Behind the Mask
Rated: T for language and violence
Disclaimer: Naruto characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto
Summary: We all wear masks. But that only makes it harder to tell the difference between truth and lies.
Note: This story and I are still alive, just going into hibernation after this. Reviews would be lovely. Over three views would be awesome
015: 情人
(lover)
The early morning sun was blazing overhead, reflecting off the pure white snow and blinding anyone who decided to stare directly into it. The air was still frigid however, and the shining sun only completed the illusion that it was a nice day. Iruka stood outside in his warmest winter wear outside of Tsunade's main estate. Tsunade stood in front of him, her cheeks pink from the cold.
"Thank you for giving me the autopsy report. I'm sure Uchiha-juzhang will be interested by these results." Said Iruka, bowing his head before Tsunade. "Medicine is a difficult art. I'll be sure to let the Chief know of your efficiency in this area."
Tsunade smiled kindly at the younger man in front her. "You are too kind Umino-jueshi. I actually had help determining the death of this one. A few friends from our shinobi village of Konoha were here to help me this time. Be sure to let your Chief know I didn't do it all by myself." Tsunade laughed.
The kind-hearted smile faded off of Iruka's face. "Shinobi?"
"Yes, they are old friends that have been staying with me for a while." Said Tsunade looking into the distance.
Iruka shifted his boot covered feet uneasily in the snow. He thought back to C's words. "Umm…Tsunade-furen, would you mind if I spoke with them once more? I think I have a few follow up questions I would like to ask."
Tsunade gazed at the young man in front of her with some weariness. "I'm sure that would be…alright. Just try to not take up too much of their time."
Glossary:
Juzhang – Chief
Jueshi – Lieutenant
Furen – Chinese honorific, used for women with high rank
Naruto had just finished slurping up the last of his congee when he heard a brisk knock on the door. Looking over, he saw Sakura combing through her hair, so he jumped up, grabbed his mask off the table and opened the door. Iruka had just opened his mouth to speak when Naruto quickly slammed the door back in his face.
Naruto's hand was still gripped on the doorknob; his forehead leaning against the door. Shit! What was that guy doing here? How did he even find Naruto? Naruto groaned inwardly as his breathing slowed back to a slower pace.
"Naruto?" Naruto turned around, pulling his mask up to stare at Sakura who was giving him a confused look. "What were you slamming the door for?"
"No reason." Naruto chuckled. "I guess I just don't know my own strength." He said nervously, patting his bicep.
Sakura gave him a skeptical look. "Was there someone at the door?"
"No." Naruto quickly shook his head.
"But I heard a knock." Sakura persisted.
"That was me." Said Naruto. "I was just thinking to myself now that Temari brought the sword back, good thing no one else has taken it yet, so…knock on wood." He knocked on the wooden table twice for good measure.
"Knock on wood." Sakura repeated skeptically. "Ok…so why did you open the door then?"
"Checking the weather!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. "Just testing how cold it was outside…and it's actually not that bad so I'm gonna go for a jog, later!"
Naruto quickly opened the door and side stepped out before Sakura could get another word out. Sakura watched both with amusement and confusion as Naruto disappeared out the door. Jogging? Naruto never went jogging. She gave a sigh and shrugged her shoulders before turning to resume her activities.
Naruto breathed a sigh of relief before coming to face Iruka who had his fist poised to knock again. "What do you want?" Naruto asked, his voice a muted whisper. "How did you find me?"
"I need to talk to you." Said Iruka whispering back. "It's about something I think you should know."
Naruto stood staring at Iruka, biting his lip underneath his mask. He didn't even know this man who had ousted him as a Jinchuriki. How did he know if he could trust him? Iruka seemed to sense Naruto's distrust because he sighed. "I promise not to hurt you if you don't hurt me." He said, tapping his sword. "Ok?"
Naruto considered it for a moment before nodding. "But we can't talk here. There are too many people." He glanced toward the door again, positive Sakura could hear them.
"Umm…" Said Naruto awkwardly clearing his throat as he held out his arms. "Do you mind?"
Iruka stared down at Naruto's arms with a blank expression on his face. "I don't…"
Naruto quickly scooped the older man into his arms bridal style before jumping away to the rooftops. Naruto didn't stop until he passed over the outer gate of Tsunade's estate and onto the wooden bridge where they had previously encountered.
Naruto quickly let Iruka down and took a quick two steps away from him. "Sorry about that." He said sheepishly
Iruka quickly shook his head to show he wasn't concerned. "My name is Lieutenant Umino Iruka." He said, extending is hand formally.
