I do not own Naruto as a game, Manga, Anime series or a character. All original characters are mine though :P
Hi no Ishi (The will of Fire) - Ninja-tag Arc
A new class is introduced to Umino Iruka as things get tossed on their head quickly. How is it that so many exceptions are being made? And since when were so many Clan Heirs gathered in one class? How can a little support affect our favourite blond dobe?
All underlined terms are explained at the end of the chapter.
~ Tatsuko's POV ~
You'd think that after being completely owned in a skirmish - having your entire team tagged (while not being allowed to retaliate) to be specific - it would be easy for Team Raidou to simply admit they are defeated... If they were kunoichiit would have been; easy I mean.
"You can repeat the question as many times as you want, but the fact remains we had no intel on your team. Therefore we lost to a lack of information, not to you." I truthfully stopped keeping track of which idiot was speaking this time.
"Yeah, yeah, dead is dead, neAkamaru?" *Arf!* "If you were the enemy for real - you'd be ashes!" Kiba retorted in a cocky tone. Why were we even arguing about it? Wait, we? No, they! Well, either way I'm not sure. We had specific orders to follow after tagging our targets: retrieve all tags and leave. I have no idea why, but I don't feel like getting in trouble either.
Yuuna had already gathered the tags that didn't hit anyone, so there were only the tags on the four members of our target and that was it. 'I have to make sure we have all of them, no slip ups. Raidou had two, the three students had one a piece. That's five total. Yuuna collected... three... no four other tags. Okay, that's our original nine.' I took a long moment to think, letting the boys argue a while longer. 'I'm in no mood for surprises, so I'll just 'borrow' their tags too.'
I set about collecting the remaining tags, silently thanking Kiba for keeping them busy. Even if he was being a butt-head to for doing it in the first place. After collecting a grand total of twelve tags, it was time to go. I nodded to Yuuna - who silently handed her tags over to me - before tapping Kiba on his shoulder.
"Why don't we all head over to the Command Centre together?" Raidou offered, smiling amicably.
'Because we have other orders?' I looked at him, no maybe I was glaring... Either way I know I had a million conflicting question running through my head. 'This is not part of our plan.'
"Thank you, but Aoba-sensei is waiting on our report and I still have to brush Yuuna's hair before we call it a job well done." I answered, hoping Kiba would shut up and just let me do the talking. 'Why would Aoba-sensei order us to return to our little camp, if the Command Centre was closer! It must mean that Raidou is trying to trick us, why else would he be so nice to us for no reason?'
"I'm sure Hokage-sama is already sending someone to tell him what happened." Raidou's smile didn't leave his face. It was like it was painted on...
'So that's the game you wanna play?' I smiled back. Only my smile was a bit more like a predator. "Kiba, Yuuna, we're leaving." I turned heel and had no intention of saying anything beyond that.
"What's the rush? I still ain't heard none of these sore losers admit we won!" Kiba was once again acting like a butt-head.
"Kiba listen, Yuuna and I are leaving. Either you come now, or we leave you behind." I said coldly.
"Fine, but this convo ain't over!" He turned back to Team Raidou once again. "I will hear both o' you admit we are the better team!" Kiba smirked cockily before coming to join us.
"What's the matter, Kiba? Scared?" I heard Shikamaru taunt my team mate.
'Is that theirM.O.?' I wondered about that for a moment, even as I watched Kiba spout a bunch of crap about whom the bigger man and how men weren't scared of anything... 'Kiba no baka!'
"GAMA!" I shouted the freeword, then grabbed Akamaru from Kiba's jacket and jumped into the trees.
"Tatsuko, wait up! Gimme back my pup!" Kiba shouted angrily, but there was no chance in hell I was stopping until I was back in our camp. I could sense Yuuna keeping up well enough, but I slowed down a little for her sake. Unfortunately, that made Kiba think I was actually listening to him.
"What the heck is your problem! Pup-napping is a crime you know!" He grabbed my left shoulder, trying to make me slow down more.
