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Bee-uty & the Beast

Kraen

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Chapter Nineteen

Upon hearing the voice, Gai walked towards the doorway and took a cautious look in.

Leaning against the wall on other side of the grand room was a lithe man in a black kimono and crimson red jacket; he had narrow eyes and a wide cheshire-like grin. His long, black hair was worn in a half-ponytail; pinned back with a very expensive looking hairclip. He puffed lightly at a small pipe -- Gai could tell by the scent that the man wasn't smoking tobacco.

Standing to his side was a tall, muscular man with rust-brown hair, a square-shaped head and shoulders big enough -- Gai was clueless on how the man cleared a doorway. Tucked into his belt was a beautifully gilded katana with a red-glazed scabbard.

"Maito Gai, I presume," said the first man with a nod.

Gai felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up -- this man's voice was reminiscent to that of the legendary Sanin, Orochimaru -- only it sounded like it suffered from an unhealthy lifestyle of alcohol, smoking and drugs.

Gai moved to stand in the doorway, "I am."

"Excellent ... now, if you wouldn't mind Mr. Maito -- please move out of the way. You're blocking my view of my meal."

Gai's eyes widened as he looked over his shoulder to Hani who was still frozen in place. He looked down at her clenched, shaking fist; his brows furrowing deep into his brow. "No one talks that way about her," he said as he slowly turned towards his new prey.

Nishin chuckled as he pressed a thumb into the bowl of his pipe, "Then you don't know Honey very well." He shot a look past Gai from half lidded eyes, "But I suppose your real name is 'Hani', isn't it?"

"You're not allowed to speak to her," sneered Gai.

Hani turned to look at her partner in surprise.

"Not allowed?" asked Nishin with a raise of his eyebrow. He looked at Brugo and grinned, "Who isn't allowed to speak to their bitch?"

Gai's nostrils flared slightly, "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"No, but I do yours," smirked Nishin. He brought a long-nailed finger to his mouth, "And I just cleaned the last of her hairs from between my teeth too." He dropped his hand and cocked his head to the side, "She sends her love."

Gai's whole body shook from his building rage.

"Now, why don't you run along Mr. Maito. I'll be taking my bitch home now. She needs to get back to work and make back the money I lost from her leaving."

Gai clenched his hand into a tight fist and started to take a step, but a firm grab at his wrist stopped him.

"It's alright," said Hani as she stepped next to him; her eyes locked on the brothel owner in a determined stare. "He's mine."

"Are you sure?" asked Gai. Personally, he wanted to break his foot off in the man's ass.

She took a deep breath and squeezed his wrist again, "Yeah ... having you here helps." She gave him a small smile and nodded in thanks before stepping forward. Gai was quick to follow.

"I knew you would want to come back to me eventually," said Nishin with a smirk as his eyes scanned her up and down. "Looks like you put on weight. That's good -- now my groin won't bruise so much from slamming that boney ass of yours."

Hani quickly shot her arm out to hold back Gai. "He is an expert at goading people -- don't let him get to you," she said without taking her eyes from her target. "He knows people affected by their emotions make deadly mistakes when they fight."

"Did you hear that, Brugo?" asked Nishin with the tilt of his head. "It looks like she was paying pretty close attention to me all that time." He sneered at her, "I'm flattered."

"Too bad you were too busy raping girls to see you had a spy under your roof the whole time." Hani grinned at the slight twitch in Nishin's brow. "And it's a damn shame the information I gathered while there cost you thousands, upon thousands of ryō." She gave him her own sneer, "I'm surprised your business survived at all."

Nishin closed his eyes and smiled, "It's a wonder I survived as well."

"You were only spared because I was ordered not to kill you."

"Ah, then I was very fortunate," said Nishin as he brought his pipe up to his mouth. Brugo immediately pulled a lighter from his pocket and offered him a light. "Too bad ..." said Nishin as he puffed on his pipe. "The same couldn't be said for Treasure."

Hani's eyes doubled in size at his words.

Nishin exhaled a long trail of smoke, "Strangled ... two weeks after you left." He crossed his arms, "Or Sapphire -- gods she had beautiful eyes ... beaten to death one month after you left."

As Nishin took another long drag of his pipe, Gai stole a look at Hani -- he could see a hint of tears lining her eyes.

"Doe ... she died from syphilis six months later." Nishin crossed his arms as he tried to remember something, "And um ... what was her name ..." He snapped his fingers, "Brugo ... she was Hani's close friend?"

"Hope, sir."

"Awww, yes ... Hope." He was quiet for a moment before his eyes slowly lifted to meet Hani's. "She was killed the night after you left while servicing one of your regulars. Without you there ... someone had to take your workload. And as I said ... some people just wouldn't settle for less."

Hani gasped slightly as her eyes fell in dread; small tears brimming her eyes.

"I know you girls became pretty close -- they always do. Who else would you turn to?" asked Nishin with a hint of understanding in his voice. "But without you there to protect them, Hani ... they just didn't stand a chance." He puffed lightly on his pipe. "They never do."

Hani's body started to shake as the weight of her friends' deaths and the stares of everyone in the room bore down on her.

