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: I wanted to give a special thanks to LadyLys and your wonderful review. those are the reviews that constantly make me want to keep writing and perfecting this story. Thank you so much and thanks to everyone else who took the time out to review. I hope you can keep reviewing.
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019: 自由
(freedom)
The night was cold and clear; the sky cloudless under the moonlit sky. A lone shadow moved quickly and silently among the rooftops. Their movements were practiced as they stuck to the shadows and avoided being illuminated by the moonlight.
A voice, almost as quiet as the wind called out to her. She stopped for a moment, wondering if her ears had deceived her. She listened again.
"Jie…"
Eyes alert and wide with surprise, she turned, looking for the source of his voice when Gaara emerged from the shadows and into the pale white light of the moon. His eyes were dark and his face expressionless, yet Temari could see the small frown on his lips. He stared at her silently.
Temari bit her lip before jumping from the roof to join him. "Gaara…" Said Temari stunned. "What are you…how did you…?" She asked.
"You may have been good at keeping secrets from father," Said Gaara softly, stepping toward her. "But you've taken care of me ever since I was a child. I know you."
Temari looked toward the dark building they were standing in front of. It was dark; its lantern extinguished perhaps hours ago. A dark tree helped to obscure them from the courtyard, its branches bare except for snow.
"Don't do this Temari." Said Gaara, breaking the silence. "It is dishonorable…running away like this. Where will you go?" He demanded.
Her brother. Her sweet, kind brother. Gaara often didn't show his emotions to anyone, even his own family. But as his older sister, she had seen Gaara's few moments of vulnerability. His tone may have sounded unforgiving, but the fact that he came searching for Temari, that he knew where she would be, it spoke volumes to the eldest Feng sibling. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her younger brother, but he had to realize that she was doing this for herself.
"It doesn't matter." Said Temari, now wiping at a tear that had formed at her eye. "For once in my life I will be free." She said proudly, the ghost of a smile echoing on her face.
Gaara's expression tightened. He could see that he was fighting a losing battle. "The Uchiha will never accept you back if you go!" Said Gaara. "You will ruin your life!"
"Don't you understand?" Temari demanded desperately. "I don't intend on coming back! This is my one chance and I'm taking it!"
"You would leave…just like that?" The shell had cracked. Gaara's voice sounded vulnerable with uncertainty and hurt as he looked at his older sister with an expression that was hard to decipher.
Temari's expression crumbled for a moment before she crushed herself against her brother. He gave an indignant grunt, but she felt his hands on her back after a moment. There had been a time when Temari had been taller than Gaara and she would affectionately smooth his hair down whenever she hugged him. Now, however, he towered over her so her face was buried in his chest instead. She pulled away after a moment, her arms still wrapped around him. There was a sad smile on her face.
"You don't need me anymore Gaara. You've grown up. And you'll be great as baba's heir. There's nothing more for me here, but there is everything for you."
"I can't just let you leave." Said Gaara, the raw emotion in his voice that he usually kept so concealed.
"You have to." Said Temari simply. "I can't stay here any longer." Temari was quick as she pulled away from Gaara and jumped back to the rooftops. The warmth Gaara felt from Temari was suddenly replaced by cold.
"Mu qin would have wanted you to stay! To uphold the family honor!" Yelled Gaara, in a desperate attempt to keep his sister from leaving.
Temari turned back once more, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Mama would have been happy with whatever I decided to do." Then she turned for the last time, jumping over the rooftop and disappearing into the night, a white tassel blowing behind her.
Glossary:
Jie - older sister
Mu qin- another version of mother
There was something soothing about the repetitive nature of the sun setting every evening only to rise again in the morning, bringing with it a brand new day. Slates would be wiped clean and a world of possibilities presented themselves. Perhaps this was why the sun was revered in so many cultures, not only because it was a bringer of life, but because it brought with it endless opportunities.
But, as the shinobi of Konoha were finding, it seemed that sunrises in Peking didn't bring endless possibilities, but rather endless disappointment.
"I am not a library!" Tsunade raged. "People cannot just take things and then put them back whenever they feel like it!"
Along with Tsunade; Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi stood in Tsunade's study in front of the open black lacquer box that rested in the place of honor in the middle of the study. And the black box was once again void of the Tian Tang Jian – a sight they were becoming increasingly familiar with.
Kakashi scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Bringing it here seems to have been a mistake..." He mused.
"It's just Temari." Sakura seethed. "She doesn't know her boundaries and just takes what she very well pleases!"
"And to make matters worse, she's gone missing." Sighed Tsunade.
Naruto glanced toward Sakura. Had Temari gone missing because she found out about Sakura and Sasuke? Sakura seemed unperturbed about the fact that Temari was missing, so Naruto couldn't be sure. He felt very uneasy.
"A search party is the best solution." Said Tsunade. "I think Governor Feng and Uchiha Itachi are arranging one as we speak."
"Naruto, Sakura." Said Kakashi turning toward the shinobi. "I want you two to accompany Feng's men in the search for Temari. If she does indeed have the Tian Tang Jian, then you two have the best chance of getting it back."
Sakura sighed. "Once was hard enough."