"MY PROBLEM!" I grabbed his hand at the wrist, with my right hand, squeezing slightly to ensure compliance. Then I jerked him forward, offering all of my momentum to him, and kicked his feet from under him. Luckily for him, we weren't jumping through the trees; otherwise he might not have survived. "My problem didn't almost get us killed. So, you may want to ask the egotistical male on the team that question."
He ended up landing face first in the trunk of a tree.
"If you only followed for Akamaru's sake, then you had best follow all the way back to camp. I have no intention of you leading him to his doom because you have something to prove." I stated coldly and left once again, giving poor Yuuna no time to catch her breath. 'We've got less than three minutes left before the allotted time runs out from using the free word... We already won't make it back to Aoba-sensei, but at least we need to come close!'
When we made it back to camp things between Kiba and I were really deteriorating. Which I will take no blame for whatsoever! He was the egocentric butt-head that was letting his own pride get in the way of the mission! I refuse to accept any blame for that!
"Great, we're here! Now gimme back Akamaru!" He barked at me.
"Aoba-sensei, we're back. Can you please explain to this idiot why I'm not talking to him?" I ignored the boy completely, while petting Akamaru to keep him where he belonged.
"Okaaaay... first I'd like to know how it went, then I'll hear all about your lovers' quarrel." Aoba teased, but he will not get a rise out of me for it!
Without missing a beat, I jumped right into my explanation. My tone was even, calm and at a tempo comodo. Even though he must have heard parts from Yuuna when she came for the plan update, I explained how we found out about Hinata's Byakugan. Then as it wound down to the finale, when it came to the idiot almost bodging it all up... I didn't even notice my voice's tempo speeding up slightly, my voice more agitato that I ever remember hearing it.
As with all mission debriefings, I stated only the facts. Who did what, when, in relation to other time markers, how and what the result was. There is no 'why' in a debriefing. 'Why' indicates an opinion, and you are asked for that. If they do not ask, it is not needed. Simple as that.
"So that's what you are upset about? Did you ever think that maybe he didn't get it?" Aoba-sensei asked.
'No, really? He didn't get it? How could I have missed that?' Even my own thoughts were dripping with sarcasm now. "Did I complete the mission, or not?"
I hate having to use a cold voice with people. There are thirty-four mood markers with tempo connotations I had to study while trying to master my flute. Thirty-four. Each has its own style, its own emotion, its own story to convey.
Cold is not on that list. In fact, the second your music becomes cold, people usually stop listening.
"Yes, the mission is completed. We will head back to the Command Centre in a minute. Wouldn't you like to tell Kiba-kun something first?" Aoba asked me suggestively.
"No." Again a cold voice. I hate explaining what should be plain as day to someone who had every bit as much information as I did. In fact, I can honestly say that I hate that more than using a cold voice.
"No?" Shock was obvious in his voice. Great, another joker that simply didn't get it.
"Nee-chan, stop being stubborn and just explain, out loud why you are so upset." Yuuna chimed in. If her voice was a music instrument, I would expect it to be the triangle. Used sparingly in most classical cases, but if you ignore it the whole piece would fall apart.
I crossed my arms and stared at an interesting laceration on a branch nearby. "It was obvious that they were using Kiba's loose lips to keep us there. I didn't know why they would need to, but it isn't hard to figure out that the chuunin were given verbal instruction to test us if we ever got that far." Jeez, it was as plain as daylight! Why am I the only one that ever notices?
"Huh?" Kiba was confused now. The befuddled look on his face, along with scratching the back of his head didn't really help his case.
"Imagine this was a real mission. Imagine we were sent to assassinate someone and we succeeded. Why would you stick around? Why are you asking their corpses to admit they're dead?" Slowly, his confusion settled into embarrassment. "Now, if someone finds us for sticking around, do you think they want to have a friendly chat? Do you think they want to escort us to our Command Centre? Back to our leader? To our friends and allies?"
I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. "What you did, Kiba, was endanger our mission by almost getting us caught by the enemy. You endangered our lives by letting your ego have free reign over your mouth." I knew my voice was getting colder and colder with each word. I knew it, and I hated it. Still, there was no way in the Hells that I was going to simply forget something that basic because he was involved!