"That was pretty selfish of you to leave without them," said Nishin flatly. "What kind of person abandons her friends in a place like that?"

Hani opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't will her voice to work ... There was no good answer.

"You don't know a thing about her," came a firm voice.

Nishin casually looked to Gai, "You think you know her better?" He crossed his arms, "Enlighten us."

Gai's stare was unwavering, "Even though I met her only a week ago -- I know she is a kind, caring and compassionate person. I have seen her portray these attributes on numerous occasions." He looked to Hani, "It was an order for her to leave -- it would have been impossible for her to take those girls with her."

"Would it?" asked Nishin without expression. "Would it be so difficult for a ninja from Konoha to save a small handful of girls from a brothel? She said herself she had the ability to kill me ... why not steal away with those girls in the dead of night -- would that be so much more difficult?"

Gai furrowed his brows in answer.

Nishin cocked his head to the side and sighed, "Let me prove to you how well I know this pathetic excuse for a woman. Let's ignore the fact that she stayed at my brothel for three months; in which time she worked six days a week, seeing at least six men a day -- taking into consideration her regulars and her menstrual cycle ... that's ..." he cocked his head to the side and looked up to the ceiling, "Roughly 300 men she's 'serviced' while under my roof ... give or take a gangbang." He grinned at Gai's sudden look of shock and how Hani winced vocally at having her reputation completely ruined. "I will grant her the benefit of a doubt that she was in fact an undercover ninja ..." He turned to Gai and lifted an eyebrow, "But let me ask you this Mr. Maito ... even though you only met her a week ago ... have you two had sex yet?"

Nishin didn't need for them to say a word ... the look of shock in both of their eyes was answer enough. He rubbed his thumb over the smooth, polished wood of his pipe, "In our society, all men think they deserve a pure, untouched virgin -- it's the men who are willing to settle for less that I base my business off of. And being a brothel owner, I know a thing or two about 'love' -- or the disillusion of it. I've seen wealthy men become paupers from paying a woman to tell him she loves him every night. And it's the same for married couples – does a man not have to buy his bride a beautiful ring before she says 'yes'?" He cocked his head to the side, "And though I agree it is our own fault as men to fall for such tricks," he looked to Hani and gave her a small grin. "It is women, who take advantage of it." His eyes shifted to Gai's, "And if you still don't believe me, Mr. Maito ... tell me what Hani's specialty as a kunoichi is."

Again, their silence was his answer. "Exactly," he said with a small smirk. "You need to ask yourself Mr. Maito, were you just Mr. 301 or did you and Hani actually share something special? How can you ever trust a woman whose specialty is seducing men? How do you know you're not wrapped around her finger right now? If I, a brothel owner, was fooled by her, then what makes you think you stand a chance?" He held his hand out towards her, "I mean, look at her ... look at how she's dressed."

Gai looked at Hani and her downcast eyes.

"Short skirt, low v-neck ... she wants men to look at her. She has a body men would kill to fuck. Trust me -- I've lost clientele for that very reason." He cocked his head to the side again and gave Gai a wide smirk, "And if you still don't believe me when I say she isn't a woman worth trusting ... I'm willing to bet she didn't feel like a woman who's been with 300 men ... Some girls after awhile, it's like sheathing a toothpick in a sword scabbard; but Hani ..." he clicked his tongue. "Virginal tight every time."

Gai's eyes darted to the brothel owner and watched as the man tucked his pipe into his sleeve.

"Now you know why I refer to her as a 'bitch', Mr. Maito. Calling her anything human would be too ... inappropriate."

Gait tilted his head back and took a calm breath. "You're wrong, Nishin."

Hani's eyes shifted to the floor before her partner.

"The whole point of training is so we can take advantage of our enemy's weaknesses and if we as men are weak enough to fall for the seduction of women ..." He turned to Hani and gave her a considerate look. "That just means we need to train harder."

Hani's eyes slowly lifted to meet his.

He gave her a kind smile in return before turning casually to Nishin, "And the fact that you're a brothel owner and still falling for a woman's seduction -- well," he chuckled. "Just tells me you are a very slow learner."

Nishin narrowed his eyes in response, but his head quickly cocked to the side. "Very well. If you want to do this the hard way ..." He held out his hand towards Brugo who pulled the sword from his belt and placed it in his boss's palm. "I must warn you, like I treat my women -- I will not go easy on you."

"No."

Everyone turned to Hani who glared defiantly at the brothel owner. "I will be your opponent."

Both Nishin and Brugo snorted, "Very funny, Hani; but this is men's business. We'll be getting to bitch business later."

Hani lifted her chin, "In this fight, you'll be my bitch."

Gai threw Hani a quick smirk.

Nishin wagged a finger at her, "Now Hani, you know I like to be the dominate one."

"Tough shit -- you're about to take it up the ass," she growled.

"You would know a lot about that, wouldn't you?" he grinned in return.

"It's not like I had much of a choice."

Nishin shrugged nonchalantly, "That's true, I suppose." He started to walk along the wall away from his guard. "Brugo, hurry up with Mr. Maito. I'll need your help in taking Hani alive."