Tsunade placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "You won't have the social restraints you had before. If you find Temari first, use any means necessary to get the sword back. She needs to understand this cannot be tolerated and shinobi are not to be trifled with."
Sakura raised her eyebrows under her mask. "Any means necessary?"
Tsunade nodded. "In this household, the sword has to take top priority. There's no telling what kind of damage that girl could do with a sword of that means." She slammed her fist in her palm. Sakura knew Tsunade meant business.
In the sunlit courtyard, Itachi and Governor Feng stood in front of the troops they had assembled to look for Temari. Itachi had enlisted half of the police force to search while Governor Feng was using the security detail that Tsunade had hired from Tenten to search as well as the miscellaneous servants who would join in.
Sasuke was standing off to the side, his silk robes replaced by a black outfit similar to the police forces'. Gaara stood behind Governor Feng, his face emotionless. Tsunade, Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura joined the fray, mingling with the fifty or so men that had gathered.
"Finding my sister-in-law is top priority." Said Itachi pacing before the men. "We need to use all means necessary to find her." Itachi then turned to Governor Feng. "Is there any place your daughter might turn to? A particular place she could hide?"
Governor Feng sighed and shook his head. "I'm not sure. We lived in the Land of Wind for a while, but I doubt she could make it that far."
Gaara stepped up. "I don't think my sister ran away." He said respectfully. All eyes turned to Gaara.
Governor Feng turned to his youngest son. "What are you trying to say?"
Gaara shook his head. "My sister would never have tried to escape. She had been anticipating this union. I think she was kidnapped."
Murmurs ran through the troops before Itachi silenced them and began the process of splitting up the troops, giving each section a direction they should search narrowed her eyebrows. "He's covering for her." She whispered. "He knows what happened."
Naruto turned to Sakura. "How do you know?"
Sakura shook her head. "Temari wasn't looking forward to marriage at all. She was dreading it. Especially since the Tian Tang Jian is now missing, we know she must have escaped of her own accord."
"He's trying to protect her." Sakura and Naruto turned to Kakashi. "He knows that if we find her, she'll be punished severely if they think she was trying to escape. He must love his sister." Mused Kakashi. "As long as you two find Temari before the others, the truth doesn't have to come out."
"You won't be coming with us?" Murmured Naruto.
Kakashi shook his head and looked toward Sakura who still wasn't aware of the prisoner in Kakashi's guesthouse. "I'll stay here and deal with things."
Sakura wasn't listening to either Kakashi or Naruto. She was subtly watching Sasuke who was watching her. Sakura didn't know what kind of plans Sasuke had now that his wife had run off. It worried her that Sasuke knew what her real face looked like. She was hoping that she could forget about the whole incident. With Sasuke married and out of the way, it would have been easy, but with Temari escaping, it complicated things a bit. Sakura realized her best bet was to find Temari quickly before Sasuke could make another move. The last thing she wanted was for Naruto to find out.
"Sasuke." Sasuke jumped and turned his attentions away from Sakura and toward Itachi who was now standing in front of him. "I want you to go with a few of my men. You should be safe with them."
Sasuke nodded, his eyes dropping to the ground.
"And Sasuke," Said Itachi.
"Yes brother?" Asked Sasuke.
"Finding your wife takes priority over everything." Itachi turned around and Sasuke followed his gaze toward Sakura. Itachi turned back to him. "Everything else."
It had been long since Daichi had truly felt like a Kage. The years that he had spent rebuilding Iwa from the ground after the Third War hadn't made Daichi feel powerful at all. Although it was said that great leaders often rose to their full potential in the face of crisis, the rebuilding of Iwa had done nothing but make Daichi feel weak and unimportant. Iwa had once been one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages before the War, but the aftermath had reduced both the village and Iwa's fighting force to shambles. Daichi couldn't help but feel that he had become the leader of a sinking ship instead of a leader at the helm of a powerful fighting force.
But as Daichi rode through the forests of Chongqing upon his horse, resplendent in his white robes over ornate forest green ones, Kage hat upon in head, Daichi finally felt that he was taking his rightful position. He approached the predetermined clearing and found that he was the last to arrive. He came to a stop, leaving himself an adequate distance away from the others. The ANBU trailing behind him stopped a few feet away. No doubt the ANBU who had run ahead within the cover of the trees had determined the area safe. They were now nowhere to be seen.
"Good to see you could all make it on time." Called out Daichi.
"Nothing stands in our way when there is a war to discuss." Laughed a tall man who sat upon a strong, grey colored horse. His mask was covered in lightning bolts. Daichi found that the Raikage had taken similar precautions as a masked ANBU sat a few feet away on his own horse.
"This isn't the most comfortable place to discuss a war." Said a harsh voice. "But we will have to make due. I want to get down to the basics."
"You seem like a man who is ill accustomed to comfort, Amekage-gong." Said the Raikage lightly.
And it was true. While both Daichi and the Raikage had chosen to wear robes underneath their customary white ones as a symbol of the wealth and power of their villages, the Amekage had chosen to dress simply in only a plain blue cotton robe. There were no ANBU accompanying him either, which Daichi couldn't be sure was due to the Amekage's over estimation of his own abilities or because he didn't think that Daichi and the Raikage were stupid enough to try and attack him.
