Magic Ramen-no-Jutsu
Author Note: Thanks for all the reviewers of the last chapter! Thanks to: RenTenTen, ira quiin, Fuschslady, Angel4EverLostInLife, Hainako, Theta-McBride, AmandaPandaOh, SleepyMangaHead, Manaliac, DoctorKnight, susi-san, RosemaryThief, CarribeanTrinidadian, Avarianna, writerlover101, Shelik, TamashinoSuzume, elladora lestrange, RebelliousOne, RavenWhiteMoi, fanfictionnatic, A fan, Coyoyotie, Fire Dolphin, Whispers of Decay, InsanityPushedMeOffTheEdge, Kikuriki, Female whovian, Uchiha SaladSilvermane1, Mia Heartnet, eirame, moonglazerz, Reader-anonymous-writer, JMC, DarkDust27, suzaan, turtlehoffman2251, Dedicated4reading, hentai18ancilla, x-marks-the-spot1974, TheBeauty, MookFree07, Mia and guests!
Hope everyone likes this update
Rating: T
Genre: Romance/Drama/Humor.
Planned Pairings: FemHarry/Naruto, FemHarry/Kakashi, FemHarry/Shikamaru, FemHarry/Shino, FemHarry/Neji, FemHarry/Chouji, FemHarry/Kiba, FemHarry/Iruka, FemHarry/Asuma.
Summary: If Harry were being honest with herself, she would have said that yes, accidents happen in magic. It's what made magic, well, magic. But nothing could've allowed her to predict that magic would've transported her into the body of the daughter of a Ramen Stand of Konoha. Now finding herself living the routine of a restaurant waitress, Ayame must struggle between hiding her magical ways, adjusting to life in a shinobi village and warding off the unwanted attention of multiple ninja. She's not quite sure which will be the bigger task. [Fem!Harry, Reverse Harem, Final Pairing Undecided]
Warning: Potential trigger warning for scenes that allude to death and torture.
Chapter 6: Dominoes Pt. 1
Note: Would Recommend Listening to 1975 - Chocolate (Acoustic Version). Either the acoustic version by the 1975 or the cover by Savannah Outen (All can be found on youtube) Was the inspiration for much of the dialogue for the chapter
It was a packed night at Ichiraku Ramen
And Harry was sweating to keep up with the orders and tables.
Business had never been so busy at the ramen stand before since the Ichiraku family had received the invitation. And it wasn't because the ramen fought off the cold weather or anything. Word had spread that the civilian family had been invited to the proceedings, had agreed to attend and the rumor mill was abuzz.
How word had gotten out was about anybodies guess.
Some said that it was the cabbage seller who first saw Ayame sending the RSVP by bird, who had then told his wife who then told the sister of the merchant's brother who then told the owner of the restaurant's daughter's cousin's fiancee who then told his aunt which would then come back to the son of the uncle's grandfather's little sister's husband.
Ah connections
It was a slice of gossip that all civilians were thirsty for, even some of the lower-level ninja, who could not fathom why a simple ramen man and his daughter had been invited personally by the hokage himself to the reception, became obsessed with the news.
Not even the scandalous love affairs of jounin provoked this much afternoon chatter
Although the invitation of other civilians in town, even some of Ichiraku's neighbors, took some heat off the pair it didn't stop the village grapevine from gossiping about how the Hokage seemed to have extended his private circle for the winter reception and that for some reasons these civilians were special enough.
It escaped everyone's attention that these civilians were owners of food stalls and restaurants throughout town.
But of course, people interpret their own connections to things.
Harry mustered what fortitude she could when she was bombarded with questions by the more nosier villagers. There were many times she had to hold back the irritation, to stop the temptation of throttling villagers, to hold back her balling fists from smacking faces who got a little too inquisitive. It wasn't like she knew the answer herself, she was as baffled as they were.
Of course they didn't believe her
Part of her, a very tiny small eenie part of her, would thank Rita Skeeter for being the biggest nosiest pain in her arse she had ever met. Because since she had, nothing could really make her fly off the handle when it came to nosiness anymore, and for the most part nobody could break much of her composure.
Not even the old harpies who were questioning what controversial activities the Ichiraku family must have got into for them to invited.
