Money and Flowers
The girl who sat behind the counter looked up at the figure looming over her. A tall man, clad in a black cloak with red clouds painted onto it, the long sleeves and the banded collar completely veiling him from the neck down. His face was equally concealed, a grey hood combined with a black facemask hiding his face almost entirely. The only things visible about him were his dark-green eyes with the blood-red sclera, right below the headband that identified him as a ninja of the Hidden Waterfall village. However, there was a deep, horizontal slash going through the metal, as if he had crossed out the symbol.
"Can I help you?" the girl asked, trying to downplay her nervousness. "I-I'm afraid we are full at the moment. But feel free to rest at our bar, the local sake is very renowned."
"I'm looking for someone," the man answered with a rough voice. "A woman called Shijima. Last name Hōki, though I doubt she uses that one right now. She should look something like this."
He pulled a drawing out of his sleeve and showed it to her. As he did, the girl could see strange black markings on his arm, as well as a ring on his middle finger with the kanji for "north" engraved into it. The image itself showed a beautiful young woman with black hair and a forehead protector with the Hidden Sand insignia.
"H-haven't seen or heard of her, sorry!"
The man's eyes narrowed, but in the end, the turned around and left, finally allowing the girl to release the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.
"Another dud, eh?"
"Shut up, Kōzui!" Kakuzu grumbled as he left the hotel.
"Just admit that you lost her trail already," his partner continued in a mocking tone. Kakuzu clenched his fist and took a deep breath.
Calm down. You just got a new partner, don't kill him already!
He was already irritated enough, he definitely didn't need his partner's antics right now. Unfortunately, while Kakuzu considered himself to be a logical person and a pragmatist, whenever he got too agitated he tended to have violent outbursts that the targets of his anger rarely survived. Two of his partners had already died at his hands, and Kōzui was on his best way to becoming number three if he continued like that. Alas, getting new partners frequently meant being paired with the newest member of the Akatsuki. And those tended to be quite full of themselves, which meant they annoyed him quite easily. Truly a vicious cycle.
"We haven't lost her," he countered as they walked. "We know that she came to this town, so either she is still here or she went somewhere from here. Someone must have seen her, we just need to find that someone."
"Which means that right now, we don't know shit. In other words, we lost her trail."
"You're always free to help unless the concept of pulling your own weight is too high for you."
"YOU-" Kōzui started until he seemingly remembered that he shouldn't shout delicate information in the middle of a lively town.
"I joined you guys because you promised me a chance to kill Yagura!", he hissed. "Instead, I got sent on some pointless errands, and now I'm following you first through the desert and now the woodlands, chasing behind some ominous kunoichi, just because she might have some information about a guy I don't even care about!"
Much to Kakuzu's annoyance, the former Mist Ninja was partially right. They were wasting a lot of time on this search that could've been spent in a much more profitable way. Just because she apparently knew something useful. They hadn't even come across any bounty that would've made this ordeal worthwhile. Unfortunately, orders were orders.
"Intel is important," Kakuzu retorted, hoping to finally shut Kōzui up. "Akatsuki's current endeavor is still in its infancy, so we need a lot. Fighting a Jinchūriki is no mere bounty hunt."
"I don't give a fuck about Sand's Jinchūriki! And I already gave you all the information you need about Yagura! Terumi's little rebellion is the perfect opportunity, if we miss our chance-"
"Yes, you told us. And as soon as there is a plan, you will know. But deals go two ways. Goods and price, that's how transactions work. If you are unwilling to pay the price, you won't get the goods. And now shut your mouth and help me find someone who saw our target!"
Unfortunately, they had no luck. Even as the sun went down, no hints about the kunoichi reached them and they went to rest in the outskirts of the small town. The next morning, they finally found a lead: a traveling merchant claimed to have met her on his way.
"Looked different than in the picture, but the hair color fits and she called herself Shijima. Met her while she took a break. Shared some of the meat she hunted with me, gave her some of my fruits. That girl in trouble?"
"Not if she doesn't do anything stupid. Did she say where she wanted to go?"
"Nah, said it's a secret. All I know is that went north at the crossroads."
"Wait, so she didn't come here?" Kōzui chimed in.
"Not if she didn't take a detour."
