Color Me Emotional *Chapter 8* Magenta
*((Revised!))*
By: Kitty Amani
It was about midafternoon when Ino informed Tylina that she was going to have to head home to help her family close up their small flower shop. Tylina was surprised when she found herself getting upset over the girl's departure, for she had only known her for less than a day.
"So do you think that you can find your hotel from here?" Ino asked after giving Tylina directions to the place where Temari usually stayed when she came into town. Tylina noded.
"I'm sure I can," She informed Ino, winking. "I'm good with directions." Tylina gave the blonde a sad smile as she said her goodbyes. In response Ino mirrored her smile before throwing her arms around the young sand kunoichi's neck and hugging her tightly.
"Thank you so much for today, Tylina," Ino whispered in her ear. "I really enjoyed it." Tylina hesitated, unsure of what to say or what to do, but she forced herself to move, hugging Ino back gently.
"No, thank you, Ino," She mumbled, trying to hide the pain in her voice. Ino, however, caught the tone and pulled back to examine Tylina. She immediately noticed the loneliness that was contained in her eyes.
"Is something wrong?" She questioned sincerely, looking as if she was trying to read her new friend's mind. Tylina glanced to her right and bit her lip, trying to decide how much she should tell the girl. Something brushed against her forearm and, glancing back forward, she saw Ino let her hand gently rest on Tylina in a comforting manner. "You know that you can tell me." Tylina hesitated once more before once again flashing Ino that sad smile.
"I just..." She paused, searching for her words. "...don't have many friends. Having fun like I did with you today, that's definitely something rare for me." Ino stared at her, contemplating what she had just been told, then she smiled brightly.
"Well, I had fun too," She removed her hand from Tylina and winked at her. "And I would love to hang out again sometime this week." Tylina's face brightened and her eyes shone in both happiness and surprise.
"I would love that," She smiled cheerfully. Ino nodded before turning toward the colorfully painted building behind her that bore a sign reading 'Yamanaka Flower Shop'. She waved at Tylina as she came upon the entrance and Tylina threw her hand up in the air to return the gesture. A feeling of utter sadness flowed through her as the girl disappeared from view. Tylina to sigh loudly as she started in the direction of the building she was going to be residing in for the next couple of weeks.
As Tylina traveled down the now less crowded streets of Konoha, she found her thoughts whirl-pooling in her head. She was surprised at herself for taking such an immediate liking to the girl she had just parted ways with; however, she was happy that she had. Ino had made it seem like making friends was so easy. Tylina smiled to herself and thought about how she would have to thank her other four companions for setting up the date. They had all known or sensed her nervousness of meeting new people. She came to the decision that she would be taking the main mastermind of the plan, who she assumed was Gaara, out to dinner, on her.
Her thoughts slowly mellowed out as she glanced up at the nearby mountainside and observed the faces of what she assumed were the faces of the village leaders, for Lady Hokage's face was carved as well. The memorial to the five great kages of the leaf looked stunning against the sky that was slowly beginning to alter its color from blue to light pink and orange as it neared the beginning of sunset. Without warning, the scene before her brought on the memory of the chunin exams. Kankuro had informed Tylina, after she confronted him for taking part in such a horrifying act, that the third Hokage had been killed in the battle, just as their father had. Tylina cringed as her stomach churned. Maybe if she hadn't been so stupid as to not see what was going on, maybe if she had caught on to the plan to attack Konoha sooner, not only could she have saved Gaara from being used as a pawn in their plans, but also prevented the deaths of the two kings. Tylina couldn't help but laugh inwardly at herself for thinking she could have had such an influence over a huge situation such as that. What a hyperactive imagination she had!
"Kiba, watch out!"
The voice sounded in Tylina's ears and she moved her gaze down to the road in front of her but not soon enough. All she caught was a glimpse of muddy river brown hair before the wind was knocked out of her and she fell onto her backside. Pain erupted through her entire body and she moaned softly. She gently rubbed the source of the pain, as if it would actually make the sensation subside. Through squinted eyes she glanced up to see a boy about her age wearing gray attire, the shirt cut low revealing the fishnet that he wore underneath, and tied around his forehead was a ninja headband baring the leaf symbol. His eyes were closed and he growled loudly, baring his teeth which were unusually sharp. His cry seemed more in irritation then pain. His eyes slowly opened and, when his gaze landed upon her, he laughed nervously.
"I'm so sorry about that," He apologized, scratching the back of his head. "Are you okay?" Appalled, Tylina could only nod in response. She couldn't help but think that if this incident had occurred in Suna, the other party would have raised hell. But this guy was the one saying sorry to her. A loud bark boomed through the air, making Tylina jump. She watched as a huge white and brown dog appeared at the boy's side, nuzzling his nose against his cheek. The leaf ninja laughed as he patted the dog's head. "Yeah, I'm fine, boy."