She merely smiled meekly and said "No, we're just a simple ramen making folk"
She was beginning to believe that statement more and more everyday.
She had gotten into such a routine of making ramen that Teuchi and her were becoming totally in sync at the restaurant. She didn't even need to think twice about where the bucket and mop was, or how much salt to put in the dough, or why Teuchi was always cautious of her working too hard and being given so many breaks and leeway or that she was 15 all over again.
Scrubbing tables the way she was now, she didn't even have to blink about it anymore
She didn't even stutter anymore when she replied that her name was Ayame Ichiraku
She didn't turn away when she looked in the mirror and saw brown staring back at her rather than green
It wasn't that Harry didn't want to be Harry. It wasn't that she still wasn't searching for a way to get home. It wasn't that she had given up on all her friends back home that must be sick with worry for her.
It was that she had come to the stunning conclusion over the past months that she wasn't sure if she was in a hurry to be Harriet Potter all over again. Merlin, that sounded insane, that much she knew. She knew the people that would look at her like she had been obliviated if she suggested the fact that she didn't want to be a famous, rich, and praised witch as much anymore
But the truth was that she liked this life. She liked that all she had to do was make noodles, she liked that she had a father who cared for her and looked out for her, she liked not having to face death, destruction and expectations at every turn. She liked how effortlessly simple everything was here.
It wasn't like she was a ninja, or had to go to ninja school, or had to go on missions to protect the village
No, all she had to do was make a bowl of ramen to please someone's stomach
How easy is that?
Had she been at Hogwarts still, she knew in her heart that everyone would've expected her to complete her 7th year (especially Hermione) and would've needed to work as an Auror, or some Ministry official. She'd have to handle the trauma of the war from all sides. She'd have to duel countless dark wizards and it was still never be enough.
There'd be more death, more dark memories she'd have to lock away for her own sanity. There'd be more occasions where her breathe would hitch from guilt and sadness. There'd be more times she'd have to force herself not to confront the reality or risk breaking.
Perhaps they'd coerce her to teach the next generation of witches and wizards of her many exploits. She'd be bored to death and school, and post-school she'd have hated what her life would become.
She'd be nothing but a political pawn in other witches and wizards games and it would be her mind that would suffer the consequences.
If she had it her way and if she were still in her world, do you know what she would've liked to do?
She would've opened a tea shop somewhere with the miniature pastries that were both sweet and savory. She'd make it a magical tea shop, where every person of every walk of life was welcome to come in and have a spot of tea and conversation.
They wouldn't have talked about politics or death or death eaters. They would talk about life and rationality, the philosophy of flowers and taste, who was going to win the Quidditch World Cup or the Fifa World Cup.
It sounded like a dream
But all of it was just a dream
And in some ways this life was like a dream
A dream given to her, in place of another's
But it was only this dream that gave her an opportunity to forget...just for a little bit. And it was this dream that made her look forward to the future. A future beyond...
"I'm sorry...babydoll..."
And it was thoughts like that that weighed her down. Maybe not with guilt, or sadness or anything of the sort.
It just made her feel heavy about the future. The future for herself, the future of her old family and now her new one
The future
"Sweetheart, you're not feeling well again?" Teuchi looked her, his voice low "Well its closing time, how about you close the gate and go upstairs to bed. Tomorrow is a big night" giving her a smile, but his eyes showed his worry
She gave him a tired smile
"I'm okay dad. But don't worry, I'll go close the gate"
She tucked her washcloth in her apron and proceeded to clasp the tied ropes that kept the metal gate opening the restaurant. She watched the light snow falling as the moon shone in the bleak sky. It was almost full by the likes of it
Remus
Gone
She shook her head, breathing out to see her own breathe come out in plumes and proceeded to close the gate. Hugging her surrogate father goodnight, who still asked if she was feeling okay, Harry ran up the stairs to her room with thoughts swimming in her head
She didn't think of wolves, wands or witches
She thought of parties, kimonos and hairstyles
Sometimes denial is easier
The day of the winter reception dawned on the Ichiraku family
And Harry wished that getting ready could be easier
What a mess
She chewed her lip as she flipped through some magazines that detailed methods in which to wear kimono. It was luck for her that her body had the eye and hearing muscle memory to understand Japanese. Unfortunately for her, it was all still complete load gibberish
Expecto Patronass, I just want to know how to tie this bloody thing professionally!