"Oh." Said Naruto, almost surprised by the formality. "You can call me Zhong Hu." He explained as he gave Iruka a firm hand shake.
"Loyal Fox." Said Iruka with a wry smile. "How ironic…"
Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the rail of the bridge. The Yongding He drifted murkily on its course beneath him. "You said you had something to tell me." Said Naruto, "Does it have to do with me being a Jinchuriki?"
Iruka sighed. "Yes. It's a rather long and tedious story…"
Naruto shrugged nonchalantly. "I've got time."
Iruka gave Naruto a long look before he began to talk. It was like the box inside of him was finally, after years of remaining shut, beginning to open. He told Naruto how his father had spent his entire life studying the myth of the Bijuu, constantly working to prove that they were real. That he had spent his entire life never knowing a real home, or having any real friends. It wasn't until his father had found definitive proof within the Land of Lightning that Iruka had finally respected his father's work. He explained to Naruto how it was his father's knowledge that had gotten him killed.
As Iruka finished his story, a cold chill ran up Naruto's spine and it wasn't from the chilly air. That there was a man out there, willingly looking for ways to seal a Bijuu into a human – possibly against that persons will – was frightening to Naruto. Naruto didn't begrudge the Fourth Hokage, who had done what needed to be done by sealing the Kyuubi into Naruto, but it didn't change the fact that Naruto was made a pariah for his entire life for harboring a demon inside of him. The pain that it caused, the fear that others had, the fear that Naruto himself had for the thing inside of him; Naruto knew that no sane person should want to become a Jinchuriki.
"Whether he means to seal a Bijuu into himself, I do not know." Iruka continued. "The fact of the matter is, anyone who possesses the knowledge that my father gave that man is dangerous. And we know that Jinchuriki are a threat…if created willingly." Said Iruka, sparing a look toward Naruto.
Naruto grimaced at Iruka's words, a creeping voice inside of him telling him that was still a threat, whether he had been made a Jinchuriki against his will or not.
"Jinchuriki can't be easy to find." Said Naruto shaking his head. "Even if someone were...looking for us, they wouldn't necessarily be able to find us...right?" He asked Iruka hopefully.
"All Jinchuriki are marked by some aspect of the Bijuu inside of them. Your whisker marks," Said Iruka pointing to Naruto's face, "Are the signature characteristic for the Kyuubi. Other Jinchuriki would be marked similarly. It's not exactly obvious, but it's still a hint."
"Ah…" Said Naruto uneasily. He hadn't realized that Jinchuriki could be defined so easily. He suddenly felt like a branded cow. "But most people are content in believing the Bijuu are a myth. Only the Hidden Villages know any better. I don't see how that really puts me in any immediate danger." Naruto pointed out.
"I'm afraid I haven't finished my story." Said Iruka, his tone grave.
Naruto looked to Iruka, wondering what more he could possibly have to say.
"I just learned that both the Ichibi and the Sanbi are missing…and someone is after the Hachibi."
Naruto didn't grasp it at first, but when he did, it hit him like a ton of bricks. His eyes widened dramatically beneath his mask and his took a couple steps backward, his back hitting the rail. His hands gripped the wooden rail for support, the pressure of his grip almost splintering the wood.
"I'd advise you to run."
Iruka's words were sharp in contrast to the tone he had used previously. Naruto began to shake his head, to protest, but Iruka held a hand up to silence him.
"Listen, it is possible to extract a Bijuu from its host." Iruka's voice had turned harsh and his eyes were dark.
Naruto froze in his spot. Extract a Bijuu? Naruto had never heard of anything of the sort ever being done. The Jinchuriki was rare enough as it was and it was assumed by many that once a host died, the Bijuu would be released into the wild once more.
"How do you know…?" Asked Naruto, his voice a tad shaky.
"Stories, legend, research. It's how the Bijuu have lived for so long. How they have avoided being found." Explained Iruka. "And should that happen, you will die."
Glossary:
Congee – Rice porridge
Yongding He- Yongding River
Bijuu – Tailed Beast
Ichibi – One Tailed Raccoon
Sanbi - Three Tailed Turtle
Hachibi- Eight Tailed Ox
Asuka pushed her hand through her hair and felt terribly out of place without her mask on. She felt nervous every time a civilian looked her way. Part of the reason shinobi wore masks was to prevent their civilian identities from being discovered, making it easier to do recon missions into enemy territory. A shinobi walking into enemy territory with a mask on stuck out like a sore thumb. Without the mask however, it was much easier to blend in.
