I was rewatching the earlier eps of Shippuden, in season 10 currently on TV (adult swim channel), and I forgot how much I was raging over Karui beating the shit out of Naruto to get info on Sasuke. Although you can't blame her because Killer Bee IS her master, and Naruto also knows what it's like to lose a master (Jiraiya) and wish revenge on the one responsible. What Sasuke did to Bee was UNFORGIVEABLE. This is really a fine line and so tearful, because it seems at times you're forced to choose a side.

Composition by Brunuhville.

Chapter Nine

Solitude

She was never going to forget those words her best friend and roommate said to all of them - especially HER. And it was when the day was over she and Temari went back to their flat to pack up what she could, but her friend never said a word to her or even looked. Kurenai had driven them back, but she didn't say a word in case it would get worse.

"She's in good hands, Hanaru," she did say while she was in the sitting room as they waited for Temari to be done, "but I didn't have to say that. She's going to be fine. "

Hanaru shook her head. She wanted so much to believe her best friend would thank her and the others someday, but the present was too painful. And the future seemed too depressing to think about. I wish I could believe that, but it's better than sitting by and letting it get worse.

It didn't surprise her when Temari only nodded when the long-haired blonde said good-bye and promised to visit when she could, and the door closed behind her and Kurenai. Sighing, Hanaru went to lay across the couch, socked feet in the air, and decided to turn on the television, seeing nothing interesting on, and definitely no word on the mysterious murderer - or murderers - of the family in town. Things were quiet, but she hoped that it was over and it just wasn't announced yet.

Now that she would have this place to herself, what could she do? The bills were all paid for until next month, and that didn't mean she would go crazy. But there was one thing she'd wanted to do since making her new year's resolutions, but there were few of them. This one was minor in comparison to any big ones.

She went to the salon today for her hair appointment, having been excused until later in the day since it was going to be boring anyway.

The final result was this: her hair was cropped in a bounce above her shoulders, streaked to the roots with tomato red. It had been her mother's hair color; Kushina often got teased as a little girl and teenager, called "Tomato" by mostly her guy peers, and her reaction would be a physical lash out and many detentions. Hot-blood genes ran in the women of her side of the family.

Looking at herself in the mirror as well as feeling the refreshment of the lotus extract, she smiled at this new and mature-looking Hanaru Uzumaki. Snug blue, rounded neck top and tight black jeans, her cherished jewelry, and now this new hair bouncing around her neck and ears. The boys might keel over when they saw her - but the one who mattered most should have been here.

Or should she say, two?

"Wow, girl, you really are rocking. If only your mom could see you - or Temari," Karui told her; she was the one who did her hair just now. But the dark-skinned, red-haired girl regarded her with a scowl now at the mention of her best friend. "But speaking of which, how is that angry girl doing now?" Sighing, Hanaru told her the truth since there was no sense in lying to her.

Karui sniffed and put her hands on her hips. "Just like I thought. But about time you and the boys put your feet down." Then her face broke out into a broad grin. "And speaking of which, how is that Choji? He still hasn't the balls to ask me on a date yet."

Hanaru suppressed flinching at the slightly bossy way she referred to one of her best friends like that. A girl like Karui, originally from Kumo, would be easily pissed off by a guy over any reason, but that was how they were more than they had been in the past. And when she saw someone who didn't try too hard to measure up to her standards, then he did nicely. "He's doing just fine. But a guy like Choji tends to be more...self-conscious than you think. So if anyone should ask him -" And make him feel good about himself. "- it ought to be you," she suggested, sliding her credit card at the counter.

Now that was enough to get Karui to brighten up with a victorious gleaming of her teeth.

She got out of there in a flash. The snow was still on the ground, the sky cloudy, and she was ready to get something to eat at home already, then relax for the day, but she had to get back to the guys. Although before she did, she stopped by the coffee shop to pick up the seasonal hot chocolate just because she wanted to. The men could use it after the shit that happened yesterday.

Asuma's new year's resolution? The same as every year, and that was to try and quit smoking - with little avail. Who knew when he would actually go through with it. He might as well give in to lung cancer.