Legs crossed, wearing a bathroom with her hair wrapped in a towel and dripping on to her shoulders, Harry put the blush brush between her lips and furiously flipped through the pages of the magazine for any sections that could let a dummy foreigner know how to use the obi or the sash worn with the kimono. Makeup that she had haphazardly bought from the store cluttered the floor. She stuck the comb in her tangled hair and held the compact in her left hand.
"A woman's obi is worn in a fancy musubi knot. There are ten ways to tie an obi, and different knots are suited to different occasions and different kimono" She read to herself
Bullocks what does that even mean?
She threw the magazine aside,groaned and decided to hell with all of this formality, she was going to wing it.
Screw Lavender Brown, Harriet Potter always wings it
She dried her hair quickly with her towel, deciding to only pin it with a clip she had found lying around and settled on trying on the kimono she had bought with Choji. Harry fashioned the obi to her desired shape, kind of like the drum-style bow she had seen in the pictures but with her own little spin on it. She slipped into her kimono, the long fabric sleeves covering arms and hands. The fabric still felt soft and comfortable to the touch. Without the obi to secure the kimono she felt like she was swimming in delicate bed sheets.
She finally put the sash around her waist, adjusting the sleeves on her shoulder so that she felt comfortable with the amount of skin she was showing. She placed her socked feet in the Zori, a cloth flip-flop her father had gifted her earlier in the morning and wiggled her toes at how soft the cloth was against her feet.
Walking towards the full-length mirror she had used so many times to assess her new body, Harry looked at herself in the mirror.
The midnight blue of the kimono popped against her fair skin. She gingerly traced the linings of the flowers. Small little plum blossoms which were white in color adorned the fabric like little bubbles rising to the surface of the water. A bigger blossom would always trail behind the smaller one with a hint of lilac lined around the exterior of the blossom. Her obi was the same color, although it was a deeper rich color; almost like mauve, tied sweetly around her waist.
The towel dry method meant that her hair fell on to her shoulders in waves and without her white bandana her bangs would've completely fell forward. But thanks to tying some of her hair up using the clips, her long bangs weren't going to block her vision and framed her heart-shaped face.
All in all, she looked pretty decent
At least thats what she kept trying to tell herself when the pair made their way to the building in which the reception was being held, using the follow-up reply to the RSVP for instructions. She kept tucking strands of hair that got in the way of her face and smoothing down her kimono. Her father was not any better as he, too, kept checking the reflection of his face to make sure his signature white hat was still in place
The site of the reception was in a large building that seemed to have large rooms, with even larger corridors which criss-crossed around the building that led to an even larger set of doors that surely housed the winter reception everyone kept giving her grief about for there was a host that greeted them and asked for their invitation.
She trailed behind her father, who seemed to have tried to cover up his own giddiness as they approached the door while trying to pay attention to the instructions on the invitation. Handing the invitation to the polite host, Teuchi held his hand out to his daughter to give her a comforting squeeze. She felt the excitement and nervousness that was bubbling in her veins; it must have been like what Charlie felt like entering the chocolate factory. Turning towards her, he gave her a smile and a nod before following the host who had opened the door for them.
Here goes nothing
Before she could even began to assess her surroundings, two guards on either side of her decided to interrupt her with their booming voices.
"Announcing the Arrival of Ichiraku Teuchi and Ichiraku Ayame! Owners of Ichiraku Ramen Stand!"
Oh blimey, seriously?
She tried her best not to roll her eyes and felt a migraine threatening to burst. What a load of pomp and circumstance, even Professor Slughorn would've thought it was a little excessive. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. If this was what an entrance was like that she could hardly imagine what the rest of the evening was going to be like. Adjusting her eyes to the bright lighting, Harry took in her surroundings and gasped internally. All thoughts of any ideas on the event lost.
It was breathtaking...
Magical
The room was magnificent. It was a humongous room that could only be called a ballroom. Windows that must have been at least 10 feet long and 6 feet wide were the first thing that Harry took notice off. These windows seemed to be the barrier between the room and a balcony that seemed to stretch forever and the windows allowed the pale shimmering light of the full moon to hue the proceedings with an ethereal light.
