Plans
Sonnie
Tenten couldn't help but think that Chiie was adorably cute for a former shinobi. Her red pixie cut was set off by a bright yellow head scarf that still bore the sign of Hidden Cloud. She had almost squinty green eyes as sharp and brilliant as emeralds. She was what Tenten considered "fiercely pretty." There was something very vital and engaging in those mischievously narrowed eyes and sweet-natured smirk.
And she definitely walks like a dancer, Tenten observed as they climbed the stairs. She's ninety pounds and fifty eight inches of pure, concentrated energy. But she's not entirely cheerful, not the way Rikichi is. Something's bothering her…
Tenten paused, the question from the back of her mind coming forward.
"Chiie, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"
Chiie shrugged. "You can ask…it doesn't mean I have to answer."
Tenten smiled at the response. "Alright…why do you act all funny around Shikami? Is he the man you used to love?"
Chiie balked. "What? Shikami?" Chiie laughed loudly, doubling over. The sheer volume of her chuckles echoed loudly in the stairwell and Tenten grew alarmed when tears of mirth started to pour down her face. It reminded her of Lee. "You're so funny, Tenten. First Rikichi, then Shikami. My taste isn't that weird."
"Well, you act kind of funny around him, that's all."
"Oh, well, it's just that Shikami is very familiar with the man I used to love," Chiie said softly, her laughter dying away. "And I'm so quiet around him because he knows who I love now, the other man I mentioned. I don't think anyone else knows, not even Rikichi."
"How does Shikami know if Rikichi doesn't?"
"Because he's way too annoyingly observant and intuitive," Chiie grumbled. "I try so hard to be discreet – for more than three years I've kept it a secret, me and him - and in one meeting where the three of us were together, I blow my cover through no real fault of my own. Shikami doesn't even know me that well and he just…knew, and he knew instantly."
"That's gotta suck," Tenten agreed.
"I'm glad he's not the type to gossip or tell anyone, but it's a little discouraging to know that you can take immense effort to hide something from the world and someone just comes along and digs it up in a heartbeat. Any sense of progress just kind of…dies, I guess."
Tenten sighed. "Yeah, I know the feeling."
"He's actually a decent guy, though," Chiie added thoughtfully. "Shikami's surprisingly supportive of his peers. We don't really hang out or anything, but I like having random conversations with the guy. He's good friends with Rikichi and Sachi absolutely adores him. Amaya-chan too…he's really good with children."
"I can't think of any male shinobi I know that I'd trust with a kid," Tenten said smartly.
Chiie was about to say something when she stopped suddenly in her tracks. She rushed forward, leaving Tenten at the bottom of the latest flight of stairs. "Takayori-sensei, what happened to you?"
The man at the top of the steps was well-dressed, at least he would have been if the front of his white tee-shirt wasn't stained with fresh blood. His hands were clean, however, as he took Chiie's in his own to soothe her.
"Calm down, Chiie, I'm fine," he reassured her gently. "It's not my blood."
His voice is so calming, Tenten thought distantly, realizing that it couldn't just be the comforting voice that made her suddenly so relaxed and peaceful. His chakra is odd…
"Then whose blood is it?"
Takayori met her eyes, not easy, as he was a foot and a half taller than Chiie. "I think you should come downstairs and see for yourself," he said quietly. He glanced over at Tenten, giving her a good look at his oddly green-yellow eyes. He regarded her thoughtfully before he added softly, "You might want to come too."
-O-
The hour's almost up, Gaara thought, eyeing the clock warily. He wasn't looking forward to resuming the talks. The meeting certainly hadn't gone as planned.
Not that there really was a plan, since we couldn't really know what to expect, but I can't say brutal honesty ever factored into a diplomatic mission before, Gaara thought dryly, considering Zan Shukuchi. He's an intelligent child, but he's only eight years old. Experience doesn't come with a formal education…
"We should review the details with the shinobi from Fire Country before heading back," Mura recommended. "We just got a lot of information."
Kankurou nodded in agreement. "Good idea. They're probably on this floor."
-O-
"Okay, so let's go over each ninja and what we know about them," Sakura began, addressing Shikamaru and Neji. "The daimyo, Zan Shukuchi, is eight years old. His teammates are Yuu Sachi and Kotabe Amaya, six and eight years old respectively. Sachi is Rikichi's daughter, and Amaya is sister to both Kenji and Shikami."
"Shikami isn't quite what we expected," Shikamaru spoke for everyone present. "But Kenji…he's a little…impolite…"
"Impolite?" Sakura snapped. "He's flat out rude. I want to just deck the guy."
"He's probably as spoiled as his uncle," Neji grumbled. "It doesn't take a lot of deduction to conclude that Samura Yoshida had a lot of money. Since his sister married into the Kage's family, he grew up with money and power. I haven't seen him treat Shukuchi disrespectfully but that's about it."
"I don't know much about Rikichi and Shikami; neither's been around all that much," Sakura confessed. "Shikami is clearly here to grieve his uncle and Rikichi gives off the impression that he's just along for the ride, or at least to meet up with his friend, Chiie. Chiie and Nii Asazaki both live here in Snow Country; however, I find it odd that Asazaki-san is involved in a political delegation when he no longer serves as an active ninja for the Hidden Village."
"Perhaps they are being forced to reconsider their departure," Neji said dryly. "Izari's death was faked so she could leave, but Chiie and Asazaki are both known by their country to be alive. I doubt they were considered missing nins when they left, but things sound rather grim as it stands. They're very short on manpower. Perhaps their arms are being twisted so they're not labeled as runaways."
"Missing nin…that kind of designation…" Sakura trailed off.