Peking was truly a sight to see. Never before had Asuka seen a city as rich and as vibrant as this one. Miraculously, not since the First Great Shinobi War had Peking been attacked and Asuka found they certainly had made great use of that. Usually, wars between the Hidden Villages were fought using guerrilla warfare tactics, but sometimes, the enemy chose to directly attack the civilian cities. Asuka had an odd suspicion that perhaps her father intended to attack Peking and that was his real reason for wanting her to scout the city.
"Excuse me." Said Asuka, as she stopped by a store front where two elderly men were sipping tea and playing weiqi. "Can you tell me where I might request a shinobi's assistance?" She ducked under the store's stoop to avoid the dripping snow from falling in her hair.
The old men looked up from their game. "What might a nice young girl like you need a shinobi for?" Asked one of the men. He was missing a tooth in the front.
Asuka smiled her sweetest smile. "Nothing of too much concern. Could you point me in the correct direction?"
One of the men pointed a knobby finger in the direction that she was already headed. "The Konoha office is in the Wumen, the first gate outside the Gugong. There's a loud mouthed shinobi there that you can speak to."
"Hmph." The other old man snorted. "Terrible gossip that one is and not very reliable. You should just go to the Peking Police Force if you can."
Asuka held back her laugh. "Xie xie. Be sure to stay warm. Zai jian." Said Asuka as she waved good bye.
Asuka pushed her way through the crowded city streets, looking for the Gugong. When Asuka found it, however, she could scarcely believe her eyes. When the provinces had been united as one country, before the Hidden Villages were created, the Gugong here in Peking had functioned as the Emperor's palace. Known as the 'Forbidden City', only those with permission from the Emperor were allowed to enter inside. Looking at the impressive architecture that compromised just the first gate, Asuka could only imagine what was inside.
No doubt it would take an entire army just to penetrate this first gate. Asuka noticed that there were members of the Imperial Army stationed all around the first gate. Looking up at it, she wasn't even sure where to begin looking for the Konoha office.
Traffic through the gate wasn't nearly as heavy as it was through the city, but Asuka followed a scholar as he moved through one of the smaller arches to the side of the gate. Luckily, it seemed Asuka wouldn't have to go through the trouble of navigating inside the Wumen as, as soon as Asuka had just stepped inside the arch, she was knocked over by someone. She fell to the ground, unceremoniously landing on her butt.
"Ah, sorry." Said a male voice. A gloved hand was extended toward Asuka, which she gratefully grabbed. A strong force pulled her up and she was once again standing on her feet. She quickly wiped herself off before turning toward the voice.
"It's no prob…"Asuka stopped as she came face to face with the man who had knocked her down. A wolf mask stared back at her.
"Sorry again." Said the shinobi, cocking his head toward the side. "Sometimes I feel that when you wear this for too long, you get tunnel vision." The shinobi joked.
Asuka offered a weak smile. This mask somehow seemed strangely familiar to her. Had she seen this person somewhere before? "Sorry." Said Asuka, shaking her head as if to knock herself out of her daze. "I wasn't paying attention either. Are you the shinobi assigned here?"
"Oh no." Said the shinobi. "Just visiting. He's inside if you need to request a mission." Said the shinobi, gesturing with his hand.
Asuka hesitated before responding. "Is he the one they call the terrible gossip?"
The shinobi gave a laugh. "Yes, I guess that could accurately describe him."
Asuka hesitated, biting her lip which the shinobi seemed to interpret as something else. "Do you…need me to go in with you?" The shinobi asked.
Asuka looked toward the shinobi, almost taken off guard by the concern in his voice. She almost laughed at the irony. Here she was being treated hospitably by the enemy!
"Actually…" Said Asuka grasping the shinobi's arm and steering him away. "Do you think I can speak with you instead? Do you know someplace private we can speak?"
Glossary:
Xie xie- Thank you
Zai jian-Good bye
Weiqi- The game of Go
Gugong- The Forbidden City
Wumen – Meridian Gate
Tuk tuk tuk tuk
Sasuke practiced a combination of moves as he hit the wooden practice dummy with his forearms and legs. The wooden slats bruised angrily against his skin, but Sasuke ignored the continuous pain. With a final kick, Sasuke stepped back from the practice dummy and stooped to pick up a towel. He quickly mopped off his forehead and sat down on a wooden chair to catch his breath. A chilly breeze blew in from outside and settled across Sasuke's bare skin. Sasuke had left the outside screen door open a crack while he was working out. A small pile of snow was left inside the doorway from where the wind had blown it in.
Sasuke took a deep breath of the fresh air before fishing something out of the pocket of his black pants. He pulled out a small crumpled piece of white paper. He studied the piece of paper closely, examining every edge.