"Yes sir."

Gai looked between the two men and moved to Hani's side, "Are you sure about this?"

Hani's eyes never left her target, "Positive."

"Be careful."

"I will." She turned to look at him, "No matter what happens, Gai -- please don't interfere. I have to defeat him on my own." She looked back at Nishin who gave her a cheshire grin in return, "I have to."

Gai clenched his jaw as he looked at her, "Very well." He understood her determination -- Nishin was a demon from her past and the only way to erase him from her life would be to conquer him herself. "But don't hesitate to ask if you need me," he said as he eyed his brawny opponent and side-stepped to the other side of the room.

Nishin pushed on the guard of his katana with his thumb; sliding the blade out by a few inches. "Tell me Hani," said Nishin just loud enough for her to hear. "Were you really that innocent when you came to my brothel?"

She furrowed her brows, "Not as innocent as I let on -- even you thought I was a virgin."

He placed his other hand on his sword's handle, "That would certainly explain a few things." His grin widened, "You should be happy ... I kept your collar all this time."

Hani's eyes flashed with rage.

"D'aww, don't look like that. I worked so hard to find the right color of leather dye to match your eyes."

Hani tried to take a few deep breaths to calm her anger -- she had to fight him with a clear head otherwise she could make costly mistakes. She reached into her sleeves and pulled out a kunai in each hand. She then spun the weapons around on her fingers before grabbing the hilts and taking a fighting stance.

"Oh ... bitch has got claws now," said Nishin as he licked his lips. "Kinky."

"Shut your trap," snarled Hani.

Nishin unsheathed his sword halfway. "Why don't you come over here and shut it for me," he grinned.

Hani lifted a kunai before her face and glared at him from over the blade. "I'm going to make you pay for everything you've done -- all the women you've raped, killed and sold into slavery."

Nishin smirked, "Raped, killed and sold? That's just good business, Hani."

"Shut up!" she cried as she dashed forward.

Nishin's smirk widened as he unsheathed his blade and guarded against one of her kunai. He immediately raised his scabbard to block her other hand.

Hani's arms shook as she tried to slip one of her blades free to land a strike.

"Mmmm," hummed Nishin as he leaned between their weapons. "I missed that perfume of yours."

Hani bared her teeth at him.

"Just smelling it is giving me a hard-on."

Hani cringed and quickly jumped away from him in disgust.

The brothel owner's only response was a low, throaty chuckle.

Gai looked from his partner to his opponent and eyed the man up and down. Brugo grinned as he raised his arms like a boxer and shifted his weight to the balls of his feet. Gai recognized the stance immediately -- muay thai; a form of martial arts that utilized strong punches and deadly kicks.

Gai widened his own stance -- he would guard at first so he could gauge the man's strength. Though Brugo had large, bulging muscles -- it could all be for show.

The guard made a small shuffle step before sending a quick kick towards Gai's head. The jounin blocked it easily and continued to block the next three kicks with little effort. It was just as he expected -- the man wasn't that strong. Gai would take him out with one strike.

As Brugo attempted to deliver another kick, Gai took advantage of his superior speed and sent a punch towards the man's stomach. But instead of striking soft tissue, Gai slammed his fist into a torso that was as hard as a diamond. He felt his knuckles pop and crunch from the impact. "Owie!" he cried as he pulled his hand back and clung to it.

Brugo smirked as he threw a punch. Gai reacted immediately and threw his arm up with the intention to snap the man's forearm. But again, as his arm impacted Brugo's, he was met with the same hardness. Gai cringed in pain -- he was lucky he didn't break his own arm instead.

Hani knocked away Nishin's sword and ducked as his scabbard soared through where her head had been a moment before. She quickly back-flipped out of the way of his sword's uppercut and dodged his attempt at jamming her in the solar plexus with his scabbard.

"If I had known you were this limber," chuckled Nishin as he swung at her again with his sword. "I would have raised your rates."

Hani sneered at him and then quickly twirled into a spinning kick.

Nishin instantly guarded against her attack with his scabbard. "Nice view," he said as he looked down her raised leg and up her skirt.

Hani narrowed her eyes and smirked in return.

Before Nishin could react, a small blade snapped out from the tip of her boot and sunk a good quarter-inch into his cheek.

"Fuck!" he cried as he pushed her leg away.

Hani took advantage of the opening and lunged forward with her kunai.

Nishin recovered instantly and slammed the tip of his sword's hilt into her hand; knocking the weapon out of her grip. He then immediately punched her in the side of the head with his off-hand. "That's a pretty dirty trick!" he shouted as she staggered back a few feet. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, "But I should expect no less from a woman!"

Hani rubbed at the new welt on her head and threw him a dirty look.

"Oh, don't be so high and mighty," said Nishin as he cocked his head to the side. "If anyone here knows your true nature, it's me." He narrowed his eyes at her, "The fact that you left those bottles of poisoned sake in my chest proves you are a vile person."

Hani's eyes widened.

"Though," said Nishin as he wiped away the blood on his cheek again. "How you survived exposure to Angel's Kiss is beyond me."

"You ... you knew?" asked Hani in shock.

