Hey everyone !
I'm ever so sorry for the time it took to write & post this – but you know, exams and then we had to move in to a new city and the moving in was a mess, and there was summer job too, and I had little to no time to write. God I'm so tired. So, yeah.
Plus, while I have a plan that I follow, the whole half of this chapter I added on demand, because it wasn't supposed to exist at first. But I felt inspired, so DoctorKnight, that's for you :) I hope you won't be too disappointed.
Everyone else, thank you so much for your reviews and encouragements ! They truly keep me going.
This chapter is a bit shorter than usual, I think, because it wasn't planned at first – the next one will be longer ;)
I hope this was worth the wait ^_^
Dark clouds covered the moon, plunging the Village into true darkness. Not a single light came from the sky, only the warm, yellow glow of the lampposts lightening the streets allowed people to see.
Except if you were a ninja, that is, for they had for the most of them been trained to see in the dark.
Kakashi was crouched on the roof of the Hime's house, lone eye peering up at the sky. Such heavy clouds could only mean rain, but since they were December the 6th, there was a decent chance it would be snow instead. Fire Country wasn't known for its heavy snow falls, but from time to time they did get a decent amount of pure, white snow.
Considering that it was particularly cold that year, they had all the chances.
Deciding that whether it be rain or snow, it didn't matter, for it wouldn't fall anytime soon and thus didn't concern him, he let his eye fall to the trees around the house, and let it travel to those that filled the Village. The wind was biting tonight, sharp and cold, strong enough to ruffle leaves, gentle enough not to howl.
His eye narrowed in suspicion, looking at the moving plants, one hand absent-mindedly fingering the handle of one kunai, safely tucked into the pouch secured at his left thigh.
He was admittedly nervous. Too many possible threats – he usually wouldn't have been so paranoid, but after the day he had just spent into the Hime's so-called garden... he saw potential danger everywhere there was plants. Considering where he lived...
That wasn't good for his mental health, he decided. Too much stress. Still, he had to go now, for he had a meeting with the Hokage in but a minute, and it wouldn't do to be late. It had been secured yesterday – he was to explain what the Hime's garden was and consisted of, since they knew nothing about Magical plants, and they didn't like not knowing things – and he had to go there.
Clenching his teeth, he jumped with a burst of chakra-enhanced speed, rushing over the rooftops towards the Hokage Tower. He reasoned that if he was fast enough, no absurdly vicious plants would be able to touch him.
He was awaited, but he still flared his chakra in the adequate code for the watching ANBUs. No need to alarm them. He took a second to be jealous of them being so blissfully unaware of the potential danger of plants, but shook himself quickly. Best not to add stress to already emotionally stunted Ninjas. It wouldn't end well for anyone – best he be the only one traumatized here, at least for now : the Hokage and Bear would lose their own sweet ignorance soon enough.
Slowing once he was inside – though he still steered clear from the potted plants, and who had the brilliant idea to put living plants inside a building, huh ? – he walked leisurely to the Hokage's Office. He nodded at the ANBUs guarding the door, since the secretary had long since gone home, and knocked on the door. He entered upon receiving the order, and stood tall in front of his Hokage.
He shot a suspicious look at the potted plant in the corner of the office – one that was checked every freaking day now – wondering when he would cease feeling twitchy around plants. He reported his attention on his Hokage, subtly turning his body towards the plant – just in case.
You never know.
He had trusted plants, before. He wouldn't do this again – those Mandrakes had been nasty, one had even tried to bite him. Thank Kami they were small – not only weren't they big enough for their bites to really hurt (and thank Kami, again, that they did not have actual teeth), but their screams were apparently lethal only when they were fully matured.
As it was, they gave him quite the headache, earlier. Ugly little things. At least he didn't faint, as people had been known to do, Hari had told him.
"Hokage-sama, before doing my report, I would like to officially ask for Tenzo's presence at this meeting, as well as the next times I'll go back to the Hime's garden", he said, then, seeing his Hokage's puzzled look, he added "Please".
And that wasn't begging, it wasn't – he told you it wasn't, alright ?
"And why is that ?", wondered Sarutobi, looking tired already.
"Because, and I mean no disrespect, but there is no way in Hell I'm going back here without an emotional and actual support. Tanzo is good with plants, with any luck they will be annoyed and target him", he flatly explained.
And okay, it wasn't kind of him. What the Hell, he was an ANBU, he wasn't supposed to be kind. Plus, it would help Tanzo – that was his official reason. The unofficial one was that he wanted the plants to have another target.
"Who will become annoyed ?", asked the Hokage, wondering if maybe the Hime had somehow forgotten to say that she would put guards in her Garden – not that he thought that likely, she had been remarkably up-front about anything up until there.
Potta-san had told them that Magical plants could be, and were, dangerous – but surely it couldn't be that bad, could it ?
"The plants", answered the Jonin, as if it was very obvious and Sarutobi was being daft.
"The plants will become annoyed ?", repeated Hiruzen, raising a skeptical eyebrow at his Jonin, all the while wondering why he kept shooting distrusting look at the plant in the corner of his office.
The damn plant was checked every day, there was no way another spy had come in without him knowing. But maybe Kakashi knew something more about that ? He himself shot a suspicious look at the innocent-looking plant. He quickly checked for chakra, but as far as he could tell – and come on, his skills hadn't deteriorated so much ! – it was just a plant.
"Yes, Hokage-sama", nodded the silver-haired man. "I respectfully request Tanzo's presence before explaining more".
The old man thought about it for a moment, before nodding.
"Very well. Bear", he ordered, and didn't need to say more than that.
While usually the Hokage's special bodyguard never left his side, the only persons in the office right now were the Hokage, Bear, Kakashi, and the ANBU commander. It had been decided that the Jonin Commander, Shikaku Nara, wasn't needed.
So really, none of these men would ever betray their Hokage, and nothing would hurt the Hokage while they were present. Thus Bear left his post as quickly as he could – knowing his Hokage was safe didn't mean he was happy being away from his post, even on orders. He intended to be as quick as possible, and thought that it was lucky Cat was actually present in Konoha, being just back from a month-long mission away from the Village. He didn't think Kakashi would have talked before Cat's return.
Then men in the office patiently waited for Bear to return with Tanzo, the Hokage deciding to do a bit more paperwork while he was at it. Soon enough, Bear had taken his position back behind his Hokage, and an ANBU with a Cat mask was waiting in front of Sarutobi, waiting for his orders.
"At ease", ordered the old man. "Your presence had been requested by Kakashi, as Tanzo".
Cat relaxed, as much as an ANBU in front of their Hokage ever did, and took off his mask, turning towards his sempai. The four men were waiting for him to speak.
"Can you put the security seal, Hokage-sama ?", asked Kakashi.
The Hokage did so, inwardly wondering what kind of plants the Hime could possibly have to necessitate such precautions.
"Report", he finally ordered, and this time Kakashi complied.
"Well, it began when we entered the Fidelius, which worked as you can tell by the fact that you have probably forgotten where the Garden is placed. Potta-san took several greenhouses out of a bag..."
"Which is why I request Tanzo's presence the next times I will have to go back there. With his affinity with plants, it is my hope that they will feel a bit less homicidal towards us", he finished his report, standing tall but never turning his back towards the potted plant, even if it meant not facing his Hokage directly.
There was respect, and there was stupidity.
The present men blinked. Tanzo especially, who had just received a crash-course on the Hime's life and on Magic, and was now faced with the perspective of sentient plants. More sentient than the basic carnivorous plant, in any case. To think that just this morning he had been relatively happy to still be alive after yet another S-rank mission…
It meant one more man in the secret, which was quickly stopping being a secret and more of a highly classified information, but Sarutobi trusted Kakashi's judgment. And indeed, if what he had said about plants was correct – and why wouldn't it be ? Kakashi wasn't known for his jokes – then it would be interesting to have Tanzo interact with the plants. Safer, too.