"It's just a normal piece of paper." Sasuke muttered to himself. "There's nothing special about it."
Maybe the guy who had given it to him had been lying.
"Who are you?"
A pale haired man stepped forth from the shadows of the forest. His pure white kimono, leggings and boots reminded Sasuke of the old men he sometimes saw portrayed in plays and musicals he saw with his mother. The only hint of color on the man's outward appearance was his red rimmed eyes – as if he had been crying a long time.
Sasuke tensed, holding his hands in a seal so he could be ready to perform a jutsu. "I said, who are you?" Sasuke demanded.
The white haired man held up his hands up harmlessly. "Please, I mean you no harm."
"Then how did you find me?" Asked Sasuke.
"Your chakra signature. It is very strong."
"My what?" Asked Sasuke, narrowing his eyes. "Listen, if my brother sent you…"
Sasuke's hands moved so fast that the unsuspecting white haired man almost did not have time to react.
Almost.
The man blurred out of sight just as Sasuke was about to bring his hands up to his lips. With great force from behind, Sasuke was jerked backwards against the man, with one arm pinned against his chest and crushing his collarbone. Sasuke could feel the tips of two very cold blades pressing lightly against his neck and cheek.
"Why do you wish to attack me?" The man asked, the tip of his blade pushing against Sasuke's cheek with slightly more force. "I am a friend."
"A friend?" Sasuke scoffed as he stared directly ahead. "I've never seen you before in my life. You are no friend of mine."
"We could be great friends," The man stated, "If you would just let me. If I let you go, will you promise to cease your attack?"
"What do I have to gain if I do?" Sasuke asked with gritted teeth. Even though Sasuke was in no position to be asking this question, he didn't want to go down without a fight.
"Hmm…" Said the man, considering. "You wish to grow stronger. I can sense this within you. I have ways to make you grow stronger."
Sasuke hesitated at the mention of power. "How do you propose that?" Asked Sasuke cautiously.
"Cease fighting and I will show you. We are friends here, not enemies."
"I'll determine that." Sasuke muttered. But slowly, Sasuke pulled his hands to his sides. The man released his hold on Sasuke and pushed him forward. Sasuke spun around, as to be not caught off guard.
His eyes widened at the sight of the white haired man. What Sasuke had thought were blades were actually two white sickly shaped…things that were protruding from the man's alabaster skin. One of the pointed blades had curved from the man's forearm and had split the sleeve of his kimono. The second had grown out of his fingertip. Slowly, Sasuke watched with horror as the two things shrunk back into the man's skin. The man gave Sasuke a knowing look and smile as he licked the blade as it grew back into his finger.
"What are you?" Sasuke asked, disgusted.
"Kimimaro." The man said simply. "I am Kimimaro. And as I have said, you have nothing to fear. I am a friend."
Kimimaro stopped in front of Sasuke and brought a single square of white paper out. He held it out to Sasuke. "This is special paper that allows me to read what type of chakra you have. Go on, pour your chakra in."
Sasuke hesitantly reached out and took the square between his fingers. He glanced at Kimimaro, unsure. Kimimaro nodded his head encouragingly. Sasuke turned back to the square and concentrated. He imagined that he was performing a jutsu and he let the chakra pour into his fingertips and into the paper. Suddenly his fingertips burst with a bluish aura and the paper crinkled. Sasuke stared at it with wide eyes.
"Well! There's an out pour of chakra!" Kimimaro exclaimed. "It seems you have little chakra control."
Sasuke glared at the man. "The paper just crinkled. Am I supposed to be excited about this?"
Kimimaro shrugged. "It depends on what you deem useful. The paper crinkling means that your chakra has an affinity for lightning."
"Lightning?" Sasuke gave Kimimaro a skeptical look. "This piece of paper told you that? So how does that help me?"
"We can start learning jutsu that will be the most helpful to you…the most powerful."
Sasuke stared at the piece of paper again. "Why are you so willing to teach me anyway?" Sasuke asked. "What's in it for you?"
"A friend." Said Kimimaro. The smile that he gave Sasuke, however, told him otherwise.
Sasuke shoved the piece of paper in his pocket and shook up, wiping his head off once more. He stood in front of the practice dummy, ready to start when he heard the front door creak open, a jangle of keys echoing throughout the empty and silent house. Sasuke froze, sensing the presence of his older brother. After nearly ten years apart, of eating meals alone, of sleeping alone in his own house, he was still finely tuned to his brother's presence.
Footsteps, much too soft for a normal person to make, creaked across the floorboards.
"Sasuke?"