"Of course I knew," shrugged Nishin. "Who do you think has the connections to get something as rare as Angel's Kiss?" He tilted his head towards Gai, "Though it was Romeo over there that was suppose to drink it, not you. But I didn't suspect that damnable servant would serve it to both of you." He snorted, "Perhaps if he actually knew what was in that bottle he wouldn't have ... but still."

Hani's eyes shifted back and forth as she considered his words. "You knew Gai wasn't Hakanza?"

"Of course," said Nishin nonchalantly. "Though I will admit, he does play the part quite well."

Hani eyed him, "Then why didn't you reveal him to be a fraud at the banquet?"

Nishin grew suddenly quiet. Then, with one last wipe of his cheek, he started to walk towards her. "Enough talk."

"Answer the question!" shouted Hani as she took a step back.

"Brugo!" called Nishin without taking his eyes from her. "I am growing impatient. Hurry up and finish him."

"Yes sir!" called Brugo back.

Gai jumped to dodge Brugo's sweeping kick. "Leaf Whirlwind!" he shouted as he spun in mid air and sent a kick towards the guard's head. Gai's foot hit the man squarely on the side of the face and a kick that would normally break a man's neck, didn't so much as leave an indention in Brugo's skin.

The guard grinned as he caught Gai's ankle, spun him around and tossed him towards one of the room's thick support columns. Apparently Brugo had been holding back the whole time.

Hani dodged Nishin's scabbard and stole a quick look as Gai's form crashed through the beam and disappeared in a cloud of dust and debris. "GAI!" she cried.

"Better pay attention!" grunted Nishin as he slashed directly across her midsection with his sword. Hani jumped back instinctually -- just out of his blade's range; but the sharp, deep pain she instantly felt over her stomach said otherwise.

"Ungh!" she cried as she fell back against the wall behind her and clung to her new wound.

Nishin grinned as he whipped his blade off to the side to flick the blood from it. "Never take your eyes off your opponent, Hani."

She tried to steady her breathing, but the hot blood she felt seeping through her fingers and down her front put her in a small state of panic.

Brugo watched Gai's impact site for a few moments before turning to join his employer; satisfied Gai was either dead or dying. But a sudden blur caught his eye at the last moment. A long black cylinder soared through the dust at him. The object bounced off Brugo harmlessly and promptly crashed through the floor below.

The guard looked down at the new hole in the floor and wondered what was just thrown at him. Then another blur, this one a great deal larger than the first, instantly appeared behind him.

"HA!" shouted Gai as he punched the man in the kidney. His hand smashed into Brugo's rock-hard hide. Then another punch, and another. Gai ducked and weaved between the larger man, striking him over every part of his body in an attempt at finding a weak spot. He ignored the pain he felt in his knuckles at trying to smash an impossibly solid object. Brugo had to have a weakness ... he just had to!

But just as Gai threw another punch at the man's ribs, Brugo's arm snapped down and clamped onto Gai's in a vice like grip. Then he smashed his fist into Gai's face, effectively dazing the jounin and swiftly tossed him across the room again.

This time, Gai tumbled end over end before he was able to catch his bearings and right himself. He sat up on his hands and knees as he shook his head a few times to regain his senses.

"Brugo!" called Nishin. "Finish him now!"

"Yes sir!" replied Brugo as he walked towards the downed jounin.

Gai reached under his pants leg, removed another weight and then chucked it again at Brugo like a kunai. The man instantly froze as the weight bounced harmlessly off his body and like the first, fell through the floor.

Gai's eyes widened in realization -- Brugo was utilizing some sort of skin-hardening jutsu and had the ability to activate it in an instant. He stood slowly -- he's fought shinobi like this before and they all had the same weakness. Without taking his eyes from his opponent, Gai untied his cloth belt and snapped it in two. Brugo watched as he wrapped the fabric around the knuckles on each hand. The guard shrugged it off -- no one has ever been able to penetrate his Diamond-hide Jutsu before.

Gai looked down at his hands as he clenched and unclenched them a few times. Then, with speed that only Gai possessed, he dashed forward and threw a punch at Brugo's stomach. Just as he expected, his fist smashed painfully against him. But instead of withdrawing, Gai punched him again with his left hand, then his right, then left. "OOOOOORRRRRYYYYYAAAAAA!!!" he roared as his fists slammed like two furious pistons; pounding against the guard in speed that can only be described as "balls to the walls".

Nishin jerked around at the sound and watched in shock as his guard was hammered like a five cent nail.

"Don't take your eyes off your opponent!" shouted Hani as she pushed off the wall and jammed her remaining kunai into the man's left shoulder.

"Gah!" cried Nishin as he brought his sword up and jammed her in the shoulder with the hilt of his sword. He then sent a knee into her bent form forcing her to double over. He took a step back and cried out in pain as he yanked her kunai free from his shoulder. "Oh, you will pay for that one bitch," he sneered. He lifted his sword above his head and glared down at her. "Sorry Hani, but sometimes you have to cut your losses." But before he could bring his sword down to lop of her head, Hani threw her hand towards his face and splattered blood in his eyes.

