Chapter 9:

Miranda could not change his mind about returning to Konoha after Rin left leaving a strange dagger in his hand. Not that he could get there from here.. He must still be taking his role seriously-or the pratical joke wasn't over. And at this exact moment, she was darned tired of it.

After turning the most recent Naruto episode , she trotted at his heel as he walked determinedly the video room. "Look," she said, still playing along. " I know you think this so called map in the sheath of the knife or whatever means that you can prove that both you and Rin were tricked."

" I will explain this one more time," he said. With great deliberation, he folded his cloak on the floor. "I was brought before the council and accused with Rin, of traitorous acts against Konoha. Rin was believed to have left Konoha with her slave and the knife. 'Twas claimed that Rin knew the knife's handle contained a map of the way through the ice fields."

"And why would they want to get past the ice fields?" She propped her elbow on the nearby chair. Her head pounded from too little sleep and too much punch.

"For what men have always craved-weapons. The best weapons. And the legends describe weapons of destruction beyond our imaginations-here, beyond the ice fields." He lifted a game gun. "This is a such a weapon. I have seen its like-once. And know of what it is capable."

With a look of contempt, he put the gun back down.

"The last thing we need is a weapon of such potency. But my honor demanded I regain the dagger with the map. It was Danzo charge. The reward? My name as well as Rin honor restored."

"This Danzo guy is evil right."

" He has a streak of evil...but he not what matters here."

"So if you do what he ask and found your way here, why do they need a map?"

"Many have set out on the journey to cross the ice fields; none have returned. A map would allow a legion to make the trek. And if the dagger had contained the route through the ice fields, then all they accused us of would have been true. They said Rin's father at one point was once enamored of a woman from the village hidden in snow. It was through her that the map came about. He kept it hidden through the years in the knife's handle. The council claimed that Rin's father died before he could make use of the map. And Rin was said to know of its existence. Now I know it was all lies, lies to conceal the council's real goal-the treasure."

"I have a headache." With a yawn, she plopped down on his coat. Playing this game was getting tedious. Tomorrow Mr. Ninja Boy was out on his tight buns if he didn't own up who he really was. "So go on. The council's greedy. What difference does it make which map you found?"

A very convincing hauter entered his voice. " Ninja do not seek treasure. The very idea is dishonorable. I was sent to bring back Rin and the dagger and prove our loyalty. It seems I was really sent to obtain a treasure map. If I had died doing so, they had lost only a man with a traitor's name." His voice dropped; his hand turned the dagger over and over. "They knew what it was they sought-something far more valuable than mere weapons. They lied to me."

"Maybe they didn't know what was in the dagger either." She might as well go along with him for few more hours. It was almost dawn. Another yawn overcame her.

He stepped closer to her and went down on one knee before her. "Miranda, I have allowed my anger to spill over on you a number of times. For that I am truly sorry. It is not my nature to be ill-mannered."

When he close his fingers around hers a tingle went down her spine. She pulled her hand away.

"You said I arrived here by magic. How does this magic work?" He gestured around him.

"The video should be ready let me just push this button."

His expression was impassive, his voice filled with emotion. " You called me stupid. You were right."

"Kakashi, I didn't mean it that way," When was he going to give up this charade? "It's just an expression."

"But still, 'twas stupidity to think the elders trusted me. Or that Rin would return." A crooked smile twisted his mask covered face, painting his face with pain.

He put out his hand.

Automatically she took it. His fingers tightened on hers. Heat whipped up her arm, across her shoulder, and down into her breast.

A whisper of thunder rumbled outside. Flames of pain hammered her hand, her arm, her chest.

"Kakashi," she said in a gasp as he disappeared in a blinding white light.

The dream was wonderful. A fresh breeze kissed her cheeks, and the scent of damp earth filled her nostrils. A few wispy clouds scudded across a lavender sky.

Lavender?

Miranda groaned and sat up. She felt the full punishment of spike punch. Kakashi stood ten feet away, hands on his hips, contemplating the landscape.

Or lack of it.

As far as Miranda could see, the world dropped off at his feet-a slightly purple world. She rose to her knee and scrabbled backward. Her stomach lurched.

Kakashi whipped around. "Ah you are awake." He strode to where she knelt, hooked a hand beneath her elbow and hauled her upright.

"No," she cried and jerked back. The world did drop off. The stood on a cliff.

"Be still," Kakashi ordered.

"No, I am not going to be still," she said slowly and distinctly. "I am getting as far from here as possible."

She went nowhere. Kakashi's grip could hold a tractor in place.

"And where would you go?"

The question confused her for a moment. She looked about. Behind her rose a steep mountain meadow, carpeted in emerald green and capped with fir trees. It could be any mountain in Pennsylvania or New York, but in front of her lay a vista as foreign as the moon. She knew she was in Naruto's world.

"How did this happen?" She asked, changing her mind about running away. She tucked herself against Kakashi's warm side instead. He smelled like home-caramel popcorn and dryer sheets. "I won't believe we're where we are. I won't. I'm dreaming. I'll wake up soon. I drank too much punch-"

"Enough." The word was a command, but it was kindly spoken. He hugged her against his side and swept a hand out to the land before them. "We are home."

Miranda squeezed her eyes close. "I'm not. I'm in a dream. My sky is blue My cliffs are out west. Ocean City is flat. I like flat. I'll wake up and laying in my bed, hoping Liz did a huge layout on my ball for her magazine."

"We must go."

"It's a cliff. I'm not going anywhere." The sky darkened from lavender to nearly black; an angry buzz filled her ears. Her knees buckled.

Kakashi scooped her into his arms. He hurried from the precipice's edge to a patch of mountain meadow. Carefully he laid her on the long grass. Her face was as white as her gown, as white as the tiny star-shaped flowers that clustered about her like errant flakes of snow.

He swallowed and shook off the temptation to kiss her awake. Kisses led to more problems, not fewer. He had kissed many a woman, but unlike those many kisses the kiss Miranda had given him at the ball still remained on his lips.