None of the men could really imagine what Kakashi had just described, but they were definitely interested. Though plants were easily burned away by a Katon Jutsu, some sounded very interesting indeed. Ninjas weren't known to be wary of them, and the advantage of surprise meant a lot in their world.
"When will you return to the Garden ?", asked Sarutobi, leaning back in his seat.
"Tomorrow", answered Kakashi, before taking a look at the clock on the wall. "In a few hours", he corrected.
"Do you think she would oppose to our presence ?"
"No, Hokage-sama", he shook his head. "She had said herself that if you wanted to come, then you should just do that – as long as I don't give the Secret to anyone she doesn't know. I thought it was because she didn't want strangers in her Garden, but now I think it's because she doesn't want to be accused of murder".
It made a lot more sense.
"Then Tanzo and myself will accompany you when you go. Send one of the Hime's ANBUs protection to tell us when it is", he ordered, writing a few lines on a paper which he then signed before giving it to Kakashi.
It was an order for the ANBU to obey Kakashi's demand.
"Hokage-sama, if I may", interrupted the ANBU Commander, their voice absolutely non-descript, not giving any clue as to the sex of the person. "I would like to be present too".
"Is your schedule clear ?", asked the Hokage, for the ANBU Commander wasn't a person who could just take a day off like that.
"It can easily be", he nodded. "There is not a lot going on right now".
"I'll leave a Shadow Clone to keep the office. Do the same, we will at least be warned should something happen", accepted Sarutobi. "It will be four more persons to give the Secret to, Kakashi. Sure she won't mind ?"
"I'll explain Tanzo's presence, which she should easily accept – she's curious – and she won't mind you, Bear, or Dragon being there. She knows there would be more persons in the know. And you will know where the Garden is – though she knew you would have known anyway, Hokage-sama – but won't be able to tell others. And I think she has placed wards that warns her if anyone enter the Fidelius", he added thoughtfully.
"Then it is decided", nodded the old man. "We shall see each other in a few hours".
"I do have a question, Kakashi-sempai", spoke Tanzo.
"Maa, I'm not ANBU anymore", smiled Kakashi. "You don't have to call me sempai".
Tanzo looked at him blankly, and Kakashi sighed. "What is it ?"
"Why did Potta-san decide to began her garden in Fall ? Cold and snow isn't the ideal weather for sowing, is it ?", he asked, and frowned as Kakashi looked at him with a wide, wild eye.
"Oh, Tanzo. You have no idea".
OoO.
Four men were waiting at one of the smaller gates of Konoha. They were not mere civilians either – no, the four of them were very important individuals indeed. The Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was present along with his personal ANBU guard, Boar. Dragon, the rarely seen ANBU Commander, was present as well, though one wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the group. He was well hidden. Finally, a Cat-masked ANBU was waiting as well, standing silently to the side. There was not a lot of discussion, for all four men were busy thinking about what they were soon going to see.
A Magical garden. With Magical plants. Which tried to actively kill people. Which could move, think, scream. Kill by screaming. That was a bit much to swallow, especially considering that they had never really witnessed Magic for most of them. Only the Hokage, Boar, and Kakashi had seen Magic used in front of them. The others had simply been given the information, some more recently than others, and apart from the fact that they suddenly couldn't tell where one of the fields surrounding Konoha was anymore, they had no proof of the existence of Magic.
But for all concerned, it would be the first time seeing Magic plants, thus they were all curious. And a bit wary, given what they had been told by Kakashi during his report. They knew better than to take this jokingly.
They had been waiting for less than a minute, having just received the notice from an ANBU dispatched by Kakashi to warn them that it was time. They were silently watching the road leading to the gates, having already ordered the ANBU guards to not follow them.
In fifteen seconds, the Hime would be late. Since they were all very skilled ninjas, that would make her lose some points with them. Once the countdown was over, though, they were all badly surprised by the sudden presence right behind them.
Turning sharply, weapons at the ready, they were shocked (some more than others) to find Kakashi and the Hime standing there as if all was perfectly normal.
"I really don't like that Apparition thing", groaned the silver-haired Jonin, taking a staggering step away from the Hime – just in case she decided to grip his arm and Apparate them both again.
She could at least have warned him. He thought they would be running. Or Shunshin-ing. Anything but that.
"Ah", nodded the Hokage, relaxing, and smiling slightly as the Hime rolled her eyes at Kakashi. "That was the Apparition, I gather ?"
He had of course received Kakashi's report concerning their little, short spar some days ago, but that was the first time he was seeing the real thing. It certainly seemed helpful.
"Indeed it was", nodded Hari, looking at all four men in front of her, one after the other. From his hiding spot, Dragon twitched. "Shall we go ? I have a lot to do, and not a lot of time".
Idly raising his eyes to watch the sun's position in the sky as they began to walk following the Hime, Hiruzen gathered that it was around 8 a.m. Not early by any mean for a ninja, but still early enough that the day was just beginning.
"Not a lot of time ?", he mused out loud.
"Well, I have tons of plants to pot, you see", she explained easily. What could be seen as priceless secrets and information were just common facts for her, which explained why she didn't try to keep silent and never refused to explain. "What I planted yesterday was but a small part, and I have a lot more to plant still. Literally a whole other world's worth of plants".
"Interesting", hummed the Sandaime. "How long do you think it will take you ?"
"Oh, I'm not sure", she shrugged, leading them away from the traced path and towards the forest. "Some plants can be planted only at specific times. I don't know how much will change, considering that some can only be planted during highly magic-charged days for example, and there's no magic in this world, but I'd rather not take any risk. I'll just use a lot of magic in the place beforehand, or something like that".
She stopped at the edge, and they looked around, knowing that the field ought to be somewhere close, but unable to see it.
"So it depends. Up to a year, since some can only be planted during Samhain, and it's months away".
"Samhain ?", asked the Hokage, taking his pipe out and preparing himself to light it.
"Don't smoke, it could offend the plants", she frowned at him. "Samhain is Halloween".
He blinked at her, but wisely tucked his pipe back in his pocket. "I see. Wouldn't want them to be angry at me".
What a weird situation, he thought. Bad enough that he had to be diplomatic with Daimyos and the like, now he had to be diplomatic with plants too ?
"Kakashi, if you would ?", she turned her green eyes towards him.
"Right", he nodded, taking a little strip of paper out of his pocket. Armed with a pen, he carefully scribbled 'Hari-Hime's magical garden is in the clearing at the edge of the forest, at the edge of Konoha', before wordlessly turning the paper towards the Hokage, inclined so that only he would be able to read it.
He then turned it for Cat to read, then Bear, and Dragon came out of hiding just to read it as well. He didn't look happy about it, but considering what was inside the Fidelius, Kakashi wasn't about to take any risk.
With a small Katon jutsu, he burned the paper, taking a large amount of satisfaction in the others' dumbfounded expressions. You couldn't really tell with the ANBUs, but their shock was such that their body language, for once, showed it.
"Impressive", breathed Sarutobi, eyes wide open, looking at the impressively high greenhouses having suddenly appeared in neat rows in front of them.
"It seems a whole lot bigger than I thought", noted Dragon, quickly crossing towards the greenhouses – he didn't understand what was going on, not really, but he knew that others couldn't see what was inside that Fidelius-thing, and the greenhouses most definitely were inside it.
If he couldn't hide, he at least wanted to be sure no one but those five could see him.
"She enlarged the clearing», simply explained the Sandaime, as if that very same information hadn't shocked him dearly the day before.
They were now all inside the Fidelius.
"Isn't the fact that it's winter a problem ?", asked Cat, while they were all following her towards one of the greenhouses – number W-01. He had waited the whole night to ask this very question, unable to sleep, especially since Kakashi's answer had been far from satisfying.
"Nah, nothing like that", she shook her head, opening the door with a small pulse of Magic that none of them felt.