"Damnit!" he cursed as he brought his sword down blindly.

Hani rolled out of his way and quickly performed a series of hand signs.

Gai bared his teeth as he pounded his fists into the man's stomach over and over; his wounded knuckles turning Brugo's shirt red. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, Gai paused and took a large step backwards, taking his fist with him. And just as he suspected from someone who used a skin-hardening jutsu, Brugo took a huge, gaping gasp -- unable to breathe while his body was hardened. But before he could finish his breath, Gai sent his fist into the man's jaw with speed that nearly broke the sound barrier. For the first time in that fight, Gai felt Brugo's body give way as the man's jaw smashed under Gai's mighty blow. Gai immediately jumped into the air after Brugo's body, spun and delivered a chopping kick to the man's sternum, shattering his ribcage and sending him back down and through the floor.

"DIE!" shouted Nishin over the racket as he slashed down at Hani who was still kneeling on the ground. His eyes doubled in size as she lifted her arms to block against his attack, but instead of two skinny arms, he saw what looked like thick, amethyst-like gauntlets. She stopped his blade and brought her arms together to catch the tip of his sword.

Gai walked around the hole in the floor made by Brugo and watched the rest of his partner's fight. The first thing he noticed was the earth-based jutsu that shielded Hani's arms. The second was the small pool of blood forming under her kneeled form.

Hani glared at Nishin over the top of her crystal-coated arms. Then she looked to the tip of his blade and narrowed her eyes at what she saw. The last five inches of his sword was clear, polished glass. It blended so well with the rest of his sword, it was no wonder Hani thought she had dodged his weapon when he had wounded her stomach. She snarled as she twisted her arms and broke away the false tip of his sword. Then she lifted her arms over her head and charged forward.

Nishin swung his scabbard at her as he retreated. Hani blocked his strike easily and slashed at him with her crystallized hands. Her sharpened fingers raked down his chest, leaving long gashes.

"Fucking bitch!" he cried as he cut down at her with his sword. She blocked the blade with her armored arm and punched his hand, knocking the sword from his grasp. But before the sword hit the ground, Nishin pressed a small button hidden in the gilding of his scabbard, releasing a three-foot long blade from its tip.

"HANI!" shouted Gai as the brothel owner swung the scabbard towards her neck.

She instantly dropped to the floor and sent an uppercut punch towards Nishin's groin. Gai recognized the move immediately; it was the same one he had used on Makoto when they were sparing the previous day. Only instead of punching the man, Hani's clawed hands slammed into the man's crotch and clamped down on him like a guillotine.

Nishin's eyes bulged as he froze in horror.

Hani quickly ripped away the fabric of his pants and threw something off in the distance. What it was, Gai could only imagine in his worst nightmares. But the sight of blood dripping down the brothel owner's legs was answer enough.

Nishin immediately dropped the scabbard and gasped in shock and pain; his eyes still wide in disbelief.

Hani stood slowly and released the jutsu from her left hand; turning the crystal to dust. She grabbed his jacket and yanked him down to her face. "I'm going to let you live, Nishin," she spat. "Death would be too good for you!" She yanked again on his jacket to add emphasis to her words. "And every day, when you piss down your leg because you don't have a dick to aim with anymore, you're going to remember who did this to you. And the last thing you are going to remember IS HOW GOOD I TASTED!" she shouted. She watched his sniveling form for a few more seconds before pushing him back into the wall and turning to leave.

She got three steps away before Nishin snapped from his trauma, reached into his jacket and pulled out a small knife.

"Look out!" shouted Gai as he dashed forward.

In a purple flash, Hani spun.

"Gla!" choked Nishin as a point penetrated through his throat and out the back of his neck into the wall. His eyes followed a long, purple crystal that was connected to the end of Hani's gauntlet like a rapier blade. He looked up into Hani's furious eyes in disbelief ... who was this woman?

"See ... you don't know me at all ..." she said. Then, with the narrowing of her eyes, the crystal's "blade" instantly quadrupled in width.

Gai looked away as the man's severed head and limp body collapsed to the floor.

Hani lowered her arm and let the rest of her jutsu release into dust. She stood silently for a moment, looking over what was left of a demon -- a demon she had slain herself. She had won ... it was over ...

But why didn't she feel any better?

She turned to Gai and started to walk towards him, but with the adrenaline wearing off, the blood loss she had suffered from her wound was making it difficult for her maintain her balance.

Gai hurried to her side and wrapped an arm around her small frame. "I've got you," he said gently. He started to lower her to the floor, "Here, lie down."

Hani clung to her wound as he helped her roll over onto her back; blood oozing between her fingers.

Gai moved her hand, "Let me see it." He ripped away the cloth wrap around her waist and carefully opened her kimono; exposing her black undergarments, fishnet top and bare stomach. As soon as the fabric was pulled away from her wound, blood immediately started to pool and drip down the sides of her waist.

"Damnit," cursed Gai as he grabbed the shoulder of his jacket and quickly tore off his sleeve. He folded the fabric before placing it over her wound and applying gentle pressure.

"Un," cringed Hani. She took a few quick breaths, "How bad is it?"

