The Delphinus Mirror

Hokage street was a simple Japanese street in a quiet village called Konoha to the west of Osaka. The village was filled with almost identical traditional Japanese houses and it was a picturesque place. A few people lived on said street; an elderly couple that were Head Elders of the village that you could hear arguing late into the night. Whether it was over the old man's peeking on the bath houses or the woman's devotion to her sake the entire town knew about it.

Many who came across the village refused to believe that Hokage street was the home to the most noble and powerful families in the prefecture. Many of the families kept to themselves and it was rare for them to talk outside meetings. The winter had brought a thick blanket of fog to the village, making out shapes became incredibly hard for everyone even those who ate their carrots. A graceful figure walked casually through the fog, clad in a pair of simple black trousers, a navy turtleneck jumper and a long red scarf. His long chestnut hair was pulled back from his scarred face and tied in a high ponytail. He knew every step it took it get to his home even if the fog obscured his path.

He pulled the scarf tighter around his neck and breathed deeply, one of his students had spilled paint on his jacket so he had to leave it in the classroom to dry out. He stood on the threshold of his ancestral home and pulled out his keys, he unlocked it easily and slid the door open.

"Tadaima," Iruka called into the empty house but as expected no one answered**(1)**. He stepped out of his shoes and stored them away neatly. Iruka pulled the scarf off and hung it on a peg. He turned to shut the door when he saw a large shapely figure in the doorway.

"Tsunade-hime," Iruka greeted politely and the blonde stepped forward.

"May I come inside Iruka-san?" She asked and Iruka nodded. The busty blonde wore her casual clothes so Iruka knew he wasn't in trouble with the Elders again. He shut the door and followed after the blonde, he found her standing in front of an ornate mirror in the very end of the hallway. It started at the floor and stopped where the wall hit the ceiling, it had a large stone frame that was carved into intricate patterns. A few unidentified jewels were dotted along the edges and the mirror was in good quality for being an heirloom.

"You should take this down Iruka-san, it's very gothic," Tsunade smiled sadly, her finger trailing up the edge.

"It's been there for as long as I can remember, I couldn't take it down," Iruka replied. He averted his eyes, the mirror unnerved him in many ways. Sometimes when he walked past it he felt like he was being watched, out of the corner of his eye he could see somewhere else in the mirror but in the blink of an eye it returned to normal.

Iruka was a level headed man who had a practical way of thinking, he admitted that being in a large house alone made him paranoid. He'd ever started wearing glasses to stop his eyes playing tricks on him.

"Shall I make us some tea? Please go through to the main room, I'll serve," Iruka said pushing the Elder away from the mirror. He fussed around the kitchen, an ominous feeling weighing him down.

'I hope she hasn't come about that whole marriage thing,' Iruka thought, he picked up the tray and brought it through to the low table. Tsunade looked at the brunette as he knelt opposite her, he bowed politely.

"As much as I enjoy your company Tsunade-hime…. Is there a reason for your visit?" Iruka smiled.

"You make a wonderful cup of tea Iruka-san," the woman grinned.

"Feel free to add sake to it if that's what you wish Tsunade-hime," Iruka said knowingly. But to his surprise she didn't pull out her flask out, she pulled out a small bundle wrapped in a blue shawl. She moved to the side of the table and opened the shawl up, a stack of orange backed cards were piled neatly in the middle.

"Tarot cards? Tsunade-hime I don't think….?" Iruka looked at the cards warily. The whole village believed in the gods and anything supernatural was very taboo.

"I haven't used these cards since years before you were born…. Today they jumped off the shelf at me," She said seriously, Iruka gulped and shook his head.

"That's a bad omen. I don't think we should mess with these things," Iruka stood up and backed away, the air felt like it had been heated and he struggled to breathe.

"Iruka-san. Iruka-san! Calm down, if you don't want me to use the cards then I won't. I didn't come over to scare you Iruka-san," Tsunade covered the cards with a calming tone. Iruka nodded and sat back down.

"Forgive me Tsunade-hime. The supernatural isn't…. Something I like," Iruka scratched his scar.

"I know. Mashimizu's experiments must have been hard to handle," Tsunade sympathised.

"My uncle believed in other dimensions, wonderful places that held so many discoveries. However I follow after the more practical Uminos. Uncle Mashi was an amazing man and a great warrior but he had quite the imagination," Iruka's eyes glazed over and Tsunade sipped her tea loudly.

"They never found his body," She said cheerfully and Iruka snorted.

"It was 7 years ago but no one has heard or seen him," Iruka huffed. He didn't like being alone but after years of solitude he learned to cope with it.

"The circle of Elders have been discussing you again Iruka-san," Tsunade smirked and the brunette rolled his eyes.

"Discussing my 'outstanding' teaching skills?" Iruka mocked and the blonde roared with laughter. Iruka was a model citizen but he did like to rebel occasionally, it was refreshing for Tsunade who had boring people around her all day.