She wasn't stupid enough to use only the Fidelius. They may think that it was a good enough protection, but she knew it wasn't infallible. She trusted Kakashi, she did, but he reported to the Hokage, and would give the Secret away if ordered. No one would use her plants for their own purpose.
They were once again shocked into silence. In front of them was a perfectly still wall of clear water.
"... What ?", blankly said Kakashi. "None of the others were like that".
He had seen greenhouses in which the sun shone brightly and hotly, others where it was raining like it was in Rain Country, others where the night was perpetual – and that last one had made it a pain to avoid sneaky attacks. But that was the first time he saw one filled with water.
How would they even plant the seeds ? They would float away, surely ?
"I thought I would do some aquatic plants this morning", she smiled at him – and he knew that was a mocking smirk, he knew it, okay ? She took pleasure in shocking him repeatedly, she did. Rude.
"Can Wizards breathe underwater ?", asked Dragon.
"No", she said, before stopping thoughtfully. "Yes. It depends. Not normally, no, but there are ways".
"Such as ?", pushed the Hokage, watching as she deftly stepped out of her kimono, clad in a one piece black swimsuit. It hugged her body, which was most definitely firm and curvy.
Kakashi looked remarkably rigid. He didn't seem to be able to look away, idly noticed the Hokage, smirking inwardly. He quickly checked to see if his Jonin was still breathing, just in case.
"Such as eating gillyweed, for one", explained the Hime. "You should take your clothes off if you don't want them to slow you down in there".
The Hokage took his mantle and hat off, staying in his ninja gear, while the others stayed as they were.
Hari didn't seem to mind. "Or, and that's what we're going to use, by casting the Bubblehead charm".
With that, and apparently not deigning to explain what gillyweed was, she gently pushed a stoic Kakashi towards the entry, until he was on the other side, underwater. She put her hand in front of his face – and she had to push herself a bit on her toes, making the others smirk a bit – before a bubble of air surrounded the lower part of his face.
He took a few experimental breaths, eye never leaving the Hime's, not even once, since she had began pushing him in there.
He trusted her. He hadn't resisted, not even a bit. He had stood underwater, unable to breathe until she had cast her spell, calm and trusting. His eye had never left her, following her actions, but he had let her do as she pleased. The ANBUs were not a bit shocked by that development, while the Hokage had somewhat expected it. Still, it had happened quicker than he had expected.
Good.
He wouldn't be able to put her under the CRA act, but he wouldn't say no to babies with her bloodline. If she had them with Kakashi, all the better. He was the last of the Hatake bloodline, too. The fact that both seemed quite smitten with each other was just perfect.
"Who's next ?", she asked them, and Dragon stepped up. He wasn't about to leave his Hokage go first, and he would rather Boar stayed with him as he himself tested whatever that technique was.
A few moments later, all of them were breathing underwater, following the Hime as she placed plants and seeds in the rows placed there just for that. They used chakra to stick to the ground, and had been interested to see her cast a warm, glowing blue light to her feet, allowing her to somehow reciprocate what they were doing. Surely the spell had existed long before she had even heard about their world, but it was still interesting to see how chakra and Magic were sometimes used to the exact same effect.
They were energies, after all, and no matter which world they were in, humans were humans. They thought relatively alike, at least as far as practicality was concerned. None of the ninjas here wanted to feel similar to Wizards in any other way, not from what they had heard about them – three of them directly from Hari herself, one from their Hokage, and Cat by reading between the lines.
Being underwater, and breathing as easily as if they were on land, was quite the experience. It was calm, peaceful, as if they were in another world – though, perhaps, considering that such things existed and were apparently possible, it was better not to tempt fate.
Still, it was... a bit unreal. They were in a huge ball of water, inside a greenhouse, inside a forest, breathing and planting seeds as if it all was perfectly normal. Yet as strange as it was, it was relaxing.
That is, until some plants began to take an interest in them, and they had act quickly to dodge sneaky attacks. Then, and only then, did they begin to understand Kakashi's plight.
OoO.
They were wet. They were panting. They were sweating. They were twitching. Above all, they were all giving a wide berth from the numerous beds of plants filling the current greenhouse – F-06.
There was quite a lot of distrusting looks involved, too.
"Okay", cheerfully chirped Potta-san, beaming up at them. She was back in her dry kimono, not even a wrinkle on the soft cloth. "Now let's just go to F-01 so I can plant the Whomping Willow".
Cat honest-to-god whimpered. Chakra didn't have influence on Magic, and each and every one of the plants here seemed to take offence of the fact that he was using Wood Release to protect himself against their attempts on his life. Incidentally, that meant he was their favorite target. Others had noticed that, and like the bastard shinobis that they were, had left him alone to deal with it on his own.
He wasn't one for pranking, but damn if that didn't call for revenge !
So sure, his Wood Release had saved his life – from plants, damn it ! – more times than he could count, but it also won him more enemies than the others.
He still wasn't sure what he thought about plants being offended by his very presence. Or about plants being offended, period. Or having plants as enemies.
In fact, right now, he found he wasn't sure of a lot of things.
It would have been a lot better if they had been able to strike back against the little monsters, but they were not to harm them. A good, strong Katon jutsu had been on the tips of their tongues since the first half-hour spent inside those, even underwater, but sadly they were not to use it. Nor could they use kunais – except against that Iron Vine, which could change its consistency to iron, sharp and dangerous, and which was a bit stab-happy.
It didn't help that it apparently loathed when people around it had iron on them, and was known – famous, even – from killing the poor, unsuspecting persons just for that reason. Now, all the shinobis would have liked to have been given that information before entering the plant's reach, because with their weapons and hitai-ate and armors...
Yeah. That plant really, really hadn't liked them. At least they had been able to use kunais to protect themselves from its strikes, even if it did made it even more angry with them. Oh, well.
Then there was the plants that were more subtle, though no less lethal. At first, when Potta-san told them that they were to make sure none of the little balls of glass that somehow sprouted from the Smoking Tree ever touched the ground, they weren't quite sure what she meant. But as soon as they neared said tree – strangely colorful, with each ball full of a cheery-colored smoke – some of the balls began to fall.
The Hime had made them catch every one of those, rendered easier by the fact that the tree had the decency of not moving to kill them. They were almost ready to declare that one as their favorite Magical plant thus far – no attempt on their lives, that was a definite plus – before Hari explained that the balls were full of poisonous and hallucinogen gases that would kill any living being breathing them under a minute.
Which, well. They were surprisingly not surprised, more like disillusioned, and had thus learned that some plants apparently used toxic fumes to kill their prey. And what was it, with the Magical plants, that made them all carnivorous anyway ?!
After that, they were much more concentrated about catching every falling little ball of swirling smoke.
Also irritating was the fact that the Hime was having way too much fun. None of the plants ever came after her, and she took great satisfaction and fun seeing them dodge and duck for their lives.
And now, they were going to plant a Whomping Willow. The name in itself didn't mean anything good. Hopefully it was just a metaphorical name, right ?
Yeah. Right. No chance in Hell.
With a burst of speed, they all exited the current greenhouse, relaxing and taking a breather once they were out of here. The persistent Iron Vine tried to follow, but was stopped short at the entry. Magic prevented any plant to exit if Hari didn't modify the wards for them.
Thank Kami she hadn't done that. She wasn't so cruel.
They all grinned sadistically at the upset-looking plant, which was pushing pitifully against the invisible magical ward. Serves it right. Sarutobi made an indecent gesture at it, and Kakashi took great pleasure in taking a kunai out of his pouch to sharpen it slowly and meticulously.
Both of them had always had quite the vindictive streak – but even Bear and Dragon had a vague air of smugness around them as they stared the plant down. Cat was too busy leaning against a blissfully normal tree in the clearing for emotional support.
The Iron Vine backed away, letting the Hime pass. With a pat on one of the leaves, the Hime exited too and closed the door behind them.
"She's such a dear, isn't she ?", she smiled up at them, green eyes laughing and shining with glee.