"So that's why you took Akamaru..." He summarized in a small voice.
"Why should I let you throw away both of your lives? Getting yourself killed is bad enough. Doing it to your ninken is worse!" I paused, while walking up to the boy. I really got into his face to make my most important point... One that I hoped would stick with him forever.
"But what truly pisses me off. Is that I see this as a real mission... and you really did risk Yuuna's life to make yourself feel that much more important." I pinched my right index finger and thumb together, almost shoving them into his face to accentuate my point.
We eventually made our way to the Command Centre. I'm still not sure why we were suddenly calling it that, it just seemed right.
It seems that Raidou was actually telling the truth, seeing that Iruka-senseicame to our camp to tell us that the first round was over. And the fact that Team Izumo and Team Kotetsu showed up on or about the same time as us was highlighted to me (by a not very helpful Yuuna-chan). You think that'd mean that Kiba was off the hook, right? If life had ever been that easy and forgiving to me... then I'd gladly do just that.
"Nee-chan, how'd it go?" Hikaru ran up to me the first chance he got. He still had a goofy smile, so I knew there was a stupid comment coming in the next few seconds. "You got into a fight with your lover boy already? Jeez, you don't let anyone off easy do you?"
"Thank, you Karu. I truly believe that my whole life would lose all meaning if your opinions and observations were to be taken away from me." I knew he would pick up on the sarcasm; after all there was no one more sarcastic that Hikaru himself. Luckily he knew to simply shut up around me for a while, now if only everyone would follow suit.
The Hokage called all the chuunin into his tent for a progress meeting, and likely to discuss the next round of the Ninja-tag games. Ordinarily I would have donated a kidney to hear anything I could, but this time I just wasn't in the mood to deal with anything. So I snuck into the medical tent to keep an eye on Hinata. 'The poor girl has yet to wake up and I doubt anyone will ever give the girl the credit she is due for her accomplishments.'
Hikaru and Yuuna will lounge around until the next round began, and knowing Hikaru he'll rile up Sasuke any chance he can. There was something about the emo losing his cool that seemed to give the Yukikami a hard on. Oh well, as long as he kept Yuuna out of trouble, then I would cut him some slack.
"Hey there, Hinata." I called out softly. I knew she was sleeping, trying to build up her chakra reserves again, but this was more for me than her. "You did good, you know." I ran my hand through her hair. Kami-sama her hair was soft and silky; I would have to ask her what her secret was, because my hair always felt coarse and limp.
"I see you, Hinata..." I began, not really sure why I wanted to say it. It just felt like it needed saying. "I see you struggling to gain your place in the world. To gain the love of those that should come naturally." The bangs that normally covered her forehead were now waterlogged from the cold cloth that had replaced them. I absentmindedly combed them back over her head. "Even if no one else will ever see it, princess. Even if I am the only one who would ever understand the weight of the crown placed on your head. Then I will just have be make up for the ninety-nine fools."
Tears spilled out onto my cheek quicker than I could fight them. 'Why did I have to use his words right now? It's not like I don't have enough to deal with right now.' Kami-sama, I miss Tou-chan so bad right now.
"Do you always whisper words of encouragement to the weary?" A voice asked right behind me.
'Jeez, you'd think that I would be smart enough to check the room for inhabitants before crying my lungs out, but nooooo.' I mentally drawled, even as I freaked out. "When they are deserving of it." I will not lose my composure, no matter what. Losing one's composure is unbecoming of my status.
"One usually aims to praise those who can appreciate one's words of praise." He spoke clear as midsummer's sky. I could tell immediately that he was raised around nobility, but was too gentle spirited to be one himself. Why I cared to know that would forever be beyond my grasp.
"If she were lucid, she would blush and ignore every single word of praise I had just offered. Or worse yet, deny it. This is the best way to get past her defences and let her mind absorb that she is worth more than he experience tells her." I explained, slowly rebuilding the walls that kept all the world at arms length.
We were both silent for a long moment. So long that I began wondering if he was not really there at all. The only indication that my unexpected guest had not left was the hairs on the back were still on end.
