Kiba leapt from tree branch to tree branch with ease; oblivious to the dense network of weaving branches, thick leaves, and startled birds. Akamaru bounded along beside him. They were headed towards the Land of Waves, where a boat was harbored and waiting to take them to their mission destination.
Bored, Kiba said to Akamaru, "What do you think this fiancé girl's going to be like, huh? I'll bet she's snobby."
Akamaru ruffed in agreement, and then added something else. Kiba sniggered.
"Yeah, you're right boy," he chuckled, "She probably does sleep in a messy green face mask. And uses foot cream." The rising sun shone in his eyes for a brief moment before disappearing in the foliage.
Akamaru barked.
"Yeah, glasses, short hair, loves to read long, boring romance novels," Kiba listed, ducking under a beehive. Akamaru gave his weird little doggy laugh. "Hates to do chores, wears wacky outfits, and loves knitting."
Akamaru snorted. It was getting increasingly warmer as they moved further east, but Kiba didn't mind; he liked feeling warm. He laughed.
"Yes, hail the randomness. I'll bet she doesn't like dogs, though." Akamaru growled. "She probably keeps cats."
Akamaru yelped angrily. Kiba grinned at him.
"Nah, don't worry. I won't let her ignore you," he reassured his companion. "This is going to be the worst mission ever…"
Akamaru gave a soft growl and a series of barks and arfs. Once again, Kiba found himself cracking up.
"Ah, yes, the typical 'Don't touch my plants!!!!' woman…"
For the next hour or so Kiba and Akamaru passed the time happily verbally abusing the woman they had been assigned to protect, the woman neither of them had actually met. After a while, though, the subject began to drag and they reached the coast.
The sea stretched for several miles, an unbroken plain of liquid turquoise, before yielding to the massive island Kiba and Akamaru's current employer ruled. They were amazed to find that the "boat" waiting for them was a handsome beige yacht. Kiba, gaping, picked up Akamaru as they crossed the gangplank.
"Compliments of the Emperor," an attractive female attendant told them. "Make yourselves at home."
Perplexed, and still a little overwhelmed, the two settled onto a padded tanning chair as the yacht set sail. They sat in silence, breathing in the salty scent, enjoying the view, until two hours later they docked in a quiet remote cove surrounded by, to their surprise, another forest. Kiba stood up, left the yacht, and looked inquiringly a the attendant.
"I've been instructed to tell you to travel four miles east of here," the she explained, pointing, "there you will come upon a large clearing the forest, where someone will be waiting to receive you."
Thanking her, Kiba once again set off into the trees. "Never felt more like a package, have you?" he asked Akamaru. Akamaru barked and wagged his tail. "At least they've established somewhat adequate security and didn't sail us directly to the house."
Kiba followed the attendant's directions and soon came upon a dazzlingly sunny clearing filled with sand, in the center of which was a lone, beautifully built condo, with one wall being completely glass. Kiba observed it with interest; the windows revealed a rather cute sun room.
The sun beat down on them, and Kiba unzipped his jacket. A refreshing breeze blew in from the ocean, cooling his face. Akamaru spotted a person standing on the side of the house, and barked a warning to Kiba, who headed straight for him. As they got closer, they saw that the man turned out to be an elderly butler, dressed in the traditional black tuxedo with the white undershirt and looking positively sweltering.
"Hi," Kiba said. The butler gave him a warm smile.
"Welcome, sir, to, as the maintenance calls it, 'The Hideout'. My name is Patrick. I assume you know why you are here?"
Kiba nodded, feeling slightly annoyed. Couldn't they get on with this?
"Well, then, let's press on," Patrick said brightly. "I'll take you to meet Ms. Muyazaki," and without further ado he walked briskly away. Slightly perturbed, Kiba followed.
He and Akamaru were led around the glass side of the condo. The sand was scorching hot; even through his sandals Kiba could feel the emanating heat. Akamaru trotted at his heel, disregarding the blistering sand.
"Ms. Muyazaki is ahead," Patrick gestured formally to Kiba's right down near the ocean, and strode back to the house. He caught sight of a shapely woman in a sky-blue halter dress, facing the water, with her head wrapped in a rather brightly colored scarf.
Oh jeez, I was right, Kiba thought with disdain. I'm stuck guarding some stuck up woman who wraps her hair. He rolled his eyes. This is gonna suck…
Suddenly, without any warning, Akamaru dashed ahead straight at the woman. Kiba let out an exclamation of surprise as Akamaru ran up behind her, leapt up, and, gripping the scarf with his teeth, ripped the cloth off the woman's head.
To Kiba's great amusement, a cascade of silvery-blue hair rippled down her back, waving the breeze. Akamaru dashed off with the scarf down the beach. The woman looked around, and upon spotting Akamaru, shouted, "Hey!" and began to chase him.
However, Kiba watched, completely wrong-footed, as the woman ran after Akamaru, heedless of her dress, caught up to him surprisingly quick, and dove. She grabbed him just before she landed, pulled the dog to her stomach, and somersaulted, finally coming to a rest sitting cross-legged with her back once again to Kiba.
Kiba's mouth hung open. The woman laughed and wrestled the scarf from Akamaru's jaws. He tugged back playfully, and to Kiba's dismay, he heard a ripping sound as the cloth was rent in two.
"Hey, you little thief! You tore my favorite scarf!" she exclaimed, though to Kiba's surprise and relief, it was without anger, but with a perplexing air of delight.
Cringing, Kiba approached cautiously, intending to apologize, when she looked over her shoulder.
"Hey!" she grinned. Kiba blanched in surprise. The girl—for she was so obviously not a full-grown woman yet—had striking violet eyes the color of an amethyst. Her skin was lightly tanned with a smattering of freckles across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Voluminous eyelashes, plump lips, and perfectly framing hair adorned her face.
"Did you bring this little guy here?" she asked, scratching Akamaru behind the ears, who ruffed playfully. "He's one clever dog!"
Kiba noticed she didn't speak of Akamaru in that hateful baby voice people often used, but like he was a person. "Yeah, I'm sorry about you're scarf, Ms. Muyazaki," Kiba apologized, cringing inwardly as Akamaru licked her face. He knew better than that!
"Oh, it's fine," she waved her hand carelessly and smiled as Kiba walked around in front of her. "It's just a scarf. And please, call me Syuri. 'Ms. Muyazaki' sounds so formal."
Kiba looked up sharply to see a wolf-golden retriever cross, nearly four times the size of Akamaru, dashing across the sand towards Syuri, tongue lolling and barking happily. Akamaru watched, head cocked, as the snow white dog bore down upon Syuri and began licking her madly, looking incredibly joyous. She laughed and hugged the dog around it's broad neck, crooning, "There you are! You left me all alone!"
Kiba gave Akamaru a stern look as he stood at his heel, but Akamaru was not abashed, on the contrary, he seemed rather excited.
"This is Sable," Syuri explained, rubbing his neck. "a weird name, I know, but when he was born, he was red as a fox. But somehow he turned white." She smiled up at Kiba, who was still rather astonished, but her enthusiasm was infectious so he tentatively smiled back.
Sable noticed Akamaru. His ears pricked up, and, tail curled over his back, he sniffed the air curiously. Akamaru approached confidently, and the two touched noses. Sable gave a booming, happy bark and pawed at Kiba's hand, begging to be pet.
Syuri laughed. "Looks like he likes you. That's good." She gazed contentedly at the two dogs for a moment, before saying, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so rude! I never asked for you're name!"
"Kiba Inuzuka, at you're service. And this here," he gestured at Akamaru, "Is Akamaru." Syuri smiled.
"Well, its very nice to meet you. Are you my bodyguards? I can't think of any other reason why you'd be here. I don't see anyone except Patrick and Jin. And of course Sable," she patted him affectionately. Kiba nodded.
"Yes, we accepted the mission yesterday. I've got some questions about the security, actually, if you don't mind..." Kiba trailed off, not wanting to sound like he was ordering her around. She stood.
"Well, we may as well walk while we talk, I've got a pie baking anyway," and she stood with surprising fluidness and began a slow stroll back to the condo, Sable at her heel. To Kiba's annoyance, Akamaru followed her as well.
"Okay, well, first thing is, who all knows you're here?"
Syuri thought for a moment. "Hmm, lets see...I don't even know quite where I am, so I'd have to say Jin."
"And he's..."
"My fiancé."
"Ah."
"Yep, we've been betrothed since I was born."
"I see..." Kiba didn't know quite what to say at this.
"Yeah, I know it sounds like it sucks, but it's not so bad."
Kiba was surprised that Syuri was being so open with him, but then, she was not the grown woman he had expected. She looked around his age; eighteen or nineteen.
They approached the house, and Kiba cast around for a subject to break the awkward silence.
"So...how does Patrick get here? Boat?" he asked, stepping into the shadow of the condo and opening the front door for her. Syuri smiled.
"Oh, no. We have designated drivers that will take him a certain distance and then hand him off to someone else. That way, no one knows exactly where I am, but I expect they have a shrewd idea. It was the best we could do, under the circumstances."
Akamaru bounded off the step into the room beyond. To Kiba's left was a spacious beige-painted living room complete with a wrap around couch and fireplace, which, despite the heat, was lit, and on the left wall was a handsomely carved wooden door that Kiba assumed led into the sun room. To his right was an open doorway that led into a scrupulously clean kitchen, and straight ahead was a long hallway lined with doors.