"Kiba, you're so reckless," The speaker who had called out before stepped up beside the boy, a scolding look on her face. She had bright pink hair and wore a pink outfit, her clenched fists cladded in brown gloves. Behind her, Tylina noticed another girl standing kind of awkwardly. She had long, dark blue hair that cascaded in front of her face that she seemed to want to keep hidden. Tylina's eyes were drawn back to the one called Kiba as he shrugged, climbing to his feet and dusting himself off. He then closed the gap between himself and Tylina. When he stood right in front of her, he extended his hand in an offer to help her up.
"Again, I'm really sorry," He repeated his words. Tylina's eyes locked with his for a moment. She attempted to read him, tried to understand what he was thinking. He seemed sincere, she thought to herself. So she cautiously slid her hand into his and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
"It was my fault," She stated quietly, straightening out her dark blue, fishnet covered skirt with her black, lacey gloved hands. "I should have been watching where I was going."
"Don't blame yourself," He smiled at her as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I was the one racing down the street, not even thinking that I might run into someone." He paused and sort of looked her over. "I'm Kiba Inuzuka, by the way."
"I'm Tylina," She smiled nervously at him and began to twist a piece of her hair between her fingers. "It's nice to meet you."
"I see that you're from the sand village," Kiba nodded at the headband that she had tied around her waist. "I was wondering why I had never seen you before. What brings you here?"
"Oh, you must be one of Gaara's escorts," The pink haired girl stepped forward. "Lady Hokage told me you guys would be coming. I'm Sakura Haruno." She bowed her head slightly in a respectful manner, which Tylina immediately returned with a small smile.
"And this timid beauty behind me is Hinata Hyuga," Kiba stepped aside so that Hinata could glide forward. She lifted her head, revealing her face which contained childlike features and a small blush. She smiled.
"Hello," She greeted. "W-welcome to Konoha."
"Thank you, Hinata," Tylina smiled gently. She felt very comfortable at that moment and she liked the feeling. These three were being so nice to her, and she had just met them. So was making friends here just as easy as Ino had made it seem?
"So, how's Gaara doing?" Sakura asked, eyes sparking brightly. Tylina stared at her, blinking a couple of times.
"H-he's very well, thank you for asking." Her mind whirled again, for she was confused. This girl not only knew Gaara, but was concerned for him? Suddenly, Tylina felt the impulse to tackle this Sakura girl into a giant hug.
"That's good," She nodded, placing her hands on her hips. "You know we haven't seen much of him since the day Naruto left."
"Naruto?" Tylina's eyes must have lit up at the sound of the infamous leaf genin's name, for Sakura giggled lightly.
"So you've heard of him?" She questioned.
"Only all the time," She nodded. "Gaara thinks very highly of him."
"You know," Kiba muttered, staring off to his left at nothing in particular. "I miss that knucklehead. It's so quiet without him, and not to mention boring." Then there was silence as the three in front of Tylina recalled memories of their friend. Kiba looked somewhat frustrated, Sakura's eyes seemed sad, and Hinata's facial expression reminded Tylina of a lost little girl. She also noticed how the Hinata's blush had become darker. Tylina smiled at them even though she knew they wouldn't notice. She was beginning to believe what Gaara had told her about the people here being more accepting. These three obviously knew Gaara, were maybe even some the friends he was referring to, and they all seemed inspired by this Naruto Uzumaki. Two young ninja, inhabited by demons, but these teens didn't care. They didn't see a monster when looking at them, only friends. Tylina had never been more joyous and proud, and she found herself beginning to feel at home.
"Sakura," Hinata's tiny voice floated on the wind after a few minutes had passed. "Shouldn't we be-" But before she could finish, Sakura's face lit up and she nodded.
"Right, it's getting late." She waved at Tylina as she walked passed her. "Sorry to go so quick, but hopefully I'll see you again soon." Hinata quickly followed after Sakura's retreating form, bowing her head as she drifted by Tylina. Tylina quickly noticed that Kiba didn't follow. She turned to face him, only to find his eyes locked on her. For some reason, she felt her face grow hot and she knew she was blushing.
"Are you not going with them?" She asked, hoping Kiba didn't notice her now magenta cheeks. He shook his head.
"Naw, I was only walking with them," He informed her with a smirk pasted on his face. "They were going to meet a friend."
"Oh, well, that's cool." She muttered, suddenly becoming interested in her black boots, which she dug the toe of into the ground nervously. She cried out in surprise when something wet brushed against her hand. Looking down, her eyes landed on the huge dog that she assumed belonged to Kiba. Tylina smiled gently and bent down so she could scratch the dog behind the ears.
"This is Akamaru," Kiba informed her as he squatted at her side and stroked the beast's back. "He's my best friend." Tylina smiled and nodded.
"Good choice," She complimented, glancing over at him. "Animals are way more dependable and caring than humans."
"I couldn't agree more," He muttered under his breath. "Dogs are the most complex and simplest creatures you can find. Akamaru is a loyal, trustworthy companion." As Kiba stared at Akamaru, pride and admiration danced across his features. For some reason, this made Tylina's cheeks rise in temperature once again. She quickly climbed to her feet and turned her back to the two, trying to hide the blush.
"It must be nice to have a relationship like that," Her voice came out soft as she began to fiddle with the hem of her skirt in an act of nervousness.
