Hey guys. I'm back! Vacation was awesome. Thanks for all the reviews and favs. A few of you pointed out that I accidently started using BLEACH terms near the end of the last chapter. I'm sorry for the mix up. My brain was fried. Haha! Thanks to everyone who pointed it out to me. I know I'm supposed to update GG first but this one just wouldn't wait.
Unfortunately this chapter isn't one of the longest. The next should be longer. Updates wil be coming slower now too. School is starting to breath down my back and I still have so much work to do! I don't want my summer to end. Wah!
I hope you enjoy!
Naruto doesn't belong to me... yet.
Chapter 9:Lessons
"No way in hell!"
"B... but Miss Kushina, Master Jun..."
"I don't give a damn what that bastard says! There's no way in hell!" Aiko shrunk back from the raging redhead, holding her hands in front of her in defense. "If you haven't noticed, he's my enemy! I'm not going anywhere with him, especially not in that!" Aiko followed the teen's pointed finger toward the bed.
'That' was an evening gown on of the servants had brought up a few minutes ago. It was fairly simple, no ruffles or bows, something she was thankful for. It was made of a beautiful black silk that shimmered in the light of the lamps. The v-shaped neckline dropped down past her chest to her stomach, revealing more cleavage than she would ever dream of showing, and her tanned back was bare. The evening gown lay on her bed, spilling over the side.
"There's no way I'm ever wearing something like that! You can tell him if he wants to 'talk' he can find me here." She crossed her arms over her chest and flung herself into an armchair, challenging the little girl to contradict her statement. Aiko fiddled her fingers nervously and bit her lip, looking at the door hopelessly.
"Please Miss Kushina! Master Jun will... will be mad if... if you don't go." Her blue eyes looked imploringly at the redhead. Kushina felt her resolve melt under the stare. Shaking her head, she turned away from the gaze and pouted.
"Forget it!" She wasn't going to give in because of a little girl.
"But... but... Miss Kushina!" The teen looked at the medic, fire burning in her green eyes. The blond shrunk back from the look, fear and apprehension twisting her features. Anger dissolving under the fearful gaze, Kushina sighed.
"I'm not going Aiko. I'm not going to listen to any more of his twisted truths and self-righteousness. I don't care what he has to say. He can rot in hell for all I care." Getting up and walking over to the large windows. "I'm getting out of here and you're coming with me Aiko." The girl jumped as she was addressed.
"Wh... what! No! You... you can't! Master Jun..."
"I don't care about him. I need to go find my friends and I'm wasting time here. You know the area. I need you to help me find them." Throwing open the curtains, the light spilled in past the redhead. Grinning back at the girl, Kushina motioned for her to follow. "C'mon!" Aiko took a hesitant step forward, lightly shaking her head.
"We can't! Master Jun is expecting you fo dinner. You have to get dressed." The kunoichi frowned and cast a glance at the dress lying on the bed.
"Forget it. I already told you I'm not wearing that thing. I'm leaving." She turned back to the windows and pushed on the metal frames. The panes shook but didn't move. Growling in annoyance, the redhead juggled the frame. Nothing. Stepping back, she glared at the offending glass. Freedom was just through those two inches of glass. Taking a deep breath, she threw herself at the window.
Aiko gasped and leapt forward to stop her, arms stretched out in vain. Kushina hit the glass and rebounded, falling to the floor. Her healing shoulder throbbed from the abuse and her head was starting join in the rhythm. Sending a glare at the window, she sat up. "Miss Kushina!"
Small hands grasped her shoulder and warmth flooded into her as a silver light covered the girl's hands. The pain dulled and the hands disappeared. "Are... are you alright Miss Kushina?" The little girl smiled slightly and quickly looked for other injuries. "Please do not do that again Miss Kushina. I... I can't keep healing you." Aiko jumped as if she had been shocked and held her hands up in apology. "Not... not that I mind! It's... It's just..."
"Don't get so worked up Aiko. I get it." She smiled reassuringly at the girl. Mindful of her still healing shoulder, the redhead pushed herself to her feet and brushed herself off. "I guess we'll just have to try the door then." Walking past the young medic, Kushina opened a drawer in the chest against the wall. She moved the stuff around noisily and emptied the contents on the floor. Aiko watched with wide eyes as her patient began her attack on the second drawer.
"Um... Miss... Miss Kushina?" She squeaked in fear as she ducked beneath a heavy book that had been carelessly thrown in her direction. "What... what are you doing?" Her voice hitched in fear. The redhead didn't seem to hear her as she continued to rummage, her face set in frown as whatever she was looking for continued to elude her. "Miss Kushina?" The teen looked up, extra sheets from the drawer in hand. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for something heavy." The matter-of-fact tone made the girl blush with embarrassment.