"It puts more than just a little cramp in your style," Shikamaru shrugged. "The threat of that would bring just about anyone back, as long as they were semi-friendly to begin with."
"This tension might have something to do with Yoshida's assassination," Neji offered. "From what I've seen, I doubt he'd go back after accumulating so much wealth and status here."
"Or the two could be unrelated," Shikamaru pointed out. "This Third Party group…they could be responsible, too. It sounds like they're really wearing down the resources over there."
"Shukuchi-sama says landed gentry in his country would be more than willing to hire foreign shinobi; however, we would have to attend the chuunin exams in their country in order for this to happen," Sakura reminded them. "Shukuchi-sama is almost desperate for us to go. His uncle, Ikonji Takayori, is a med nin. I met him earler; he's very polite and genuine."
"He hasn't said too much, did you notice?" Shikamaru pointed out. "I think the guy prefers to observe more than to interfere. He obviously trusts his nephew – that alone says the kid isn't someone to write off on age alone. Even if the kid is smart, he's got to have a lot of power to speak so confidently."
"I'm still perplexed by this business with Shikami," Neji added. Shukuchi doesn't hold a grudge against the man who killed his own father…
"Shukuchi-sama said it himself – he never knew his father, so how could he miss him?" Sakura looked at Neji carefully. "I know it has to be hard for you to empathize, but he's grown up as an orphan too, even though his mother's been alive all these years."
"Izari's been holding back some information on us," Shikamaru muttered. "Though I'll admit that I don't think she knew Shukuchi was still alive."
"Eight years is a long time for people to change," Sakura pointed out. "And it's not as if her information was flawed, it's just subjective. Yuu Rikichi and Kotabe Shikami were her former teammates. She's naturally biased against Shikami because he killed her husband, but Shukuchi seems to genuinely trust him."
"Something tells me the kid doesn't trust too easily," Shikamaru said uneasily, "And trusting someone that killed your father, even before you ever knew him…it's a lot to wrap my mind around."
"It's the sorry state of their country that's forcing them to work together," a voice said from the doorway. Gaara stood there with Mura and Kankurou.
"Mind if we join you?" Kankurou asked casually, smirking at Neji's frown.
"Sure, we're just going over some of the information," Sakura told them. "Have you learned anything new?"
Mura crossed her arms. "From the comments Izari and the Lightning nins have made, it's fairly obvious they're experiencing a shortage of shinobi in the country, at least shinobi that the Hidden Village, Kumo, actually trusts. To outsource to the degree that they're suggesting, it means that they're desperate for manpower."
"If we get ourselves into this, we have to consider that we might be hired to help them fight a war," Neji said quietly. "They took a big risk sending all these powerful nins here. Granted, the Raikage and the Head Shinobi are still back in Kumo, but nearly all of the shinobi Izari mentioned are actually here, whether as an official representative or not."
"Why send so many?" Sakura asked. "They really only needed Shukuchi-sama and Takayori, and maybe one or two others, tops. I know that Chiie and Nii Asazaki were already here, but Yuu Rikichi, Kotabe Kenji, Kotabe Shikami, and Shukuchi's entire genin team—"
"Security." Gaara said coldly. "The daimyo, strong as me may be for an eight-year-old, is still eight years old. This Third Party they spoke of was powerful enough to assassinate Yoshida, who as far as I can tell was not only strong but rich enough to afford any and all protective measures possible. They've already ordered a hit on one daimyo, and even though it backfired, I doubt that an eight year old has the same kind of loyal following the old one did."
"Tsunade-sama did mention that the Raikage might attempt to drag us into this war," Sakura said softly. "How bad are things over there, I wonder?"
"Why don't we go ask ourselves?" Kankurou shrugged. "Our hour's almost up."
No one actually discussed who would bring up the subject, but everyone knew it would be addressed quite soon and they weren't looking forward to the answer.
'Money makes the world go 'round,' didn't Shukuchi-sama say that? Sakura thought wryly. But he's right…if they're half as rich as they say, we could sure use the business. Suna's in an even more financially vulnerable position than we are…they might not even have a choice. If the daimyo of Wind Country pushes hard enough, Gaara will have no choice but to go anyway…
As the group headed into the hall, they heard scattered fragments of what appeared to be an argument up ahead. Recognizing the voices, they followed the shouting to the elevator lobby.
"Goddamn it, Rikichi, don't you ever think before you talk?" Shikami's gray eyes narrowed dangerously at his former teammate, who held a prone Izari in his arms protectively.
"You've got the nerve to say this is my fault? Fuck you. You killed her husband, right in front of her, if I recall what Yoshida-san said correctly." Rikichi's voice and expression were filled with an anger that Sakura hadn't expected he'd have been capable of.
"Izari's never taken big news well. I mean, for the love of God, you told her that her son was still alive in the middle of the street! No wonder she passed out. You were closest to her and you didn't even move until she'd dropped. What were you thinking?"
"What was I thinking?" Rikichi's voice was low and dangerous. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"Could you guys keep your voices down?" Asazaki's cool voice drawled from the hallway. He approached the two men casually, coming to a dead stop when he recognized the woman in Rikichi's arms.
"Izari." Asazaki blinked and paused a moment before regaining his cool. "What happened to her?"
Shikami snorted. "Rikichi thought it would be a great idea to announce to Izari that after going eight whole years thinking her son was dead at the hands of her former best friend, it would be marvelous to tell her that no, he wasn't really dead. Naturally she doesn't take this too well and then he just stands there as she faints—"
"Don't you fucking dare try to blame this on me," Rikichi hissed, refusing to back down from Shikami. He was right up his face.
Shikami glared. "When she wakes up—"
"When she wakes up she's going to kick your ass," Tenten said from doorway of the stairwell. She wore an extremely grave expression. "I guess I'm lucky because I don't have to wait that long…I get to do it now."
