Chapter 3 – The Rainwitch
The voice snapped Yuugao's head around. The words were courteous, formal, and welcoming, but that voice was not. It was sharp, disjointed, a voice that wielded every syllable with care as if each was a kunai hurled at the foe.
This pointed voice's origin was the room's only chair. The dim light threw shadows and concealed the small chair, and the person seated there was not large, and she sat with her legs and arms curled in, projecting nothing.
The appearance was not what she expected, and Yuugao immediately wondered if the photos she had examined had been doctored, or perhaps even belonged to a double, for this woman did not look at all how she would imagine Suwa Shiori, the head ninja of Hidden Rain, would appear. There was no presence to this small woman, nothing standout at all. Her face was very plain so that even its features, sharp eyes, thin eyebrows, and high cheekbones, were difficult to discern. The leaf kunoichi considered that Shiori possessed components that might have created beauty, if rearranged, but in this woman appeared merely matronly and forgettable.
Nevertheless, Yuugao did not allow this unexpected appearance to distract her. "How do you know who I am?" she demanded fiercely of the rain ninja.
"You are wondering why I did not use the false name you gave to my checkpoint guards?" Shiori sounded slightly amused to Yuugao's reckoning, but her amusement was catlike, predatory.
Watching the rain head ninja speak was difficult, for her motions were incredibly subdued, her mouth barely seeming to open and close as she spoke. Yuugao found it somewhat intimidating, for who could expect to be so easily disarmed by this strange act.
"It is simple," Shiori continued, utterly confident. "I am well aware of who you are, of most of your ANBU in fact. How I know that is not your business, suffice that I do."
"Why reveal this then?" Yuugao was no schemer, she always preferred direct and physical tasks, but even she could recognize that Shiori should not so easily reveal this knowledge.
"Ah, good, you are not completely witless I see, how promising," the head ninja's left hand spun slightly through the air. "Why indeed? It is a simple enough answer," a cruel smile, backed by a foul glare, lit that plain face. "Because you are in my clutches now, and I want you to understand the implications fully."
"I am here to cooperate on a mission with you!" Yuugao replied indignantly. "You don't have the power to give me orders!"
"I don't?" the slightest of brief laughs escaped those lips. "I think you are mistaken there. You see, Yuugao, your true purpose here is not any mission. Konoha cannot afford send you away right now for such a simplistic task, oh no."
"How do you know?" Yuugao blurted, realizing it was foolish, a great mistake, the moment after words had left her mouth. Looking into Shiori's eyes in the next moment, however, it was brutally obvious it hadn't mattered. The woman knew, had already known. "How…" she spoke irrationally, a cold knot taking hold in her stomach.
"How do I know?" Shiori appeared to consider, spinning her left hand slowly through empty space. "Yes…maybe it would do to tell you, to establish some clarity. Listen well then," she began and her tone changed, smoothing, beginning to lecture. "I had my suspicions from the start of course. There were Rain ninja in Konoha for the exam, even if none of mine had managed to reach the final round. A shame really that, otherwise I would have been present, it might have aided both sides. Regardless those ninja were interrogated rather seriously when they returned about many things, including people they had seen before the attack who they didn't see afterwards. I got a pretty solid picture that things had been far more serious than you all put out. So I looked into it more deeply, and began to get a decent picture, but the real trick was something you all did to yourselves."
"What?" Yuugao could not believe that, every possible step had been taken to hide Konoha's weakness, even from supposed allies like the Rain.
"Oh, it's very simple, Tsunade made a mistake. It's not really her fault I suppose; she hasn't been living the ninja life for years and has no political experience. She wasn't ready to be thrown to the wolves." Shiori smiled again. "It was the boy from Suna, the one named Gaara."
Hearing those words Yuugao began to understand, and it suddenly seemed blindingly obvious, a huge mistake she could not believe her village had made. The kunoichi's head dipped in disbelief and shame.
"Indeed," Shiori piled onto the regret. "Did you all think he as not being watched? We have known Suna had sealed Shukaku in a child for years, and when a giant tanuki formed of sand fought outside Konoha and was observed by hundreds all the pieces fell into place. The Kazekage was quite the man I must say, to do that to his own son. So, Tsunade calls on this boy to help track down one negligent little missing-nin and it becomes very clear just how desperate you all are. It's not just me you know, I think everyone knows."
"But then why hasn't Iwa…" Yuugao muttered, feeling the full power of this realization sink in.
"Who knows?" Shiori gave the tiniest of shrugs. "I can't read the Tsuchikage's mind, more's the pity. Anyway, it hardly concerns you now, since you are here, not in Konoha."