Kakuzu did his best not to look at his partner, fairly certain that Kōzui was making a face right now that would make him kill the guy.
Going after the only hint they had they left the town and went north, traveling through the forest before reaching a meadow. Near the path, two corpses lay in a pool of dried blood, their equipment identifying them as shinobi from the Hidden Mist Village. Each had a single, clear cut along their throat. Kōzui gave both a quick glance.
"I think I remember those two," the former Mist Ninja recalled. "They were subordinates of Zabuza, but I don't remember their names."
"I do. Gōzu and Meizu, also known as the Demon Brothers", Kakuzu added as he picked up the bodies and flung them over his shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
"Those two have a 500,000 ryō bounty, what do you think I'm doing?" Kakuzu deadpanned and went back on the road.
"You're joking."
"I don't joke when it comes to money."
"Didn't you JUST rant to me about the importance of doing our task?!"
"Money is equally important," Kakuzu stated as Kōzui caught up to him. "Any organization needs it to persist, ours especially. We're not close enough to our target that every minute counts. I'm still the one responsible for Akatsuki's finances, and there is a bounty station close to here anyway. Sure, they aren't worth enough to actively hunt them, but I'm not going to ignore money that is just lying on the ground. Too bad Zabuza wasn't with them, THAT would've been a bounty."
Kōzui seemingly wanted to retort, but a voice from behind interrupted their banter.
"You got to be kidding me!"
"I'm sorry, Tanya-sensei! I didn't have to go when we started!"
"That's why you always- whatever, just hurry up! If this happens again we won't stop!"
Following the voices, they saw three kids standing at the edge of the forest, a boy with black hair and two girls, one blonde and one with pink hair. All three were looking into the woods.
"Unbelievable," the blonde growled and shook her head. She then turned around, facing the Akatsuki-duo, and positioned herself in front of the other two. The way she moved made clear that she had already noticed Kakuzu and Kōzui long before. It also signaled that she was ready to fight the two if necessary, confidence not born from childish arrogance, but from experience. The girl had a presence many seasoned shinobi failed to put forth, and it somehow felt familiar. However, upon seeing them, she seemed surprised and relaxed.
"Kakuzu?" she asked. "Is that you?"
Even relaxed, her guard was still up in a passive way. The messy, blonde hair, the icy-blue eyes, the demeanor… so that's why she felt familiar.
"It's been a while, kid."
"Indeed."
She gestured for the other two to stand back. The other kids seemed confused but didn't question her. While both seemed to be roughly the same age as her, it was clear that she was leagues above them in both skill and rank. Had she made it to Jōnin, perhaps? She had already been way above Genin-level when he met her years ago, so it was feasible. Now that he thought about it, last year, there had been quite some noise about the achievements of a young Jōnin from the Hidden Leaf, one whose description fit the girl like a glove.
"You earned yourself quite the name since we last met, kid."
"I'm just serving my village," she countered with a smile, though Kakuzu knew what she really meant by that. The girl was like him in many aspects, and S-Rank missions paid well. Not nearly as well as the high-level bounties he collected whenever he could, but you needed the right contacts for that. And who knew, maybe in a different life, he earned his pay just like she did? After all, it hadn't been Kakuzu who had betrayed his village. They had betrayed him.
"And I see you picked up some garbage. Are you planning to make me join those two?" she asked with a dark grin.
"That would be a waste. You barely started out. Give it a few more years and your head is easily worth five times as much."
Her grin widened. "Ho? I'll see you then, I guess."
"No doubt."
He turned around and resumed his way, Kōzui following after a moment of delay. He had been honest with his assessment. Sure, your head being worth 8,000,000 ryō on the black market was quite the feat for someone that age, but judging by the potential he saw in her, it was clear that her prize would only go up. He could've killed her right here and there, but she was an investment. One he would gladly reap when the time was ripe.
Kakuzu was thankful that his partner had been quiet during the ordeal because the quick exchange with Tanya had done wonders for his mood. There was just something about her that resonated well with him. She was aware that he was a bounty hunter. She knew she had a growing bounty. Therefore, she had no delusions that he would come after her one day. But just like him, she understood that it was just logical that he would follow the money. He could respect that. Who knew, maybe she would be able to take out one of his hearts when they finally clashed? If so, hers would certainly be a worthy replacement.