Kakashi wasn't sure, but he thought he had seen her tuck a camera away. Oh, the blackmail material she must have collected today ! He could only sob slightly in despair.
"You don't even like gardening !", he protested, with what most certainly wasn't a whine.
"I don't", she admitted easily, "though we call it Herbology. Still, I do like your faces and reactions, so it makes it all worth it".
Dragon's fingers twitched, but he stayed remarkably controlled. Boar's head was swiveling around nervously, and he was too busy hysterically controlling the surrounding bushes and trees, and turning around the Hokage jerkily, to talk.
Sarutobi was still a bit dazed.
"You are evil", spat Kakashi, following resignedly the woman as she began walking towards another row of greenhouses.
"That's payback for all that training you made me do !", crowed the woman, eyes bright. "I told you I would get you back for it !"
"I never made you do anything at all !", protested the Jonin, staring at the grass at his feet with suspicion. He kept as close to the Hime as he could – for some reason, if he was close enough to her, the plants did not go out of their way to attack him.
In fact, they seemed to avoid her as much as they could – they certainly never tried to attack her. He very much doubted it was because she was the one to plant them – from what she had told him, gardening was quite the dangerous job in the Wizarding World.
No wonder they were all absolutely bat-shit insane ! In a world where plants were crazy... well, whoever said 'if you can't fight them, join them', did have a point.
"Yes you did !", she turned to scowl at him. "You egged me on, so that I would do more than I should have ! Each of our sessions leave me sore for days !"
"Not my fault your pride refuses to let you back down", he dismissed, side-stepping a small bush. By a few meters. "I simply let you do as you like".
"You provoke me and you know it", she turned her nose up. "You shouldn't".
"I will not stop", he said, glaring a bit at her. "If you don't want to overdo it, then stop being so damn stubborn and don't give in to the baiting".
Before the woman could answer, Cat miserably interrupted them.
"What do that have to do with us ?", he shot them a pleading look, ANBU mask long gone and secured at his belt. Plants always tried to steal it. Dragon had been stubborn though, and left his firmly on his face.
Then again, his identity was a bit more secret than Tanzo's.
"What do you mean", she frowned at him curiously, stopping in front of the aforementioned F-01 greenhouse.
"I get that you and Kakashi have a thing going on", he pleaded, "and that your flirting is weird – but can't you leave us out of that ?".
The shocked looks and deadly glares he received – from both – told him it wasn't the best thing to say. He had never been good at the socializing-thing, and the ANBU Corps weren't exactly known for their lessons in that aspect.
That was such a civilian skill.
"We are not flirting !", growled Kakashi.
"We have no thing going on !", affirmed Hari.
"My bad", meekly corrected Cat.
They glared at him a bit longer, looked at each other with faintly pink cheeks – which he wouldn't mention, ever – and walked inside the greenhouse. Tenzo looked at his Hokage upon hearing his chuckle (why would he laugh now ?), but had no choice but to follow the couple.
The duo. Like, no feelings involved.
He had learned his lesson.
Time to face that Willow.
They were standing inside a large clearing, with the nearest trees being quite the distance away. In this greenhouse, it seemed that the weather was the same as it was in Konoha – sunny and cold. No impossible climates in there – which was a relief, since it had been quite the shock for them to escape the water prison of W-01 only to find themselves caught in the burning Hell that had been D-02.
The kind of plants that lived in a desert were monstrous. They would never look at a cactus the same way ever again – it had been way too skilled with its needles. None of them had been caught, not even once (they were all A- and S- ranked Shinobi, give them a bit of credit, will you ?), but it had been disturbing nonetheless.
None were in any hurry to go to Rain Country, or Wind Country, anytime soon, coincidentally.
In front of them was a huge hole in the ground, with a huge amount of freshly disturbed earth right next to it. The Hime had just finished creating the excavation, with impressive Magic. Those explosions were certainly to the level of Grade-5 explosive tags.
"That's a big hole", blankly noted Kakashi, displeased by the fact that none of the plants around them had tried to attack them even once.
As strange as it was, now that nothing tried to kill them, it only made him even more nervous. Surely that meant they were biding their time, and planning a cunning plan ?
Oh, plants planning a cunning plan. How was that his life ?
"It's a big tree", she answered smugly, not a single spot of dirt of her clothes.
Nothing had tried to attack her, after all. She had no reason to be as keyed up as they all were.
"Of course it is", he nodded faintly, stepping right behind her.
He liked her, he did (though he sometimes forgot that fact, especially the longer they were inside the greenhouses), but she was an excellent shield and he was not above using her for that, should that tree decide that it wouldn't mind attacking her, all things considered. He knew better than to think his enemies would never do something predictable.
The messy-haired woman turned around to take something inside the trunk that she had taken out of the trunk hanging around her neck (Kakashi still hadn't been able to wrap his head around the idea of a shit-tone of stuff being contained inside a single little trunk, but it would come... eventually), and they all tensed.
What would it be ? How would it react ? They had until it was planted and the stasis charm removed to study their enemy. After that, it would act.
She retrieved... a small, leafless tree, with round extremities. It didn't look like much, but they all waited in silence and with baited breaths for the Hime to place it where she wanted, and to cancel the shrinking charm.
They had been had by that once, thinking it was the plant's actual size – they wouldn't be had twice.
Once the tree had been placed at the center of the crater, Tenzo found in himself the strength to ask a question he wasn't sure he wanted the answer to.
"Why is this one apart from everything else ?"
True enough, just this morning Hari had explained that the magical plants were rarely if ever alone. For all their aggressiveness, they didn't do well when they were the only magical plants around. One could say that they were social, in a way. That's why the Hime had often planted small, relatively normal and inoffensive plants around the most dangerous ones, to keep them company.
By 'relatively normal', they meant that those plants didn't scream, didn't move, didn't attack, didn't shoot sharp, iron needles, or burning pus, or anything of the like. Wonderfully normal.
They just had strange properties – but as long as they weren't out to kill them, the Ninjas couldn't care less.
"Oh, the Whomping Willow is... peculiar", tactfully said the Hime. "It doesn't like others plants around it – its ground, its kingdom, you know ?"
"... So it's even more aggressive, isn't it ?", tiredly realized Kakashi, eyeing the boulder-like branches under a new light.
"Yes", she admitted sheepishly.
"What are its uses ?", asked Dragon with the kind of tone that suggested that it better be really useful.
"Oh, they're plenty", she smiled, deconstructing the Stasis charm – the ones placed on magical plants were different from the ones used on wizards, and rather long to cancel. "Can be used for wand making, its sap is useful in potions, its bark in woodworking – it's very resistant – and all around it's a great guarding tree".
The shrinking charm suddenly broke, and the small tree grew, and grew, and grew. The ninja's heads raised up, and up, and up, until they were feeling very small in front of the enormous tree. The boulders looked much more imposing now.
The tree shivered, almost groaning, and stretched, of all things. It seemed to turn on itself, as one would do to pop their spine, and stretched its branches. It was remarkably flexible, for such a massive tree, they noted distantly.
Then it seemed to realize they were here, and immediately its branches began to repeatedly pound the ground where they had been standing. It had a remarkable sense of coordination, smaller and shorter branches pounding where they were standing when they had jumped on it, while the longer and heavier ones attacked them once they were on the ground.
They decided not to risk it, and jumped far away, enough to be out of its reach. During that – though it hadn't taken more than a minute – the Hime had put the earth back around it, poured water, closed her trunk, shrunken it again, put it back in the final trunk, shrunken that one, put it back on her necklace which she put back around her neck, and began walking towards the exit.
She took one or two photos. Not much, but considering that it was magical photos, and that as such it wasn't a image that she had captured, but a whole moment of softly panicking ninja jumping around madly, she thought it was enough.
Plus, she had quite number of photos from previous events. She smiled evilly at the thought.
She looked at them as they were looking back at the irate Willow, out of range. She raised a sharp brow.