Asazaki made a sincere attempt to grab her for her own safety, but Tenten was already in motion. She couldn't focus her chakra like Sakura, but her fist still had a lot of power. It nailed Shikami in the jaw and a loud, audible pop was heard.
"Oh, shit," Asazaki muttered grimly, rushing over to Tenten's side, because very soon she was going to need some help.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Tenten yelled at Shikami, who was fingering his dislocated jaw numbly. He seemed far from angry, stormy gray eyes focusing on Tenten as if he was seeing her for the first time and not the second.
"You don't go ripping surgical pins out of people's arms!" Tenten persisted, struggling against Asazaki's superior strength as he dragged her back. When they were far enough away, he inserted himself between Tenten and Shikami protectively.
"It was an accident," Shikami muttered absently, wincing at the pain those four words caused his jaw. "After it happened, I summoned a messenger pigeon and told Takayori-san right away. He picked her up and they came back here, presumably. She's alright, isn't she?"
"That's not the point," Tenten finger was focused accusingly at Shikami. She was still being successfully blocked by Asazaki when the door next to her flew open to admit Chiie. The petite girl looked around at all the new faces before settling on a very familiar one.
"Izari-sensei?" In an instant Chiie was by Izari's side.
"She stopped being our sensei when she ran off," Kenji's cool voice corrected her, his expression carefully blank. He'd been observing everything calmly, not having moved from his position against the wall.
"What happened to her, Rikichi, is she okay?" Chiie's brow furrowed as she gently brushed some blonde curls away from Izari's face.
"She'll be fine, so I'm told," Shikami muttered, eyeing the audience they'd gathered. He fingered his jaw lightly. A long, awkward pause commenced; Chiie was glancing at the ground, Rikichi at Izari, and Shikami at the ceiling. It went on for well over a minute until Rikichi spoke up suddenly, his voice unnaturally loud after such a long silence.
"Um…after things settle down…I'll fix that up for you," Rikichi muttered grudgingly, staring down at Izari's expressionless face as he gestured to Shikami's jaw.
Shikami nodded stiffly and disappeared down the stairs without another word. Before the door slammed shut, Asazaki and Kenji followed. Taking a deep breath as if to brace himself, Rikichi departed, Izari still unconscious in his arms.
"When I left them, Takayori was still attending to Jou-chan," Chiie said quietly, the only Lightning nin aside from Shukuchi left to address the group. "He'll likely be occupied for a few hours. The wound was…extensive."
"This accident…how did it happen, exactly?" Sakura inquired.
"Um, she startled him, from what I'm told."
"Are you kidding?"
"Shikami-san is an excellent ninja, don't get me wrong, but he's been understandably distracted since his uncle's death. And Jou…well, Jou's really unpredictable and things just happened all at once, I guess." Chiie was looking at the ground.
"Do you believe that?" Kankurou's voice was hard.
Chiie started. "I don't know." She looked rather worried. "He probably ripped the pin out on reflex, thinking that any kind of concealed metal is a weapon. It's not an unreasonable assumption, given his line of work. But as soon as it happened and he realized his mistake, he did summon Takayori to assist him and right now he's healing her arm. I'm not worried about Jou; Takayori-san is the best med nin I've ever met."
"Is she still in surgery?" Shikamaru inquired.
"Probably…"
"So I take it the talks are canceled," Neji said flatly.
"Postponed," Shukuchi corrected. He'd apparently gotten past the rather harsh shock of seeing his mother and addressed the groups from Wind and Fire. He smiled for the first time, which produced a rather immediate and jarring effect on those present. "In lieu of formal discussions, I thought I'd invite everyone to a late dinner at nine o'clock this evening."
"Dinner?" Gaara's voice was unconvinced.
"Yes. It was by our invitation that you came here; in Lightning Country one makes sure his guests are well-cared for. Is my proposal agreeable? I would very much like for you to attend."
Sakura gaped. This kid is full of surprises, she thought, quickly plastering a polite smile on her face. "We would be honored," she replied, hoping she didn't sound too fake. The skeptical look he very briefly shot her informed her that she wasn't fooling anyone.
"As would we," Gaara said, much more graciously.
Shukuchi briefly pondered the tone of his voice before nodding satisfactorily. "Tenten-san, was it not?"
Tenten nodded.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Shukuchi extended his hand. She took it. "My name is Zan Shukuchi. I am the daimyo of Hidden Cloud."
Tenten blinked, drawing her hand away slowly. "What?"
"I think it would be best if we continue this conversation in private," he advised, holding open the door of the stairwell open for her. "Is that acceptable?"
"Um, sure…"
"Good," Shukuchi glanced at the delegates briefly. "If you'll excuse me, I have some matters to oversee. You're free to use the recreational facilities downstairs or you may explore the grounds if you wish. Tomiko-san will take care of the necessary planning for this evening. I was thinking we could reserve a room at the Hokuto no Tenshi teahouse. Please dress appropriately." With a rigid, formal bow, he disappeared down the stairs after Tenten.
There was a brief pause before everyone started speaking at once.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Dude, Shikami attacked a civilian. He's gonna get nailed."
"What's going to happen to Izari?"
"I can't believe I have to dress up tonight."
Five sets of eyes gave Shikamaru a withering look. His dark eyes glared back. "C'mon, you can't tell me that you aren't dreading the prospect of a dinner with these people."
No one really had a good comeback for this.
"Jou's a citizen of Konoha, I should make sure she's okay," Sakura said. "I also want to check to see if Tenten's learned anything useful. There's a map in the front lobby of the building…maybe you guys want to poke around there and see what you can find out."
