Twelve Souls, One Way

Chapter 3: The Nakashima Tailor Shop

By: The Demonic Ninjas 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! Or future references and scenes from My Sassy Girl

Summary: Haku has come back to life. Zabuza is still dead. Haku must find a way to resurrect Zabuza. To do this, he will accompanied by the most unusual companions…

Pairings: Now I have a paring but can't tell you who it is…until later

Author's Notes: I am SOOOOO sorry for not updating sooner. But once again, life is hectic. I tried my best. I can't believe I haven't updated for like 2 months! And then I had a writer's block…heheh. Oh well I wrote another story during that time. Vampire On A Leash. It's a NejiTen story…about vampires? Well anyways here's chapter 3.

Thanks youz: Thank you ALL REVIEWERS!!!! Arrigato! -sniff- Can't express my gratitude more.


"Oh my Gosh! AHHHHH!" exclaimed a blonde

"What is it dear?" questioned a man with long blonde hair in a high ponytail

"Dad! Look at this thing!" yelled his daughter as she pointed at her right arm

"Eh? A boar tattoo? I'm glad you like your name Ino, but did you have to engrave it into your arm like that?"

"Dad I didn't do this on purpose you know! It just apoeared and it won't come off!" exclaimed Ino frustratedly as she began jumping up and down frantically.

"hmmmm…you didn't get it yourself?"

"OBVIOUSLY NOT!"

"Did anything strange happen today?"

"Well, when I was talking to Sakura-chan about the meaning of the rose, lily and geraniums a burning a sensation was on my arm. I decided to ignore it but when Sakura left and I decided to check my arm, I found this ugly thing on my arm! AHHHH!! I can't live like this!"

"Well dear, I think you should lower your voice before you scare the rest of the customers away."

Ino spun around to glance at the store behind her. All the customers were staring at her. Even the people on the street were.

"…Anon, Gomen" apologized Ino as she did a little bow and flushed.

"Anyways dear, I think you should relax and sit at the cash register for the rest of the day. Here put on this jacket if you want to hide IT. Your mom will be the sales personnel for you. I'll just go for a brether and think of how to get that tattoo off." Replied Inoshuka as he began walking out the door waving at his daughter.

"Inoshuka! Where do you think you're going? Come back here! You're not going drinking again!" yelled Ino's mother

"Gotta go" winked Inoichi.


"So which was is the tailor" questioned Itachi

"Oh, we're close don't worry" replied Jiriya as his eyes widened while passing a hot spring. But Itachi grabbed him away from it. Kisame walked beside Itachi as Haku trailed behind mumbling incoherent words.

All of a sudden a flower shop caught his eye. Both Itachi and Kisame felt as if the y were being drawn into the store. Haku stared at the Akatsuki members, "could it be?" Both of the, shrugged. "What are you guys so worked up about?" asked Jiriya

"One of the Zodiac items are in there…" said Kisame

"A strong aura fills the air…a mystical aura" replied Itachi

"Then let's check it out!"

"No, if all four of us were to go in, it would draw attention. Haku, you should go in." commanded Itachi.

"Hei"


Haku stepped into the store, breathing in the scent of flowers. He smiled as he saw the familiar plants and the properties each one carried to create the different poisins and ointments. He would never forget those lessons where Zabuza taught the basic medical and poising techniques when he was a child.

His attention was drawn to a young blonde teen who was sitting at the cash register. She looked as if she was under stress, but he knew straight off the bat that she was the Zodiac person.

"What are YOU looking at?!" snapped the teen

"Ino! Where are your manners. She's a humble customer. I'm sorry miss."

"-sigh- Not again," thought Haku, "Do I really look like a girl. Oh well, at least one of the Zodiac people are female. Let me just hope that the reat are female as well so I don't have to 'seduce' anybody"

As Haku began to leave the flower shop he saw Ino's jacket slip off her shoulder and saw the boar sign on her arm "The boar, eh?"


Haku walked up to the rest of the group.

"So did you find another?" questioned Itachi

Haku nodded, "The boar. Her name is Ino. Blonde. Blue-eyed. Long Hair put into a ponytail. 15 – 17 years of age."

"I see, good job Haku."