As customary, Daichi only knew the Amekage by his shinobi name, Xia Yu Tian Kong – Raining Sky. The man was notorious for hating Konoha after Konoha defeated them in war – not very different from Daichi's own reasons for hating Konoha. The only difference was that the Amekage was known to be a demon on the battlefield, and he had an even nastier personality.
Despite his nasty personality, the Amekage seemed to take the Raikage's jest in light, even going so far as to chuckle a bit. "Perhaps you are right, Raikage-gong."
Daichi cleared his throat, lest the Amekage decided to take offense. "Iwagakure is ready for war." He said, jumping right into business. "I've already discussed it with my war council. They are eager to take back what should have rightfully been our victory in the Third War."
"My war council has come to a similar agreement." Said the Raikage, his voice serious. "But there are concerns. We know that Suna will side with Konoha."
"The one thing that Konoha has done right since the war was make an alliance with Suna." Murmured the Amekage.
The Raikage nodded his head. "And Suna's fighting force could prove a problem. They've amassed more troops since the last war." Said the Raikage, expressing his worries.
"Do not forget," Said the Amekage with irritation in his voice, "That Kumo has the second largest fighting force. Should not all of our troops be adequate?"
"Yes…" Said the Raikage. "It is true that we have not remained idle in the years since the war, but that does not mean that we should not still be cautious of the threat that Suna poses."
"My right hand general is scouting in Peking as we speak." Said Daichi, fearing that he would lose the Raikage's support if he didn't act soon. "I have yet to receive her first report, but if theory proves correct, Konoha is weak right now. Years without war have turned them soft. Sun Wu Kong, the Third Hokage has retired. And I hear he has appointed his son as the next Hokage."
"His son?" Asked the Raikage. "I wasn't aware Sun Wu Kong had any sons."
"He has two." Said the Amekage. "Both are unremarkable."
Daichi narrowed his eyes but the gesture was hidden behind his mask. The Amekage possessed remarkable knowledge on the intimate details within Hidden Villages other than his own. It gave Daichi more than enough reason to be suspicious about what the man knew of Iwa.
"And what of Yin Cang She, the Konoha traitor?" Said Daichi instead. "If we find him, I'm sure he would be more than willing to join forces with us. Last time he attacked Konoha, he brought with him the Kyuubi. That would be a tremendous asset."
"Indeed." Murmured the Amekage. "There is just one thing that troubles me. The Kyuubi Jinchuriki. He's a Konoha shinobi."
The Raikage glanced toward the ground. He would not speak of his failure concerning the Jinchuriki...not among this crowd.
"The full power of the Kyuubi is trapped within a teenaged boy." Said Daichi dismissively. "I hardly find that a concern."
The Amekage shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps you are right, but perhaps you are wrong. The power of a Jinchuriki should never be...underestimated." The Raikage swore the Amekage was looking at him when he said this.
"In any case, we should bide our time with this, gentlemen." Continued the Amekage. "While I am just as eager to put Konoha in its place, we should first gather our assets. That way, we can make Konoha pay in the worst way possible."
Glossary:
Gong – Chinese honorific, equivalent of lord
Chongqing – a province with no Hidden Village
Sun Wu Kong-Monkey King
Kyuubi Jinchuuriki- Nine Tailed Fox Host
Amekage- Kage of Amegakure
Raikage- Kage of Kumogakure
Iwa- Village Hidden in the Rock
Kumo- Village Hidden in the Clouds
Suna- Village Hidden in the Sand
The sun was past its halfway mark as Temari walked wearily into an outdoor café. Despite the cold and snow, there were still patrons outside drinking tea at the many tables. Temari sat down at a nearby wooden table and unclipped the Tian Tang Jian from her waist before unceremoniously slamming it down on the table.
Temari was weary after an entire night of traveling and while her short nap had left her feeling refreshed, she was cold from sleeping on the ground and the journey to the restaurant had been exhausting. Temari's feet and legs ached from the endless walking. Temari regretted not stealing a horse from Tsunade before escaping. Now she would just have to steal one hopefully from a farm nearby. She had also been looking for a place to pawn off her wedding clothes, but no such luck yet. Temari figured she might even have to journey to a big city like Tianjin to do so.
Temari adjusted the headband that she had used to push her bangs back from her forehead as a waitress bundled in a heavy outer coat walked over. She set down a plate and teacup in front of Temari. "What type of tea would you like?" The waitress asked, her breath blowing out steam in the cold air.
"Jasmine." Said Temari.
The waitress nodded and was about to walk away when Temari grabbed her wrist roughly. She handed her back the teacup. "A clean cup too." She said.
The waitress looked at Temari incredulously who remained holding the cup out to her even as she looked away. Finally the waitress took the cup and walked away.
Temari looked out at the surrounding snow covered trees. Temari still had no idea on where she planned on going. She thought about finding Konoha for a brief moment, but decided against it. She didn't want to become a shinobi – they had too many rules for Temari's liking and Temari wanted to be absolutely free. She didn't want to cover her face or worry about the consequences of starting wars or of compromised identities. She thought about going back to the desert to find Shikamaru, but she decided against that as well. She already told Shikamaru no. She wasn't the type of girl to keep jerking Shikamaru along.