"I'll accompany you," Mura spoke up. The girls headed downstairs, leaving Shikamaru with Neji, Gaara, and Kankurou.
Great, just me and the dream team, Shikamaru grumbled inwardly, eyeing the Gaara. Things are going to be a lot more formal between us now, Kazekage-sama. I'll conveniently forget that Kankurou and Neji don't like me and just see if I can check out the rather conveniently-placed skylight over—
"Where do you think you're going, Nara?"
Damn it.
"I was going to poke around this place a bit," Shikamaru shrugged. "At least before I go back to the hotel and change; it's a nice setup they've got here. I think I'm going to chill out for a few hours. Judging from what I've seen today, I'm doing to need it."
-O-
Takayori leaned back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he rose and washed his hands. The injury had been serious; while her life wasn't in immediate danger, she'd been at risk for losing fine motor skills in her hand. It wasn't the wound that had him unnerved, however. He pulled a worn piece of paper from his pocket, frowning.
Yoshida…why can't you ever just say what you want up front? Takayori sighed, reading over his deceased friend's letter for the tenth time in a row. You pretend the only reason you want me to come to Snow Country is to accompany my nephew. You say that he needs the best piano instructor you can think of, citing this woman. And she may or may not be as good as you say, I don't know. But you really just wanted to drag me all the way here so I can perform a risky surgery on someone I haven't even met…
Takayori glanced sideways at Jou. He had wondered briefly if she was his friend's mistress, but dismissed the notion upon further study.
Yoshida had insanely high standards for the women he saw, and while this girl's not bad looking, she's nothing special. That alone makes her a bit suspicious – Yoshida was excessively shallow. No offense, Jou-san, but you're just not pretty enough…but if you're skilled enough, I can see Yoshida liking you sufficiently. But it must be hard to be a musician and have such damaged ear drums.
If her hearing was impaired by a Sound shinobi's attack, it's not going to be an easy task to repair it. The window of time has closed, or it would have closed for a less talented med nin. But even with my healing expertise, this isn't exactly something I can just go ahead and do without her consent…
"You're Takayori-san, aren't you?"
Takayori arched a blond brow at his patient. "You're supposed to be asleep."
"My brother is very susceptible to opiates. I am not."
Not quite, Takayori observed wryly as she yawned. But she didn't seem to be in any pain, at least none that she showed.
"It's unusual for two siblings to have such dissimilarities in their blood," Takayori informed her.
"But you and your sister have very dissimilar blood; it isn't that rare."
Jou now had his full attention.
"What do you know about my sister?"
"Yoshida told me."
"Did Yoshida speak of her often?"
Jou nodded. "He says you loved her very much."
"I did. I do. I'm assuming you love your brother? I think Yoshida mentioned you're a twin."
"I love Lee with all my heart," the smile she gave him was sweet; Takayori found himself smiling back. "Yoshida told me about your bloodline…how there are five levels. Izari was level two and you are level five…he told me a lot, actually."
"And why did Yoshida tell you all this? Did you ask him?"
Jou snorted. "Yoshida speaks of whatever he wishes to. He isn't easily coaxed into a conversation he doesn't desire."
Takayori grinned. "He's quite…"
"Domineering? Sly? Calculating?" Jou rattled off several adjectives and smiled at his surprised face.
"That's quite a list."
"But an accurate one," Jou smiled warmly. "But despite all the flaws, he was very insightful and charming. There's never going to be anyone else like him. It's hard to accept he's gone."
Takayori's smile faded. "Yeah, it is," he admitted. "He's not the first friend I've lost…and he was more like a brother than anything. But I'm sad to say I know what it's like to lose family, too."
Jou maneuvered her uninjured arm so she could place her hand on his. "You're not as alone as you think."
Takayori paused; despite her pain, she was totally, utterly honest in what she was saying, and sincere in the condolences she expressed.
"Well…I have a nephew," Takayori conceded.
"Who wants to take over the world, from what I've told," Jou pointed out.
"No, he just wants to remain daimyo. He wants Amaya-chan to grow up and be Raikage and Sachi-chan to become Head Ninja. He'll marry Amaya-chan and make Sachi-chan the godmother to his heir, and as he puts it, 'the codification of power in Lightning Country will be complete.' Or something like that. As his uncle I'm privy to all of his fantastic takeover plots."
"Well, if he's going to stop after only one country…" Jou trailed off, smirked.
Takayori grinned back. "You're right. He's going to take over the world someday. But he's more like an enlightened despot than a tyrannical fascist."
"Thank God, I was really concerned there for a minute."
Takayori laughed. "You'd like him if he spent time with him. He reminds me a lot of his mother."
"Oh, really?" Jou's eyes were wide with interest. Izari would really want to know, if she were here… "How so?"
"He's always got his nose in a book, which is more a family trait now that I think about it. He's very tough, but fair on his teammates. He's learning languages faster than I ever thought possible for a boy his age. He hates broccoli but loves cauliflower. He likes his coffee cold and his tea hot. And he's very, very sensitive to people…to everything, really. He pretends that he doesn't notice things he does and also pretends that he's not hurt, but…I know. I know the extent to which he feels things."
Jou lowered her eyes. Just like Izari…
Takayori felt an immense wave of sadness from Jou. Alarmed, he was surprised that for as intense as her feelings were, she wasn't crying. Most people tried to dam their emotions up, but they flowed so strong and pure from her. Even without his bloodline Takayori would have known how deeply she was feeling things when he looked at her carefully.
It's odd, Takayori thought. I guess I'm used to everyone guarding their emotions and thoughts so tightly around me, but this woman feels emotions so fully, so real…It's almost as if she knows…
Takayori gave Jou a long, hard look before continuing.