"Maybe you should step back again", she warned them, just before the whole tree plied at its base, groaning, and crushed on the ground where they had been.
"It shouldn't be able to do that !", protested an indignant Kakashi. "Hang on, where's Cat ?"
The Willow straightened back up, revealing a dense shield of wood encasing who they guessed was Tenzo. He had probably wanted to test his Wood Release against the Willow's attack. It had held quite well, even if it was a bit dented here and there.
The tree looked curious, extending a branch to poke at the structure. It was more of a punch, really, but comparatively to what it could do, it was mild. Tenzo stopped his technique, looking impassively at the Willow...
Which put one of its branches down, clearly intending for Cat to stand on it. Tenzo warily complied, and the tree brought him back up, high in the air, until he was as high as the tree itself. Then it calmed, though it seemed to poke at Tenzo with its smallest branches, waiting for him to use wood again.
Tenzo did, and him and the tree had a bonding session, while the others on the ground tried to understand what they were seeing. There was an undignified amount of open jaws and dumbfounded expressions. Hari, eyes wide and mouth open in shock, still remembered to snap another picture.
When one is introduced to the Wizarding world without having been raised in it, one develops a small resistance to repeated shocks. Enough to keep functioning if needed.
"That", she said, "is the first time I've ever seen a Whomping Willow liking someone".
It seemed that even after more than a hundred years, she could still be surprised by the magical world.
OoO.
They were standing outside the Fidelius, facing the innocent-looking greenhouses, though they were the only ones to see them. Their clothes were askew, a bit ripped, a bit dirtied, and they themselves were panting a bit – all except the Hime, that is.
Sarutobi took his pipe out of his pocket with vindictive pleasure, lightening it with a stronger-than-strictly-necessary Katon jutsu, took a long drag, and slowly let the thick smoke out in the greenhouses' direction. He viciously hoped one of those damn plants would smell the smoke. He had no intention of ever returning inside anyway.
Cat was finally able to put his ANBU mask firmly back in place, and all in all the shinobi finally relaxed. All the while keeping a suspicious eye on the plants surrounding them.
"I understand now why you were so twitchy yesterday", mumbled Sarutobi to Kakashi, referring to his strange behavior in his office, concerning the interior plant.
"Just wait until you realize how much we're surrounded by plants, Hokage-sama", the Jonin muttered back.
"Ah, speaking of", suddenly perked up Hari, turning to face the Hokage. "I would be interested in acquiring cattle – or even mouse, really, as long as there's a lot of them – when should I come to your office to talk about that correctly ?"
"Why would you be interested in that ?", the Hokage raised a questioning eyebrow, puffing contently – though a bit stiffly – on his pipe.
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed", she said drily, sarcasm coating her voice, "but Wizarding plants tend to be on the carnivorous side. I don't particularly want to hunt every day to feed all of them, nor do I want to have my own farm just for this one purpose. Uselessly complicated. There's not enough hours in a day for that".
The ninja ignored her sarcasm masterfully, and considered that. Sure, most of them would do well with mouse, but others clearly needed more than that – bigger than that. That would mean augment their meat consummation, which would be okay since she would be paying quite handsomely – she would doubtlessly insist to do so, and they weren't noble enough to protest, they were ninjas after all – but it also meant spy and such would wonder what that supplementary meat was for.
They would begin nosing more carefully and intelligently than they were now – now that they thought that nothing about the Hime was interesting or important, bar her money – and Sarutobi wasn't sure they could afford that. He planned on having the woman spend a year as a civilian in Konoha without making waves, so that he could plan her integration in his soldiers' ranks smoothly once the time had come.
If it was revealed that she was, in fact, much more powerful than anyone else on this world – and on other worlds too, now that he thought about it – that she was, in fact, the second SS-rank ninja to have ever existed (and that she was no ninja yet didn't matter), it would make such a political shit-storm that he had a headache just thinking about it.
Better have contingency plans ready for when that time would come – and he would do his best to delay the inevitable for as long as possible. He was about to answer the Hime, when she spoke again.
"Or, you know, I can also make do with some bodies that need to disappear", she said thoughtfully. "I'm not picky".
That won her weird looks.
"Bodies ?", Kakashi grimaced at her. "You would feed them human bodies ?"
Really, he didn't think indulging their cravings for human flesh was a good idea – especially if he would have to hang around in the foreseeable future.
"Why not ?", she countered. "No waste. If you need for some bodies to disappear, well, now that's a good option. I guarantee no one will find their bones".
"This is weird, even for you", decided the silver-haired man, shaking his head at her.
She shrugged. "Says the man with gravity-defying hair".
"Hey, now", he protested, glaring at her. "Your hair's not much better, always messy. You think you can hide it by twisting it into a bun, but you're not fooling me !'
She glared right back. "Do not speak of what you don't understand ! My hair is perfect as it is – and I will have you know it's hereditary – and anyway messy hair isn't rare. Hair naturally shooting up towards the sky is !"
"Maybe for you, it is", he spared her a voluntarily condescending look. "But not for the rest of us, it isn't".
"Look, you damn –"
Whatever she was going to say would never be known, for they were interrupted by a very tired Hokage pinching his nose in frustration.
"Silence, children".
That shut them up, though that did nothing to stop their glares. Hari even shot him a strange look – as if she was wondering whether to be offended to be called a child, or to laugh. There had to be a story behind that look – but he wisely decided that he had had enough for one day… make that one week.
"We will speak about food for you plants in the upcoming week, if it's not too urgent ?"
He really didn't want to talk about the damn plants right now. He had had enough of them for the day. And probably the year, if he was honest, but facing unpleasant meetings was part of his job as a Hokage.
"Oh, uh, no, no it's okay", she shook her head slightly to remember what they had been talking about before she got… side-tracked by Kakashi. "I have enough to last a year – I just don't want to be caught unaware".
The Hokage nodded sagely. "The wisdom of those who know that to plan is to win".
Hari opened her mouth to tell him that it wasn't that as much as it was that she had received a Troll in Herbology once because she had had to take care of a plant, which included feeding it a mouse regularly, but had postponed the task of buying more mice to the last moment, because she had had better things to do. The shame of that first – and thankfully last, no matter how much Snape had tried – Troll had burned bright, as bright as the plant had when it had incinerated right in front of her horrified eyes.
The Phoenix's Death did that when it died. Sure, the ashes had been gathered and used by Mrs. Sprout, who had explained their uses in many strong healing potions (not to confound with actual Phoenix's ashes, which strangely could only be used in poisons) but she had never liked failure.
She had learned her lessons. She always did, and never made the same mistake twice. At least, she tried really hard not to.
"Sure", she said instead. "Let's go with that".
A small silence fell on the group, as if they were waiting for something to happen or for someone to talk. The ninja were especially suspicious of their surroundings, ready to bolt at the slightest hint of a threat, while Hari simply waited for them to decide if they wanted to go now. She sure would go home with Kakashi, but maybe the others wanted to talk more, or maybe Kakashi himself wanted to spend a bit of time with actual ninjas – which she wasn't – and old friends – which she wasn't yet.
Realizing no one would move, she took it upon herself to break the stillness – she was becoming quite hungry.
"So, that was fun", Hari beamed up at them. "Who will come back ?"
The silence was telling.
"I understand better the wizarding world", tonelessly said Dragon. "In a world where you have to be wary of plants, you have no choice but to abandon common sense and embrace madness – and a severe lack of common sense as well".
"It's not so bad", she shrugged, stepping away from the Fidelius-hidden clearing, and towards the Village. "I have many more to plant still, and some are perfectly harmless".
"Harmless ?", sarcastically retorted Bear, studying a small tear in his clothing – he needed to up his evasion training. That damn Vine had almost gotten him. "None of them are harmless".
"Of course some are", she rolled her eyes at him. "Not all of them are dangerous, else Herbology wouldn't be a first-year course at school".
"What age are first year ?", asked Cat, who hadn't gotten that particular information.