"You got a soft spot for kids now?"
"You're pushing it, Kōzui. Ever heard of the Pixie of the Hidden Leaf?"
His partner blinked.
"No way. That pipsqueak? How old is she?"
"Thirteen, I think. I've met her once before, seven or so years ago."
"Hey, wait a minute! Didn't you say you don't remember people that don't have a bounty? You can't tell me she had a bounty when she was six!"
"I said I usually forget people that aren't worth any money. There are exceptions. She proved herself to be worth remembering."
The mash-up of aromas basically hit me in the face as I entered the small building bordering the Yamanaka Estate, one day after our return. Being one of the great old ninja clans of the Hidden Leaf, the Yamanakas had a great deal of influence in the village. Today, however, I wasn't here with any of that in mind. Well, not primarily, I wouldn't waste an opportunity should it present itself. No, today, I was here as a customer. Besides their prowess in the intelligence-related part of ninja work, the Yamanaka clan was also known for their flower shop.
I did my best to ignore the overwhelming fragrance and walked to the counter. It was early in the morning, the shop had just opened, and the register was handled by a girl about my age. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, both in a much lighter tone than my own. She sported a long ponytail, combined with a single, half-sided bang that almost covered her right eye. Since I had done my homework, I obviously knew her. Ino Yamanaka, the heiress of her clan. It did surprise me that she helped out in the shop, I had expected her to be either training or on a mission. Something I would've also preferred doing right now, but unfortunately, the Hokage had requested me and Team 7 to stay within the village border for the time being, so we could come quickly should he call us. I had no idea why that meant that we couldn't even go to the training field, but orders were orders. Seeing our possibilities limited, I had given the three kids some exercises they could do at home. For Naruto and Sasuke, they should try and stand on the ceiling for as long as possible to improve their control. To Sakura, I gave a routine meant to widen her chakra coils so she could release more chakra at once. Both were baby steps, unfortunately, but it was better than just sitting around. Then, in about an hour, we would meet and I'd see what could be done in the biggest place that was open to us, namely the garden of the Uchiha estate. But while we certainly could do something, what I had in mind was detailed, personal, and simply not achievable with just an amped-up version of regular training done during downtime.
Their training plans for the Chūnin-exams were almost complete, and I needed at least two months to realize them. There were some things I could already do in between missions, but for the main course, I needed to act uninterrupted. And I would NOT send them there if I wasn't sure they weren't ready for it. As much good as it would do for my reputation to make them Chūnin after just a few months under me, I would just send them to a pointless death if made them take the exam prematurely. Alas, just three more D-ranks were asked too much right now.
"Good morning, you are quite early! How can I help you?" Ino greeted me with a cheerful smile.
"Good morning. I would like to purchase a bouquet centered around poppies."
"Ookay? Any further specifications or prize range?"
"Unfortunately, my knowledge in terms of flowers runs slim." And I could only hope that it was different for her. Then again, if she grew up in this environment and her parents trusted her enough to run the shop, it should be fine. Even if I knew nothing about flowers, I could see if someone knew what they were doing, so if she were to disappoint, I could still ask for an adult. "And money is no issue. As long as its center is made of poppies, I trust your expertise."
She grinned and crossed her arms.
"That you can, I'm amazing, after all!"
Well, that wasn't a promising start. Then, however, her attitude seemed to shift as she made a more business-like face.
"But in all seriousness, poppies are an interesting choice. Many don't like them as they are often seen as a symbol of death, forgetting that they can also represent consolation, peace, and remembrance. But they are a bit tricky for a large bouquet. You can't combine them with pompous flowers like roses, it doesn't fit their style."
She took a set of the red blooms before walking to a different section.
"If the poppies are supposed to be the centerpiece, we need something subtle that supplements them without hogging attention. I know you said the price doesn't matter, but our best guess here is probably to just go with some field flowers. Let's start with some marguerites, the white will highlight the poppies' red. Then, to add some contrast, a few cornflowers should do the trick. Not too many, just that we have some sprinkles of blue among the white. And… I think we should leave it at that. Adding others wouldn't do it any good, less is more in this case. It also fits the theme. Cornflowers represent unity, tenderness, and hope. Marguerites on the other hand stand for innocence, protection, and truth. Peace surrounded by protection and hope. A nice combination, don't you think?"