As Temari sat contemplating her next move, two men came up, putting their feet on the bench opposite to Temari. They slammed their swords on the table. Temari glanced up at them, not bothered by their presence.
One of the men laughed and they both put their hands together and bowed in greeting. "Ni hao." Said the man who laughed. "What's your name stranger?"
Temari glanced away. "Feng." She replied, finding her family name an adequate replacement name for her real one.
The second man glanced at the first and smiled. "So it's young Master Feng." He held up his sword with both hands. "My apologies. I am Iron Sword Crane and this," He said, patting the other man on the back, "Is my brother in arms Flying Sword Hawk."
Temari smirked. "Wannabe shinobi?" She asked.
Both men scowled. Flying Sword Hawk, slightly larger in build than his partner bent down in front of Temari. "Master Feng you say? Care to tell us where you're headed?"
Temari held his gaze, her eyes challenging. "Anywhere there's action."
The waitress from before hesitantly walked up to Temari and placed her teacup in front of her with trembling hands. She glanced again at Temari and the two men and then scurried away as quickly as she could. Temari picked her teacup and took a sip. It felt good to have something warm in her system.
Iron Sword Crane looked toward his partner. "Action huh? I bet we could be of some assistance then."
Temari smirked once more. "Don't bother." She said, taking another sip of her tea.
Both of the men smiled. "You don't seem to understand." Said Iron Sword Crane.
Temari looked up, glaring at both of the men. "And what if I don't?"
"We have…ways of making you understand." Said Flying Sword Hawk. Both he and his partner gripped their swords and started to pull them out of their scabbards.
Temari let out a sigh and put her teacup down. With speed that would have made any shinobi proud, she ripped the Tian Tang Jian out of its scabbard on the table and swung it around, cutting through the blades of both men's swords. She put it back in its sheath and picked up her teacup once more.
The men stepped backwards in surprise, the bottom halves of their swords falling into the snow below. "Are you related to Wo Lang?" Asked Flying Sword Hawk. "Did he give you that sword?"
Temari snorted at the man. "He's my defeated foe." She said, taking another sip of her tea.
The two men shared uneasy glances.
Glossary:
Ni hao- Hello
Sasuke reined his horse to go faster and galloped out of the gates to Tsunade's estate, pushing past the men that had rode ahead of him. He could see Sakura riding ahead in the distance, her pink hair trailing out behind her. He pushed his horse to go faster.
"Wu He!" He called out.
Sakura could hear her name being called out faintly behind her. Reining her horse to slow down, she turned around and saw Sasuke galloping toward her. Regretting her decision to stop, Sakura turned back around quickly. She took a deep breath.
"Wu He?" Naruto stopped ahead of her and was looking back. "What's wrong?"
Sasuke came to a stop next to Sakura. Naruto bristled at the sight of Sasuke and turned away.
"Wu He, can I speak with you?" Sasuke asked, still eyeing Naruto.
Sakura bit her lip under her mask. "Zhong Hu, you go on ahead, I'll catch up with you. Take Pakkun with you." Said Sakura. She gestured up to the small dog that was on the branch over Naruto. Kakashi had offered his ninken to the search party. The leader of the pack, Pakkun, had elected to go with Naruto and Sakura. The small dog gave Naruto a confused look.
Naruto glanced from Sakura to Sasuke. His hands clenched into fists around the reins. "Are you sure Wu He?" He asked, his voice strained. 'Please say no, please say no…' Naruto thought desperately.
Sakura ducked her head. "Yes of course. I'll be right with you."
Naruto's fingernails dug into his skin hard, despite the gloves that were covering his hands. Without a word, he reined his horse to move and galloped off. Pakkun hurried after him, jumping from tree to tree.
Once Naruto was out of sight, Sakura turned quickly on Sasuke before he could speak. "I despise what you did to me the other day. Please do not think that anything further will happen between you and I." Sakura said, her voice low and trembling.
Sasuke stared at Sakura not moving, sort of dumbfounded by what she said.
"Furthermore," Said Sakura. "I would like to have no further interaction with you. Please do not seek me out again." She let out a breath and then turned away from Sasuke, picking up the reins of her horse.
Sasuke gritted his teeth and his hand jerked out grabbing her wrist. Sakura gasped at his actions and before Sasuke uttered a word, Sakura broke out his grasp and bent his wrist back, almost to the point of breaking. Sasuke's eyes widened and he let out a strangled cry.
"Never touch me or come near me again." She said darkly, her chakra spiking dangerously around her. She let go of Sasuke's wrist and galloped off as quickly as she could.
"You forget that I've seen your face!" Sasuke yelled after her.
Inside, Sasuke's blood was boiling and he felt a rage rip through him, something he hadn't felt since he vowed vengeance on his clan's murderer.
"I've seen your face..." He muttered to himself. Then he jerked the reins on his horse around, galloping off the in opposite direction of the search party.
Glossary:
Ninken- A pack of dogs that Kakashi uses through the Summoning Technique
Naruto let out a growl as he rode his horse farther and farther through the woods. Feeling his body starting to shake, he jerked the reins backs and his horse let out a whine at being jerked around so roughly. Naruto jumped off the horse, his feet pounding into the untouched snow. He was still shaking as he leaned over and rested his forehead against a tree trunk.