"Why does this sound like a police investigation and we're investigating suspects?" complained Kisame


The four reached a building labeled, "The Nakashima Tailor Store"

"Ok people! Here's the tailor store I was talking about. THE BEST TAILOR SHOP IN KONOHA!" the three missing nins blinked at the randomness. The store wasn't extremely big or anything, it was a decent moderate size but the problem was that the building was PURPLE! The walls were painted purple, the bricks were purple, the curtains were purple and the windows were tinted purple. It was purple heaven… Well that was if you like the color purple.

"Oi! Kazuki! I have guests!" yelled Jiriya

A man with graying hair came out. His grey eyes shone as he saw Jiriya.

"Jiriya-sama! Long time no see! Why and such interesting and lovely guests" Haku cringed as the man kissed his hand.

"Kazuki I need help with fitting these 3 with formal outfits"

"Is it for Honda-san's masquerade? I've been hearing about it for awhile. No problem. These three will be fitted into the most exquisite and fashionable outfits I've made in honour of Jiriya-sama."

"Why, thank-you Kazuki. Where's your daughter Ayumi?"

"Otou-san!" yelled a voice from within the tailor store.

A female figure appeared. She had long purple hair that touched to her waist and was dressed in a brightly colored kimono. She had the same grey eyes as her father.

"oh my, guests." She whispered to herself.

"Oh Ayumi! I haven't seen you for awhile" exclaimed Jiriya.

"And for good measures" muttered Ayumi under her breath as she moved slightly back.

"My friends here are from the Tea Country and have come a long way and did not bring extravagantly formal clothing so I need your talent. These ninjas are from the Sugahara clan. The oldest is Ryuu (pointing at Kisame), his younger brother Riku and their younger sister Asuka. "

Ayumi ran up to Haku and gasped "Oh my gosh! Your complexion is like, so perfect! And I love that color of your nails! It's soooo pretty! Your name is Sugahara Asuka right? Mine's Nakashima Ayumi!"

" Ummm… thank-you … Ayumi-chan"

"I'm going to make your dress look PERFECT!"

"…Thank you"

Jiriya turned to the Akatsuki members, "Ryuu, Ruki, you two should take off your hats, there's nothing to be shy about." Itachi and Kisame pulled off their straw hats, but what were underneath the hats was not their normal appearances. Haku had to disguise his gasp by sneezing. Itachi didn't have an extreme make-over for his faces, he just erased the two strokes across his face, but he also held a more serene appearance instead his normal menacing appearance or the dazed look. Kisame on the other hand, had remodeled his whole face. First of all his normally blue skin was now a normal skin tone (a/n: Gasp! No more shark skin) and his hair was now jet black, and his eyes were not the crazy shark bulging bug eyes but more human looking. His teeth were also straightened out. He looked… normal?

Itachi brushed a bit of hair from his eyes, when suddenly he felt that someone was staring at him. At once he saw Ayumi with heart eyes. "Great, another fangirl" thought Itachi.

"He looks so familiar…"

Ayumi turned her gaze towards Itachi.

"Do I know you? Questioned Ayumi

"No, this is my first time to Konoha."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You just look like someone I've seen before. That's all"

"Hmm…I've heard that a few times already."

"Well, well, now since we are all acquainted, I can leave to collect some research and you guys can get your outfits made" exclaimed Jiriya happily as he skipped out the door.

"Hey wait!" yelled Itachi.

"Oh my," giggled Ayumi as she grabbed Itachi's arm, "why don't we do your outfit first."

"No… ummm, I think Ryuu-ni-san should get his outfit first. I have some business to attend to" replied Itachi as he pushed Ayumi aside.

"Eh? Where are you going I- Riku?" questioned Kisame as he had almost blown their cover.

"Personal business."

"Can't I know?"

"I'll tell you later."

Kisame rolled his eyes, "fine."

So Itachi left the purple tailor shop leaving the mist nins surrounded by the purple haven … to some degree...

"OK Ryuu-san let's start with your outfit" said Kazuki as he pulled out a roll of measuring tape and began to measure Kisame.

Ayumi sat down beside Haku and pulled a notebook as she began to sketch rough drafts of different outfits. Haku stared at the pile of magazines on a desk in front of him and picked up one called Elegance and began to flip through the pages when Ayumi gasped, "Ohmigod! I never saw that ad before!"

Ayumi snatched the magazine away from Haku as she began to analyze the ad.