…okay, maybe this girl did know what she was doing.
"Were you my senior?" She asked as she added some seemingly generic green, tied the bouquet together, and walked back to the register. "Because I don't recall seeing you at the academy."
"That's because I had already graduated by the time you entered."
"So you finished early, huh? Wait, how do you know when I entered? That's 345 Ryo by the way."
"Well, I did my research on all of my potential students, Ino," The informality in this world was still strange to me. Except for a few dignitaries, pretty much everyone called each other by their first names, even when combined with an honorific.
"Oh. You got me at a disadvantage there though, you are? …wait, students?!"
I put the money (the exact sum) on the counter and nodded.
"Yes, allow me to introduce myself: Tanya Umino, currently Jōnin-sensei of Team 7."
"… how old are you?"
"Thirteen."
The Yamanaka heiress stared at me for a solid few seconds, giving me enough time to prepare myself for the inevitable outcry of bewilderment that followed shortly after. Ino already was a loud girl when she talked normally, but now she got really loud.
"Y-y-you're kidding me, right?"
"Ino, what happened?"
Seemingly attracted by his daughter's shout, Inoichi Yamanaka rushed in through the back door.
"Oh, good morning Tanya," he greeted once he saw everything was alright. I responded with a respectful nod. Well, wasn't that convenient timing? I had only managed to meet the Yamanaka clan head a few times since achieving my rank and never had a chance to proper networking with him. She might have not become my student, but his daughter could still be the perfect bridge for that. On top of their status, their clan also put a lot of focus on the social aspects of shinobi work, so having a good connection with them could prove invaluable. Of course, I needed to be patient about it, so better not be too pushy.
"You know… wait, so she really is a Jōnin?"
Inoichi laughed.
"Yes, Tanya is the youngest shinobi to ever become Jōnin during peace times. Maybe she'll-"
The opening of the front door and the appearance of new customers interrupted him.
"I have occupied enough of your time," I said my goodbyes. "Ino, I might not be your sensei, but feel free to seek my help if you need it. I am always happy to teach promising students, should my schedule allow it." Which likely wouldn't happen any time soon, but it was the message that counted.
Checking the clock, I confirmed that I still had more than enough time to do what I had initially planned when I came to the flower shop. After all, friendships needed to be nurtured, and visiting a hospitalized friend with wishes for quick recovery was just common courtesy. While the usefulness of flowers for that purpose was questionable to me, it didn't matter as long as the other side liked them. Which should be the case. After all, I had already found out a while ago that poppies were Kurenai's favorite flowers.
"Wait, just a second!" she called after me, quickly apologizing to her current customer before she rushed over.
"You said Team 7. That's Sasuke's team, right?"
"Yes?"
"I hope you won't try anything! Sasuke is mine!"
I blinked, desperately trying to answer her in a way that wouldn't instantly kill all chances of further interaction.
"I can assure you that I am professional about our student-teacher relationship and that I have no such endeavors."
Asuma Sarutobi sat next to the hospital bed, eyes heavy from a lack of sleep. Around the bed stood multiple medical instruments and equipment whose names he didn't know or cared about. Somehow, he didn't even feel the effect of not having had a cigarette in three days. No, all that was on his mind was the woman in front of him.
It had been the middle of the night when she had arrived. It was hard to miss since the giant insects that had brought the three injured hadn't cared to use the main gate, therefore triggering the alarm barrier that surrounded the village. The issue was quickly resolved as they were clearly not attacking, and every Jōnin knew that the moths were summons of Tanya. Asuma had escorted them to the hospital and stayed there ever since. He had only left Kunenai's side once, after the doctors confirmed that her condition was no longer life-threatening, in order to buy her some flowers for when she would wake up. Lost in thought, he glanced over to the vase. It was a bundle of red poppies, her favorite, though they already started to wilt. He needed to get new ones soon.