'Why did I release my hyouhiryugan? It would be really handy right now!' Sometimes I really hated ingrained habits. Slowly, I brought my hands together and made the dragon hand seal, reactivating my doujutsu.
Now that I could see again, I carefully took stock of the Hyuuga behind me. It was obvious now, who he was, seeing that his Byakugan was blazing and he was obviously studying me too! 'Kuso! Just my luck that I wouldn't notice that he was in the room!' His breathing hitched, obviously noticing something he shouldn't be noticing!
"Who are you?" He asked, clearly awestruck.
'Kuso, the last thing I need is another idiot figuring out what I am and spreading it like wildfire!' I took a deep, soothing breath, hoping it would help me to not completely panic. "I believe that one should offer their own name first, before demanding the name of another."
"Hyuuga Kou, I am Hinata-sama's bodyguard."
'Well, that explains the fixation on why I care anything about her.' Then another curious thought hit me... 'The Hyuuga almost never use bodyguards! They believe too strongly that their own strength should be enough. Worse yet, as a Yojinbo, he would live by the code of Semper Fidelis. A defined Senju trait... one that I know I don't have!'
"Senju Kikyo, no one important to Konoha." Ordinarily I wouldn't see any problem with giving my actual name. No one seemed to understand the significance of it. After all, I bare all the physical characteristics of the Senju clan, but I was named by my Tou-chan, so I bear a Yukikami styled name. Somehow, I just knew telling him my name would be bad.
"That's not possible. There is no way that could be true." He was trying to not hyperventilate. Yet, that doujutsu of his didn't falter. I had the same feeling coursing through me when I first noticed Hinata had the Byakugan... I felt naked. Needless to say, feeling naked in front of a stranger, who probably really could see through my clothes with that damn doujutsu, was not a comforting feeling!
'Well, if he passes out of his own accord, at least I won't take the blame for that.' I smirked at my own thoughts. "Are you telling me that I couldn't possibly be named that?"
"Who are you really? You bare too much likeness to the Second House of the Senju clan, yet you act far too much like a Yukikami. Could that make you the Dragon's Daughter?" Shit! Fuck! Dammit all to hell! This was not going to end well.
"Look, I've had a long day. Would you mind if I played my flute to sooth my nerves?" I asked, just for being polite's sake. Before he could rant much longer, my komoruita was already in full swing. I really hated doing it, but there was no way I could let him get away with whatever discoveries he made. My life was only just starting to settle again.
'I simply can't get a break these days. Maybe it's time to stop fighting it?' I thought that over for about a second, before damn near hyperventilating. 'There's no way in HELL that I'm going through that again! Dammit, Hiruzen, what have you been telling people now?'
The second my jutsu had done its job, I was off to the Hokage's tent. 'I refuse to have to live through that again!'
"Ah, Tatsuko, I had just sent Aoba to look for you." Sarutobi Hiruzen greeted me. My eyes automatically narrowed on him as I took in the scene before me. The chuunin were all present, other than Aoba-sensei. There were five... no six ANBU sticking to the shadows, obviously not expecting anyone with an active doujutsu to be nearby. And Shikmaru was there too?
"Kuso." I cursed out loud. I was definitely not in the mood to deal with all this right now.
The Hokage gave me that look again, like he was trying to tell me to listen before assuming I understood the whole situation. 'As if he can even figure out why I'm this paranoid!' I thought angrily. Still, I would not give anyone the satisfaction of them thinking they'd figured me out that easily. So I just sat next to Nara, where I was obviously expected to be.
"I believe there is no need for the chuunin to sit through this. You are all excused, and make sure to inform Aoba that you can all take it easy until the second round is scheduled to begin." They all nodded and simply disappeared, probably via shunshin.
"What's this about, Hiruzen?" I asked simply. I didn't have the patience to beat around the bush, even with Shikamaru's eyesbrows disappearing into his hairline from my addressing the Hokage so informally.
"I was going to inform both of you that you will be sitting out the rest of the games today." He answered honestly.
"Bullshit." I retorted.