"Only the best," Kiba whispered right next to her ear. Tylina squealed and quickly faced him. She had not sensed his presence right over her shoulder. Kiba smirked yet again and laughed loudly at her reaction, making her cheeks to turn a deeper shade of pink. She quickly walked around him and started in the direction she had been going before the two of them had collided.
"Well, I better be getting back," She stated, pointing in the direction she was moving. "My friends are probably worried about me. I've been gone all day without even checking up or anything." Kiba stared after her as she slowly inched away from him.
"May I walk you?" He called up to her only moments later. Tylina immediately ceased her movement and glanced over her shoulder, unable to speak. Maybe it was because she wasn't used to guys, except Kankuro, really noticing her. Thinking that she hadn't heard him, Kiba jogged up to her side, Akamaru following. "Do you mind if I walk you to your hotel? A beautiful, young girl such as yourself shouldn't be wondering around in a place she doesn't know very well this close to dark." Tylina still had trouble finding her voice, which she thought probably made her look like an idiot.
"Um, s-sure," Tylina choked out when she finally found her voice. Kiba smiled brightly and nodded before the two started walking the last few blocks to their destination.
Tylina found the short trip to be quite interesting. Kiba was really funny, making her laugh at his stories or jokes with ease, and he was nice to her, asking her about her opinion on things and complimenting her constantly. If she hadn't known any better, Tylina would say he was borderline flirting with her, which she surprisingly didn't mind. If anything, it made her happier that she could catch a man's attention for that long. As they walked, Akamaru ran around them, chasing butterflies, barking happily, just enjoying being a dog. Tylina giggled frequently at the animal.
"He's adorable," Tylina glanced over at Kiba.
"He gets it from me," Kiba gave her a charming, seductive smile in addition to a wink. Tylina quickly looked down as she once again began to play with the hem of her skirt nervously. She didn't exactly know how to reply to the statement. Kiba, however, didn't seem offended by her silence. In fact, he quickly started up a new conversation about him and Akamaru always go into battle together. She found what he called 'beast mimicry' to be quite interesting.
In Tylina's opinion, the hotel came into view way too soon, almost causing a depressed feeling to wash over her again, but she forced it away. Kiba rambled on, right up until they reached the entrance of the building. She smiled brightly up at him, attempting to mask her sadness. There was silence for a few seconds before Kiba cleared his throat and spoke again.
"Tylina, I really like talking to you," He admitted with a smirk, something that she noticed he wore a majority of the time. "And, if you don't mind, I'd like to see you again," He hesitated, before chuckling. "For a longer period of time." Tylina stared deep into his eyes. Was he implying that he was interested? She had no idea how to tell these things, for Kankuro was the only guy who paid much attention to her. An image of Sunshine flashed into her mind. Tylina recalled all the times that she had seen her friend make passes at other woman, in hopes of getting their attention, which she almost always succeeded in. Tylina decided that maybe she should use one of her teammate's strategies.
"I like talking to you, too, Kiba," She flipped her hair over her shoulder in a flirtatious manner. "But I'm not too sure how I feel about seeing you again." Kiba looked taken aback, but, as if he suddenly noticed what she was doing, he chuckled and leaned toward her.
"I think you can't wait to see me again," He bluntly stated, before turning on his heel and starting down the road. Akamaru nuzzled up against Tylina's side, earning a light pat on the head from her, before he took off after Kiba. Tylina's heart dropped as she watched him walk away. They hadn't made any plans to meet or anything. Maybe he had just been messing with her? She bit her bottom lip, upset at herself for falling for such a stupid trick.
"Hey," Kiba's voice rang through the air. Tylina glanced up to see him waving at her. "Meet me where we ran into each other, tomorrow, at noon." And with that he disappeared around the corner. Tylina blinked after him before her cheeks turned bright red and she smiled to herself. She slowly drifted into the building, stopping at the front desk to ask where she could find her friends. She then headed upstairs. That day had been so good, so perfect, and she wished to relive it over and over again. She stepped up to the door of the room that the hotel manager had directed her to and before she could even raise her fist to knock the door swung open and Yukio jumped out, practically tackling her to the ground.
"How was your day, gorgeous?" He questioned, swooping her into a tight hug. She giggled.
"Absolutely amazing," She informed him, hugging back. Behind Yukio stood Gaara, who smiled lightly at her and nodded. She broke away from Yukio, giving his shoulder a squeeze before stepping up to Gaara.
"Thank you," She bowed to him. "Lord Kazekage." When she stood back straight, she leaned forward and brushed her lips to his cheek and hugged him close.
"I like seeing you smile like that," He told her. "It's nice." When she pulled back, Yukio's arm slid around her waist and she followed the two into the room, where she shared her stories of her time with Ino and how she had ran into Sakura, Hinata, and Kiba. Her face must have colored again at the mention of Kiba's name because Yukio snickered and nudged Gaara. She smiled and lightly pressed her fingertips to her cheek.
'Magenta,' She glanced to her left and got lost deep in thought. 'Is a mixture of nervousness and happiness in one. A blush can mean so many things. What did this one mean?'