Kazuko placed her ANBU mask firmly on her face after having changed into her mission outfit. She wore a black spaghetti strapped playsuit, cinched at her waist by a belt. She pulled on her knee length black boots and waited patiently for her partner to finish getting ready.
They exited their apartment and ran to the meeting site where the Konohagakure ANBU would be waiting for them.
"Good evening, sand shinobi," The ANBU in front greeted upon their arrival. "Have you had a chance to come up with a strategy for catching this criminal?"
"Yes, indeed we have." Naoko replied from behind his mask.
"Oh? What did you have in mind?"
Kazuko explained the situation. "The killer is only interested in non-shinobi females. My partner and I have devised a plan to catch him by having a civilian walk the streets late at night in order to flush him out. To do that, it would be easier to figure out what part of the village he is in–"
"Assuming that he's already here." The captain of the Konoha ANBU squad stated dryly.
"–since it would eliminate us looking for him in other parts of the village." Kazuko continued, ignoring the captain's interjection. "When he goes to attack her, we ANBU–being close by and watching her at all times–will converge on him. Criminal caught."
"How will we know where he is if we don't even know what he looks like or if he's even in the village yet?" The captain asked again, his voice demanding and low.
"Well," Naoko pondered, fingering his chin slightly. His female companion rolled her eyes behind her mask at his actions; she knew it all too well. They hadn't had a chance to discuss all the finer details, and Naoko was loathe to admit he didn't know want to do next.
"We wait for him to kill someone." Kazuko finished, shrugging like it was no big deal.
"Let him kill an innocent person?" The captain shouted. "I will not have it! How dare you come into this village and assume you run it, practically making orders to get an innocent citizen killed."
Kazuko growled from beneath her mask. Good thing she had self control, or she'd have sliced his tongue off already. She despised people talking down to her or her partner, especially when they were here to help catch an S-ranked killer. They could have easily decided not to say anything at all and let Konoha deal with multiple unnecessary deaths in the space of a month.
Feeling his partner tense in anger, Naoko held his hands in front of his body defensively, shaking his head with a nervous laugh. "No, no, she wasn't making orders—it was just a suggestion. No one has to die during this mission." Naoko thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "I got it!" He exclaimed excitedly. "No, that'd never work." Naoko sighed and started pacing back and forth, his mind working overtime.
The ANBU captain seemed irritated by their display. "We will work that bit out later. Firstly, do you have any idea of who should act the female citizen?"
Naoko looked nervously at Kazuko, biting his bottom lip. "We do, but…"
"We have a friend in the village that is willing." Kazuko finished. "I have talked her, and she is prepared to play the part." Of course, Kazuko was talking about herself, but the Leaf shinobi weren't to know that. She had planned to use a shadow clone to stay with Naoko while her original self would stroll the streets.
The captain clapped his hands together. "Okay, then it's settled. The best places for her to wander around would be the dark alleyways, as unsavoury as that may be. But, please assure her that she will be in good hands—we won't let anything happen to her. We will begin tomorrow evening, after you have had a chance to brief her."
"Of course." Kazuko tried to say as little as possible, lest her sarcastic tone becomes apparent to the shinobi.
"We will keep an eye on her at all time, in groups of two or three to avoid the criminal from sensing our chakra. We will converge on him as soon as she raises the signal." He eyed her skeptically. "Are you sure she can handle this?
"She's done harder things, trust me." Kazuko drawled. She lowered her voice so only her partner could hear her. "Great to know I'll have a bunch of guys staring at me every night for the foreseeable future."
"Don't worry," Naoko grinned beneath his mask. "Your husband will make sure you're safe at all times."
"That doesn't instil as much confidence in me as you think it does."
Naoko chuckled softly. "Oh right, captain?" He glanced up at the ANBU captain. "If we are spotted in our Suna ANBU masks, people may get worried and question why we're here. May I ask for Konoha masks for my partner and I?"