The room itself was a rectangular in shape, the ceiling seemed to stretch high all the way to the heavens, the walls being adorned with intricate swirls and golden patterns with open doors that led to even more fantasy rooms. The floor was a beautiful burgundy carpet, which looked so soft Harry almost felt like crawling into a ball and nuzzling it. Table tops littered the room, where pockets of people seemed to be conversing, standing and dining on delectable finger food which Harry was dying to try. She spotted some salmon and her mouth began to water a little (she had not eaten the entire day since she was so nervous about the night)
But by far Harry's favorite part of this visual orgasm was the lanterns that lit the room. Opting for lanterns rather than chandelier lighting, the room seemed to glow with a golden light that reminded Harry of the fantasy lands that she read in books to get lost in. They lined the corners and edges of the room as well as floating around the ceiling in varying heights. With a band on the side playing elf like japanese music and the clinking of forks and glass from the long buffet style table that held all the food and the bar on the other side, it all seemed like a beautiful dream.
Teuchi and Ayame were still holding hands as they made their way to the side of the room, both completely silent, mouths slightly open as the true level of majesty of the room and the event hit them.
Merlin...
It was then that Harry took the time to pay attention to the people who were in the room. She felt the jolt that ran down her spine as she became acutely aware of the amount of shinobi that were in attendance. Not that she was nervous about ninja, with Naruto and Iruka in her life she didn't need to be, it was just that there were so many of them...and so many of them looked like they were getting ready for a battle royale.
Despite wearing simpler kimonos or yukatas most of the attendees displayed their hitaes proudly for all the world to see, some had swords tied around their waists or wore flak jackets that Harry was sure contained kunai that they were probably ready to throw given have the chance. She swore she even saw a mace and nunchucks being swung around as party guests made their way around the room.
Why the hell some ninja felt they needed to bring weapons to this prestigious events Harry would never understand.
It only made her more nervous than she already was to be there.
Should I have brought my soup ladel?
She suddenly felt very exposed to the world, as there were so many people in the room (mostly ninjas) who seemed to know each other and were all a tad older than her; although some well-behaved little ones were sprinkled around the room. It made her tighten the grip of her hand around Teuchi, and made her hold the front of her kimono that bit tighter.
It was then that they heard a shout and turned to the man who ran up to them waving "Teuchi! Little Ayame!"
She breathed a sigh of relief, a familiar face! And not just any face, one of Ichiraku's neighbors! A civilian just like them!
Nope, nope, nope. You are not alone Harry Potter. You are not the only civilian in this room with no way to defend themselves if a ninja gets pissed off and decides to throw a star shaped knife at you. Nope nope, not today Harry.
"How are you doing old friend?" He took her surrogate father's hand and shook it enthusiastically "Talk about a fancy event huh?"
Teuchi laughed "That's an understatement, how are you doing?"
"Doing great! And look at you all scrubbed up and your little girl is as beautiful as ever"
She smiled politely, flushed with pride "Thank you"
"Now Teuchi I want to introduce you to some people! With all the food businesses here there's some connections we can make together" He smiled widely at her father as he began to pull him away
He turned to his precious daughter, a silent question in his eyes.
"Go ahead dad, don't worry about me" giving him an encouraging smile and a small thumbs up
He gave her a thumbs up in encouragement as well, turning to his colleague to discuss suppliers and demand (topics that Harry herself had no real clue about); being led away to a table on the far side of the room
Being left alone near the entrance, Harry let out a breathe she seemed to be holding, shifting her weight from her left foot and right foot and placing her hands behind her back to calm herself down. Her eyes darted around the room and she took more of the occasion in.
There she was, playing with her thumbs as she searched for what to do
Left to her own devices
Left in the shark tank
She made her way to the buffet table then, taking delight in the delicate treats that lay before her. She decided to pace herself, thinking that taking round of food would essentially be the best way for her to try everything. Grabbing a plate she gingerly reached for the salmon sashimi, the quiches and beef carpaccio. Carefully avoiding the strawberries, which were rare in Konoha but reminded her too much of England.
Proceeding to a table top that was free, she quietly ate by herself. Closing her eyes in delight as she chewed on the little finger foods she had picked.