"Not very ladylike, is she Shikamaru?" He poked fun at me.
"Cut the shit, Hiruzen. What have you been telling people now?"
"Now now, there is no need to create a scene, is there?"
"Look, I just had to knock out a Hyuuga who was clearly jumping to conclusions on his own right in front of me." His eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise at that. Great, he is clueless! Chikushou!
I sat there simply cursing my luck. The timing was way off! I didn't have a contingency plan ready to be put in full swing, random people were just jumping to far too accurate conclusions and Kiba... everything was falling apart!
"Maybe you should just calm down and think." Shikamaru shouldn't have opened his mouth. He probably thought he was being helpful, but there was nothing he could say that would actually help me in any way!
"When you walk a mile in my shoes, Nara, then you can have an opinion. Until then, shut up!"
"Child, calm yourself. You are not helping anyone or anything by being like that."
"Look, I can understand Nara being clueless, but you?" It was only then that I realised that they were right: I was ranting. My mouth snapped shut as I fought to regain my composure.
'Breathe in... breathe out... breathe in... breathe out...' I mutely chanted with each breath. Slowly, I let the whole situation roll around in my head again, taking it all in at once. Then I summarized it all in one word: "Fuck."
"You have your father's way with words." Hiruzen smiled warmly at me.
"Ha, ha, ha. Are you going to handle it or will I?" I asked listlessly.
"There is nothing to handle." He smiled cryptically.
"Fine."
"Now, why must you be so cold? You already know that people know about your clan, so why hide what you are?"
"Because the citizens of Konoha hate me! You of all people should know that."
"The great-grand daughter of Senju Tobirama, hated?" He laughed. "Why do I doubt that?"
"Hikaru's lip is still swollen and the scar on his face is not going anywhere. Care to laugh at that?" I deadpanned. That at least caught his attention, but would he take it seriously? Doubtful, he always believes too strongly in the people of Konoha.
"A sad situation that should never have happened." Was all he committed to.
"That's the best you can come up with? Seriously? Three chuunin attack us in broad daylight, damn near behead my little brother in front of a gaggle of witnesses, and that is the best you can come up with? Tou-chan must be rolling in his grave to hear that kind of bullshit sprouting from your mouth, Hiruzen."
"You and I both know that the situation has been dealt with." I knew what he was talking about, but did that really fix it?
"Really? Do you really want to get back on that subject with Nara here listening to every word? Because you and I both know I am so far beyond giving a rat's ass about the council!" I could vaguely sense the discomfort in Nara, he was definitely the type to avoid being in these types of situations to begin with. Poor guy.
"If he hears something he is not meant to, do you really expect me to believe that he will remember it by the time he exits this tent?" He smiled cryptically at me.
'This is exactly why I hate people knowing about my jutsu!' I growled unintentionally, which probably spiked the lazy boy's discomfort considerably. "Subtle, Hiruzen. Real subtle."
"Subtlety has little meaning with you around." He laughed. "At any rate, I'm sure that the boy has heard more than he is comfortable with. You can go, Shikamaru. Please don't discuss anything you've heard; I doubt your classmate will appreciate it." Nara nodded vigorously before bowing out.
"You trust people too freely." I groused.
"You do not trust at all, are you really in a position to argue with me on such matters?" Came the retort. Suddenly I had the urge to pace. Don't ask me why, I just needed to move, to stand, to walk. Something! Sitting still was not doing my waning sanity any good!
"You still kept the same ANBU all this time, huh? Brings back memories of when I believed you actually cared." I knew I was being disrespectful, but somehow I couldn't bring myself to care any more. Something had broken in me a long, long time ago; something that seemed to take away the ability to care.
He sighed, hard and heavy. What else could he do? I'm not sure I would have reacted any different. "Why do you choose to be so harsh towards me?"
"I treat you the same way I treat anyone I do no trust. Your being Hokage doesn't change that in the least." I stated coldly.
"Then what have I done to earn so little trust?" He thought a second longer. "Or what have I done to lose the respect you once had for me?"
That knocked the air clean out of my lungs, forcing me to blink back the tears as quickly as I could. What happened to change me so completely from the little girl I used to be? What happened to the little girl that would run to her Saru-jichan every chance she got?
"I... I..." I cleared my throat, trying to chase away the ghosts that haunted my mind. I looked away, no longer able to bare to meet anyone's gaze. "I miss him..." As I spoke the words, I felt the dam that had been crumbling all day finally break. With it, the maelstrom of a million conflicting emotions flooded my senses. "I just want my Tou-chan back! Is it too much to ask for Kami-sama to leave one person who loves me unconditionally? Is it too much to ask for someone to see me as their little girl? Someone to simply be glad when I walk into the room? Is that too much to ask for?"
Suddenly, the act of standing was too much for my legs to handle. My knees buckled, simply refusing to hold me up any longer. I felt myself falling, falling... the world slowly losing the warmth I used to believe it held.
I fully understood in that one moment what an angel must feel like having lost its wings. It's not that they automatically become evil, they just lose the ability to care. They mourn everything they have ever lost so completely, that they die on the inside. That was what that day represented for me. Not just my losing myTou-chan... No, that seemed almost insignificant compared to everything else I lost.
I lost myself.
I died that day, right alongside him. No longer could I be daddy's little girl, because you needed to have a daddy for that. So if I was no longer daddy's little girl, then what was I? Everything in my world at the time tied back to my Tou-chan. So even if I focused of being a big sister, it was his son I was taking care of. If I threw myself into studying ninjutsu, they were his jutsu I was studying. If I lost myself in my books, they were almost all handwritten by Yukikami Tatsuhi... my Tou-chan. If I tried to practice my taijutsu, those were the stances he drilled into me. So I all but swore off ever using another taijutsu stance, punch, kick or jutsu ever again.
My hands, my clothes, my very soul was covered in his blood that day, a feeling I have yet to wash out. I was so consumed by that loss that I never found myself back along the way.
Suddenly, the cold world faded away. I wish that meant I had passed out, but I could still feel the broken emotions coursing through me. You know what I mean. That feeling you get when your world turns on its head, like being on a roller-coaster that is going way too fast. No matter how much you try to get accustomed to it, the only thing it lets you feel is the freezing wind howling across you and that dropping sensation in your emotions, like everything is simply too much... Then there's the need to empty your stomach as slowly and painfully as you can. To be sure, I still wanted to retch what little I could eat, but there was a warmth there I had not felt in a long time.
"There, there child." I heard a muffled voice soothing me. What was going on? Why did I recognise such a muffled voice? Suddenly a mollifying sis filled my world to the brim, which only helped me to call on the tears more readily.
"Jeez, you'd think that she'd know better than to pass out without back up!" I heard someone complaining. I guessed it was Hikaru, seeing that he would be the only one to say something THAT stupid.
"Hi-chan, I don't think she planned that." Definitely Yuuna. Great, I guess that means I'm on a medic cot, again! I hate those things.
"Like there're things that happen that she didn't plan to some degree. I'd sooner believe that Sasume is straight!"
"I don't think he's gay, you know."
"Yeah, 'cause every other guy that gets an all you can fuck pass, just broods all day thinking about his older brother. Right. He's as straight as the dildo he uses."
"Like you never brooded over Fugaku before?" They were arguing again? Jeez, they are not even sure if I'm awake, but they're arguing.
"If given a choice between thinking about that dick, and thinking about you. No real challenge there." I knew that Yuuna was blushing at the comment. Hikaru simply had a way with words around her. Not always a good way, but a way none the less.
"You're just saying that..." She's just fishing for more compliments now. I know the redhead well enough to know that.
"Nope, I swear. If you ever doubt that, just show up with nothing but a towel on. No matter what I'm thinking about, no matter what I'm doing, there is no way in HELL I would be able to focus on anything but you." Horny toad. "And, to prove beyond reasonable doubt... the towel is optional." WAY too much information there!
"If you two are done undressing each other..." I interrupted, trying to hide the amusement in my voice.