"Um... Why?"
"So I can smash the bastard's face in." A smile crossed the kunoichi's face as she emptied another drawer. "No one locks up Kushina Uzumaki and gets away with it." She made a sound of excitement as she pulled a large vanity tray from the bottom of the drawer. A wicked smile crossed her face as she took an experimental swing. The metal swished through the air and the smile widened. Satisfied with her impromptu weapon, Kushina strutted over to the door. Aiko made a hesitant grab for her, but only watched helplessly as she walked past.
Silently taking a hold of the handle, Kushina pressed her ear to door and quickly stretched her senses. A grinned pulled at her lips. Two guards. Perfect! Steeling herself, Aiko watched hopelessly as she opened the door and made a swing for the first figure she saw. There was the dull clunk of metal hitting something, a surprised gasp and some quickly spoken words.
Green eyes widened as they met grey. "A vanity tray? I must say, I didn't expect this Love." Feeling her mouth drop open of it own accord, Kushina tried to form words. A suave grin was the result and she felt the vanity tray pulled from her grasp. Weaponless, the redhead built up her chakra and created space between her and the tall man, watching him warily.
What was going on? She had only sensed two people out there, none of them being Jun. And yet, he stood in front of her, smiling charmingly down at her. She was sure she hadn't missed anything, so how had he hidden his chakra from her? If he was so close, she should have been able to sense it even if he was masking it.
The two guards stood behind Jun, waiting for an order from their master. They were nothing spectacular. She would have bene able to get past them if she hadn't run into the man. "Master Jun!" Aiko ran up to him and wrapped her thin arms around his waist, giving him a loving hug. The black-haired man patted her head, but didn't take his eyes off the older girl.
"Is there a problem? You're not dressed yet and dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Kushina scowled.
"I'm not going. Not for all the ramen in the world." She felt her body instinctively lower into a crouch, ready to dodge any incoming attacks. Jun however, just chuckled and waved off the two guards behind him. The nodded and closed the door, returning to their posts.
"You've got spirit Miss Uzumaki." He placed the tray on top of the chest and smiled amiably at her. "Very well. If you are so adamant, I will have the servants bring your dinner here. I thought you would have wished to get out of this room, though without having to attack my men." He sat down in the armchair she had occupied earlier and motioned for her to join him. "I still wish to speak to you however. If you don't mind Love."
She snorted. "I do mind. I don't give a damn about what you have to say." Leaning against the wall, she folded her arms and glared at the man. Little Aiko watched the exchange with wide eyes. She inched over to Jun and stood by his arm. He smiled at her and motioned for her to sit on his lap. She beamed and crawled onto his long legs. The change in her demeanor around the man surprised Kushina as she watched the exchange in wonder.
"I wish you wouldn't look at me like that Love. I haven't done anything to deserve your hate and it wounds me to see it when you look at me."
" Haven't done anything! It was your men who attacked my village and slaughtered my people! You didn't do anything to stop them. You're the one that's been sending your troops out to battlefield to kill my friends and family. It was your men that started this whole damn war!" Aiko snuggled into the general's chest as the irate redhead's voice climbed in volume.
"I suppose Debiru told you that. Yes. I can see it in your face." He sighed and shook his head in pity. "The men who attacked your village were criminals that Debiru and the rest of the council freed from a life of prison and put in the military. It was their idea to send them to the area around Whirlpool. They knew full well that they wouldn't listen to orders, but convinced the honorable Tsuchikage otherwise. I don't know what they had planned, but hundreds of lives were destroyed because of it. If anyone is to blame for the destruction of Whirlpool, it is Debiru. He has lied to you about everything. He was just using you and your friends to help him overthrow the Tsuchikage. It was the council that made the decision to attack, not me. I did not hold that much power.
"This war has opened my eyes however. I now see the corruption of the nations' governments and officials. I now see the evil slowly destroying our world. It has infected the people and society is crumbling. Take dear Aiko here. Shortly after her birth, her parents abandoned her and she was forced to live off the streets at such a young age. People beat and shunned her because of what she was, a street rat . I found her and took her in only a few months ago, after she had been on the streets for ten years."
Kushina looked at the girl seated in Jun's lap, trying to disappear into the folds of his robes. She could see the scars from the beatings, she had noticed them when she first woke up. Anger bubbled up in side her. Who could harm such a wonderful little girl? The fading bruises on her arms and legs foretold that someone still got a few good hits in, even away from the dangerous streets.