Shikamaru had wanted to ask Temari to marry him, but now that would have to be postponed until she was well again. Either way, he intended to go through with it. Other than that, the life-savoring shirker was just going to do what he did best. He was never in a rush - except when a certain someone would get on his poor tail.

Finally, Choji hardly had any. He just simply went with the flow and enjoyed life the way he did. If he had anything set in stone, it would come as a surprise.

She never got to ask Temari what her plans were, but her best friend was so angry and hateful that it was hard to ask her such things. She might as well wait and see for now.

What she and the boys did instead was just talk mostly about her new painting which had the same man, but among moonlight and pixie dust in a forest. She officially decided to call this tsuki no chiri, which was another phrase for "moonlit dust". What would have been the man in the moonlit dust was too long to put on plaque. "I wish I could predict well with this one," Asuma said with a shift of his jaw as he pondered. "Not everything will be a bestseller - but everyone loves your hand, Hanaru."

That he was right on, both regarding her and general.

When the day was over, she was walking for the corner where the bus stop was, bundled up in her sweater jacket - but then she heard a certain deep, rich voice enter the atmosphere, in her ears, and his presence appeared to her in broad, gloomy daylight for a change. Hanaru was both startled and angered a little. Because last time she saw him was midnight of the new year, she accidentally kissed him in spite of herself, and then he vanished after apologizing without another word. She never saw him again.

So why in hell was he here now - and in the day time now?! "You really need to learn to not pop up unexpectedly like that, Mystery Man," she said coolly, regarding him as they stood maybe five feet away. Nobody was on the corner except them. "What do you want now?"

Here he was again in that damned coat, collar covering the bottom half of his face again. He was doing it on purpose to keep it hidden from her. "You're not pleased to see me," he stated.

"Why should I? You disappear twice without a word of warning, and last time was deliberately on purpose -" She stopped herself and huffed, turning away from him. She was done speaking to him; she wasn't giving him satisfaction about that kiss which he thought was some kind of curse inflicted on him. "I wish you never showed up at all."

"And why is that?"

"Because..." This wasn't the first time she got so infuriated with someone. "...you just think you can waltz into someone's life, help them, then show up on a special night, tell a short story of how you relate to me by losing a brother yourself - which didn't last long, whatever happened - and then poof! You vanish after a little accidental kiss like it was a germ you had to get rid of," she snapped, finally seeing the bus coming around the corner to reach them. "Now what do you want? I'm not going to pretend nothing happened."

He regarded her without a blink. "I would not expect you to, nor do I expect you to forgive me. But you were right in that it was an accident that neither of us could have prevented. I'm not blaming you for anything, Hanaru."

She bristled. Was he trying to butter her up? She wasn't going to buy it so easily. "What are you saying? Might as well hurry because the bus is coming," she warned him.

Now she got a chuckle out of him, and it was of amusement. "I have all the time in the world to give you the answers you need - but half of it will be beyond your comprehension. And it will place your life in more jeopardy than you could possibly imagine." Now that made her scowl deeper, but then there was the sound of the bus doors hissing open, and she turned towards it, smiling with relief, and turned her back to him as she stepped on. Happily, she gave the driver her change and took her seat.

But when she turned to look out the window, Mystery Man in Black was gone. She almost smiled. Well, at least I don't have to worry about him following me home, if it gets that far.

"Did you honestly think I would let you leave that easily on a day like this, hn?"

Or maybe not. Hanaru nearly jumped out of her skin and glared at him as he sat right next to her and still in his coat, mouth still covered up. He really had to stop doing that - but how in the hell could he appear and vanish and so on like a magician?!

"If this bus wasn't filled with people," she threatened, locking her eyes with his, "I'd shoot you up with electricity here and now."

He chuckled. "I promise you that it won't work on me. You don't need to know how, but take my word for it. I'm not your enemy."

"But I still don't know you. And if you're not willing to give me a good reason why you're so interested in me, then get out of my life instead of haunting me in the subtlest ways possible!" Her voice was low enough to not attract heads in their direction. The bus was already moving so that she couldn't kick him off herself.

"Hanaru Uzumaki, you really have an impertinence that matches the women in your family."