"I totally love this hue! Rosy dawn is such a gorgeous color!" exclaimed Ayumi. Haku raiseed an eyebrow. "I thought it was just pink…"

"JUST PINK! What kind of girl are you!?"

"maybe I'm not a girl" thought Haku. On the outside he apologized to Ayumi explaining that as a kunoichi she did not have the time to pay attention to the different colors.

"well if you put it that way… I guess you're right… but rosy dawn will match the kimono I'm gonna make you. It's going to be pink and purple!"

"… pink and purple… why not green..?"

"no no no! green will make you look pale. But pink and purple will make you look more alive!"

"…sure..."

"Oh but Shishira nail polish is so expensive –pout-"

"Did you just say Shishira nail polish!?" exclaimed Kisame, "I LOVE THAT BRAND! OW! Hey old man! Watch where you're poking those things!"

"Well it would be nice if you stopped moving around so much. "stated Kazuki.

"You wear Shishira nail polish!?" exclaimed Ayumi in confusion.

"Uh huh... See this is authentic midnight blue. And don't give me that weird look Ayumi-chan. Riku wears nail polish too."

"Oh no, I was just amazed" smiled the girl.

"AYUMI! Start doing Ryuu-san's outfit!" yelled Kazuki.

"Hai! Tou-san!" Ayumi flipped a page in her notebook and began to sketch Kisame's outfit.

-4 hours later-

"Hmmmm… that went well" thought Itachi as he entered the Nakashima Tailor store only to be grabbed by Ayumi.

"Riku-san! I'm so glad you returned safely! I was so worried."

"Is this the way you always treat your customers?" Stated Itachi bluntly.

"Ayumi! How many times did I tell you! Get back to work!" "Hai! Tou-san!"

Itachi brushed his cloak with his hand and walked over to Kisame. "I have conducted an important investigation. I will reveal the results to you once we return to the hotel" whispered Itachi to Kisame. His companion nodded as he continued to flip through the thousands upon thousands of fashion magazines that Nakashima's carried.

"Riku-san you're the last one left. We've already completed both of your siblings' outfits."

"oh, I see" said Itachi as Kazuki began to take Itachi's measures as Ayumi continued to gawk at Itachi.

"Ayumi! Pay attention to your work! You almost cut Asuka's sleeve off!"

"… G-gomen, tou-san."

-2 hours later-

"Damn Jiriya for making us pay for those damn expensive outfits!" yelled Kisame as he stuffed his wallet into his pocket.

Itachi shrugged at the comment. "I thought it was almost an expected act –judging by his personality. We were probably part of some bargain he had with Kazuki. But no matter, we should head back to the hotel."

"Well why couldn't just pretend to be guards OR even ANBUs at the masquerade. Why do we have to be guests!? If we were guards then we could just bash three guards and kidnap the Zodiac people if needed" complained Kisame.

"Hey, you were the one who agreed to it first. I already told you. I don't like masquerades" replied Itachi irritated.

Haku followed the two Akatsuki members. He was wearing a simple purple kimono given as an apology gift from Ayumi for almost cutting off the sleeve of his kimono.

Carrying all three outfits he was pondering about the future of his quest." What are the other zodiac people like?" wondered Haku, but he was suddenly caught up in a ramen aroma.

"I'm hungry" stated Haku.

Itachi paused in his steps. "It is getting pretty late. I guess we'll stop at some restaurant and eat there."

"But we barely have ANY money left! And isn't the masquerade tonight?" Yelled Kisame

"Well that Ramen stall can't be too much for our wallet right? Anyways we're not going to the masquerade to eat. We're on a mission so might as well fill our stomachs now." Said Itachi as he pointed at the "Ichikaru Ramen Stall

Kisame sighed, "OK, fine. let's go. I'm hungry anyways."

The three so-called 'Sugahara siblings' stepped into the glowing warmth of the mini ramen stall.

"May I take your order?" questioned Ayame.

Kisame scanned the menu. "Shrimp Ramen" stated Kisame. It was the cheapest Ramen there besides plain Ramen.

Kisame gave his "siblings" a deadly glare.

"ummm… me too" smiled Haku.

"Same" Stated Itachi in a monotone voice.

Ayame nodded and turned towards her father, "these people are quite unusual aren't they?"