"Eleven", answered Kakashi, remembering what the Hime had said during her explanation of her life. "So I guess the danger level is less ?"
"Indeed", she nodded approvingly. "It is even boring".
"Then why are all the plants we've seen lethally dangerous ?", he asked, narrowing his eye at her.
"Why, I especially selected the most interesting ones just for you !", she beamed at him again, a vindictive spark in her green eyes. "Wouldn't do for you to be bored".
"You did it on purpose", he realized. "You took the worst plants and shoved them into our faces instead of gradually showing them to us".
"I did", she admitted freely, a spring in her step.
"You little !", he glared at her, but made no move to actually attack her. "My baiting you into training did not warrant such a harsh vengeance !".
"Right now, I would agree with you", she admitted, before turning her head to scowl at him. "But wait two days, and I will say that it's perfectly proportional".
"What's in two days ?", meekly asked Cat, feeling like he was intruding into a couple's dispute. But they weren't an item. No.
"Physical Training Day", darkly revealed Hari, shivering dramatically. "The worst day of the week".
"It's not bad enough that it justifies traumatizing us for life", growled Kakashi.
"You can't see plants without twitching, I can't twitch without crying", she retorted hotly, turning sharply on her heels to face him. "Fair's fair".
He lowered his head, looking straight at her. "It's not fair at all".
"It is".
"It is not".
"It is".
"It is n–"
"I have better things to do", grumbled the Hokage, glaring slightly at Hari – who had admitted to showing them the most dangerous plants on purpose – and marching away resolutely. "Paperwork's waiting".
Bear's eyebrows rose behind his mask – for his Hokage to willingly go back to paperwork, he must have been more affected than he thought – dutifully following behind the departing old man.
"You will accompany the Hime back here should she ever ask you to", blankly ordered Dragon, and Cat's shoulders slumped but he nodded. "Good. Go back to your day, you have a week-off before going back to duty".
With these last words, Dragon disappeared in a soundless Shunshin.
Cat shot a last look at the still bickering duo, sighed heavily – he had not expected his day to be spent like that – and left as well, head hurting from everything he had learned and seen.
Kakashi and Hari stopped bickering, took a look around them, and smirked at each other in satisfaction. The others would no doubt have wanted a debriefing, but they were in no mood to do that.
Grievances apart – and grievances there was – they knew each other well enough to be able to put these small disagreements apart when needed. Tonight was movie night – Hari-Hime had a TV the likes of which he had never seen before, and an astounding number of movies – and none of them wanted to miss it.
Plus, the Hime made that thing with corn, which was called pop-corn, and which was damn good. Not really good for their health, and Kakashi would never live off it, but a bit from time to time was fair game.
"That was almost too easy", commented the Hime, grinning at him.
He banished the strange feeling in his stomach automatically, used to do it by now, and shrugged. "I'm not complaining".
He quickly took her arm, and Shunshin-ed them both repeatedly until they were standing in front of the gates leading to their house. Hari's house. Whatever.
"I could have Apparated us here", she frowned at him, opening the gates nonetheless.
"I know you could have", he nodded, satisfied to have avoided that fate.
"Whatever", she rolled her eyes at him, skipping towards the house happily.
He watched her go, before turning and sending the appropriate code with his chakra towards the hidden ANBUs. He received the appropriate answer, and nodded at them, stepping inside the garden and closing the gates behind him.
Then he walked inside the house, aiming for the shower to finish relaxing before collapsing in the sofa in front of the TV.
As far as he was concerned, life hadn't been as good before the Hime has arrived in his life, a bit more than two months ago. Even if he now started every time the wind ruffled grass and leaves.
OoO.
Kakashi Hatake was pondering.
He and the Hime were to do yet another visit to the recently acquired garden-under-Fidelius, as it was called by Hari-Hime – or the garden-from-Hell, as he quite accurately dubbed it, in his humble opinion – tomorrow, and he wasn't certain he was ready for it.
He had seen strange things, in his life. Twenty two years may not seem a lot, but for ninjas, it was quite exceptional ; especially considering he began at five. And he lived through a war.
Well, even with everything he had seen in his life... that garden was... – let's just say nothing had ever prepared him for that.
He now had the regrettable habit of twitching whenever he saw a moving plant. And considering that he lived in a Village, which itself was situated in a forest, and that the wind wasn't stopped by the trees that circled everything... Well, he twitched a lot, nowadays.
And Hari-Hime had decided to buy another parcel of land, for animals this time.
And, no.
No.
He didn't want to be afraid of animals. He was already afraid of plants because of her, and that was quite enough. Just this morning, he had been sparring with Asuma. Hari had been waiting patiently on the side of the training ground, immersed in yet another book, though she had taken time to observe their spars as well.
It was nice of her to accept to pass the day sitting on the ground (even though he suspected she had used magic to be more comfortable, he had no proof), waiting for him to be done. Asuma had been surprised – but then again, ninjas' idea of an Hime was that of a spoiled, pampered, immature girl.
Though Hari-Hime did have the 'pampered' look down – her looks were quite incredible, and she did look soft, since she never showed a lot of skin, hence hiding the scars he knew she had – she most certainly wasn't spoiled, nor immature.
(Well, if one forget the pranks... But apparently, it was a Familial Tradition. Something to do with some Marodeurz... Whatever that meant).
Anyway, the spars had been quite good – he was clearly winning, thanks to his natural skills, and the fact that he had been able to train without limits every day for two months – but after winning, Asuma had asked him why his aim was suddenly so poor.
The answer was, it wasn't.
It's just that half his shots had been directed at suspiciously moving plants.
(Officially, though, it was that Kakashi was training for a new technique. Asuma didn't need to know about his recent trauma).
And Hari had laughed mercilessly when realizing that fact. He wasn't happy about this. He was a damn good shinobi – he shouldn't be reduced to that !
Anyway, he knew she would be authorized to have her infernal Zoo, as much as he feared the moment she decided to actually do it, and knew beforehand that he was in for a whole new level of emotional pain. He was already tired.
Pushing those thoughts away from the moment – they weren't helpful, and he was stressed enough already - he let the Hime walk leisurely back home, and joined the ANBU team shadowing them for the day. He knew them all – one had ever been under his commandment when he was an ANBU captain. Mere months ago.
The ANBUs had finally remarked that what they saw happening inside the Hime's house, and what was really happening, were two very different things. Needless to say, they weren't happy at having been tricked all this time.
It admittedly stung their pride, and they were annoyed at those long and utterly useless hours passed watching over basically nothing. Kakashi only grinned when they came to him, and said that they should have realized it sooner. It was his excuse as to why he hadn't warned them, and he was sticking to it.
(It certainly wasn't because he wanted to see their astounded and horrified and frustrated faces. No).
They, finally, had also noted that the Hime always seemed to know where they were. It wasn't something obvious – distracted glance at them when they moved to a new spot, no surprise whatsoever when a ninja burst past her suddenly... It was as if – no, not as if – she knew where people were around her.
Even those that were ANBU level, and doing their best to stay hidden.
It wasn't even conscious – she didn't seem to realize she was doing it. Like the fact that she always moved when they did, and did her best not to have her back to them. If Kakashi called her on it (he had done it once, just to see what she would say), then she would only look at him curiously, not understanding what he was talking about, before smiling sheepishly upon realizing what she was doing.
It drove the ANBUs mad, the fact that a civilian always knew where they were. They had pushed themselves everyday to try and be totally undetectable, but it never seemed to work with her. It wasn't that she saw them, it was that she felt them – how, they had no bloody idea. It was infuriating.
Kakashi himself hadn't asked how she was doing this, assuming it was another effect of her magic. She had known how many ANBUs there was in the Hokage office, and where they were. She had also immediately realized the plant wasn't a plant, but an spy.
But she hadn't known that his Shadow Clone was with her in the kitchen... so he couldn't be sure. Was it because the Clone wasn't alive ? He didn't know. It was all suppositions.
