Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own "Naruto," the creator and founder of Naruto is Masashi Kishimoto. Dude, your awesome! Where would we be without Naruto? LOL

Property: I only own the OC character "Aaron Shiratori" and future OC characters in my story "Side of a Bullet."

Chapter 2: Red Edges Blacksmithing

It was another 30 minutes and more rain before Aaron made it back to her shop. She couldn't help the small smile playing on her lips when she saw the board saying "Red Edges Blacksmithing," in red swinging back and forth on the pole attached to boarded-up brick building. Until she saw who was under the said sign, she stopped immediately and her smile wiped cleaned off her face to a look of annoyance.

"It's about time you came back, Aaron." A tall, thin man with short black hair and nerdy glasses said irritated, his arms crossed over his protected ninja vest and clutching his clothed forearms.

Aaron sighed and walked to her shop's door with key in hand, "Hey Baasu, how you've been?" Though, she really didn't care for the man's well being; actually, come to think of it, she didn't like him at all. She just tolerated him, along with others.

"How I've been?" he questioned her in exasperation as if she was, suppose, to know already and towering a head taller than her. "I've been out here in this goddamn cold rain waiting till you got back. Man, I think I caught something," And as if on cue, he sneezed and followed Aaron as she entered her shop.

It would have been pleasantly warm and inviting when customs came into her shop without them knowing what was inside first, then their blood would run cold once they saw what was upon the walls and in the glass counter tops that screamed out war and violence.

Kunais…shurikens…swords of various shapes and sizes…you name it, Red Edges Blacksmithing and Weaponry, had it all. The "and Weaponry"part would have been added onto the sign as well, if she ever got around to it. Not many people approved of it or thought it was weird a woman owning a weaponry shop, let alone making them, instead of flowers and clothes. Didn't matter though what people thought, it was home to her and she enjoyed what she did.

"Well, a girl's got to eat, you know." Aaron stated naturally, taking a seat behind a counter, leaning back and propping her shoes on the glass, fully at ease; except for Baasu, who placed his hands on the same counter by her feet, leaning over it and glaring at her disbelievingly.

"For an hour and 45 minutes?" his voice rising.

"So, I ran into some people and we talked." She lied; she was enjoying the sun while it lasted, which was only 10 minutes.

"What people? You haven't had a customer in months and as far as I can tell, I'm the only friend you've got in this entire village." He burst finally.

Okay, so she sucked at lying and what Baasu said was half true. But only because she wasn't selling what the customs wanted and that was what she was carrying on her person now.

Aaron closed her eyes, praying when she opened them Baasu or her troubles would go away. "First, you're not my friend and second, the only reason I'm not getting customers is because your boss won't allow it and threatens everyone within 5 miles of my shop." Her own voice rising, just thinking of Baasu's mob boss made her sizzle with rage. She opened her eyes; damn, he was still here.

"Then meet with his demands—"

Aaron's chair fell back as she sprang forward grabbing Baasu's turtleneck collar and pressing a kunai along his neck where his pulse was. Of course Baasu never saw this coming; he never would even if she was miles from him.

"I don't take orders or demands from no one! You got that, you sneaky-ass, deceitful of an errand boy?" she threatened darkly, pressing the sharp blade closer to his neck. Baasu nodded timidly, terrified and shaking to the bone. Aaron pushed him away harshly, causing him to land on his butt. She glared down at him, "Tell Lotaimasu that if he can't get "no" through his thick skull, then he can come down here with as many men as he wants and I'll do it for him. Now get out of here, you scumbag."

One good thing Aaron noticed about Baasu was that he didn't need to be told twice…which reminds her.

"Baasu," She grabbed his attention before he ran out the door. He looked at her horrified, thinking she changed her mind and was going to kill him anyway. "I better not find out that you went to Lotaimasu and twisted my words all around, again, you got that?"

He just nodded hastily and ran out the door, slamming it back with a loud bang.