Her father shrugged, "isn't that apart of the life of a Ramen Stall owner? Meeting strange people."

-A few moments later-

"Ikatakumasu!" Yelled Kisame as he began to dig into his ramen.

Itachi sighed "he never changes does he?" He was about to start eating his ramen when he suddenly noticed that Haku was praying. When Haku had opened his eyes from prayer, Itachi questioned him, "Who were you praying for?"

"Tou-san"

"Oh, I see…" Itachi just assumed that Haku meant Zabuza.

Upon almost finishing their Ramen, the three siblings heard voices from behind them.

"Oi! Ero-Sennin! Ero-Sennin!" yelled a boy.

"Don't call me Ero-Sennin you useless boy" replied an oh-so-familiar voice that made the siblings loose their appetite and begin to plan evil schemes.

"Oi! Ero-sennin I'm hungry" continued the boy, totally ignoring the old man's request.

"Let's eat here"

The two sat right next to the Sugahara siblings.

"The Ramen of the Day!" yelled Naruto.

"The usual" stated Jiriya.

Suddently Jiriya heard two fake coughs from beside him where Itachi and Kisame sat. He swallowed his surprise.

"Why hello Jiriya-san, haven't seen you all day." Stated Itachi as he gave Jiriya a fake smile that ran a shivewr down Jiriya's spine

"hehe… oh ya, umm.. Good day Riku!"

Naruto wasn't paying attention to either Itachi or Kisame but was staring at Haku.

"Hey ne-san! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! How about you?"

Haku smiled, it almost appeared to be a rehearsal of the day he met Naruto for the first time.

"My name is Sugaharu Ayumi." "Ayumi…" thought Naruto, "that's a girls name right" remembering how he once mistaken a boy to be a girl. He didn't want that happening again.

"Jiriya-san, I believe we have some private business to discuss" stated Itachi in a pensive way.

Jiriya looked at the Sugahara siblings uncomfortably.

"OK… um.. Naruto, if you don't mind I need to leave you…"

"Mmmm…sure…whatever Ero-sennin" replied Naruto as he slurped down his ramen.

And with that Jiriya half-heartedly followed the Sugahara siblings back to the hotel. Of course Naruto did not notice that the 'Sugahara siblings' had left without paying their bills…


---A few moments later---

"Ah…now that was some nice ramen" said Naruto as he smacked his lips.

"Here, Naruto-kun, your bill" smiled Ayame

Naruto took the bill and stared at it, "NANI! WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY THE BILL FOR ERO-SENNIN AND THOSE THREE STOOGES?!"


---At the hotel---

Kisame plopped onto the bed and released his genjutsu. The blue skin and shark-eyes were visible once again.

"So where have you been, Jiriya-san? Questioned Itachi

"Oh, heheh … I was training with Naruto … ya"

"Training him where?"

"Oh.. the usual" a dirty smirk crossed his face.

"And no one caught you? Not even…"

"Nah, why those type of people be there. They would be on some sort of mission outside of Konohagakure…"

"Well, did you collect any other research besides the ones for your book?"

"-smirk- what do you think I am? Of course I did. I'm the Legendary Sennin JIRIYA-SAMA!"

Itachi shrugged as he pulled out the Zodiac scroll. A grin of satisfaction crossed his face. "I guess we should make a plan for tonight's masquerade," Itachi pointed at the flower shop, "Yamanake Ino. The boar. Blonde. Blue-eyed, 15 – 16 years of age… Since"

"The monkey," interrupted Jiriya as he pointed at the Ichikaru Ramen stall where coincidentally, the monkey was, "Uzimaki Naruto. I can persuade him to join our little quest" smiled Jiriya.

"Then I presume you weren't planning to search for the Zodiac items, but rather for them to come to you?" stated Itachi bluntly. His finger moved suddenly to the ox, which was no longer in the forest but in a section of Konoha where the most self-absorbed and arrogant people lived. A smirk came across the assassin of the Uchiha Clan's face, "The identity of the ox is…"

---End of Chapter---


REVIEWER POLL!!!

I need your opinions! I was planning to insert a major/minor OC. She is not going to be one of the Zodiac people. She'll be more like a tag-along. Should I include her? Some of my friends say 'no' but I want to. I need to know what you guys want. So tell me kk?

The Demonic Ninjas 3

Anyways. READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE!