(Warning: The following chapter contains mature content)
Chapter 26 Past and Property
I followed the page down the hallway's, each foot step feeling heavier than the last. He had seem like such a great guy, almost to the point that I began to believe that the other girls had been feeding me lies. Or had I begun to believe I wouldn't happen to me? Was I really that stupid? Growing up a kunoichi I was much more likely to be sent on information gathering and assassination assignments, then on the battlefield. Not only that but I was expected to sacrifice my virtue if it meant the mission's success. I had never believed I would be pushed into such a situation. I didn't even know the first thing about "honey-trap", Mizuko could probably pull it off though. If I was like her, I could turn this to my advantage.
I put my hand on my opposite arm and realized for the first time I was shaking. I had never really undergone the proper training. I had never thought I would need it. Damn, damn my cocky attitude; it always got me into these situations. Irony is such a bitch.
"Here we are." The page said opening two sliding door, decorated with cranes and marshes. "Please enter."
The young boy smiled up at me but it wasn't reassuring. He always had that same expression plastered on. His mouth smiled but his eyes were just two blue marbles, lifeless. I suddenly wanted to shatter those two marbles and plastered smile.
As I walked through the doors I told myself to keep a cool head, maybe I could wriggle out of this some how. But the moment the doors clicked shut behind me, a sliver of nervousness slither back into my conscious. The room was much larger than mine, probably a little over twice the size. On the wall opposite me were another pair of doors that lead to the outside. A few scrolls hung from the walls and a total of six potted plants were placed around on the floor. There was a small table with paint brushes and ink, near the doorway. Against the wall to my right was a king sized futon, neatly folded with two pillows. About two yards away from the futon was a large, low window. Shinsuke was seated in the sill, his face turned away from mine. Usually he wore up to four layers of clothing but now he wore a simple dark blue nagajuban. His long, normally tied up, hair now flowed down his back, reaching his waist.
He raised a hand, without turning to me, and gestured for me to come forward. I hesitated, then did so slowly. I stayed a good two feet from him, and looked out the window. The sun was beginning to set, everything bathed in orange and red light, just like back when I had first got kidnapped. The shadows had intensified and the cherry blossoms were given a majestic beauty from the combination of shadows and light but I couldn't feel appreciation at the time.
"You're nervous, Suisen." Shinsuke said.
Calm down, I told my self, calm down.
"It's understandable." He continued. "You will be the first couple of times."
"There isn't gonna be a next couple of times!" I said, loosing it. "There won't even be a first."
Shinsuke turned to me for the first time, starring me in the eyes. His face was calm and stern but it was heavily shadowed. I backed away slightly.
"Were you just setting me up? Was that kind, understanding person just a ruse?"
Shinsuke stood slowly. "If these rumors keep spreading that I've gotten soft, it will be hard to maintain my subjects."
"You didn't answer my question!"
There was silence.
"No, it wasn't a ruse." Shinsuke said with a sigh. "Sometimes I have to change myself a bit to better carry out a task. But what you saw was me."
I continued to walk back but it wasn't easy with such long robes. Shinsuke approached me faster than I could back away.
"Just…let's not and say we did." I squeaked out as he towered over me and I pulled into myself the way a turtle does. "Please."
Forgetting about the futon behind me, I tripped and fell onto the plush surface. I flinched but the moment I opened my eyes, Shinsuke was hovering over me, on his hands and knees.
"Oh god." I gasped. "Okay, let's just talk this ov-"
"Karasu," Shinsuke whispered. "I'm not used to being denied of what's in front of me."
I tried to ease myself out from under him but Shinsuke grabbed my arms to hold me down. I turned my face away but I felt his lips trailing down my neck. Again I flinched. I kept telling my body to defend it's self but it refused to heed the commands. Shinsuke was steadily moving downward, biting my skin then licking the spot afterwards. His hands had released my arms and where now slowly pulling on the collar of my kimono. At last the connection between my brain and body clicked and I kicked out, hitting Shinsuke in the stomach. He buckled and I pulled away, heading straight for the door.
I reached out for the doors but two arms grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back. I cried out in surprise.
"Your only making this harder on yourself." Shinsuke whispered.
I whimpered as he began to kiss the back of my ear, again slowly trailing down.
What was wrong with me? Was the drug causing me to not respond correctly? Did it dim my reflexes? No. My body was shaking. Sweat had begun to form on my skin. My thoughts had become scrambled, I couldn't think clearly. Was I…scared?
Shinsuke had begun to tug on my collar again. I finally managed to swing an elbow back at his face but Shinsuke dodged. He grabbed my shoulders and slammed me into the nearest wall. I winched. I tried to fight back but his strength was greater that mine.
"Don't do this!" I screamed in a voice that had once again become alien to me. "You're a good person!"
"Usually when I have a hard time with this," Shinsuke said, ignoring my outburst. "I threaten them with death, but that won't work with you, will it?"
I managed to push myself off the wall but Shinsuke pushed me back again, the side my face hitting the wall harder than I would've liked.
"Death doesn't scare you, right?" He continued resting his head on my shoulder. "But your heart rate is speeding up now. Does that mean you're scared of this."
Shinsuke breathed every word he spoke down the back of my neck. I tried my best to hold it back but a whimper slipped out from my lips.
"You're a strange girl."
I felt hands slip down to where my obi was tied and my legs gave out. Shinsuke didn't let me fall, though. He grabbed me around the waits and turned my body ever so slightly. With is right hand, he took my face and twisted back till I was facing him. Shinsuke began to lean in slowly until…
"Shinsuke-sama!!!!!"
The door slid open with a slam and we both looked to see Nobu come running in. He stopped when he saw us, his mouth opened slightly as he took in the scene. Nobu turned his face away, hiding his eyes behind his long, dirty blond hair.
"Sorry." He mumbled.
"Then why are you still here?" Shinsuke said, his voice sounding harsher than I had ever heard. But there was something else in his voice, was it…uneasiness? Now that I thought about, there was something about him that almost seemed hesitant.
"We've been invaded, sir!" Nobu cried, looking back at us. "It's the rest of Orochimaru's shinobi!"
I felt two pairs of eyes staring at me but I looked down.
"I can guess what they came for." Shinsuke said amused.
He shoved me at Nobu, who caught me and pulled me outside, closing the door behind him.
"Karasu, are…are you okay?" Nobu asked.
I gritted my teeth and spun around, slapping him across the face. Nobu's eyes went wide.
"You just stand there?!" I hollered. "What kind of brother doesn't defend his sister, especially in this kind of situation, Izumi-nii-san?!"
"My name is Nobu." He said sternly.
"You haven't changed!!" I continued. "You're exactly the same as when-"
"I'm not your brother, Karasu!!!!" Nobu yelled.
"Look if this is some trick to-"
"Izumi is dead!! You killed him!!!!"
I stared up at him, stunned.
"But I didn't-"
The door side open and Shinsuke stepped out, wearing the same cloak he had worn back in the cave. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail again and in his hand was a naginata taller than he was.
"Do you want me to take her back to her room, sir?" Nobu asked.
"No," Shinsuke responded, grabbing my upper right arm. "She's coming with us."
Shinsuke walked forward into a room that looked like a large training zone, pulling me by the arm. There was a large mat in the center and stone pillars surrounded it. When I looked up I saw platforms what seemed set up for viewing. What kind of place was this castle.
"Why am I being brought along? What are you planning to do?!" I said, frustrated.
The moment I spoke someone wrenched open the door opposite of us and came running out. They stopped to breathe before looking up at me with two dark grey eyes.
"Sasuke-sama?"
He…no…they had come. All of them! They weren't here but if Sasuke had, the others must've too! I felt stupid now. Stupid for think they wouldn't come. Wait a minute!!! Is it just me or are my thoughts starting to sound like a damsel in distress!? Oh god!
"Oh?" Shinsuke said. "Orochimaru's future body, eh?"
Do I look like a damsel in distress? I was still holding my clothes up, I didn't have much time to adjust everything. Jeez, Sasuke's probably trying to come up with some sarcastic remark, I better beat him to it.
"Yo!" I called out and, despite what I had just been through, I felt a smile spread across my face. "You're late!"
"Am I?" Sasuke replied back. "Well, you look like a girl."
"Well at least I in better shape than you!"
One of those half smiles appeared across Sasuke's face but it seemed half-hearted.
"She's right." Shinsuke said, butting into our conversation. "Are you expecting to attack me with a wound like that."
Sasuke's smiled vanished and he drew his sword.
"Are you gonna fight me while holding her?"
Shinsuke smiled and began to hand me over to Nobu but the moment he released me I ran. This surprised all three of them. I could run over to fight by Sasuke but in my drugged state I would just be a burden. I had to go get Ekima then find a way out. I ran back the way we had come, stopping at the doorway and turning back.
"Don't you dare lose!" I called back to Sasuke. "I still have to kick your ass again!!"
With that I turned and continued on to Ekima's room.
Author notes: AHHHGH! This chapter was so hard and embarrassing to write!!! I'm so glad it's over with!! Inazuma Ho may have some mature part and scenes in it but it's not like it takes up half the story so that's why its rated T instead of M. It's basically rated 16+. But still, I'm really terrible at doing scenes like this 'cause I get all nervous when I think about how people are gonna be reading it. Just let me know your opinion.
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