Oishi!
She seemed to have ignored her surroundings once she had, as daintly as possible, scoffed the remaining food off her plate. Completely unaware of the person who was looming over her.
"My you scrub up nicely kitten, I hardly recognized you in that kimono of yours. If I didn't know any better I'd say you don't look like a kid anymore. You look...positively lady-like" his cheeks stretched from his smile as she turned around and meeped in surprise.
Whether Harry was willing to admit it or not, the man looked rather dashing in his yukata himself; in his own rugged kind of way. It was charcoal black with a white sash tied around his waist. While not as body hugging as his shinobi attire, the get-up screamed regal and blue blood lineage; going against whatever image he had tried to convey to her when they had first met.
The absence of a cigarette in his mouth confused her but it was the shit-eating smirk and that husky voice of his that gave him away. He held a glass in his hand, with amber liquid that splashed back and forth. Mirth still swimming in his eyes, if not more since their last encounter.
"Ah Cigarette-san!"
"Hmm, as much as I love the nickname kitten, you can call me Asuma. I don't think I ever gave you my first name"
"Ah no...Um, I'm A-Ayame Ichiraku then"
God Harry Potter when did you turn into a stuttering twat?
"I know kitten" continuing to smile at her
Somehow the nickname ruffled her feathers a little and irritation started to rise. With that irritation came the return of her confidence as she steeled her voice.
"Can't you call me by my real name then?"
"Can't kitten, it's a genetic thing"
"You lie"
"One must never tell lies"
It conjured up images of fluff, pink, and cats which made Harry shudder and gag. Recalling things that made her shudder, she noticed how there wasn't a cloud of toxic smoke that was encircling Asuma's big head.
"Shouldn't you be smoking?"
"Oh but I quit kitten"
"Why would you do that?"
"I seem to recall a midget telling me that that would mean that be 6 minutes less I'd get to spend her. I very well didn't want to miss out on that fun"
"I don't know if I should be happy or insulted..."
"How bout be both? Nobody said you had to be either. Call it being hapsulted"
She raised her eyebrow in confusion, vaguely weirded out by him but not above being a bit amused. He merely grinned and croaked a laugh. She shook her head, deciding to humor him for the evening. It was clear from the flush in his cheeks and the light that was dancing in his eyes that he was, at the very least, a little bit intoxicated.
Harry did not have much experience with alcohol, except for the occasional firewhiskey and butterbeer she had dabbled with but she could pick up the signs of a drunk person anywhere. She did know the Weasley twins after all. Choosing to ignore his brand of humor, she took notice of the locks of hair that were quickly sweeping over Asuma's eyes. They seemed a lot shorter then they were before.
"You cut your hair!" pointing at him
"Ah yes," he used his finger to trace the short spiky locks "Despite our lack of care for most things we ninja do occasionally cut our hair for convenience. I hope it is to your liking kitten"
"I don't know why my opinion would matter" she persed her lips
"...But it does" he stopped smiling then, surprising Harry
She looked at him inquisitively, he swayed a little bit, back and forth.
"...Are you...are you drunk?"
"No kitten, I'm just a little partial to liquid courage that's all" his smile returned full-force and he took another sip from his glass
"I hope this rose-tinted event hasn't bored you to death"
"Ah no," she looked down "Although I'm not the most comfortable with it all..."
"That makes two of us" his voice was absent of warmth and he sighed
There was something more to the way he said things. Harry couldn't be called the most perceptive witch of her history, but what she had on her side was life experience. Enough life experience to at least understand that a sigh that accompanied a phrase meant a lot more than the speaker was willing to let on.
"You sound like you don't like these events" which was more of a question than a statement
"Events like these are always just for show. A power play if you will, like a game of shogi you have your players in the room and my father always knew when and who to play the game with." he sounded bitter
"So whats not to like? Old and privileged ninjas so far up their asses they can't see whats plain written in front of them. I can hardly contain my excitement" gripping his glass tightly, a chip of glass had broken off
"They would rather ignore the signs...the disappearances...and throw a party than admit the truth" His vice grip was straining the glass and he stared at his drink, which has been reduced a shallow pool in his cup, his eyes began to clear a bit at his previous statement "Ah but I shouldn't go too into it kitten, much too dreary for company like yourself"
"Then why'd you invite me?"