"Naruto …" Said Pakkun in a concerned voice. Pakkun had known Naruto as a baby, ever since the day Kakashi had brought him home. Naruto used to pay with his tail all the time as a kid. Never before had he seen Naruto act this way.
To Naruto, it was like his heart was breaking all over again. His throat had a huge lump in it and he couldn't even swallow properly. To know that Sakura willing went off with that jerk…Why did it hurt so much? Naruto clutched his hand to his heart and sank into the snow. There had to be something, some way to make the pain inside go away.
It was as if Naruto was reliving his worst nightmares all over again. The ones were Sakura was roughly ripped from his grasp by the Kyuubi. Where he found himself crying over her dead and decaying body. Where he found himself as the Kyuubi, consciously ripping her screaming body to pieces. Where he found himself sitting in a pool of her blood. Only this time, the loss was real, and even if Sakura wasn't dead, it meant that she was alive and he couldn't be with her.
With shaking hands, Naruto reached inside his tactical vest and pulled out a kunai. He put the tip hesitantly against his the skin on his finger.
"Naruto!" Shouted Pakkun jumping from the tree.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Naruto gasped and dropped the kunai in the snow and stumbled backwards. Pakkun stopped in his tracks, staring at Naruto with a mix of confusion and worry written on his face.
"Hahaha, did I scare you, kid?" The Kyuubi laughed.
"W-why are you speaking to me?" Naruto asked, his voice shaking. "Just go back in your corner and shut up!"
"You're so pathetic Uzumaki." The Kyuubi snarled. "Losing your head over some girl..."
"Shut your mouth!" Naruto roared, standing to his feet. "You don't know anything! Now just shut up! I don't want to talk to you!" Naruto kicked the snow at his feet, as if the Kyuubi were in front of him instead of in his head.
"If she doesn't deign to look at you now, there's no way that she ever will…" Scoffed the Kyuubi.
"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Naruto roared, grabbing the hair on his head. Naruto fell to the ground once more, his breathing heavy.
"That's it kid, lose control. Then it won't be long before I gain control once again…"
The Kyuubi's voice drifted away, back into the recesses of Naruto's mind. Naruto collapsed in the snow, his hands limply by his side. His heart was beating erratically and he felt scared. Pakkun walked up to the fallen shinobi carefully, licking his hand which was clenched by his side.
When Sakura rode up, Naruto was sitting on his horse, Pakkun at his side as if nothing had happened. Sakura herself was still shaken by her encounter with Sasuke, but she took a deep breath and smiled under her mask.
"Sorry about that." Said Sakura cheerfully as she rode up along side Naruto.
Naruto spared a glance at Pakkun who turned away and then turned toward Sakura. "No problem, Sakura." He said, sounding like his usual self.
"Everything ok?" Sakura asked tilting her head.
Naruto nodded eagerly; almost too eagerly. "Yeah, of course. Listen, Pakkun thinks that he's got a lead on Temari's trail. Should we go?" Asked Naruto.
"Ok." Said Sakura nodding her head.
Naruto nudged the reins. His horse gave him an indignant look before starting to walk. "Boss…maybe you should tell Sakura that the Kyuubi…" Whispered Pakkun.
"Shh!" Said Naruto roughly.
Glossary:
Hou -rank below lord
Temari reveled in the warmth of the restaurant as she was led up the steps onto the second floor by a waiter. She looked around, marveling at the amount of people that occupied the restaurant. There was chatter and music and singing all around her. She dodged past some patrons as she followed the waiter.
"I want a clean table." She called out.
The man ahead of her nodded his head. "No worries! We have plenty." He led Temari over to a table in the corner near a window. The window allowed a view of the snow covered trees outside and the table had a cup full of chopsticks along with a single peony in a vase for decoration. He quickly wiped off the chair with the rag that was over his shoulder.
Temari glanced around and deemed it appropriate. She sat down.
"Can I get your order?" Asked the waiter, clasping his hands together.
Temari thought for a second. "I want a whole cod - steamed, shark fin soup, mixed vegetables, but go light on the sauce, chicken dumplings, but make sure that the chicken is white meat. A bowl of rice and a light wine. No more tea." She rattled off.
The waiter stared dumbfounded at her. "Umm…" He said after a minute. "That could take a while..."
Temari raised an eyebrow at him. "Then why are you still standing here?" She asked.
The man gulped and all but ran off. Another waitress came by a few minutes later and poured Temari a cup of water. Temari lightly touched the cup as she pulled out a pair of chopsticks to use and then stared out the window.
Temari was drifting off when she heard a stampede of footsteps coming up the stairs. Temari pursed her lips and rolled her eyes when she saw a group of men heading toward her, led by the two men she dealt with earlier. The men sitting at the table adjacent to hers quickly ran out of the way as the men crowded into the area around Temari, sitting at the tables surrounding her. Temari glanced around as they all took their seats. The music and chatter died down.
One man in a long robe picked up Temari's sack from the chair next to hers and put it on the table before sitting down. He casually leaned his arm against the table. "I'm Iron Arm Li." The man said smirking. "I heard a true master has arrived, so I've come to seek a lesson."