"Since you know so much about my bloodline, you're probably already familiar with the link that exists between members of my family. Like twins, my father used to say. Yoshida had the ability to break those links, and a tiny piece, or maybe a large one, always hoped that he broke the link between my sister and carried her off somewhere safe."
Jou smiled thinly. "It's a nice thought. If he broke the link, he'd be convincing her mind and body and soul that both you and her son were dead," she said carefully. "…Though it might be a great way to convince her to leave, especially the latter."
"Would you put it past him?" Takayori asked her, his voice casual.
"I would put nothing past Yoshida," Jou said truthfully. "He's very selfish. He ran away…and as much as he would like to think otherwise, he's terrified of doing anything new alone."
Takayori's yellow eyes fixed hers. "I'm going to ask you something. It's important you don't lie. I need to know the answer. I'll only ask if you promise to tell me the truth." He hesitated. "You can say no if you want."
"Alright."
"Alright, 'you can say no,' or alright, 'ask the question'?"
"The latter."
"Is she alive? Izari, I mean."
Jou met his gaze unflinchingly. "Shikami's out there looking for her. You'll know soon enough."
Almost on cue, Rikichi burst through the door with Izari in his arms. Chiie was hot on his heels, as was Asazaki, Sakura and Mura. Kenji strolled in last; he was in no apparent hurry.
"Takayori, we've got a problem," Rikichi announced.
"At least we found Izari alive," Kenji grumbled.
"My sister's been alive these past eight years," Takayori said absently, studying his sister's face earnestly.
"Jojo, why did you keep this from us?" Rikichi implored of Jou earnestly.
Kenji snorted. "Look at her. Then think about my uncle for a few seconds. If he wants something kept secret…he's very intimidating."
"Yeah, but not to Jojo…" Rikichi trailed off. "He'd never threaten her like you're insinuating."
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked her, barely managing to squeeze a few words in edgewise.
"Yeah, it was really all a misunderstanding," Jou smiled weakly. "I really did startle him."
"Uh huh," Mura's tone was pure disbelief.
"I'm serious," Jou said firmly. "It wasn't anybody's fault. I'm not angry with him or afraid of him. I just want to know if Izari's doing alright."
"Izzie just hit her head, right, Takayori?" Rikichi asked hopefully.
The blond man had already finished his inspection. "She's going to have a headache when she wakes up, but it's nothing serious. What happened?"
"She met her son, Takayori," Rikichi said in a low voice.
"And where is he now?"
"Um…wasn't he right behind us?" Rikichi asked sheepishly as Kenji rolled his eyes.
-O-
"I hope this incident doesn't degrade the tenuous relationship between our shinobi nations," Shukuchi addressed both Tenten and Shikami.
"What about him hurting my friend?" Tenten demanded.
"Since she isn't a shinobi, the matter would be handled in a civil court if she decides to press charges," Shikami muttered absently. "And when shinobi have altercations, there is a similar court for them. I can, however, assure you I won't press charges against you, Tenten-san. Besides, you aren't here on official shinobi business and neither am I. The incident between us isn't too serious. I'm sorry for what I did to your friend, I truly am."
"Tell that to Jou-chan," Tenten bit out.
"When she wakes up, I will," Shikami told her truthfully.
"You know an awful lot about law," Tenten said grudgingly.
"Administration is in my blood," Shikami murmured. "As is music…I don't suppose you'd believe me, but I'd have much rather grown up studying the latter."
"If only life were that easy," Shukuchi said expressionlessly. He glanced up at Tenten and studied her carefully. "Did you know my mother well?"
"Not particularly," Tenten admitted. "I just found out that you were related today."
"You and the rest of the world," Shukuchi shrugged. "I suppose we should go visit your friend and see how she's doing…My mother, too."
"Are you going to be alright?" Tenten asked him hesitantly.
"I don't have any choice but to be," Shukuchi smiled crookedly. As he marched forward briskly, Tenten shook her head in disbelief.
What an odd kid…
-O-
Izari heard voices dimly through the haze of pain that had invaded her mind like a thick, dense fog. There were snippets of conversation, of voices that were both close and distant in her memory. Through her weak bloodline she could vaguely detect their proximity to her as they flitted about the tiny room.
"Is it a good idea for Shukuchi to be here?"
"It's not like she can fall and hit her head when she's laying in a bed, Rikichi."
"Kenji, you're such an asshole."
"Sticks and stones."
"You do realize she can probably hear everything you're saying?"
"It'll be just like old times."
"The three of us at each others' throats, you mean."
"Eh…kind of."
Izari's gray-violet irises slowly came into view, blurred through her thick lashes. She was vaguely aware of someone's face leaning less than a foot from hers before they were yanked back.
"Rikichi, she's going to faint again if the first thing she sees is your face," Kenji muttered.
"Izzie's seen me naked before; I don't think a close-up of my face is going to do her in."
"Yeah, but it's certainly not going to help."
Izari's eyes snapped open and she reflexively withdrew from where Rikichi was attempting to get close again. She attempted to sit up and back away, but the pain in her head was debilitating and she fell back on the pillow helplessly.
"Rikichi?"
"Izzie."
"Where am I?"
"In Yoshida's conservatory."
"What happened?"
"…You kind of fainted and hit your head."
"Kind of?"
"Damn it, Kenji, she fainted, stop getting all literal and technical on me."
"Where's my son, Rikichi?"
"I'm right here."
Shukuchi stood in the doorway.
Izari nodded.
"And where's Jou-chan?"
"She and Takayori went upstairs while you were asleep."
"Unconscious," Kenji corrected.