Sasuke didn't respond and ignored the conflicting emotions that were suddenly resonating deep within his heart, pounding in his head. Itachi appeared in the doorway, dressed in his police uniform. His clothes were slightly crumpled, something that looked strange on Itachi. His dark eyes almost seemed distant, weary.
"Where were you yesterday?" Itachi asked wearily. Sasuke noted that his voice lacked the usual authority it had when he was speaking to him. He sounded...almost as if their parents were still alive.
Sasuke pushed the conflicting feelings away with a swallow of his throat. This was twenty-three year old Itachi, the one who was forcing him to marry Feng Temari. Not the Itachi that he used to call gege with undying worship. "Out." Said Sasuke nonchalantly, "I was busy."
"Busy." Repeated Itachi. His voice had changed tone and there was an underlying layer of irritation, of disgust that was weaving through the weariness in his voice. "I summoned you five times to Tsunade-furen's estate, but you were too busy to come?"
"I guess so." Said Sasuke as he studied his fingernails.
"Sasuke!" Said Itachi suddenly. He slammed his fist against the doorway, startling Sasuke. "Do you not understand how important this is? You cannot afford to treat the Feng's with disrespect!" He said, stepping into the room.
"Why do you even care?" Sasuke asked incredulously as he finally brought his eyes up to look at Itachi. "Don't try to act like you are doing this for me!" Sasuke scoffed, "This marriage…everything, you are only doing it for yourself, for the clan."
The air around Sasuke suddenly turned thick and Sasuke took in a gasp of breath. Regret and disappointment suddenly rolled around him in waves so heavy that Sasuke thought he was going to drown. The tension was so high that the forces of it made Sasuke want to vomit. His stomach pulled and twisted inside of him like a ship on rough seas. It took everything Sasuke had to keep himself from heaving and emptying its contents on the wooden floor. Then in seconds, as quickly as it appeared, in vanished into thin air. Sasuke took a huge gulp of fresh air and straightened his posture. His brother seemed to be totally oblivious to Sasuke's actions.
"Don't say that." Said Itachi, his voice suddenly heavy and dark, and if Sasuke wasn't mistaken...trembling. "I've been trying to protect you my whole life, to make sure that you get everything you want out of life. That's what families do, it's what brothers do." Itachi took a step into the room, his posture almost indicting he was on edge; that his composure was cracking.
Sasuke gave a maniacal laugh, not keeping track of the emotions that seemed to be rolling off his older brother. Itachi was deluded and that was the only thing that made sense to Sasuke now. "Everything I want?" Questioned Sasuke. "You don't even know what I want. You don't even know who I am anymore! Otherwise you would know that I don't give a shit about marrying Temari!" Yelled Sasuke.
"Furthermore," Said Sasuke walking up to Itachi. "I don't think of you as my brother anymore. You were practically dead to me the moment you arranged me in this damned marriage." Spat Sasuke.
A flicker of an undetectable emotion flashed across Itachi's face before it smoothed out into an unreadable mask. He brought his hand up and slapped Sasuke hard across the face.
Sasuke reeled back, shocked up Itachi's actions as he brought his hand up to his stinging cheek. "Don't you dare speak to me that way." Said Itachi, his voice low.
Angered, Sasuke's hands blurred through the hand seals. "Katon…." Sasuke yelled, bringing his hand to his mouth. "Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
Itachi's eyes widened and Sasuke leapt back as the large fireball erupted through his mouth. The heat charged through the room, blowing against Sasuke's face. The air crackled and sizzled with pressure. The anger that he felt moments ago evaporated as soon as the fireball left his lips. As Sasuke's feet touched the ground, regret suddenly hammered at his heart, pushing Sasuke down with its force. He just maimed…possibly killed his older brother. He choked out, as he realized exactly what he just did.
The fireball hit the unsuspecting Itachi, who didn't even have time to move, but instead of the scream of pain Sasuke expected and feared, a chair fell to the floor in Itachi's place. It was the very same chair that Sasuke had been sitting in, only moments before. The fireball dissipated, scorching part of the door frame.
Sasuke's legs wobbled as his mind reeled. The fireball hadn't hit Itachi. His brother wasn't dead. He spun around in shocking, looking for Itachi when his brother suddenly materialized in front of him. He stepped back quickly, his posture quavering.
"Sit down." Itachi commanded, his red eyes boring into Sasuke. They were spinning, twirling, leaving Sasuke's mind mesmerized and twirling down a dark void. Sasuke struggled to fight it, but it was as if gravity were already pulling him down. His legs folded beneath him and his butt hit the wooden floor hard.
Itachi stooped down so that he could remain at eye level with Sasuke. His blood red eyes were harsh, but as they faded away, Sasuke could see a deep sadness within his brother's eyes. "Never doubt what I have done for you." He said quietly. Then Itachi swept out of the room, through the outdoor entrance and into the courtyard.
Sasuke remained sitting on the floor, his heart beating erratically. The last time Sasuke had seen Itachi's Sharingan activated had been years ago, before his clan's massacre and never before had it been used against him. Sasuke realized with a chilling feeling that he might have underestimated his brother's skill in the passing years. Just maybe, Sasuke didn't know Itachi as well as he thought.
Glossary:
Gege- Older brother
Furen – Chinese honorific, used for high ranking females
Kakashi studied the woman next to him. She was pretty to say the least. Kakashi could sense a wave of nervousness, deep inside of her, although her attitude remained pleasant. Every once and a while, Kakashi would see her amber eyes dart over the surroundings as if she were looking for someone. Was she watching out for someone? Kakashi steered her over to a frequented tea house and stepped inside, welcoming the warmth.
"This is private?" The woman asked, her eyes looking around the crowded tea house skeptically.
Kakashi chuckled. "No place is private in Peking. But this one is quieter than most."
"I would never have guessed." The woman murmured.
Kakashi allowed himself a smile under his mask as he walked toward an empty table. He swiftly sat down at a two person table and offered the woman the other chair with his hand.
"They have the best jasmine tea." Said Kakashi. "And I'd also recommend ordering some dim sum. It's not as good as some of the other tea houses, but it's still fairly good."
The woman felt her stomach gurgle at the prospect of food. "I just might have to take you up on that offer." She said, folding her hands in front of her.
"So you must have a name." Said Kakashi, looking at her. "Unless you would like me to call you Miss all day."
The woman let out a laugh. Kakashi noted how it seemed to sound like a bell: high and clear. "Eguchi Asuka." Asuka responded, smiling lightly. "And yourself? Unless you would like me to call you Sir all day."
Kakashi grinned. "Hm. Touché. You can call me Wo Lang."
"Crouching Wol…" Asuka stopped in mid-sentence, her smile slowly fading. Now she could remember with exact clarity where she had seen his face before. In the Bingo Book that was currently sitting along with her kunai and shuriken in the folds of her robe.
"Is something wrong?" Asked Kakashi, as he leaned closer to her.
Asuka quickly shook her head, her hair swishing around her. "No I just…"
"Ni hao ma, can I take your order?" Asuka looked up to see that she had been saved by the waiter.
Kakashi looked at Asuka expectantly. Asuka tilted her head. "Would you mind ordering? You seem to know this place well."
Kakashi happily complied and began to tell the waiter their order. Asuka bit her lip suddenly feeling unsure. The man sitting in front of her was the enemy, she had to realize, and not just the enemy, but one of the most dangerous of enemies, dangerous enough to be put in the Bingo Book with an order to kill on sight.
Asuka took a huge gulp of jasmine tea as soon as it was set in front of her. Kakashi cocked his head to the side as he stared at Asuka. She definitely wasn't like most women, that was for sure. "Are you sure you're ok?"
Asuka nodded her head weakly. "Aren't you going to have any?" Asuka asked, gesturing to the tea cup in front of Kakashi.
"Sorry." Said Kakashi, pointing to his mask. "Shinobi rules."
Asuka closed her eyes and gave a mental sigh. "I knew that." She said sheepishly.
After eating, in which Asuka had her fill of northern cuisine in the form of dianxin and Kakashi covertly ate a bun or two, Kakashi insisted on accompanying Asuka on her walk back to her hotel. And so Asuka and Kakashi were silently walking side by side as the winter night slowly rained gentle snowflakes down on them. Asuka's eyes were downcast as she walked and she seemed sullen; lost in thought.
'I'm afraid.' Asuka realized as they continued walking, weaving past the crowds of people. 'Of what? That he won't like me? I didn't come here to make a new friend.' Asuka thought. But, she realized that she did enjoy Kakashi's company, much more than she would let herself realize.
They were only a block away from the inn where Asuka told Kakashi she was staying when Asuka lifted her eyes and stopped.
"Eguchi-xiaojie?" Kakashi questioned.
"There's something I need to tell you." Said Asuka resolutely.
Kakashi quirked an eyebrow underneath his mask but said nothing as an ominous feeling crept over him.
Asuka pursed her lips for a moment before her face cleared itself of emotion. "My name is Eguchi Asuka," She said, "And I'm a Jounin of Iwagakure. I've come to tell you that Iwa plans on going to war with Konoha."