Temari ignored him, instead picking up her cup of water and taking a sip. Iron Arm Li watched her, before turning back to the men behind him. A few shrugged while others motioned for him to make a move. Temari looked out the window. "Are you even listening to me?" Iron Arm Li demanded.
"Not particularly." Temari answered nonchalantly as she continued to look out the window.
Iron Arm Li widened his eyes and jumped to his feet. "I wasn't going to act rashly, since you are a woman, but you've asked for it!" Iron Arm Li moved into a fighting stance. Temari took another sip, sighing contently.
With a yell of rage, Iron Arm Li attacked, sending a barrage of punches Temari's way. With one hand still gripping her cup, Temari blocked all of his attacks, her arm coming up underneath as she hit him with the palm of her hand in the chest. Iron Arm Li, stumbled away into two men behind him, thrown off balance. He quickly stopped himself. Temari glared at him as she rubbed her wrist.
With another yell, Iron Arm Li ran to attack again. This time, Temari quickly put down her cup and turned into the attack, using her hand to push away his head and the other to rip the sleeve off his arm as he pulled away. Iron Arm Li stumbled away as Temari threw the torn sleeve to the ground.
Temari looked at him and then snorted. "What type of iron arm are you?" She ridiculed.
Angered, Iron Arm Li attacked once more. Temari blocked his punches before kicking him in the stomach. He stumbled back into the table that was previously occupied by the two men before breaking through the second floor railing and falling to the first floor. He smashed through a table. There were screams as suddenly, the patrons on the first floor got up and ran out of the restaurant.
Temari straightened and brushed off her clothes as the men around her bristled.
"You have amazing technique." Marveled one man. "I'm Furious Metal Saber. Have you trained with Huang Shan Guan?"
"Who?" Scoffed Temari narrowing her eyes. "What's with all you ridiculous wannabe shinobi? Who is supposed to remember such long winded and stupid names anyway?" She asked.
"You claim to have defeated Wo Lang, yet you don't even know his teacher, the Fourth Hokage?" Demanded a man to Temari's left.
Temari turned slowly, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"
A large heavy set man stepped forward. "I am Sasuke of the Iron Fan." He said, whipping out a metal fan. He stared at Temari, the fan quivering in his hand.
"Sasuke?" Asked Temari raising an eyebrow. "I hate that name!" She spat. "It makes me want to puke!"
As Temari slowly stood up, the man's eyes widened and he slowly backed away. "Too bad for you that, that's your name." She said lowly. "You'll be the first to feel the wrath of my sword!"
There was murmuring outside the restaurant where the patrons and others had crowded around. Suddenly, a body flew through the outside balcony and landed in the snow. There were yells as people pointed and gathered around the body. The crowd outside grew rowdy.
Inside was pure chaos. Temari was fending off two to three men at once, slapping them away with the sword which was still in its sheath. Temari jumped on the balcony railing before jumping onto the staircase. A man with a long sword quickly came after her. Temari backflipped down the stairs, avoiding his swinging sword before jumping over him and kicking him down the rest of the stairs. Temari jumped down to the first floor where men from all sides charged at her. She swatted them aside with her sword.
"Hold it!" Yelled a man.
Temari turned her attention to a man holding his staff on the stairs. "You need a lesson from Soaring Sparrow of Peking Valley, you bitch!" He yelled.
Temari narrowed her eyes. "You need a lesson for speaking in such offensive language to me!" She yelled. "I'll teach you some manners!"
"Who do you think you are, anyway?" The man demanded.
"Who am I?" Temari smirked. She removed the scabbard from the sword and threw it to the ground before charging at Soaring Sparrow.
"I am the invincible sword goddess." She proclaimed as she swept Soaring Sparrow's legs from underneath him and sent him tumbling down the stairs. She jumped up to the second balcony where men continued to attack her.
"Armed with the incredible and deadly Tian Tang Jian…" She continued as she cut the weapons down. A man from behind threw two pocket knives at her. Temari spun around and deflected both with her sword. They flew and embedded in the wall beside her. She sailed over before the man could blink and hit him in the stomach with the handle of her sword.
Temari kicked three men through the doorway leading to the outside pavilion. "Whether you are Wo Lang or Huang Shan Guan…" She said as she jumped up and kicked one man in the face. "Lower your head and ask for mercy!" Without looking, she extended the sword behind her and slapped a man in the face with the flat of the blade.
She ran through the outside pavilion, knocking down people as she went before jumping back up to the second floor of the restaurant. She kicked a man out of the way as she sailed through. "I am the desert dragon…" She said as she deflected another sword before slicing the man's mouth open. The man screamed in pain and clutched his hand to his bloody mouth.
"Master of wind…" She said as she dodged a man with a mace who quickly decimated through a doorway and several tables. She hit him in the jaw with the sword handle before kicking him through the balcony.
Temari landed on the first floor and threw her sword into the ground. Its tip embedded in the wooden floor. Temari whipped out a fan from her robes. "Submit before me!" She twirled around, spinning her fan. A huge whirlwind whipped out from around her, blowing back the men advancing on her. She stopped, the fan arched high above her head. All around her, men lay groaning. Above her, the balcony connected both sides of the second floor fell to the ground, kicking up dust.