"Nee-chan!" Yuuna's voice and demeanour hovered somewhere between gratitude and abject horror. With her knowing that I heard most of that uncensored conversation, I'm guessing abject horror was winning.
"How long was I out?" I asked, after sitting up properly and checking if I still had Aoba-sensei's shades on. Luckily they were still on, that way there is nothing to explain about missing shades... I really didn't need any more on my plate for one day.
"Guess." Came Hikaru's challenge. He loved doing that, just to see how well I can figure things out.
"Yuuna?" I ignored his cursing something under his breath.
"About an hour, according to what Hokage-sama said." She paused briefly to give Hikaru a crossed look, and I think she muttered something about him always acting childish... "We already had to suffer through round two of the games. Hikaru is just upset right now because we weren't allowed to be on the same team."
"Who's team were you on then?" My curiosity was piqued!
"I was still teamed up with Kiba-kun. He's really sorry, by the way. So you should stop giving him a hard time about something that could possibly affect a theoretical mission he might not get in ten years time." I sighed; she was right. However, in stead of admitting it, I simply crossed my arms against my chest and looked away from her. Hoping all the while that she missed the barely there upwards curl in my lips.
"Good, now that that's settled, let's get going Hi-chan. Round three should be starting soon. Since Iruka-sensei said they would be changing the teams this time, we might be allowed to team up if we are there on time!"
"Yes! An hour long make out session. Let's go!" With that, Hikaru practically dragged Yuuna out the medic tent.
Those two were going to make me an aunt before I turned thirteen... I knocked on the wooden frame of the cot, just to be sure.
End Chapter 8
A/N: Lots of love going out to... dum dum dum... Kiravu! Those who guessed it deserve a prize! Sorry about this chapter taking so long, lots of personal and familial problems to deal with. Anyway, Chapter 9 should be done much quicker, since I am in a groove right now :D
More importantly, Hinata and Hana and Tenten are the current leaders for Sasuke's harem. If you want a different set, please cast your votes on my profile.
As well, before anyone asks anything weird, this entire chapter, along with Chapter 9, will be in the 1st person POV. Namely Tatsuko's. Why? Because I am writing it! I have my Writer's Rights Membership card to prove the authenticity of my eccentricity, so sit tight and enjoy the ride!
M.O. - Modus Operandi, from Latin. It basically means 'Mode of operation', so a way of doing things.
Kiba no-baka - When you put the suffix 'no-baka' behind someone's name, you are simply calling them an idiot.
Gama- Toad/frog. In Japanese there seems to be no distinction between the two. Sorry if that conflicts with another Fic on this sight you're reading.
Tempo comodo - At a comfortable (normal) speed. A music term, from Italian, used to indicated how you should play the piece.
Agitato - Agitated, with implied quickness. A music term, from Italian, used to indicated how you should play the piece.
Mood markers with a tempo connotation - Music term, used to indicated how you should play the piece. As stated, there are 34 (thank you Wiki!) of them.
Ninken- 'Ninja hounds' is the popular way to translate that, however it can indicate wolves, dogs or other canine types. So technically 'hound' is inaccurate, that's why I used Ninkeninstead.
Kami-sama - Lord God, Gods, spirits, whatever you want to refer to the most powerful and benevolent spiritual beings. In Japanese there is no plural form for a noun, so it could mean either.
Yojinboor yojimbo- Bodyguard. In Japanese the 'n' is usually pronounced as 'ng' (used in 'sing'), which is why Westerners usually spell the words with an 'm' instead. I'm guilty too, so don't worry.
Semper Fidelis - From Latin, it means 'Always Faithful'. A phrase associated with the American Marines, the Catholic Church, and usually pronounced (by Americans mostly) as Semper Fi.
Komoruita- Lullaby.
Chikushou- God dammit! She seems to be cursing quite a bit in this chapter...
To knock on wood - A superstition that is quite well known (in the Caribbean at least). Usually when you say something, people say you jinx it (in the Caribbean we say you put 'goat mouth' on it). So to make sure it doesn't happen, you knock on wood. The wood has to be unvarnished, and preferably still planted and attached to its roots, but sometimes you have to settle for less.