Gai shook his head, "I don't know. I couldn't get a good look at it." He lifted a corner of the cloth to steal a peek, "But it's bleeding heavily. I don't understand why ... the wound doesn't seem that severe."

"My blood doesn't clot very well because of the poison antigens in my system," grunted Hani.

Gai's eyes widened. If what she said was true, then she was practically a hemophiliac -- it would certainly explain why she bruised so easily.

He lifted more fabric and leaned down to get a better look. His brows furrowed as he saw dark severed fibers, "It's down to the muscle." He wasn't surprised. It's not like she had a lot of fat to cut through.

Hani lifted her head to get a look, "Really?" But Gai quickly forced her back down with a hand to her shoulder; he didn't need for her to get sick from seeing her insides. "Don't look."

He plotted the wound with his sleeve to clean away some of the blood, but every time he cleared it away, it immediately oozed back. "I'm going to have to cauterize it," said Gai gently.

Hani's eyes widened, "With ... with what?"

Gai brought his hands together and formed three simple hand seals; the last of which left his index-finger pointed. He narrowed his eyes as he focused his chakra to the tip of his finger and willed the fire within his veins to ignite. Like a pilot light, a small flame flickered to life about an inch away from his finger. He took a steady breath and honed his chakra to form the flame into a small, glowing ember.

"What is that?" asked Hani breathlessly.

"It's called a 'Cinder Finger' and it's a very simple technique often used by fire-based ninja to hone their skills." He held out his finger as he plotted at her wound again; ignoring her small pain-filled yelps. "It will take two passes -- the first will be uncomfortable; but the second ..." he let his voice trail off.

Hani clenched her jaw in a valiant attempt at building her courage, but the look in her eyes told Gai she was terrified. "I understand," she said with a shaky voice.

Gai bent down and brought his finger close to her wound; heat radiated lightly over her exposed stomach, "Are you ready?"

She quickly clung to his knee with a bloodstained hand. "Yes," she said with a quick nod.

Gai removed the cloth and placed the tip of his finger into her gaping wound.

"Mn!" cringed Hani as she skewed her eyes shut and pressed her lips together tightly.

"Hold still," ordered Gai over the sound of sizzling flesh and boiling blood. He struggled with keeping a steady finger -- this work required more of a detailed touch than he was capable of. He was no surgeon and not only that, he was working without his glasses and the constant stream of smoke getting into his eyes wasn't helping either.

Hani bared her teeth and turned her head away. "Nngh!" she cried.

"Almost done," said Gai quickly. He ran his finger down the last inch as carefully as he could. "There," he sighed in relief. He surveyed his work, the damaged muscle was now cauterized, but he would definitely need to do another pass to stop the rest of the bleeding. He looked at her, "One more time."

Hani's jaw trembled visibly. "I'm ... I'm ready," she said weakly.

Gai took a heavy sigh before bending down again; but he paused before he returned his finger to her wound. He tented his brows as he looked back up into her scared face. "I'm sorry for this," he said as he took his free hand and quickly put it over her mouth before reapplying his finger to her injury.

"MNNNN!" came a muffled scream as he burned her wound closed. Unlike the first time, this pass cauterized the bleeding in her skin -- the area with the most pain receptors. She arched her back and screamed harder than she had ever screamed in her life. The pain was so intense, she felt like she was being slowly gutted by a branding iron.

Gai went as fast as he could, but he didn't want to be sloppy and make her wound worse. He held his breath in hopes that it would steady his hand and also keep him from smelling or tasting her burnt flesh. He was barely able to lift his finger in time as she took a gasping breath; her stomach becoming a moving target. "Don't move!" he commanded.

Hani dug her nails into his hands and knee; tears flowing freely down her burning cheeks and down the back of her throat making her cries gargled and frantic.

"Finished!" shouted Gai quickly as he traced the last part of her wound. He continued to cover her mouth as he checked to make sure he had stopped all of the bleeds. Hani's cries were muffled as he plotted again at her injury with his sleeve, "It stopped bleeding." He gave Hani a sympathetic look as he peeled his nail-marked hand away from her mouth; the room echoing with her hard sobs. She quickly covered her eyes with the back of her hand and cried for all she was worth.

Gai watched her quietly for a few moments before ripping off his other sleeve, tearing it into a few small patches and applying it as a makeshift dressing. He then took a few strips of her waist wrap and tied it carefully around her to secure the bandage. She wept the whole time and he let her, knowing it would be better for her to get it out of her system.

After he was done with her injury, he reached under one of his pants leg and fished something out of a small pouch in his weight harness. He then placed a gentle hand behind her neck and turned her face to him. "Hani, swallow this."

She struggled to speak through her hiccups, "What ... is it?"

"A hemo-pill. It will replace the blood you've lost," he said as he placed the pill in her mouth. He waited till she swallowed before he took one of the leftover strips of fabric and wiped away the tear streaks on her flushed face.

"I'm sorry," said Hani weakly.

Gai leaned back and used the now wet cloth to clean her bloodied hand, "Why are you sorry?"

Her face contorted in another sob, "Because I'm crying."

Gai closed his eyes and smiled, "You don't have to apologize, Hani. I've seen shinobi twice your size cry from less."

She skewed her eyes shut and turned her face away, "What ... what Nishin said is true."

Gai furrowed his brows, "What is?"

"How many men I've been with." She took a shuddered breath, "I lost count after the first week."

Gai watched her in silence.

"I didn't want to do any of those things. I didn't want them to touch me." She covered her eyes with the back of her hand as tears poured down her cheeks, "But they would rape me if I resisted." She took a strained breath, "And it would hurt so much!" Her body wracked as she sobbed loudly; crying unshed tears.

Gai closed his eyes and lowered his head. He had never been in this position before and he didn't know what to say.

"I shouldn't have left my friends behind ... now they're dead because of me!"

"Hani -- you know it would have been impossible to secret out that many civilians without being detected. If you were caught, you would have all been killed."

"But if I had tried --"

"The world would be a very different place if everyone 'had only' done something," said Gai who echoed the words from his dream. "We all do things we regret Hani -- you can't let their deaths keep you from living yours."

She waited until she regained her composure before she spoke, "Do ... do you think less of me ... knowing that I've been with so many --"

"Hani," interrupted Gai as he used a finger to brush away the last of her tears. He placed his hand on the floor by her other side and leaned over her. "You did your duty as a shinobi. Some ninja defend a victim, a few must kill a victim, and others ... are made a victim. What Nishin said ... it will take more than that to tarnish you in my eyes." He used a tender hand to brush the hair from her face and then trace the contours of her cheek, "If anything, I respect you more for having endured such a terrible mission. I wouldn't have been able to do the same." He closed his eyes, "There isn't a shinobi alive who doesn't have a record they're ashamed of. If I were to judge you for yours -- I would be throwing a stone in a glass house."

Hani's lips parted slightly as she watched him in awe. He gave her a kind smile in return, then placed a delicate hand to the side of her waist, "How's the pain?"

"Better," she said softly.

"Good," he said as he stroked her side comfortingly. "The hemo-pill should have kicked in by now. You'll start to feel your energy return soon." He stilled as she placed her hand on his forearm.

"Thank you," she said simply. "Thank you for standing up for me ..."

He grinned at her and winked, "You're welcome." He then lifted an edge of her bandage to make sure there wasn't any latent bleeding. Assured that she was no longer in danger, he took the collar of her kimono and wrapped it back around her. "We should keep moving, but we'll take it slow till you're at full strength." He looked over her bloodied clothes, "And we should probably find you something else to wear, if we can." He started to stand, but a firm hold on his arm stopped him.

"About earlier," said Hani as she struggled to look him in the eye. The events from earlier that night were not something she wanted to talk about, but she owed him an explanation at the very least. "I ran away because --"

"You don't have to explain," said Gai calmly. "You did what you had to do. And if I'm going to respect you, then I also have to respect your wishes."

"I shouldn't have left the way I did."

Gai looked down at her hand and sighed, "I don't like lying Hani ... I try to live my life as an honest man -- someone my students can look up to and respect. But I would be lying if I said what you did didn't hurt me."

Hani's face fell.

"But ... I must have really hurt you ... to make you leave the way you did."

"No Gai!" said Hani as she tightened her grip on his arm. "You didn't hurt me!"

"But I was the cause of your grief," he said; his expression turning serious. He took her hand and stroked a calloused thumb over her delicate fingers. He tilted his head and furrowed his brows as he tried to find the right words to say. "I've been so damn selfish ... All I've been thinking about is myself and what I want -- assuming I could give you a happy future, like it would be such a simple thing." He closed his eyes, "Living a ninja's life ... it's hard to not want to live every moment like it's your last -- because it just might be. And when I thought I may have finally met someone I could enjoy life with ... for the first time in years ..." He cleared his throat -- an obvious attempt at suppressing his emotions. "You are an excellent kunoichi -- one who has spent her lifetime honing her craft. I've been ignorant in thinking you would possibly want to jeopardize that ... for me." He looked down at her hand, "I've been a fool ... And for that, I am sorry."

Hani could only watch him in silence. She was rarely lost for words, but in that moment, she couldn't even comprehend what to say.

Gai looked up at her eyes and gave her a bittersweet smile, "I just want for you to be happy, Hani."

Her heart clenched in guilt at the innocence and thoughtfulness of his statement.

He quickly looked away and chuckled, "So, if you ever want to train or need a sparring partner in the future, just ask. I'm sure my team and I could lend you a hand." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "And I'll try not to do anything embarrassing, but I can't make any promises -- my students bring out my silly side—" he cut off his words as Hani tried to sit up. "Don't strain yourself," he said as he took her arm and helped her up. But before he could say another word, a gentle finger was pressed against his mouth.

Hani continued to lean forward until her face was just inches from his. "Gai," she said softy as she dipped her chin and looked up into his eyes. "Don't ever apologize for wanting to make me happy." Her eyes moved to look at his mouth as she slowly removed her finger. "Ever," she said quietly. She clenched her jaw as she looked over his lips; a lifetime of rules and laws ringing in her ears. After a hard swallow, she forced her voice to work again, "If anyone has been a fool -- it's me. You are a kind and compassionate man -- someone who has a lot of love to give. And I will never forgive myself if you walk away from this conversation thinking less of yourself." She closed her eyes and leaned forward till her forehead just barely touched his lips. "I'm sorry I can't be the woman you deserve."