Glossary:
Ni hao ma-How are you?
Dianxin-dim sum/ small dishes served around lunch time
Xiaojie - Chinese honorific, equivalent of Miss
Temari stared into the darkness of her bedroom, the only light reflecting from the single candle flame that was sitting on her bedside table. Her window was firmly locked from the inside, allowing none of the moonlight to shine in. Although she should have been sleeping, Temari's eyes were vigilant in the darkness. Underneath her pillow, her hand was clamped tightly around the hilt of a blade. She dared Kabuto to make an appearance in her bedroom again…
Temari's eyes jerked to the ceiling as she heard a slight thud. Her hand gripped the blade tighter. She heard some scuffling against the windowpane and suddenly, a long thin blade slid up through the crevice between the two window panes and unlatched the lock. Temari scowled. So much for being locked from the inside. She pulled the covers up to her eyes as to seem inconspicuous. She quickly blew out the candle. The windowpanes were pushed open and a dark shadow flipped into the room, landing on the floor.
Temari waited as the figure slowly approached her, finally bending down in front of her. With surprising accuracy, Temari's legs shot out of the covers, quickly grasping the intruder's neck and Temari flipped them over, sending them crashing into the back wall.
Temari grabbed the blade from under her pillow and scrambled over to the intruder. She found them on a heap on the ground next to the wall. Quickly straddling them, Temari gripped one hand around their throat and kept the blade poised at their face.
"Who are you?" Temari snarled. "What are you doing here?"
"T-Troublesome woman." The intruder choked out between gasps of breath. "You're choking me…"
With a gasp, Temari scrambled off and dropped the knife. "S-Shikamaru?"
Before he could respond, Temari pulled him toward her, crushing her lips against his. After a moment of confusion, she felt Shikamaru respond with equal vigor, his hand tangling in her hair. After a few minutes, they broke away, breathing heavily.
He was almost just as Temari remembered him. The same tanned skin and dark eyes. The same hair, although slightly longer, pulled up into a ponytail. She gave out sigh, one that was filled with despair and longing. "You shouldn't be here."
Shikamaru furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? I just spent half a year trying to track you down. I had no idea where you went after you left. Now you tell me you don't want me here?" Shikamaru said incredulously. "I swear, women are just too much. I don't know why I bother…"
"It's not that I don't want you here." Said Temari frustrated. "You can't be here…"
Shikamaru paused, as if looking for the right words. "You told me…"
"I know what I told you."
Temari stared up into the endless night sky, Shikamaru's arms securely around her waist. "I'll miss you, you know." Temari shifted slightly so that she could look Shikamaru in the face. His eyes didn't betray anything.
"You're sure of your decision?" Shikamaru asked, his hand running through her hair.
Temari nodded her head before turning toward Shikamaru and placing her hands on his chest. "I need to do what's right. As much as I want to hide here forever with you…I can't. You were right. I have duties…I…need to see my brother again."
Shikamaru nodded and kissed the top of her forehead. "You better wait for me." Said Temari, poking her finger hard in Shikamaru's chest. "There's no excuse if you don't."
Shikamaru smirked and looked away. "I wouldn't be stupid enough to try it, don't worry. Women are troublesome enough when you don't cheat on them."
Temari laughed before reaching up and pulling the small intricate comb out of her hair. She looked at it fondly before thrusting it into Shikamaru's hand and closing his fingers around it.
"What…?" Said Shikamaru looking down at his hand. "I can't take this…it belonged…"
"I know." Said Temari. "You can give it back when we see each other again. It's like a promise."
"A promise…" Shikamaru repeated slowly.
Temari nodded her head, smiling. "And if you don't come to track me down, I'll have to come looking for you. And it won't be pretty."
Shikamaru laughed once again and pulled Temari close, his lips settling on hers.
Temari looked away and brushed the tears away and smiled at the fondness of the memory.
"If you want me to go…" Said Shikamaru slowly getting up. "If there is someone else…"
"No!" Temari exclaimed, quickly grabbing Shikamaru's wrist. He stopped and turned toward her. "There is someone else…but not in that way. I'm…I'm getting married, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru turned toward Temari and sucked in a breath. He raised an eyebrow. "Married?"
Temari nodded her head slowly. "An arranged marriage. To some bastard named Uchiha Sasuke who I hate!"
"Then let's run away together!" Shikamaru implored as he bent down and grasped Temari's hands. "Then we can be together. You won't have to worry about any of this anymore. Just like we planned last time. We won't even have to go back to the gang."