Temari dropped her arm, breathing heavily. Her sword arm ached from using the Tian Tang Jian. The sword was too heavy for Temari to use comfortably. Dodging her way through the broken and defeated bodies, Temari grabbed the scabbard and her sack and then jumped outside. She spun around, trying to decide what direction to escape in. That's when she spotted them, grazing near the restaurant.
"Horses." Breathed Temari.
The sun had begun to dip below the horizon when Naruto and Sakura reined their horses up to a tall, double story building that was sparse in terms of decoration and clearly in sore need of a renovation. The snow was ankle deep and the owner had not bothered to shovel, but even still, men were milling about. Some were cluttered in groups, discussing and pointing at the restaurant with heated hand gestures. Others were workers who had their materials set up in the snow and were sawing wood, trying to repair the obvious damage to the front of the restaurant.
Naruto exchanged a glance with Sakura who only shook her head with disgust. It seemed that Sakura was under the impression that Temari had been here.
"She just came in here and destroyed everything!" Exclaimed Iron Sword Crane.
Naruto nodded sympathetically at the man.
He and Sakura were sitting at a table, one of the only tables that hadn't been destroyed in the fight. Around them, dozens of men were hastily trying to repair the woodwork, especially the second floor which had practically been decimated. Surrounding Naruto and Sakura were a least a hundred men, all with various injuries.
"All this damage…" Muttered Sakura. "She must have been trying to prove something…"
"Or she was pissed." Said Naruto. The thought made him shiver. Women were definitely scary when they were angry, especially if they were anything like Sakura.
"We just asked for a friendly match." Said Flying Sword Hawk, his arm in a makeshift sling and a large bruise covering his right eye. "But she showed us no respect and attacked us! So everyone came to teach her a lesson!" He said, gesturing behind him. There were murmurs of agreement.
"A hundred guys against one girl?" Asked Naruto skeptically.
"Her sword was just too powerful!" Cried someone from the back.
"She had no respect!" Someone else cried. The crowd got louder, muttering about the fight earlier and about Temari's lack of respect.
"Quiet!" Yelled Sakura. Quickly, the crowd became silent once more. "Did anything else happen?" Asked Sakura.
One man stepped forward. He seemed to be the worst from the bunch. There were bruises and cuts covering his entire face as well as his neck, which was in a haphazard brace. "She kept accusing me of being related to Uchiha Sasuke." He mumbled. His lip was busted as well. He stepped forward. "Who is this Uchiha Sasuke anyway?" He growled.
Sakura exchanged a look with Naruto. "Her husband." She answered.
Kakashi pulled on a pair of loose grey pants, running his hands through his wet hair. Grabbing a towel, he dried his hair before carefully styling it back into its usual position. The hot shower that he took finally made him feel relaxed and he managed to forget, at least for a short while, all the problems that had been plaguing him for the last couple of days.
He had sent Asuka's letter with a carrier today so that her comrades would know she wasn't in danger. Kakashi had poured over the letter for hours, looking for some code, any type of code that she could have been using. In the end, he came up with nothing and decided the consequences would have been too great if she was telling the truth and he didn't send the letter in. She had mocked him when he finally admitted defeat in not finding anything which irked him.
With both lower mask and forehead protector securely shielding his mouth and Sharingan eye from view, Kakashi gathered his dirty towels and walked out of the bathroom in his bare feet. He tossed them near the back door where Tsunade's servants would be by in the morning to collect them. Although Kakashi didn't envy their occupation, it was nice to have someone wait on him once and a while.
Kakashi walked into the living room, ready to tidy up before going to bed when he suddenly shifted to his right in a defensive crouch.
"A mask behind a mask…Forgive me if I don't know what to make of that."
Kakashi groaned inwardly. Asuka was sitting on the floor near the kitchen, illuminated only by the light coming from a charcoal brazier. Kakashi had seen to it that her ankles were bound as well as her wrists, yet somehow, she had managed to get from the bedroom to the kitchen and retrieved a knife. The ropes around her ankles had been cut and she held the knife upward between her feet and was sawing away at the ones on her wrist.
Kakashi stalked over and plucked the knife from Asuka's grasp. She didn't protest – perhaps trying not to press her luck. Before he took a shower, he was positive that Asuka had been sleeping. He should have known better than to leave his mask off his face. Asuka had been persistent ever since regained strength in her legs, often yelling that if he wouldn't believe her, she would find someone else would did. She hadn't made good on that promise yet, but that didn't mean she wasn't constantly trying. Kakashi sighed. What was done was done.
"Going to ignore me are you?" Asuka sounded indignant as Kakashi stooped and then threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He ignored Asuka's cursing and the pounding on his back as he entered the bedroom and threw her down on the bed. Sure enough Asuka had a scowl on her face.
"If you won't reveal your reasons to me, then why should I reveal mine to you?" Kakashi responded casually.
Asuka's nose twitched – something that Kakashi recognized she did when she was annoyed. "Is me revealing anything to you actually going to legitimize my claim?"
Kakashi shrugged, not bothering to answer. He then turned to leave.
"Wait!" Called Asuka. Kakashi paused in the doorway, but didn't turn to look at her.
"If…" Asuka sounded hesitant, perhaps for the first time. "If I reveal…part of my reasoning to you, will you tell me why you wear the mask?"
Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "I've intrigued you that much?" He said, turning toward her.
Asuka's nose twitched again, but she didn't respond.
"Ok, fine." Said Kakashi shrugging as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Let's see what you have to say."
Asuka looked over Kakashi and took in his features. His stalk of grey hair was visible even with the mask on, but she saw now that he had dark eyes, and pale smooth skin. His grey hair fell in locks across his forehead and over the forehead protector he had covering his left eye. She couldn't help but wonder why he would bother to cover the bottom half of his face, even in private.
"When my…when the Tsuchikage first proposed war on Konoha," Began Asuka, "I balked at first, but didn't protest. Yet when the Tsuchikage mentioned alliances with both Kumo and Ame…I knew there had to be a line drawn somewhere."
Kakashi's eyebrows creased with Asuka's new revelation. She had not mentioned before that Iwa had formed alliances with both Kumo and Ame – Hidden Villages that were also antagonistic with Konoha. Should Asuka be telling the truth, it could very easily turn into a fourth shinobi war. Kakashi bit his lip as he had to admit it did lend some credibility to her threat.
"So let's pretend that I believe you." Said Kakashi, ignoring the look Asuka gave him. "Should Konoha strike out preemptively against Iwa, it will be your own village, your own people that will suffer. Don't you love your village?"
"I do." Said Asuka, a surprising amount of sincerity in her voice. "So can't you see why I would do it? Those people don't deserve to be pushed into a pointless war any more than Konoha does."
As Asuka stared at him, appraising him with her amber colored eyes, Kakashi realized that his perception of her had changed. Initially, she had come out as a sweet, innocent and kind woman. After taking her prisoner, Kakashi quickly realized that she was strong, stubborn and very willful. And now, Kakashi could see that she was smart, compassionate and was ready to put the needs of others before her own. Kakashi decided that this Eguchi Asuka was a very complex person indeed.
"Well that's it." Asuka finally snapped. "Story time is over. It's your turn now."
Kakashi sighed. "I guess a deal is a deal. And I do pride myself with being honorable."
Asuka raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Kakashi looked away, unsure of how to start. It wasn't a story he was willing to tell often. "Well, my father was Bai Se Lang…Konoha's…"
"Konoha's White Fang." Said Asuka, finishing his sentence. "Well I'll be damned."
"Yes." Said Kakashi, his tone sour. "Well my father's reputation often preceded him. When he botched a mission to save his friends, that reputation became so tarnished that the humiliation forced him to commit suicide."
Asuka sat back, shock written on her face. "I'm sorry…I didn't know."
Kakashi turned away from Asuka. "And afterward, I was all alone because my mother had died years earlier, and I was tired of it. Tired of all the talk in the village." Kakashi's voice sounded bitter.
"Everyone would always say 'There's Sakumo's son,'" Said Kakashi, not even noticing the slip up of his father's real name, "and 'poor Sakumo's son, he's left all alone' and not to mention 'Oh, doesn't he look like Sakumo, doesn't he look just like his father?'" Kakashi shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.
Asuka looked at Kakashi sympathetically, seeing him in a new light for the first time. She didn't see him as a shinobi, or a man who was keeping her captive, but as an actual person.
"The mask came on soon afterward." Said Kakashi wearily. "No one commented anymore."
There was silence between the both of them. Asuka looked wistfully at Kakashi. Who would have thought that Kakashi's family life was just as peachy keen as hers?
"Well, that's that." Said Kakashi pushing away from the doorframe. "Go to sleep. And if you try to leave the room again, I'll be forced to tie you to the bed." He turned, ready to leave.
"Wo Lang?"
"What now?" Said Kakashi wearily.
Asuka bit her lip. "Thanks for telling me that story. And…and maybe someday you'll learn to trust me." She said before lying down.
Kakashi didn't respond as he left the room.
Glossary:
Bai Se Lang- White Wolf
Character Corner
Name: Uchiha Sasuke
Age: 18
Height: 5'-10''
Specializes: Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Kenjutsu
Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan
Sasuke is the youngest son of Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto. Born in Peking, Sasuke was always accustomed to a lavish lifestyle that suited his high born status. He lived in the main estate of the Uchiha Clan compound with his mother, father and older brother Itachi. At the age of 5, Sasuke began his studies in language and literature, Confucianism, math and science. At the age of 8, Sasuke's entire clan was massacred while Sasuke was at school, leaving him and Itachi the sole survivors. Since then, Sasuke stuck close to his studies, trying to become more powerful while Itachi assumed the head clan member's duties. Sasuke acquired the Sharingan at the age of twelve and completed the Civil Service Examination at age 17 with the rank of jieyuan (ranked #1) which ensured his title.
Sasuke often strived for his parent's love and affection, even as a child. He was close with his mother, but often had to work harder for his father's attention as it was apparent he favored Itachi. After the massacre of his Clan, Sasuke became bitter and vowed revenge on the murderer. Since then, he has trained tirelessly by himself to achieve his goal of becoming stronger, and always yearns for more power. As a child, while Sasuke strived to become better than his brother, he had a good relationship with Itachi who was always affectionate with him. After the massacre, their relationship became strained.