"Yeah, well, the representatives just wanted to make sure she was alright and such. Shikami's with them. It really was an accident, Izzie. I watched him apologize and she accepted it and now everything is almost well and good in the world."
Izari turned on her side, back to her former students. "May I speak with my son alone for a few minutes?"
"Um, yeah, sure…" Rikichi was obviously taken aback. Not quite sure what to do, he paused, mouth still open. Only when Asazaki tapped his shoulder did he come to his senses and start to move again. Without another word he held the door open for Chiie, Asazaki, and Kenji. He glanced back at Izari almost as if he wanted to say something again, but shook his head and disappeared.
What do you say to the son you've never met? Rikich asked himself as he shut the door behind him.
-O-
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sakura asked for the fifth time as Jou rooted through the bowl in the center of the table. Because of the table's size, she was perched precariously on her uninjured right arm as she used her left arm to leisurely sort through the assortment of fruit.
"I took care of the internal damage but I stitched the wound shut manually," Takayori told her. "I've found injuries heal more naturally that way. I've significantly sped up the recovery time, but muscles and tissue require time to successfully overcome such trauma. She shouldn't do any heavy lifting or the like for awhile."
"I think the heaviest things she lifts are iced tea bottles," Kankurou scoffed.
Takayori smiled. "That remains to be seen."
"Where are all the good apples?" Jou grumbled, studying the line of fruit she'd placed on the table. "Someone took all of the Red Delicious ones."
A red fruit rolled across the table and stopped in front of her.
"I was saving it for later, but help yourself." Everyone's eyes darted to Shikami, who seemed unperturbed by the attention.
Jou smiled her sincere thanks and proceeded to devour the fruit.
What kind of girl just forgives the guy who wrecked her arm? Kankurou thought dismally. And out of everyone in this room, they're probably the most relaxed, save Takayori over there…
"The address of the restaurant will await you upon your return to the hotel," Shukuchi announced as he entered the room. Everyone's focus was on him; he'd just suffered an event that some might deem traumatic and seemed completely unaffected. "I think it best everyone reconvene later. I apologize for the lack of an escort, but trust you can manage to find your way there by nine o'clock."
It's not like anyone's going to complain about that, Shikamaru thought grumpily. You're good at structuring your sentences just right.
"I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of inviting Tenten-san along, even though she's not an official member of your party."
"Why?" Kenji asked him. He brushed off Neji's glare with ease.
"She's involved." Shukuchi elaborated.
"She's only involved because she stuck her nose in business that had nothing to do with her."
"Her best friend was attacked." Rikichi justified.
"That's why they have police." Kenji's voice was flat.
"When was the last time you relied on the police when you were capable of getting your own results?" Shukuchi drawled.
"That's not the point."
"At any rate, the important thing is that she's coming along, whether you like it or not, and though it's clearly the latter, I don't really care." Asazaki bit out. "Personally, I'm quite happy she's coming along."
"You would be."
"Kenji!" Amaya snapped tiredly. The dark-haired child looked especially agitated.
"I think it would be best if we head back to the hotel and get ready," Shukuchi suggested.
Shikamaru couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
It's going to be a long night.
-O-
Sakura stared at the mirror blankly, realizing she was a lot more excited about this dinner than she ought to be. It would likely be tense, with everyone walking on eggshells. The events of the day swam through her mind languidly, threatening to overwhelm her.
At least no one has been permanently injured, Sakura tried to reassure herself. The wound Jou had sustained had been serious; while she was glad that both the attacker and the victim were apparently over the situation, the tension this had caused wouldn't be going away any time soon.
It also doesn't help that Tenten went and punched Shikami in the face. I know I would have done the same thing if someone hurt one of my friends, but I'm just thankful that he's not angry about it and he didn't fight back. I just hope Neji doesn't lose his temper tonight…there's so much he's not telling us. I can't force the information out of him either, not when it's so personal, so painful…
-O-
Neji was meditating in his room, attempting to sort through a rather alarming amount of information before dinner in the hopes of smoothing out any discrepancies. He wasn't looking forward to the affair and the thin pretense of politeness that would probably be unbearably suffocating and false. Neji didn't want to act civil, not when there were so many questions, so much anger.
I'm going to dinner tonight, and there's a good chance that someone at that table is going to know exactly what happened between the Hyuuga clan and Lightning Country. There's a good chance that someone at that table is going to be related to the person responsible for that corrupt charade of a peace treaty. And there's a good chance that whoever that person is, they'd do it again if they could.
I doubt the eyes of the Samura clan are improving over time. And since Samura Yoshida's sister married into the Kotabe clan, it's a good chance that every one of her children are afflicted with the disease, too. Diabetes…it's slowly robbing them of their sight, it has been ever since the Samura clan developed their metal-controlling bloodline.
In order to manipulate the magnetic fields, the composition of their blood has changed over time. And while this makes them more efficient, the side effects are dangerous. I've heard rumors that during the war, when the clan still had large numbers, some were going blind in their teens from using their bloodline too much.
I know it was the Head Ninja who ordered the fake peace mission, but what connection would he have to the Samura family? Monomori Ryoshi is a man who has always strictly looked out for his own interests, and those of his family. Helping another clan isn't characteristic of the man at all.
Neji felt a tiny twinge of guilt for hiding so much information from his teammates. But so much was tied up in a very private past, a past that none of them had any right to know.
The Monomori clan…they amplify the powers of other clans, ironically enough. Though it's not a bloodline, they've cultivated elaborate wind and air jutsus. Monomori Ryoshi is known in our clan for having developed a special vacuum that completely obliterates anything it traps inside…I don't know much about his daughter, Ayase, though I assume she's been following in her father's footsteps.
