attentive. Asaya tried to take a sip to spite him, but the hot liquid scalded her lip, causing her to wince.
"See?"
"It's just- never mind." She conceded.
Asaya put the mug on the table with a small tap. The AC whirred heavily in the silence.
"In any case, you know," Tetsuya cautiously began, "Everyone will be relieved to know you're alive."
How was she supposed to respond to that? "I'm excited to see everyone again, too." Who exactly were "they," anyway?
That smile. Tetsuya recognized that sickeningly pleasant smile she gave whenever obliged. He sighed. Sitting adjacent to her now, he wondered if instead he should have sat two feet farther to the right.
"Well, at least Tsuta will be happy. My aunt said he wasn't getting on too well." Tsuta, sure.
"Yeah," Again, how should one respond to statements like that? She had been worried about him, but that seemed like such an awkward thing to express in words. She picked up the mug to take another sip, but it still felt too hot. "I mean, she always says that. And he's tougher than you think, so…" She left the statement open ended.
"I know, but- I mean, I don't think it's easy on anybody."
"Yeah." Asaya vaguely replied, intimately staring at her fidgeting fingers. A part of her did want to talk to him and another part really didn't, but none of her knew what to say.
Tetsuya brought his mug to his lips only to realize that the tea was, in fact, too hot. He fumbled, almost spilling its contents. "Damn, you weren't kidding."
Asaya smirked. "'See?'" She softly mocked him. "That's what you get for not believing me."
"Mm-hm." Tetsuya bit his tongue in pain. "I'll remember that next time you offer me hot chocolate while smirking apropos of nothing."
"Look, that was one time! I put a little cayenne pepper in hot chocolate one time and-"
"'A little?'" He interjected in playful accusation.
"Yes. It was delicious." She said, not quite restraining a grin.
"You put so much cayenne pepper in mine I thought I was going to cough up a lung."He protested.
"Deliciously hilarious, then. And besides-"
"I'm so glad my suffering amuses you." It was nice to finally see her lighten up.
"Whatever, you thought it was funny, too. Or at least you think it is now, so…"
"…Shut up."
The mug between her hands now felt at a temperature suitable for drinking- hot, but not scalding. She smugly drank the bergamot tea.
All expression quickly drained from her face.
"Is it to your liking?" Tetsuya asked with a raised eyebrow.
Asaya gingerly placed the mug back on the table and paused before sweetly asking, "Coffee?"