"We must get rid of the evil! I will not sit and watch as the world destroys itself when I can do something to fight it. I do not enjoy this bloodshed!" His grey eyes burned with life as his fist slammed down on the armrest, startling both of the girls in the room. "I'm fighting to stop this silly war forever. Once the corrupt and evil are gone, the nations will combine and become a utopia. This war is necessary for the salvation of the world! You must see. You will see.
"Forget all the lies you have been told Love. There is only one truth and I have found it. I only wish to reveal it to everyone else. I can help you. You have so much untapped potential. I saw it in the forest. I need your help in my quest for salvation." His eyes met hers and his hand wrapped around Aiko's hand. "You have such a magnificent future ahead of you. Don't ruin it by believing those petty lies." He shifted and Aiko jumped from his lap, bowing slightly to him as he stood, robes spilling around him.
"I wish to train you in swordsmanship. You can already deftly handle shinobi weapons. Your skill would greatly improve however if you knew how to wield a sword. I will be down in the training grounds tomorrow morning. A servant will come to lead you if wish to learn." He bowed and planted a swift kiss on her hand, flashing her a suave smile as he left.
Kushina stood in uncharacteristic silence as she watched him leave. Why did he continue to throw her world for a loop? Her mind was abuzz with information, whether true or not. The door closed and there was a soft click. Shoving off the wall, she slammed into the door. She pounded on the door, shoulder protesting the action and knuckles turning red. "Let me out you bastard!"
"I'm sorry I must take these measures, but you leave me no choice Love. We cannot risk you trying to escape again and hurting my men. Dinner will be up in a bit. Good night Love."
With a screech, the redhead threw herself at the door again, the hinges groaning. Her pounding became furious. "Don't call me that!"
Sweat rolled own her brow and she impatiently wiped it away before it dropped into her eyes and blurred her vision. Spitting into the dusty ground, she saw the spittle and blood mix with the dirt. Her arm screamed in pain and she was pretty sure she had a mild concussion. Little rivulets of blood trickled down her skin from numerous cuts and she knew she must look like a giant bruise.
All this from an hour of training.
The injuries didn't bother as much as the fact that her opponent didn't have a scratch on him. She hadn't seen a bead of sweat on his chiseled features since they had started this sparring match.
Damn him.
With a shout, she charged at him, sword ready to attack. He easily dodged and blocked the next attack as he had done with the rest of her attacks. It hadn't taken her long to realize that Jun was a master in swordsmanship. The piece of metal seemed like an extension of his arm where hers seemed to have a mind of its own and just wildly swung at him. It was a miracle she had been able to fend off the monster in the forest with the little amount of skill she had.
"Do not get distracted Miss Uzumaki. That is the easiest way to die in a battle, whether with a sword or otherwise." He executed a complex sequence of moves that drove her back and pulled the katana from her hand. She landed with a grunt and felt the cold tip of his sword pressed to her collarbone. "Kill." The sword was removed and grey eyes sparkled with amusement. "Really Love, is this the best you can do? We have much to work on before you can pose a threat."
"Shut up! Just get on with it!" Jun chuckled and held out his hand for her. She looked at it with disgust and slapped it away. "I don't want your help. I could kill you right now."
"That may be, but you won't. You may not want it, but you need my help, just as I need yours. If you were to kill me, getting out of here and finding your friends would become even more difficult. You're also curious. That is why you came here this morning." He offered her her fallen sword. "Now when you're trying to block that attack, hold you sword at this angle and the blow will deflect to the side, leaving you an opening." He showed her how, positioning her arm and body accordingly. Her skin itched with his touch and she longed to pull away as his form pressed close to hers. "Good. Now again."
He preform the same sequence and she followed his instructions. The final attack slid off her blade and his side was left open for attack. She grinned and quickly thrust the weapon at the man. He danced around it with expertise though and looked approvingly at her. Despite her hate for the man, she felt her pride swell at the silent praise. Jun began to show her another defensive technique when the doors leading out of the grounds opened.
"Master Jun." A servant trotted over to the man and bowed deeply. "Sir, you wished to know when we found out anything about the monster's attack three days ago. Yamamoto is waiting down in the study for you."
"Very well. I'll be there in a minute." He turned to face her and smiled. "I am sorry Love. It seems I need to cut this session short. I'll be here tomorrow, same time." He looked over at the servant and called for two guards. "Please take Miss Uzumaki to her room. Don't try and cause any trouble now Love." The man left with wave of his robes, but Kushina paid him no heed.
The monster's attack. Three days ago.
Three days ago, they had crossed the border into the Stone Country. Three days ago, she had been separated from the others and attacked by the monster.