The Zan clan…Izari's mother was known for creating intense lightning storms. And despite being predisposed to Lightning, they also work extensively with water. They combine the two so an enemy can't exploit a single elemental weakness. A smart choice, but the bloodline is volatile. Zan clan members have a hard time focusing their chakra and their minds; the women are especially cursed with poor health. Their bodies cannot process any animal products – it makes them very ill. It's a wonder Izari and her mother both survived the birth of their children…
The Ikonji clan. The mysterious bloodline with five levels…I suppose Izari has a part of this in her; it can't be very developed or she'd appear healthier. It's legendary…a bloodline that keeps the user in perfect health. It's no wonder the Zan clan pushed so hard for marriage with them. The bloodline doesn't have any offensive value that I'm aware of, but since it renders the members immune to disease or sickness, it's infinitely valuable. Takayori, contrary to his sister, is the picture of vitality and health. He's still going to age and he's vulnerable to injury, but the restorative powers of the family are legendary.
It's rumored that the Kotabe clan's true power lies in the mind…in bloodline that produces a jutsu that is similar to a waking dream. Genjutsu is the ability to manipulate a person's senses, to change what they see, fell, and hear in order to affect their actions. But the Kotabe family cannot do this – instead, they manipulate the body itself. The person is aware of what they're doing, saying, and feeling, but they're not in control of their actions.
"With that kind of ability…you could make anyone do anything. They could walk right off the roof of a building and know it, but be completely unable to stop themselves. Controlling someone's body is easier than deceiving their mind. That's the true power of a Kotabe…and I hope to God that none of them can do that," Neji murmured to himself.
-O-
Chiie stood unmoving at the bottom of the stairs to the special guest room at the teahouse. She wore a beautiful canary yellow dress, a stark contrast to the rich and dark colors of the décor. In her tiny fist she clutched a piece of paper, a letter. She almost jumped two feet in the air when she felt a tap on the shoulder.
"Shikami?" Chiie placed a calming hand on her chest. She tried in vain to slow her rapid breaths.
"Chiie, what's the matter?"
Chiie handed him the letter wordlessly. He scanned it carefully, holding it close as if he didn't believe the contents. He read it twice more before making eye contact.
"You think I had something to do with this, don't you?"
"It's not like you, but I can't think of how else it could have happened. You control Yoshida's estate now, don't you?"
"Actually, Kenji and I—" Shikami stopped mid-sentence.
"Kenji." Chiie took a deep but shaky breath. "I guess that makes sense."
"I know you and Kenji aren't close anymore, but I don't think he'd do this to you. He's rude to your face, but not sneaky and underhanded behind the scenes. Maybe it was in Yoshida's will…"
"It just…doesn't make sense, does it?" Chiie asked tiredly.
Shikami looked at her frankly. "I don't know, Chiie. Yoshida was far from predictable. But if Kenji's responsible, dinner isn't going to be the place to get your answers."
Chiie hung her head. "I know I've got a temper, but I can reign it in for a few hours."
Shikami smiled at her. "That's good to know."
"And what about you? How are you taking the whole Izari thing?" Chiie gave him a lopsided grin; she'd forgotten how easy it was to talk to him. She and Shikami were never close, but he'd always been kind to her.
"Izari and I loved each other…not in the romantic sense, but we were friends, she, Rikichi, and I. Yoshida made sure we knew each other better than we knew ourselves. I can honestly say I understood her. But a lot has changed. I've killed her husband…my reasons don't excuse the crime. The world thinks I killed the daimyo for Third Party but nothing could be more wrong…"
"I know what they did to your mother," Chiie said quietly. "I think Izari knows the real circumstances, too. Maybe she has forgiven you. And if she hasn't, so what? I mean, she might never forgive you, but as much as it hurts, you bought all of us from Kumo extra time."
"Our time is running out, Chiie," Shikami told her gravely. "You're no longer living in Kumo, so you probably don't know how serious it is."
"It's bad, isn't it?" Chiie's voice was a mere ghost compared to what it usually was.
"…Yeah."
Chiie nodded grimly.
"I've already proven that I'll do anything to save Kumo."
"The ends justify the means?"
Shikami's expression was unreadable. "Something like that." He glanced up at the crystal chandelier. "You know, that light fixture alone could put food on the table of countless families in Lightning Country. My uncle's estate is full of stuff like that."
"It is," Chiie nodded in agreement.
"I want to talk to Jou-san about my uncle…I don't suppose she'd let me after what I did today," Shikami muttered.
Chiie smiled reassuringly. "You know, Jou-chan's one of the most forgiving people I know. It was an accident. She's not angry."
"Izari wouldn't like it. That alone would have been enough to stop me from doing anything eight years ago. Then my mother died."
"It changes everything, doesn't it?" Chiie asked.
Shikami nodded tightly. "I hope this dinner goes well tonight. It needs to go well, which means it probably won't."
Chiie put a consoling hand on his arm. "Don't give up on us already."
Shikami snorted. "Think about who's going to be attending."
Chiie frowned, then her lips quirked up in a smile. "…Well…"
"I know you don't have a lot of money, but how about I bet you—"
"Trust me…things are going to be bad, and no matter how dismal a prediction I make, it's going to be far worse."
"And here I thought you were an optimist."
"Kenji's going to be there. Kenji plus anyone is pretty much asking for a fight. And a Hyuuga's attending the dinner, too? Kenji's going to torment the poor guy until they start a fight. He's going to manage to alienate and insult every single member of the party before dessert."
"…So is that a bet?"
"Shikami!"
Shikami shot her a look. "Too smart to bet me, eh?"
Chiie smirked. "The last thing I want to worry about tonight is losing my paycheck over some stupid bet. Rikichi's the gambler, not me. You and h have all these transactions written down in your little black books. I'm not going to wager any money with you. Not when I know I'll lose."