Temari furrowed her eyebrows. "But they're your family."
"I know. But then it can be just you and I, doing whatever we want. That's what you want, isn't it?" Asked Shikamaru.
Temari sighed. "More than anything…" Temari pulled away from Shikamaru and turned from him. "But I'm not the same girl you met in the desert. I think at some point, we need to grow up. You had to…before, so now it's my turn."
Shikamaru sat, staring a Temari's back as he contemplated her words. Then he sighed sadly and turned away. From the pocket of his trousers, he brought out a small object. He held onto it for a second before placing it in her table.
"A promise is a promise." He whispered.
Temari turned slowly and her eyes settled on a small comb on the table. It was the comb that her mother had given her when she was small. She hadn't seen it in two years. The window unlatched and a cold breeze suddenly wafted into the room. Shikamaru was gone. Slowly, as though something had numbed her body, Temari reached over and grabbed the comb, tucking it in her hair and laid back down to sleep, tears slowly leaking from her eyes.
"If I was going to do something to you, I would have done it long before." Shikamaru retorted dryly.
Temari glared at Shikamaru, taking in his ratty and torn robes as she tried to edge farther away from him. "You need water." Said Shikamaru as he knelt toward her once more. "Otherwise you're gonna get dehydrated and that's the last thing I need." He muttered.
Slowly, he brought a ceramic teacup full of water toward her face. Temari turned away from him. Frustrated, Shikamaru grabbed her face forcefully and squeezed her cheeks, puckering her lips. With his other hand, he brought the teacup to her lips and forced the water down. Temari pushed his hands away and spit the water back into his face.
"Ugh!" Yelled Shikamaru dropping the teacup and wiping his face. "I don't have to put up with this shit! Fine then, princess. Get dehydrated then. See if I care."
"I'm not a princess." Temari muttered.
"What was that?" Asked Shikamaru walking back. "You're not a princess? Like I care! All you women are practically the same to me."
"Hmph." Said Temari crossing her arms. "A real lady's charmer my captor is."
"Captor!" Said Shikamaru. "You followed me! And for what? A stupid comb!" He threw his hands up into the air.
"My comb!" Said Temari suddenly remembering why she tracked this man down. "Give me back my comb!" She scrambled over to Shikamaru, knocking him down. "Give me back my comb!" She screamed as she furiously threw mindless punches at him.
"Crazy woman!" Shikamaru yelled. "Get the hell off me!" He managed to grab Temari's wrists and then threw her off of him before scrambling up.
"I was going to let you have a bath, but since your being such a brat…" Said Shikamaru, brushing himself off.
"A bath?" Said Temari, suddenly dazed by the idea of being clean. She was dirty, she could tell that much. She could feel the dirt caked onto her face, on her hands and feet. Her hair was bedraggled around her face and matted with dirt. Her hair had long ago fallen out of its bun. But then she snapped out of it. "Why would I want to take a bath with you here? You would probably spy on me!"
"Spy on you?" Asked Shikamaru incredulously. "Hah! Why would I want to? I have no interest in bratty little princesses."
"Good." Said Temari crossing her arms over her chest. "Because you are the last man I would ever want to be with!"
Jutsu:
Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu- Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu
Self explanatory-jutsu that sends out a large fireball
Character Corner
Name: Haruno Sakura
Shinobi Name: Wu He
Age: 18
Height: 5'-6''
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Specializes: Taijutsu, Genjutsu, Medical Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu
Sakura was raised in Konoha by retired shinobi parents who were on Jounin and Chunin rank. At the age of 7, Kakashi became her Jounin instructor along with Uzumaki Naruto. At the age of 12, she along with Naruto participated in the Chunin exams in which she was promoted to Chunin. Because of her ability to demonstrate precise chakra control, Kakashi sent her to train with Tsunade in the ways of Medical Ninjutsu. When Naruto returned from Mount Song, both she and Naruto were promoted to the rank of Jounin at age 16. Since becoming a Jounin, Sakura also began to work at the Konoha hospital, rising to the rank of lead surgeon.
Sakura was always a smart girl but had not always planned on being a shinobi. Under Kakashi's tutelage, she excelled not only in written work, but in the physical aspects of shinobi training as well. Sakura was influenced by her parents and the rest of her village to hate Naruto, but she never understood why. She defied her mother's wishes when she agreed to train beside Naruto. They had since become best friends. Although Sakura always acted proper, she had quite a temper inside and hasn't until recently learned to control her opinions and voice them. Sakura cares for Naruto dearly as a friend, but is unwilling to admit it to herself or others if she feels anything more. Her shinobi name means Dancing Crane.