"That seems understandable." The captain replied. "I will bring them tomorrow night. We'll meet up here again at the same time. For now, though, goodnight." Then they left, leaving behind a cloud of smoke.
"That went well." Naoko mused. He looked down at Kazuko beside him and frowned. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"I'll be fine." She replied coldly. Turning her back on him, she jumped off the building, making her way back to the apartment.
.
.
.
Kazuko had decided to map out the area she would be roaming that evening by herself, since her partner had chosen to sleep in. Not that she cared. Kazuko enjoyed being alone. She wanted to get familiar with all the alleyways that she may need to go down if the criminal showed up.
"Oh hey! If it isn't Airi Niigata, where's your other half today?" Kazuko turned around to see the familiar smoking Jounin… Asuma, wasn't it? A kunoichi walked beside him, her piercing red eyes striking on her face.
"Sleeping," Kazuko replied simply.
"Ah, the joys of sleeping in late." Asuma chuckled. "This is Kurenai Iuuhi, fellow Jounin and Sensei of Squad Eight. I'm the Sensei of Squad Ten." He clicked his fingers, as if he had just thought of something brilliant. "Would you like to meet our squads? We're training together today. You can watch if you'd like."
"I'm busy today, sorry." Kazuko said, turning her back on them. "I have to go."
"Okay. But remember, the offer is there whenever you feel like sitting in. We might even be able to teach you some cool ninja moves." She inwardly scoffed. Highly unlikely. She left the Jounin pair, continuing her quest of learning this part of the village like the back of her hand. For all she knew, she might be doing this for quite some time.
It was almost dark when she arrived back home, dinner in tow. "Ah Kazuko, I thought you'd gone AWOL or something. You disappeared on me."
"I was busy." She handed him his dinner and she took her own, beginning to eat even before she had reached the dining table.
"With what? Searching for some hot hook-ups?" Naoko waggled his eyebrow suggestively and grinned her way. Kazuko replied with a glare, making a motion with her hand that threatened to cut off his tongue.
"I'm married remember, or has my husband got amnesia?" She retorted.
Naoko chuckled, amused at her bitterness. "An independent woman like you, married? I never would have guessed. Alas, I am honoured to have you as my pretend wife, Airi." He grinned again. Kazuko stood from her place at the table casually, before picking up her chair and throwing it at his face. Hard.
.
.
.
"Do you see anything?" Naoko asked through his microphone. It was almost midnight, and Kazuko was walking along the dark alleyway, trying to silently catch the attention of their suspected killer. Her shadow clone had stayed beside Naoko for appearances sake.
"For the fifth time, no! I will tell you when I do. Just keep watch above me and shut up." Kazuko hissed into her mic, frustrated with her partner's constant questioning.
Kazuko continued on her route around the streets of the south side of Konoha. Her route consisted of alleyways that were rarely used by people past nightfall, making her look like an easy target for the criminal.
Though it didn't seem like it, her route was deliberate, planned. She was leading any unsuspected suspect into a trap while they followed her. She would use this route for as long as it took, making it look as though she always takes a night stroll before heading home to bed.
Hesitating momentarily, Kazuko gazed at the figure approaching her. The lights in the street were lit but the figure was still too far away to make out the face properly. Their head was down, looking at something they were holding. As she squinted, she could make out a tuft of short silver hair. Male. She concluded.
Kazuko felt her heart skip a beat and adrenaline surged through her. She hadn't thought it would be this easy—this quick. But what if it was? What if it was him and, after tonight, this would all be over? Her and Naoko could be on their way back to Sunagakure tomorrow.
As the figure approached, she was able to see him more clearly. He was holding an orange book, seemingly absorbed in its contents. She recognised him as the Jounin she had met when she was with Naoko. What was his name again? …Kabashi? That seemed right. If she could just slip by quietly, he might not notice her.
Not likely.
As they passed each other, the silver haired Jounin looked up from his book, his visible eye smiling as he saw her. "Out late?" He asked casually, stopping to face her.
"Yeah," Kazuko tried not to look impatient.
"Husband not with you?"