"We're not exactly 'diplomats,' " Shikami sighed. "Asazaki plays it cool but he's terribly irritable sometimes. We both know Kenji's going to try his hardest to piss off everyone, even us. Then we've got you, and we're not even going to make it to dinner if we go through a list of all of your behavioral lapses. Amaya-chan worries too much. Sachi-chan's emotional. Rikichi's very emotional. Izari's the most emotional person I've ever met, at least tied with Rikichi, anyway. And since my uncle just died…I'm just as screwed up as the rest of us right now."
Shikami glanced at her wryly. "I haven't even gotten to the foreign delegates. I don't know them that well, but they're having dinner with the most dysfunctional group of ninjas the world has to offer. Two thirds of us are absolutely mental. What a wonderful impression we're going to make in the name of polite company."
Chiie looked like she was about to say something encouraging before her shoulders slumped. "Yeah…We're fucked."
"We both know two thirds of the party are going to have some kind of hissy fit. I doubt we'll end dinner with more than half the people we started with."
"And your wonderful brother's going to make it his mission to alienate everyone at the table. He's already on my shit list."
"Great, he's starting already and he's not even here yet. It's going to be a wonderful night."
-O-
Author's Notes: Next chapter – the dinner! I know these chapters are insanely confusing, but different characters are privy to information that the others aren't, so it's hard to keep track of who knows what. I'm sorry this probably doesn't interest a lot of you, but both Neji and Tenten have a lot invested with these people. Their history is important because it controls what's happening in the current storyline – a lot of traveling is going to happen soon!
Here's a brief timeline of what happened right before Izari left Lightning Country:
Third Party kills Shikami's mother. Shikami then kills the daimyo knowing that the move will lose Third Party's support of the people. The shock throws Izari into labor. Yoshida arrives and renders Shikami unconscious. He delivers Izari's baby via Caesarean section but severs her bloodline's emotional link to both the baby and her brother. They believe she's dead, she believes her son is dead. Yoshida and Izari go to Snow Country after he entrusts Shukuchi to Takayori.
Jou knows that Izari's son is still alive, but she hasn't known for long (Yoshida's fond of keeping secrets). Jou knows that her friends from Lightning Country think Izari's dead, but doesn't correct them in the fear that someone might try to harm her friend.
Next I'll attempt to break characters down for everyone:
Ikonji Takayori – Izari's older brother. He has the highest level of their bloodline, level five, of which the full capabilities are not known. He is, however, immune to disease and illness, something Neji is aware of. His medical specialty is orthopedic surgery, specifically dealing with combat injuries. He's very kind and a bit quirky. He enjoys drawing and reading. He has short blond hair and yellow-green eyes.
Kotabe Shikami – He is fairly remote and preoccupied when he's alone, but very skilled at talking to others and observing them when in others' company. He's an excellent judge of character and is surprisingly nonjudgmental considering that his uncle, brother, and father are. He, Izari, and Rikichi were all extremely close, and he and Rikichi still are for the most part. He has the most power over metal in his family but his control is lacking. His occasional bouts of reticence belie his rather impulsive, hasty behavior. He has dark hair and dark grey eyes.
Yuu Rikichi – Shikami and Izari's teammate, he loves the outdoors. He's full of energy and cherishes the people he chooses to spend time with. He's straightforward and sincere. He likes to joke around a lot and pull the occasional prank. He achieved his dream of marrying Monomori Ayase, and they have three children together. He's rather corny but very likeable and kind-natured. He's very tall and thin and has messy brown hair and brown eyes. He, Izari and Shikami often made bets.
Nii Asazaki – his sister was Nii Yugito, the cat jinchuuriki that Hidan murdered. He grew up poor, so he's rather protective of his image and reputation. He has short, dark hair and blue eyes. He is extremely competitive, and he and Kenji aren't on good terms. Izari said that he's "smart but not academically orientated." He's kind of like a swiss army knife…good at a large variety of things but with no real specialty. He's worked hard to gain his status as a good shinobi and a good musician.
Chiie – her family lives on Yoshida's land back in Lightning Country, much like a serf farms the land of a feudal lord. She has no last name. She has an auburn pixie cut and green eyes, and is extremely short. She and Rikichi are best friends and she's the godmother of his children. Shikami intimidates her sometimes but they converse easily once they get started. She's extremely friendly but has a bit of a temper. She's very defensive of her friends.
Kotabe Kenji – the Kotabe sibling with the perfect balance of precise control and sheer power over metal. He's very structured and elitist; he looks down on his uncle for leaving, citing Yoshida's flamboyant and self-absorbed behavior as irresponsible. He's very intelligent and duty-minded – serving the country is important to him. He, like his brother, is very observant, but he uses the information he gathers to harm others. He has blond hair and light gray eyes.
Monomori Ayase, Monomori Ryoshi – Rikichi's wife and father-in-law, respectively. Ayase, like her teammates Yoshida and Takayori, is renowned for her skills as a med nin. Ryoshi is the Head Shinobi of Lightning Country. He ordered his servant Gashir to masquerade as Head Ninja in the mission to kidnap Hinata sixteen years ago. His reason for the ordering the mission is unknown.
Zan Shukuchi, Yuu Sachi, Kotabe Amaya – Shukuchi is the daimyo. He's hard on his teammates, but cares for both of them strongly. Yuu is very outgoing like her father, while Amaya is quiet like her father. Yuu has chestnut colored hair and blue eyes and Amaya has dark hair and dark gray eyes. Since they're all so different, their roles within the team are defined and comfortable and they function well together. They try to complement each other, not outdo each other.