He, of course, planned to question her on this subject – and a lot more subjects with that – but hadn't done it yet. There was still ten months to go, he was in no hurry.
And it amused him, to see the frustrated ANBUs training madly in stealth. If nothing else, they had become even more excellent in this aspect of the ninja arts, and the Hokage was quite satisfied with them.
He was talking with the team quite peacefully, trading some information for another – he was a bit out of the loop, since he had stopped doing missions out of the Village, and couldn't even walk wherever he wanted when he was in Konoha. The ANBUs were, of course, subtly searching for information on Hari-Hime, and Kakashi had quite the fun denying them.
Not that he made it obvious.
He suddenly interrupted himself in mid-sentence upon feeling rapidly approaching sources of almost entirely-concealed chakra. At least, the team of Kumo's ninjas had finally decided to act, it seemed.
They had known of their presence since the very first day – they had been looking for it. News of Hari's status had reached the other Villages since a bit more than a month already, and there was no doubt they were all furious to not have been the Hime's chosen Village ; as well as wary of what this new development meant for Konoha.
Konoha had been at its weakest, and they all had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to destroy it. But a Hime meant new money, which in turn meant better weapons, and better standing. Even more, other Lords would choose Konoha for their missions now, since the message sent by the Hime's decision was that Konoha was the best Village – the one she choose to live in, and the one she trusted to protect her.
That wouldn't sit well with the other Hidden Villages, and so assassination or kidnapping teams were expected. Kumo's was the first to act, and though they weren't sure if it was to kill or to kidnap, they were definitely targeting the Hime.
Kakashi sighed softly, lips stretching in a pleased smile.
Finally, some action !
It had been Hell to wait for them to decide to act !
Now, he only hoped the Hari wouldn't be too upset or shocked by the enemies' actions – though knowing her past as he did, he knew very well the chances that she was would be were very low. At the very least, her awful plants would have some fresh food soon.
Hari was walking slowly under the trees.
Which wasn't something rare, considering that when living in Konoha, you couldn't spend a day without walking under one – except if you decided not to leave your house, that is.
She was still amazed by the incredible size of this Country's trees. Sure, some trees back home were as big as those, but they had the advantage of growing with magic. And they were very few.
These trees were truly gigantic.
Village Hidden in the Leaves, indeed.
She was thinking about what she had managed to read in her book, earlier, during the spar. Said spar had been quite distracting – two admittedly handsome men, fighting each other under the sun, skin glistening with sweat... It was kind of hard to not look, sue her – but she had managed to read a few pages anyway.
She was thoughtfully considering the best way to incorporate the Intension Ward among the wards already raised around her property, when she felt a switch in the atmosphere, and refrained from smiling with satisfaction. They were finally moving.
She didn't know from what Village they were, but some ninjas had taken to following her whenever she was out of her wards. She knew they were not from Konoha because each Village had its own 'scent', from lack of other words, and each ninja caught this 'scent' when growing up. It wasn't a scent someone could smell, but it was engraved on their souls – that's what she could smell.
At least, that was what her theory was, since she only knew of Konoha's scent. But she knew that everyone in Konoha had it – except for some special persons. A tiny bit of Legilimency told her that they were spies, or nukenins from another Village having joined Konoha.
Those last kind of ninja had a beginning of Konoha's scent – but the ninjas that had been following her definitely didn't have it.
So they were enemies, and after her. Their goal wasn't hard to guess.
She had deliberately walked away from the center of Konoha, baiting them into a discreet place, away from the Village's life. It helped that she had already been out in the forest, to watch Kakashi and a friend of his fight. It looked all the more natural, that she had wanted to take a small stroll after spending so many day sheltered inside her house, especially considering that none were able to see through the wards and thus none knew of the truly indecent amount of physical training Kakashi forced her to do regularly.
They had to take the opportunity to attack now, at least that's what she had hoped they would think.
And she had been right.
Usually, when she was walking in Konoha, Kakashi was always right next to her ; it was impossible for them to try anything then. It would be utter madness to try anything in the Village itself. But she rarely went out of her wards – she had nothing to do in the Village, after all, bar shopping – so the opportunities to act were very few. Today was the first they would have, in a little less than a month of them trailing after her.
It didn't hurt that right now, Kakashi wasn't visible.
Oh, she knew he was close by – she could feel his presence, with the other ANBUs, some feet away – but they didn't know that. They probably thought he had gone home, after this morning's training. She had to admit that the ANBUs and Kakashi were quite adept at hiding their presence from everyone else. Not that she could say something about it, since she didn't know if they were really that good or simply good enough for ninjas – in both cases, she wouldn't know where they were if she didn't have her magic, and wasn't Mistress of Death.
Still, now the enemies were nearly on her, so she quickly and silently cast her bubble protection. She loved it – and it was ever-so helpful when she went sneaking around Kakashi, to surprise him.
He was surprised, alright, but he did also have the unfortunate habit of attacking whoever surprised him. Her bubble had saved – well, not her life, but had saved her from a lot of painful moments, at the very least.
She tensed, unconsciously preparing herself from the weapon's or body's impact with her bubble. She could now see the ninjas, all in black, no face visible, almost too fast for her to follow. She waited and -
- was suddenly flying.
... What ?
There were arms around her waist, and she was suddenly sitting in someone's lap. Looking up – of course it was Kakashi.
The man took his protection mission really seriously, after all, as he did every mission, she had learned ; so it was not surprising that he had gone and taken her out of harm's way. Looking back, it was probably better that way – no one would know about her magic.
It was to be kept a secret for as long as possible. The Civilian Council would know about her Kekkai Genkai in less than a year, during the already planned meeting for her final integration as a Konoha's citizen... and the beginning of her integration period in Konoha's ninja Corps.
Then again, they wouldn't know anything specific – just that she had a particularly strong Kekkai Genkai, and that she was to be a kunoichi. No doubt the Ninja Council would know a bit more – through spying and subtle questions, of course.
But still, they would only learn very few parts of what Hari was really capable, and that wasn't for now anyway. So it was better not having showed her bubble. The only ones who knew about it were the Hokage, the four ANBUs that had been in the office during her first meeting with the man, Kakashi, the three Jonin that had been with him at the gates, and the two chuunin who were guarding said gates – as well as the Jonin and ANBU commanders.
Not a lot of persons, but already too much for ninjas, who thought that if more than three persons knew a secret, then it wasn't a secret anymore. Hari would disagree, but no one asked her what she thought about it, so she never said anything.
(Nor did she reveal that she had cast, after the meeting was done, a secrecy charm on every person involved. Now, they could still speak about whatever they thought happened when she had stopped Kakashi's attack, but only if they were alone, or among people who already knew about it. Needless to say, they wouldn't be able to give any information to any suspect person, especially considering they wouldn't be able to speak about it if someone was eavesdropping on them either).
(You gotta love magic, she thought fondly).
The man beamed down at her.
"Maa, they finally decided to come, huh ?"
Deciding that it wasn't a real question – what would she have to answer to that ? – she only rolled her eyes, and looked down at what was happening there. The ANBUs had engaged the three enemies, and since they were only two, they had to manage in three-to-two.
They weren't losing, but they weren't winning either.
She was startled by a sudden puff of smoke, and saw another Kakashi standing right next to the first. This one was also beaming at her – and he was exactly identical to the original !
She also couldn't feel the double, nor sense him... Because he wasn't a 'he', but a 'it'. It wasn't alive, it was a copy – and that's who had been watching her when she had been cooking in the kitchen back when she had cooked for Kakashi for the first time ! She had known that someone or something had been watching her, but had been utterly unable to discover who or what.
Heh, Kakashi must have known, she thought with a small, annoyed frown. That was totally like him not to say anything. Well, she had to admit she hadn't particularly thought about it.