Hinata had already woken up the next morning and got discharged after a few checks. Asuma had hoped for some answers from her, but apparently, she herself didn't know what had occurred. He hadn't seen her since. Two days later Tanya arrived, and he finally learned what had happened. He didn't meet her himself, but the doctors told him a few details she gave them, and that the other two kids on Kurenai's team were unharmed, which was good. But it didn't change the situation at hand.
Rubbing his bloodshot eyes, he looked back at the broken form of his childhood friend… no, of the woman he loved. All the time he had been vague about it, to everyone, to her, even to himself. Whenever someone had hinted at or joked about the two being a pair, his answer had been an awkward denial. Or, if she was present, a dumb joke. But now…
Being a shinobi was a dangerous profession, especially if you had a high rank. Asuma was obviously aware of that. He knew he could die any day. He knew his colleagues could die any day. He had seen many of them die. And yet, seeing her like that was simply something else. He made up his mind. When she woke up, he would be honest about his feelings, both to her and to himself. She deserved it.
The sound of the door opening pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Good morning, Asuma. I see that I am not the only one wanting to wish her a quick recovery," a girl's voice greeted him.
"Tanya," he recognized without turning around. She stepped closer.
"You look tired."
"Haven't slept much." He then saw that the young Jōnin carried a bouquet with her. "You can put the flowers in here," he stated, taking his poppies out of the vase.
"Are you sure?"
"They have wilted anyway. I was planning to get new ones later."
"I see. Very well then. By the way, I didn't meet a doctor on my way here, you wouldn't happen to know anything about her condition? All I heard yesterday was that she will likely survive."
It was clear that Tanya was worried about her. Well, it wasn't surprising. The girl had been close to Kurenai ever since her graduation, looking up to her like a big sister. Although recently, Kurenai always seemed to get tense whenever Tanya was present or became the topic of conversation, whatever that was about. Probably some girls-thing. Not that it was important right now.
"Yes," he confirmed, "but besides that, it's not looking good. Fake death alone is something you would need at least ten days to recover from. Combined with the fact that she was almost gutted and lost a lot of blood, it took a heavy toll on her body. Just getting her body back to basic functionality will take a while, let alone do ninja work again."
"Thankfully, her current position is one she can fulfill while recovering. After all, she can train her Team even without participating herself, and I speak from experience when I say that she is a capable teacher."
Maybe it was his tiredness getting the better of him, but despite the mood, he couldn't help but let out a quick laugh.
"I guess you would know huh? Hey, what do you say, should we take care of her trio?"
She raised her eyebrow at that question.
"Taking seven people on D-rank missions sounds excessive."
"I'm not talking about missions. I meant that, when either of us trains with their team, we could take hers with us as well. You know, give them something to do. Just until Kurenai can leave the hospital."
She pondered a while before nodding.
"Yes, I see your point. In fact, I was planning to meet my team in half an hour. However, seven people could be a bit much for our limited space."
"Err, why not go to the training fields?"
"Lord Third requested me to stay within the village so I could immediately answer should he summon me at a moment's notice."
Asuma couldn't suppress a scoff.
"As if the training fields are that much farther. So typical for that geezer."
He opened the nightstand, pulled out a piece of paper, made a quick note, and stamped his seal on it.
"Show this to the guards at the Sarutobi Manor and they will let you in. There is a large underground training facility, feel free to use it."
"Is this… will Lord Third be fine with this?"
"Bah, forget my old man, he lives in the Hokage Villa. Literally, he is basically never home."
"In that case, I owe you for this." She grinned. "Let's make them greet their sensei in top condition, shall we?"
"Leave something for me," he answered, smiling at the girl's eagerness to help her friend.
A/N: Had some busy days, I'll do my best to finish the next one quicker.
As some of you probably realized, we won't be going straight to the Chūnin-Exams, there will be one more arc before that. Not everything in this chapter was setup for that arc though, some things were foreshadowing for things that'll happen later on.
Lastly: I already expected the first flashback to be divisive. I knew from the comments that many wanted them – and I personally also think that they will be important for context – but I also know from experience that there a those who don't like the concept of flashbacks. I'm still glad that it was largely received positively. That being said, this does not mean I don't take constructive criticism to heart as long as you are civil about it. I know I don't answer often, but I read every review on both platforms, so do not hesitate to speak your mind. Until next time!