He downed another drink but his eyes turned
"No kitten, No."
He looked at her mournfully, not even alcohol could hide the regret that was painted plainly on his face
"I didn't invite you"
Taking another gulp of his drink, Asuma's eyes became unfocused and wild
"If I had my choice you'd be far away...far away from this place. Back in your ramen stand kneading dough comfortably to make noodles for your blonde friend and his teacher"
"So it was all your father? Then why?" she asked tentatively, something gripped her heart
Couldn't be...
"I don't know, I don't know why my father has taken an interest in you but I don't like it kitten. I don't like it one bit," he paused, as if he was searching for what to say "You shouldn't be here. You shouldn't be a part of this world, you shouldn't be a player in this game"
In more ways than one Asuma...
"Perhaps its because you're living up to your declaration. You are interesting but that shouldn'-"
He stopped mid-sentence, staring glumly at his cup which was empty now. That seemed to have made him forget about his tirade for the moment. He turned to lock his gaze with hers, his eyes still dark and full of mirth and something else, before bowing and giving her a smile once again.
"Ah if you can excuse me mi'lady, it seems the bars siren's song beckons me and my cup is in need of sustenance. Take care kitten"
Take very good care
Before she could even begin to say her farewell or process what he had said he had stalked off past her. She craned her neck to watch him stumble away to the open bar, laughing maniacally at the bartender as he ordered another drink, as if he had not just looked like he was struck with grief. Harry could only twiddle her fingers as she was left alone once again to her thoughts and worries. The encounter and reunion with Asuma had only served to leave her with strong sense of foreboding...and yet she felt slightly breathless at the same time.
Merlin, this party was off to a smashing start
She seemed perplexed as Asuma Sarutobi walked away from her, she took a moment to pause before moving herself.
His eyes followed her as she made her way through the crowd, towards the windows that were open for party-goers to access the balcony. She hesitated at first, turning to wave at her father who waved back, before deciding to exit the party into the expansive balcony.
She looked around her surroundings, and seemed relaxed at the sight of Konoha under the pale full moon as she made her way to the ledge. He could see her breathing in deeply the fresh air, with a shy smile on her face.
It seemed she thrived in solitude but stumbled in large crowds. It seemed she loved the food, and was curious by nature. It seemed she had no problem not making connections with higher-ups but was content with her choice to stay by herself. She looked right and left and seemed to internally debate what to do next before proceeding down the stairs attached to the balcony into the corridor that led to the rose garden.
She was still all by herself.
Beckoning his right hand man he whispered a command and returned to smiling softly for the attendees.
"Keep you eye on her, Inu"
A dark shadow behind, nodded with acceptance of his task and proceeded to leave the area like a ghost.
"Yes, Hokage-Sama"
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt satisfied as he felt Inu leave the room and continued to watch over his guests
His questions would be answered later
For now, some Shoju
Inu followed the girl who had walked down the stairs, the girl who felt the need to wander off on her own, the girl who the Hokage-sama had a special interest with. He made sure that his movements would remain undetected, concealing himself on the ceiling of the open corridor as she made her way down the path way. He alternated between doing that and hiding behind the columns that lined the path. The corridor was cold and dark and instead, as most of the lanterns of light had been reserved for the party, only the moonlight that was let in through the columns that held the the balcony up.
She took small tentative steps, seemingly lost in her thoughts as she looked at the ground and then again at the moon, a soft snowfall preventing her from entering the garden. She took the time to adjust her kimono before continuing her exploration of the area. Her hair was such a standard brown he could've copy-n-pasted it from any other civilian in the village. He didn't even give himself the time to observe her face.
She looked so...
Weak
She was all by herself, so unaware of her surroundings that he could've easily slit her throat with his kunai if ever felt the urge. So many people had been in a similar situation as her in which he had done the very same thing. From the back, take the kunai and slit. Dispose of the body and run like a ghost
Years and years of killing had made the task rather chore-like.
Just as this was.
Overseeing this girl was just a chore.
But chores at the very least were a distraction, a moment given to him to block what his own mind forced him to see given half-the chance. His own mind betrayed what his heart wanted, if his heart was still even there. His idle mind let the memories spill and wash over him. But the more blood he spilled, the more he'd make up for...