"They expect you to marry and sire an heir yet you turn down every eligible woman who they put forward. The girls have nothing but praise for you Iruka-san but why can't you find it in your heart to see them as more then friends?" Tsunade begged. She knew the request was putting pressure on him but the Elders were ruthless when they didn't get their own way.

'Jiraiya and I can only hold them off so long,' She thought sadly.

"My mother said I would know my true love at first sight. These girls are beautiful and intelligent but I don't have that spark. I refuse to marry someone I don't connect with," Iruka said solemnly.

"I know. Stubborn brat. Did you hear about the Sarutobi family? Kurenai had another baby!" Tsunade gossiped.

Iruka's eyes shot open and he took in his surroundings, his cheek was pressed against the cold wood of his desk. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and yawned, the piece of paper that was stuck to his cheek fluttered to the tatami mat.

'What am I doing here? Oh yes, Tsunade-hime left then I had dinner and was doing my marking…. I must have fallen asleep,' Iruka thought, he picked the paper up and checked it over.

'I might make mistakes if mark these while tired. I'll finish them in the morning,' Iruka yawned and stood up. He left the study, sliding the door shut behind him. He walked along the hallway, past the mirror without a second glance and into the laundry room. He stripped off his clothes and threw them lazily in the basket. He slid open a wardrobe and pulled out a pair of indigo pyjama bottoms and a plain white top. He tugged the elastic band from his hair and set it down on a side table.

Iruka dragged his feet along the floor on the way to his bedroom, one arm stretching in the air while the heel of the other hand rubbed his eye. Iruka yawned as he passed the mirror, he stopped and dropped both arms. He walked back to the mirror and scrutinized it, looking over every gem and curve. The mirror itself gave off an almost unseen purple glow, Iruka frowned and laughed to himself.

'It'll just be reflection off my pyjamas,' Iruka thought. He went to turn away when he saw the reflection of someone else in the mirror, two eyes of two different colours.

Iruka blinked and it was gone.

A tanned hand moved on it's own, his fingers stretched out to touch the cold surface.

Just before his fingers could make contact with the mirror, Iruka pulled back with a laugh.

"Don't be so paranoid Iruka, you're overtired," Iruka said turning away from the large fixture and scurrying away to his bedroom.

**Thump!**

Iruka mumbled in his sleep and turned over.

**Thump! Thump!** _Whisper whisper_

Iruka woke up completely and curled his hands into the sheets, he took a quiet breath and sat up. The sheets pooled around his waist and he took a sip of water from a cup by the bedside.

'Is someone in the house?' Iruka worried. He silently got out of bed and reached under his pillow for a kunai, an old ninja weapon that his grandfather gave him. He slid the bedroom door open and looked down the long hallway, the large mirror stood proudly at the end. He peered into every room but found nothing, he looked up and saw the large mirror in front of him.

Iruka looked down the left hall and then the right hall, Iruka couldn't hear the noises anymore and was about to return to bed when he stood on something. He crouched down and picked the object up.

"A tarot card?" Iruka whispered. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head angrily, he rose to his full height and crossed both arms over his chest.

"That's not funny Tsunade-hime!" Iruka called out but no one answered him. The card wasn't in good condition like Tsunade's and the back was purple instead of orange. A thin layer of dust coated it and Iruka blew it off.

He couldn't make out the scratched picture but he could make out the names of the card if he squinted.

"Dal….Del...Delphinus Key?" Iruka sounded out. A loud laughing echoed through the house and Iruka dropped the card to the floor. With kunai in hand and he turned around, he retreated until his back pressed against the mirror.

'This is a good position, I can see all 3 hallways from here. I'll find whoever they are and if they're in league with Kyuubi…. Even better,' Iruka snarled. Iruka's head kept moving from side to side to try to catch a glimpse of the intruders.

"Just reveal yourself," Iruka hissed, his grip around the kunai tightened.

Two pale hands appeared either side of Iruka's head, he was petrified by this. It terrified him more then the thought of intruders. The left hand secured itself around Iruka's neck and the right arm slid around Iruka's waist.

'Hands!… from the mirror? That's not pos….' Iruka's thoughts were cut off when he was pulled backwards. He expected to bang against the surface of the mirror but the impact never came, he felt like he was floating. A warm feeling enveloped him and his head grew fuzzy, his dark eyes felt heavy and they started to close.

'No…. Have to escape….' Iruka thought frantically, he brought the kunai up and stabbed into the hand on his hip. It withdrew quickly but the fist around his neck continued to pull him back through the strange darkness.

"Iruka," A voice rumbled by his ear and Iruka tried to force his eyes open. His blood rushed round his body at double speed, Iruka didn't know if it was fear or something else.

"Iruka," The voice repeated and Iruka growled in the back of his throat, he felt weak and helpless in this person's arms.

'Am I dreaming?' was Iruka's last thought before he fell unconscious.