Gai quietly cradled the back of her head and buried his face in her hair.

She sighed, "I want for you to be happy too, Gai. But I'm not the one who can bring you that happiness." She chuckled softly at her next thought, "You deserve a sturdy woman who can give you fat, healthy babies. A woman with the cooking skills to feed that veracious appetite of yours and has the energy and strength to tan your hide when you step out of line. A woman who's passion is capable of burning just as brightly as yours ..." She placed a tender hand on his chest, "You deserve so much more than what I can give you."

Gai leaned back slowly and used a gentle finger to lift her chin. He looked deep into her eyes and spoke with the kind of honesty that accompanied the nice guy pose, "You've already given me more than you could ever imagine." His mouth turned into a charming grin, "And one day ... I will pay you back." He tilted his head to the side as his grin widened.

Hani couldn't help but smile slightly in return.

"Let me ask you a question," he said as he traced her jaw line with his finger. "Would you say your grandmother was a good Willow Warrior?"

Hani furrowed her brows at his question, not understanding where he was going, "The best."

"Well ... if a simple craftsman could win over your grandmother in a few months, then just maybe ... I have a chance."

Hani looked down and smiled thoughtfully. "He won her over with a priceless erhu ... what would you give me?" she asked jokingly.

He lifted her face back to his and looked her straight in the eye. "My heart," he said simply.

"... That is quite a gift," said Hani breathlessly; unable to break away from his gaze.

Gai chuckled, "Who better to know how to care for something so delicate than a woman who calls herself a china doll?"

She closed her eyes and chuckled slightly in return.

"Don't be surprised if I ask you to join me for lunch every once in a while when we return to Konoha -- if only to enjoy each other's company. That's what friends do after all."

"You're never going to leave me alone, are you?" she asked sheepishly.

He gave her another sweet smile before cupping one of her cheeks with his hand and laying a chaste kiss on her other. "Come on," he said as he stood. "We need to keep moving." He took her hands and helped her to her feet. "We'll go slow -- let me know if you need to rest."

Hani took what was left of her waist wrap and did her best to cinch her robe shut. She then studied her new bandage and quickly gave Gai an approving smile. "You make for a good medic."

"I've got a genin team -- I get a lot of practice on my first aid skills," he chuckled as he led the way to the hall. "I've bandaged more skinned knees and scraped elbows than Tsunade-sama herself, I'm sure."

Hani gave him a thoughtful smile; he certainly cared a great deal for his team.

They walked down a series of hallways -- suppressing their chakra and taking extra care to not make any sounds. But after a few minutes, Gai halted suddenly.

"What is it?" whispered Hani.

"I smell weapon oil," said Gai softly.

Hani lifted her head and sniffed lightly at the air, "I don't smell anything."

Gai tip-toed to a nearby wall, "I'm sure of it." Working with Tenten in his team, he knew the smell of 3 different weapon oil brands by heart. He placed his hands on the boards and felt along their creases.

"A secret door?"

Gai narrowed his eyes as he felt a faint breeze on his hand, "Yeah." He placed his ear against the wall. "I hear voices," he whispered.

"How many?"

"I can't tell for sure -- at least 4."

"Are they rogues or civilians?"

Gai furrowed his brows as he strained to make out what they were saying. "It sounds like they are making tactical plans -- probably not civilians." He leaned back and stretched his arm out to steer Hani to a safe spot. "It will be best for us to get the drop on them." He gave Hani a quick nod, "I've got high -- you get low."

She nodded in return, "Hai."

He took a deep breath before he tucked in his arm, charged forward and slammed his shoulder into the wall -- busting the door from its lock and sending him into the room. His highly trained mind immediately assessed the scene. The room was long and the walls were decorated with numerous weapons and armor -- the only source of light was the small fire in a fire pit in the back of the room. This back-lighting made it hard for Gai to distinguish what all was in the room, but from what he could tell, there were six dark figures standing between him and the fire. They appeared to be wearing a form of samurai suits and were armed with katanas.

Gai sprinted a few steps forward before diving high into the air, over the figure's heads and landing into a roll between them and the fire. The moment his feet touched the floor, the turned and dashed towards the figures. Unfortunately, he didn't have any time to react as five heavy crossbow bolts were immediately lifted and aimed directly towards his face.

"HOLD!" came a commanding voice. "Stand down men, STAND DOWN!" A figure quickly shouldered through the defensive line. "Easy Youngblood -- that's not Hakanza," said the man as he grabbed one of the large crossbows and pointed it towards the ceiling.

Gai sighed in relief upon seeing the commander's face, "Thank the Gods -- Makoto!"

The scarred face of the mansion's guard captain grinned back, "You're lucky your eyebrows have grown back enough for me to recognize you -- I almost shot you myself!"

--

Thank you, for reading!