"Why not just have Patrick live with you?" Kiba asked curiously, forgetting his feigned 'I'm a big tough ninja' gig that he had planned on acting out. For a moment, he could have sworn he say Syuri's face tighten.
"Jin prefers for me to be kept in...solitude."
"I'm sure he's just trying to keep you safe," Kiba reassured her, though he suspected it was a bit more than that. Syuri shrugged and pulled on a pair of oven mitts, then removed a delicious looking pie from the oven, and set it on the counter.
"Do you...um...bake often?" Kiba asked. Akamaru trotted into the kitchen, closely followed by Sable, and sat down, whining. Syuri laughed.
"Of course you can have some, when it's cooled," she told him, then turned to Kiba. "What else is there to do?" she asked. Kiba flushed, though he didn't know why. Syuri moved into the living room, and settled onto the couch. Sable leapt up and snuggled next to her. She pet him absentmindedly. Kiba sat in an armchair, where Akamaru jumped into his lap.
Patrick stepped into the living room from the room he had been presumably cleaning. "My Lady, future emperor Hikaru will be arriving shortly," the butler announced, and bowed out of the condo, shutting the door with a soft 'click'. Kiba raised an eyebrow.
"'Future emperor Hikaru'?" He asked dubiously.
"Jin," Syuri answered. Kiba observed her smile with interest: it had become a little fixed.
"How often does he visit you?" he asked.
"He comes when he can." At Kiba's dissatisfied look, Syuri answered quickly, "Every couple weeks. Usually once every...two? Three? I really don't keep track."
Kiba found this a little odd, and he couldn't help thinking, She must be very lonely.
Just then there was the noise of metal on metal as the front doorknob turned. Syuri looked up sharply.
The door swung open and a tall, handsome man stepped inside. He seemed to be around twenty-five, Kiba guessed, and had properly groomed black hair and rather flinty eyes. He grinned as he spotted Syuri.
"Syuri!" he exclaimed as he strode across the room, completely disregarding Kiba and Akamaru, who were in plain sight. Kiba felt an overwhelming feeling of dislike, which he fought back, and Akamaru growled.
"Jin," Syuri acknowledged a little less enthusiastically, taking his arm and he kissed her on the cheek. "How's work?"
"Oh, fine, fine," Jin waved an expensively suited arm carelessly. "Made a very good deal today. The Rain Country needed more architects, so I rented them out for a very unreasonable price." His teeth gleamed. "Needless to say they accepted."
Kiba didn't like how Jin referred to his workers like property. He cleared his throat. Syuri looked up and smiled as though relieved for the interruption.
"Oh, Jin, this is Kiba and Akamaru," she introduced them. Jin looked around eyeing them sharply.
"Your babysitters?" he asked supremely. Akamaru growled.
"My bodyguards," Syuri explained quickly, giving Kiba and Akamaru an apologetic look.
"Another pet, eh? I keep telling you this is no place for dogs," Jin sneered. Akamaru growled louder. Kiba spoke up stiffly.
"Akamaru is just as strong and smart as I am. We are here to protect Syuri together." Jin surveyed them doubtfully.
"Well, I don't really care what it is as long as it protects Syuri," he sniffed. Akamaru raised his hackles. Kiba was seething.
"Now, darling, let's sit down, shall we?" Jin turned his back on them. "Alone," he added pointedly. Kiba scowled as Jin put an arm around Syuri and led her into the sunroom, shutting the door in Sable's face, who attempted to follow. He sat down and whined sadly.
"It's all right boy," Kiba said to him, though he felt like growling himself. But he shrugged inwardly and settled into his chair to wait.
Not half an hour later, the door to the sunroom swung open and the couple strode back to the front door. Before exiting, Jin pecked Syuri on the cheek. When the door shut behind him, Syuri sighed and flopped back onto the couch. Sable happily joined her.
"Leaving already?" Kiba asked.
"Work," Syuri answered, though she sounded suspiciously relieved instead of regretful. She glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece.
"Well, I think I'm going to turn in early," she said, and stood back up. "Good night," she called over her shoulder.
"'Night," Kiba replied, glad that she, at least, wasn't ignoring him like Jin had done. He heard a click as Syuri shut her bedroom door.
"Well, this is certainly going to be an interesting mission, isn't it?" He said. Akamaru barked his agreement. As he leaned back in his chair, grimacing at the long night ahead of him, he thought maybe this mission wasn't going to be so bad after all.
Ok, guys, im sry this was so boring, but I had to lay down the foundation for da story, right??? so hopefully it'll be more interesting; this was the worst part of the whole fanfic, so keep readin!!!!!! ill post soon!!