The feeling of being watched by someone she couldn't sense hadn't happened again, and she had already added a new ward that notified her of everything that entered the lands around the house. It wouldn't alert her of animals (which would have been a flaw had animagus existed in this world, but they didn't, so that was good for her – especially considering that her magic registered summons as humans, what with they having chakra coils and all) or inanimate objects ; but anything with an actual soul, as the Summons seemed to have, would trigger the wards.
Still, those clones appeared to be really interesting.
Now that was a neat technique. She wanted to study it ! Then maybe she could adapt it to Magic, if only so she would be able to avoid spending real time suffering through some auto-proclaimed 'really wealthy and important persons''s well-meaning and welcoming speeches when she was buying groceries.
They never did seem to take a hint and leave her well alone. And she couldn't even be rude to them, since she had to act like a Hime until the year was gone. Maybe she would convince Kakashi to teach her.
She felt herself being shifted into the clone's open arms. Looking up at the first Kakashi curiously, she saw the anticipating expression on his face, and understood quickly.
Well, who was she to prevent him to have fun ? He seemed so giddy, she didn't have the heart to say anything.
"Stay with the clone", said Kakashi, already looking down at the fight. "He's me, same memories, same personality. I'll be back soon".
And with that, he was gone and fighting in less than a second, looking more alert than he had been in the past months – except when he was subjected to one of Hari's pranks. He looked quite alarmed and alert, during those.
The fight ended soon, and Hari had to admit that the sheer speed at which ninjas moved, was very superior to her own. Loath as she was to admit it, in purely physical terms, she would always lose – even after having trained like mad for years before crossing worlds.
Well, at least she had the consolation of being better than genins and civilians alike – and to have her magic, which basically rendered her invincible. Some would say it was cheating – but ninjas were all about cheating, so it was no problem whatsoever.
"Maa, it has been quick", drawled the clone, still carrying her princess-style. She felt she ought to be offended about that – she wasn't some weak little girl – but couldn't quite find the will to do so.
The clone jumped down, carefully avoiding holes caused by explosions, as well as the corpses scattered on the floor. There was no survivor – it appeared the defeated ninjas killed themselves, preferring that over being captured. It showed that they had known it was a suicide mission.
That was something Hari couldn't understand – suicide mission. She had never gone on one, and she knew of no person who had. It asked for a lot of courage, to go on a mission knowing that you were going to die, no matter what. During the War, every mission had been planned to ensure minimal risk for everyone ; though it had not always been successful, far from it.
Still, it was the fact that Kages seemed to issue that kind of missions often that didn't sit well with her. She would never go on a suicide mission – not because she couldn't die, but because she was no tool. She valued life too much, to accept the careless use leaders had for it in this world.
Well, it existed in her old world too, of course, but here it was systematized . She knew of no Village that had never used that kind of missions. However, Konoha was the one who did them the less, so it had gained points for that.
The clone put her down on her feet, before dispelling – in another puff of smoke. Chakra seemed prone to those puffs of smoke, oddly enough. She was always a bit startled when one appeared near her. It also never failed to make her think about the first time she had met one of her Snakes, a year before travelling across worlds.
"No survivor ?", she raised a curious eyebrow towards Kakashi.
Because, while she knew it had been a suicide mission, and that the enemies had planned to kill themselves as soon as it was obvious that the mission's outcome went against them ; she also knew that the ANBUs would have managed to capture at least one of them alive if they had so wished.
Maybe not all of them, but at least one, and that would have been enough.
"Maa", Kakashi waved the subject away, stretching lazily. "No need. We already knew everything they knew, and they didn't know anything important. A precaution for if they were successfully captured".
Hari remarked the curious and surprised emotions coming from the masked ANBUs around her. What, were they expecting her to cry or faint ? It wasn't her first assassination attempt – and this one had been pathetic. It wasn't even an attempt, it was just enemies tricked to attack now, hence playing her game.
She had been through incredibly complex assassination attempts before – really, a whole competition had been infiltrated so that she could be kidnapped at the end of the third part of the Tournament. Realistically, since the mole had been one of their teachers, Croupton Junior could have just petrified her and delivered her at night to his Master...
But no, somehow, the whole dramatic ending had to happen, because Death Eaters were apparently Drama Queens. Really. And Voldemort had sent Basilisks, trolls, Giants, Snatchers and traitors after her. Those had been some impressive attempts – maybe way too complex to easily succeed or to succeed at all... but impressive nonetheless.
There had been thoughts put in them – and what was her life, when she was offended when enemies only did half-hearted attempts to kill her ?
In any case, this one was nothing interesting at all.
Apart from the truly fantastic physical feats of the ninjas, that she had for the most part missed, that had been a waste of her time.
"So I didn't have to bait them here ?", she asked the silver-haired man.
Said man sent her a discreet, curious glance, shrugging while doing so. He was becoming used to her being herself.
"Nah, no need for you to do that. We'll just wait for the others to make an error, and take care of them".
"Huh", she smiled at that. "Good to know, I guess".
Then, she completely changed the subject.
"Well, it's already one p.m. Should we head home to eat, or go to a restaurant ?"
Kakashi inwardly laughed at the stunned body language of his fellow ANBUs – though he was not ANBU anymore, you never stopped to be an ANBU. As long as he had the tattoo on his shoulder, then he was liable to be given other ANBU missions. And no one could erase the tattoo.
Of course, if said ANBUs expected Hari to be a typical Hime, then they were sadly mistaken. To see her acting so normally just after an attempt on her life apparently shook them, and Kakashi savored their shock. It wasn't everyday ANBUs were so visibly unsure of themselves, but it seemed to happen more and more now that Hari was part of his life.
Then again, it wasn't only ANBUs – it, sadly, concerned himself, as well as the Hokage. Hari seemed to have a strange effect on people around her.
And they didn't even know of her past. It was obvious they didn't know how to take her. And they could ask him all they wanted, Kakashi wasn't about to give them information, hints, or advice.
It was much funnier to see them flounder around – and he admitted inwardly that living with Hari seemed to have twisted his sense of humor ; or, at least, make it appear, since he couldn't remember a time when he actively participated to throw people off.
Huh.
He did feel better now, than he had when in the ANBU, now that he thought about it. Maybe putting him on her protection wasn't that bad an idea, after all. He didn't feel the impulse to look at Death in the eyes, and hope She would take him, and reunite him with every person he had lost.
He silently acknowledged his Hokage's wisdom, while answering Hari out loud.
"House. I need a bath".
Because while he didn't have a lot of blood on him, he was just out of a fight, and before that a spar with Asuma. Though it hadn't been a battle to the death, Asuma was skilled enough to tire Kakashi quite a bit.
"Very well", nodded Hari, already walking away and towards her house – she didn't know where it was precisely, since she was still very much lost in Konoha without her Jonin bodyguard ; but she felt the pulse of her wards, and just followed it.
Kakashi walked right next to her, hands in his pocket and face turned towards the sun, happy about the fact that he had been able to fight today. He had missed this – the risks, the adrenaline, the fact that your life is on the balance...
Hey, every ninja was crazy. It was a requirement for the job. Or, more accurately, it came with time and experience.
Behind them, gaping ANBUs stupidly watched them disappear without moving, not sure of what had just happened. Their vision of Konoha's Hime now thoroughly broken.
The first snowflake of winter touched the ground.
So I hope you liked it ? Don't hesitate to give me ideas, honestly your reviews really help me add little details and even whole events, as you can see.
ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT : a few of you have asked when Naruto would appear, and if Hari would immediately protect him. BUT, this story is a prequel to one of my other stories - the beginning, what happened before that story (Team Seven's Strangest Day, hence the TTSD, 'cause I have great imagination for titles), because a lot of people had asked me to write one.
So obviously, I have an end game, and I can't change the past. This story will end where the other began, and so Hari and Naruto won't meet anytime soon.
But never fear, I also have a sequel planned, where they will definitely interact, and Hari will totally change what happened in Canon.
Anyway, Have a nice day/night/week everyone !