"He wanted to get to bed early. And I like the quiet."
His eye twinkled mischievously. "Anywhere in particular you're heading?"
Kazuko shook her head in response. "Just checking out the nightlife." She debated whether to continue or not but decided to take the plunge. "You?"
The silver haired Jounin pointed over his shoulder at the way he had come and shrugged. "Felt like a stroll. It's peaceful at night." His eye smiled at her and Kazuko nodded her head in agreement.
"I should be going… It's Kabashi, right?" She asked hesitantly.
He laughed good-naturedly; his eye twinkling as he watched her confused expression. "Actually, it's Kakashi. With a k."
Kazuko fought a smile, bowing low. "My apologies, Kakashi."
"It's fine. Well, I'll see you around?"
She nodded. "I guess."
"Good. Well, good night Airi. Say hello to Hiromasa for me."
"Will do." Nodding her head one last time towards Kakashi, she continued on her late-night stroll. Not two minutes later her partner started talking again.
"Wow, didn't know you liked to chat so much, ne?" He sounded amused, the smirk evident in his voice.
"Shut up, idiot. Are we done for tonight?"
"Another round then we can head back, that alright?"
Kazuko sighed. She may be an ANBU but she was still human, and she was more than ready for bed. "Fine. One more round is fine."
.
.
.
Blinding sun hit Kazuko in the face, making her groan and roll over in bed. They had been up until well past one that morning with no luck, and she wanted to sleep in. Knowing Naoko, he wouldn't let her do much of that.
As if on cue, Naoko popped his head in the door and grinned at the curled-up figure on the bed. "Rise and shine!" He shouted energetically, shoving his grinning face inches from hers.
Kazuko groaned in response and pushed his head away. "Go away. It's too early in the morning to be yelling." She mumbled groggily.
"On the contrary, my dear wifey, it's past noon. Now get your butt out of bed and come down for a very late breakfast." Kazuko tried to glare at her partner as she sat up, rubbing her tired eyes. "C'mon Kazuko, aren't you supposed to be adaptable? You've grown stiff." He teased.
"Shut up, idiot. You weren't the one walking around idly for hours, trying to look like an appealing victim for a psychotic killer."
"Ah, touché." Naoko chuckled, ruffling her hair like one would a little sister. "Come on, I made you pancakes and coffee, extra strong."
She sighed, draping her legs over the bed before standing on the wooden floorboards. Naoko obediently left the room when Kazuko started stripping, not at all fazed that her partner was still there.
The smell of fresh brewed coffee made Kazuko take a big, appreciative whiff of air. Nothing was better than starting your day with a nice, strong brew.
Naoko grinned at her when she walked into the kitchen, stifling a yawn with the back of her hand. "Don't get too comfy; I'm taking us out this afternoon. I found a great bookstore I thought you might like."
Kazuko raised a brow. "Why would I care?"
"Don't play that game with me. I know you like reading. Besides, if we're not seen out in public, people might get suspicious." She had to roll her eyes at his logic.
"Fine, but only for an hour. I want to get home early so I can sharpen my kunai."
Naoko grinned. "Great." He lowered his voice. "We might find you a hot so-and-so, ne?" He threw his head back, laughing at her appalled face.
"What's wrong with you? You better not try setting me up with some guy when I'm supposed to be married!" She glared, ready to pounce on him if he said anything more.
Kazuko had only been in one relationship in her life, but when that ended with a broken heart, she swore she wouldn't let herself go through that kind of pain again. Naoko knew she needed a man in her life. She was too work-orientated and serious— she needed to loosen up. As he was her best friend, Naoko deemed it necessary that he help her find happiness, and he knew that deep down, she wanted the affection that someone could give her.
Naoko laughed at her comment, holding his arms out defensively. "Never Kazuko, I was just saying, you might. Eat, then get dressed. I'll wait in the lounge for you."
Thanks for reading chapter two. Don't worry, Kakashi and Kazuko will be seeing more of each other soon.
Please don't forget to R&R. :3