Yuugao stood in careful silence for a long time. She was feeling cut loose, imperiled. This was not what she had expected. Konoha's files had said that Suwa Shiori was a talented politician and something of an opportunist, but she could see now that they had underestimated this woman, more, that the head ninja of Hidden Rain had manipulated Konoha into underestimating her. She is playing a deep game, one far deeper than I can even see, Yuugao recognized and was suddenly afraid. "Why have you told me all this?" the ANBU kunoichi asked at last.
"To give you a sense of your situation," Shiori replied evenly. "You must be made to recognize that while in Hidden Rain you will serve my will, no matter your desires. Otherwise you are of no use to me."
"And if I refuse to be you puppet?" Yuugao retorted.
"You will not be my puppet," Shiori admonished. "Not at all. You have come with a mission and indeed it will be attempted. Konoha may benefit after all, who knows, but you must realize you do not have authority here. If you desire this mission to come to pass, then you will perform it in the service of hidden rain. It shall be service alongside my ninja and taking their orders, for this is not your place, but mine."
"And if I refuse?" Yuugao suspected the answer, but she dared the response anyway.
"Then you will die," Shiori said the words with an utterly disarming casualness. "You have walked here, you have seen this place. The jungle provides me an endless supply of excuses to end the lives of whose death must never be known in truth and whose bodies must never be found. Ultimately in Rain there is a single choice. You can learn to live with the jungle or it will swallow you up. That is just as true as for me as it is for you."
ANBU were not accustomed to being threatened. They were highly skilled ninja, even the very best did not take them lightly, and they served the Hokage personally so killing one was not without consequence. Yuugao weighed this against Shiori's words and realized the rain woman had considered all these things and was still supreme in her confidence. The leaf kunoichi also knew that she must accept this situation, anything else was pointless. Even if Shiori did not have her killed she could simply ship her back to Konoha with a refusal. Such a thing would push the alliance, but Konoha was in no position to complain. To be returned would be a failure. Not something acceptable at present.
"So what happens now then?" Yuugao asked Shiori.
"I wonder," the head ninja of Rain mused. "What exactly is your mission?"
It was a disarming question, and Yuugao was surprised to recognize that, even knowing so many secrets as she did, Shiori did not know the specifics of her little mission. It was amazing to the kunoichi that this rain ninja had acted as she had not knowing that, an incredible act of confidence. Yuugao knew she could not have acted in such a way. "Well," Yuugao answered. "It is fairly simple, just getting rid of someone."
"Hmm…" Shiori smiled. "I should have guessed, that is what you ANBU do after all, assassinate people. So, someone Konoha wants to die is hiding out in our jungle is it? Tsunade sent you here because you've failed to find him."
Yuugao nodded, once more impressed.
"Don't feel bad," Shiori flicked her hand to the side a bit, dismissive. "If you can survive out in the jungle it is indeed a very good place to hide. We are usually lucky in that few have such capability, but sometimes it does occur. Who is this man then?"
"Toyimoto Banten, a monk who fled from the fire temple for heretical practices and selling sutras on the black market," Yuugao explained.
"Reasonable enough," Shiori replied. "But if that's all why not just put a bounty out? We would have taken care of it ourselves eventually."
Yuugao smiled a bit of her own now. She had expected it would not be possible to fool the head ninja, but had at least made the attempt. "He was a fuuinjutsu trainer for us at one point."
"Ah, well, that clears that up," Shiori smiled. "Obviously you'd want to keep quiet about who knows what. Understandable indeed," she paused, closing her eyes for a very short moment. "Very well, it is no problem to silence such a man. I would rather capture him but I can do Tsunade a favor this once. Besides, it is never easy to have prisoners hauled through the jungle. Do you have any further clues beyond simply being found within our borders?"
"There are tracking reports in the file, from our previous attempts to find him," Yuugao answered carefully. "But when I examined them I found little that was helpful, of course I do not have your ninja's familiarity with the terrain." She glanced up at the maps on the ceiling.
"Hmm…" Shiori smiled slightly. "This may be rather involved then. I trust you are not functioning under some kind of time limit here?"
Yuugao, knowing she was effectively exiled from Konoha until such time as she could manage her emotions properly, shook her head. "However long it takes I shall remain."
"Very good then," Shiori's voice changed once more, taking on a tone of command for the first time. "I will give your case to the direction of Kaikashu Yori. You will work under his command to complete this task. You may go see him immediately; one of my guards will direct you to his office. He'll still be there, he works late." The head ninja gestured to the gloom beyond her watery door, indicating that early and deep darkness of the jungle night had started to fall. "You are dismissed Uzuki Yuugao."