Blood, so much blood
He'd get there one day
He'd get to the point where his mind would no longer betray him
I need too
For now, he allowed his mind to be drowned out by the simple of task of overseeing and observing this plain civilian who seemed to be up to nothing more than sating her curiosity to such a grandiose building. He became a bit more daring, having figured that the Hokage's demands required him to watch out for her and observe, thus a closer look was necessary to complete the task. He concelaed himself well, using his chakra he approached her from behind and began walking right behind her and he had no doubt that she was still unaware of his presence.
That is until she seemed to stop mid-track
She suddenly stopped walking, which forced him to halt his movements and as his body became clinically stilled he observed how her breathing seemed a little more erratic.
Using his keen senses, he could smell the fear that suddenly gripped her form, the heart rate that was getting faster as she stood still and erect, and the breathing that came out in plumes. He became so focused on the little changes in her body, so surprised by her actions and new awareness, that he had inadvertently released the chakra that had initially concealed him.
With both of them out in the open Inu stood behind Ayame under the pale moonlight
Still she did not turn towards him, her back still facing him.
She knows I'm here...
How...?
"Y-Yo-You..." it came out so soft, Inu could've sworn it was just the soft snow breeze that had carried those words
But the tremble and tremor of her body betrayed this notion, she was frightened, she could feel him behind her. His shadow clearly seen on the cold marble floor, now, as the moon lit on both of them. His figure seemed so dark, so large, so
Menacing...
She twirled around then, clutching her hands to her chest, as she forced herself to take a look at the figure who was following her. Her eyes widened and she gulped.
A mask?
No I...
No
"We have her, we have Harry Potter"
"Excellent..."
"-Death Eater..."
"So very Loyal"
"Such cold metal aren't they?"
She could feel her heart beat ring in her ears as she saw who had been following her this entire time. A white mask, with dark holes that showed nothing but darkness. Red streaks on the place that cupped the cheeks, it looked like...
Blood
There was so much blood
Pain
A slice
Black
Death
A slash
Green light
Another one gone
Please no
Inu saw that her breathing was becoming quickly more erratic as he felt himself frozen. She had caught him and how he did not know and the question paralyzed him. He made no move towards her, but made no move to back away.
She couldn't take her eyes off the mask...
A wand rolled on the ground
Not him please
Eyes glossed over
No
Leave me alone please
Please I beg of you
It was so cold, so very cold, the fear in her heart...
Don't hurt him
Anybody but her
Please leave me alone
Leave Me
Alone
Please Leave me Alone
Leave me alone
Leave me alone
LEAVE ME ALONE
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She shrieked
It ran through the air
Like midnight blue lightening that crossed from the tip of her left index finger, which ran through her skeletal frame, her lungs, her throat, her heart, all the way to her right finger. She felt the pulse. She felt the crackle. A heat running through the palm of her hands like pebbles on fire singing into her skin
And then
BAM
The explosion couldn't have been louder than a a firecracker exploding
But it was like holding a firework that had gone off
The two were pulled apart, Harry falling onto her back, her kimono scuffing as she hit the floor with a thud. Inu's quick reflexes saved him from being shoved towards the column on that opposite side, which had been half a foot away from the two where they stood, but it didn't stop him from falling on to his one knee from the impact.
They were on the cold marble floor now
Breathing hard and trying to adjust to gravity
Feeling like the wind had been taken out of them
Harry and Inu had the exact same reaction once their bodies had caught up to their minds. Eyes were wide with shock, bodies trembled, and one simple question permeated through their mind...
What just happened?
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Preview:
Chapter 7: Dominoes Pt. 2
She bowed, and gulped
Did he notice? Did he...
"There's no need for that"
"I'm glad to finally meet you, Ayame Ichiraku"
Author Note: Leaving it off here. Splitting up this chapter into two because there were way too many components to this encounter which will have a significant impact on the lore and plot. For those of you that guessed correctly, yes Inu is Kakashi Hatake. But since he's still in ANBU he doesn't see himself as anybody then Inu and he'll act according as such. Still I hoped you like the interactions in the chapter and look forward to the next :)