His mention of her family gave away more hints that he knew far more than she thought. He was watching her because of something she wasn't aware of - she was overcome with a wave of dark anxiety that she was fighting to keep down. "You knew my parents and my grandfather then?" she asked.

He nodded. "Very well. In fact, I knew Minato and Kushina a long time ago, before they died. It was their wish that I one day watch over you and your brother. But I don't know his location, although I want to assure you...he is alive and well."

Was it her imagination, or did her world change then and there for the better?

"Naruto," she whispered, numb and looking ahead at the seat before her. "He's alive..."

But then it was back to being wary for the better. "Where did you get this information that the police force could never find?" she demanded. He held up his hand to her face, silencing her without laying a finger on her skin - where that dragon's eye ring glimmered like fire in winter.

"I will give you more details when we reach your place."

Oh, so he wanted to go in the apartment she and Temari shared, now that her friend wasn't there? "Promise me you won't try anything funny, and that you'll give me the answers that will keep me from demanding more?" she warned, pushing that hand away.

He drew it away and rested it calmly in his lap. "Yes," he said simply. And at the perfect timing, the bus stopped for her. He rose and let her pass before following her. But Hanaru didn't look back to see if he vanished again or not. She just wanted to get inside so she could finally put her mind, heart and soul at ease.

Inside, safe and warm. She was so relieved when she shrugged off her jacket and hung it up, then let her bag drop onto the side of the couch. "Something I can get you?"

"No, thank you. I am on a special diet than what you have." He was still standing when he said this, before he moved to sit down gracefully on the couch, smoothing out the frontal end of his trench coat which he didn't have in himself to remove. She thought this far too strange, but she was done pushing him over the littlest of things.

"Then you don't mind if I have myself a drink?" She held up the bottle of sake she pulled from the fridge, feeling like she needed all the lightness she could get. "It's been a hell of a day for me."

"You mean last couple days," Mystery Man stated amusedly, "and a brand new hair, I must add. I fancy it, and it's far better on you than before. It makes me think of a harmless flame."

His comment on her new hair was enough to make her cheeks sizzle, but she hoped it wasn't showing. Harmless flame? That's something I haven't heard before. And there are no such things as a fire that doesn't burn.

"And do I detect lotus extract in it?"

Hanaru nearly dropped the bottle and the cup as she was coming back over to him. "W-what? How did you know?" Keen sense of smell had to be it! Whoever he was, he had high senses and he could read everything about her as if she were an open book.

Although, scary as it was, it made her happy to know somebody understood her without trying too hard.

"You seemed to already figure it out. There's no need to be afraid of that," he told her, looking up at her with unblinking eyes. If only she could see a smile or something, or was he not capable of it? Someone with a laugh like that must be able to...

"And did I not promise I would keep my hands and all other objects to myself?" he asked smoothly, causing her to freeze in her place. "As I also recall, you asked me to keep another promise."

"Thank you for the reminder," Hanaru answered, sitting down and putting the bottle on the table. "What can you tell me about my brother?"

"Your brother isn't harmed in any way. He is in a safe location, but the details are far too sensitive to elaborate outside the operation. He was abducted, yes, but by people that know things the mortal man can't comprehend. Long story short: you've been in the dark long enough, so you deserve to know now, but because this situation is dangerous, you have to stay out of it. Someday you'll see Naruto again when the time is right."

Hanaru didn't know whether to be pissed off or extremely happy. He was giving vague details again, but there was one thing she was glad to accept, and he had promised her that her missing otouto was safe and sound - but why wouldn't he tell her who had him?

It's really been so hard to not make this a rip-off of Hellsing. So I included as little as possible of Itachi remembering his execution of the mission which was based off of episode two of the original non-OVA. I also couldn't think of anyone from canon to put in the roles of the Bonnie and Clyde pair that Alucard owned like the rats they were. Get it: the vampire bat gives the rats what they deserve. XD

Now Hanaru knows her brother is alive. :D But now comes the hard part in resisting wanting to know more when Itachi made it loud and clear that Naruto is safe, but more details will put her in danger. Let's see how the next chapter goes...