"Yes sir," Yuugao bowed carefully and turned about smartly. Her feelings mixed and confused as she tried to digest the whole meeting. As she walked through the cold watery gateway once more she felt a growing sense of irritation and anger at the situation. The Rain ninja was using her, manipulating her, and she had not been able to stop it. Oh, surely much of the cause was not her own actions, but Yuugao felt affronted. She was now stuck being Rain's minion, and she did not like that. Whatever the circumstances I am still a ninja of Konoha! She raged inwardly. Shiori might be outside her reach to oppose, but the ANBU ninja resolved she would not let this lesser office to which she had been assigned push her around so easily.
After Yuugao had gone Shiori slowly stood up from her chair, stretching her tight muscles. She had always found that sitting curled up into a ball threw people off, confused them, and it had worked once more, but it was a recipe for instant muscle soreness afterwards.
As Shiori stretched out a hidden panel opened in the back wall of the chamber and another person joined the head ninja.
"A strange one we've been given," this newcomer commented. "You're taking a big risk with her."
"I know, sister," Shiori replied, turning to face her younger sibling Shioko. She shook her head as she did so. "How do you manage to look so good after being squeezed in there? Maybe I should have let you sit in the chair."
Shioko laughed, but gently, and Shiori knew she was being conscious of her elder sister's feelings. There was a contrast between the two of them, for though they resembled each other and shared the same sharp facial features Shioko was beautifully imperious while Shiori was plain. Slight differences in the structure of their face and Shioko's greater height and long flowing hair created the great contrast. Many people seeing the sisters together often erroneously guessed it was Shioko who was Hidden Rain's head ninja.
It was not something to feel jealousy over, and Shiori never had. Appearance was a weapon, and her plain and un-presupposing visage had uses just as vast as any beauty. She loved and trusted Shioko, and desired her sister's council now. Shioko was no political operative, but she had a native sense for people, and besides, unlike most of Shiori's aides, knew the true implications of the decision just made.
"I could never sit in that chair Shiori," Shioko admonished. "I'd be cursed, don't you remember, anyone who usurps the seat of the rightful head of Ame suffers from it."
Now it was Shiori who laughed, recalling that ploy, an amazingly useful contrivance from years ago. "I suppose that's true. Anyway, what do you make of our visitor?"
"She is difficult to gauge," Shioko began cautiously. "Obviously she has skill, as expected from one of the ANBU. There is force to her nature as well, the aggressiveness many of us kunoichi acquire as we fight up in rank, but something is not right with her."
"Indeed," Shiori nodded. "Tsunade did not send her here to have a man killed. I did not put the question of why to her because it is obviously some kind of disciplinary action, and she would never give a satisfactory answer to the cause, not formally. What do you think Shioko?"
"It's grief, sister," Shioko did not hesitate. "It must be that, the source of the turmoil, given what happened, it is hardly surprising."
"Yes, well, a soul in turmoil is vulnerable to influence don't you think?" Shiori smiled cunningly.
"A dangerous game sister, she is ANBU, and besides, you never know which way a ninja will move when pressed," Shioko waited a moment, and then forged ahead with a question. "Why Yori? Why give away that secret?"
"Because she is ANBU," Shiori replied. "You are right that this is dangerous, but in order to gain something from this ANBU, to make the most of this situation I must risk much. Yori is loyal, I trust him, and he can handle one such as this I believe, I don't know who else could. Besides, this way we will isolate her from the rest of the village. If push comes to shove I did not make that threat idly. The jungle can easily hide another body."
"Well, I suppose what's done is done then," Shioko concluded.
"Yes, the piece is placed and for the rest I must leave it in Yori's hands," Shiori nodded. "Still, look in on our guest from time to time, sister. I should not like to leave her with only the Morikeishu to talk too."
"Um…yes," Shioko giggled slightly. "I'll make sure to do that."
"Well then, Uzuki Yuugao," Shiori spoke softly, her voice trailing away. "Let us see what shall come of this guest from the sunny leaves cast into our shadowed boles. The eyes of the rain shall be watching."
Chapter Notes:
Shiori and Shioko have awfully similar names, yes, because they are from a fairly important clan and this is a traditional practice. The Hyuga of the Leaf have a similar tradition (Hiashi and Hizashi, Hinata and Hanabi).
Suwa Shiori also appeared as the head ninja of Hidden Rain in Forged in Water. I'm building off the bits I used there.