Night Rain
Chapter Nine
"You know my name?" Genma quirked a brow at me. "I am pleased...I guess."
"I overheard it somewhere," I slurred over the situation. "Uh..." I threw a subtle look at Kamiko's body and shivered.
Somewhere behind me Dai sounded like an asthmatic.
Genma looked like he had debate with himself for the stupidest thing like whether to play the bad or good jonin. Throwing a second thought at it, this was probably the exact reason.
"You know, I saw your little situation here," Despite being mildly amused with the whole thing, Genma retained his stoic expression. "From what I saw, I can classify your acts as a premeditated murder and it's my duty to bring you before the court of Konohagakure."
I shuddered. This was not supposed to go this way.
"No! You can't!" Dai shrieked. "She was trying to kill us, not the opposite!"
"Guilty until proven innocent," the jonin stated flatly.
I was biting my lip so hard I tasted blood.
My position right now was delicate. I had to get Dai out of the mess without revealing too much information. In other words I had to come up with a fast lie, good enough to fool an experienced shinobi.
"She lured me in the forest in an attempt to kill me without attracting attention," I began by sharing part of the truth. "We were defending ourselves."
"You said she was trying to kill you," Genma directed his question at me. "Why would she want that?"
"I defeated her in a spar," I said and shrugged.
Dai's jaw dropped, whereas Genma laughed at me.
Well, I at least amused him with my lies.
"Really? Murder attempt seems a little too harsh because of a defeat."
"You know them Root members – they get grumpy when their ass is handed to them," I waved my hand dismissively.
The former member of Team Choza put on his serious expression again.
"How do you know she was a Root member?"
"Well, she said it multiple times, while firing jonin-level jutsu at me and my friend." Yet another truth was spoken. Kind of.
"We are in big trouble, aren't we?" Dai asked.
"If what she said is true, and it seems really legit," he gave me a look. "You might just get away with it. You are genin right?"
We nodded.
"Who is your jonin instructor?"
"Uh, he didn't tell us his name," Dai admitted.
Genma hummed, "I see. Look technically killing a person is in your right BUT only if he is a threat to our village. Root isn't. You will be held responsible in one way or another." He continued after we remained silent. "My shift is almost over." He looked up at the first few rays of sun breaking the darkness. "I will go and talk to the Hokage and summon you in his office. And while this happens you will bury the girl."
"What? Here?" I asked, while Genma took out a containment scroll from his pouch. "If she is a shinobi of Konoha shouldn't she be interred in the graveyard?"
"Not exactly, since she didn't die in the village. Also, Root does not work this way – a shinobi stays wherever he falls. I don't expect you to understand it."
He handed us each a shovel.
I raised my brows, surprised that they carry even those in their scrolls.
"Why bother to bury her then?" Dai asked, sounding much more confident than before.
I guessed he took a breather after hearing we won't go to jail. Maybe.
"Who said I approve of Root's policy? And you have to start your punishment from somewhere, after all. You better be ready when I come back."
With that he shunshined away.
I stared at the smoke until it completely dispersed and then looked at Dai. Our eyes met for a split second before he turned and began digging.
Sweat had long ago broke on our foreheads, dripping from the edge of our noses on the freshly dug land. My hands were feeling numb and were covered with blisters. The sun had almost settled completely but thank God it didn't warm up.
On top of that we had dug no more than 30 cm in complete silence between us.
Dai gave a puff, then, dropped the shovel and retreated in the thick shadow of a tree. I continued despite the protest of my muscles.
"Why did Kamiko want to kill you? Really," he asked in a monotone.
I raised my head, swiped the sweat with a dirty palm and got back to work.
I tried to not make it seem like a big deal, although I was a ball of nerves in the inside.
I knew the time had come for Dai to learn the truth.
"She didn't really want to kill me; she wanted to abduct me."
"Why?"
"She managed to get vital Intel out of me and, I guess, wanted to bring me as proof."
"Bring you?" Dai parroted. "To that Danzo guy?"
I nodded.
"I've heard of him. He is the leader of the Foundation, ne? Not a man you want to mess with. What the hell have you told her?"
I dropped my shovel and sat next to Dai.
"Okay," I began counting on my fingers. "We've been friends for around 10 years. Can I trust you that whatever I say now will stay only and forever between us?" I looked around just in case someone was nearby.
"Uh, I- I don't know what you're about to say," Dai stuttered.
"It's serious," I looked straight into his raspberry eyes. "If you don't think you can keep it a secret-"
"No!" he shouted, then, lowered his voice. "I promise I won't tell anyone."
"Sure?"
"Sure."
"Okay then," I sighed, wondering how to present the story of my life in the appropriate way. "I am not exactly like you or the other here."
Dai gave me a skeptic look.
"Do you believe in the multiverse theory?"
"The what?"
"Do you believe you can be reborn into another universe? Even if it's fictional?" I tried a different approach.
"Fictional? You mean like in the, uh, fairytails?"
I nodded.
"I don't really," he answered.
"Well, then, believe it!"
'Oh God I sound like Naruto now…'
"You sound like Naruto," Dai stated.
I sweat-dropped, "Wasn't intentional."
"So what about this whole universe thing?"
"Ah that," I looked up at the sky. "Since you don't believe in it, this will sound like complete bullshit to you, but…I had been reborn in here."
Dai's eyes widened, though there was a hint of doubt on his face, which I assumed was normal, even expected.
"Where we live in right now… there was a show – an anime, about it. The story revolved mainly around Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura but also Konoha and other nin."
"Wow. I suspected these three would be trouble but to have a show about it? Were we in it?"
"No. Most of the people here aren't," I skipped my suspicion that we could've indeed been there in the Academy, even though shown for the briefest moment, because I'd just confuse him completely. "It's pretty complicated."
"Okay now," Dai rose his hand up in a gesture I didn't get. "You are telling me you'd died and been reborn and kept the memories of your past life. Also, from wherever you come, you have a show about out world. Is that right?"
"Exactly."
Dai laughed.
Then, after I continued to look at him, wondering if I did well by telling him, he regained his seriousness.
"And you told that to Kamiko, who ran – tried to run, to her boss immediately? I get it's a curios but why was it so important to her that she risked her life?"
"That's what they teach them in Root. She wanted to let Danzo know, because I told her the precious Intel." Dai was staring at me blankly. "Remember the show? I've watched it till the end. Therefore I know what's going to happen in the future."
"Oh," he finally let out. "If a member of Root was so convinced in your story, then it must be true. Wow."
I smiled awkwardly, "I'm sorry I lied to you."
"No, it's alright," Dai said as he put his hand behind the head and leaned on the tree. "Tell me something from the future."
"Dai, you understand you should not tell anyone about it now, do you? You saw what happened the last time someone learned the truth," I glanced at Kamiko.
"Yeah, I do. As promised, I will keep your secret."
He, then, got up and went back to the digging. I followed him.
"You said we are not in the show. So you don't know our future?" he asked.
I shook my head, "Only certain people."
"Geez, what could be so interesting about this Team 7?"
"Oh, thrust me," I laughed. "It is very interesting."
The Sandaime exhaled slowly.
He was getting too old for all of this.
"And you aided them in killing her?" Sarutobi wanted to be absolutely aware of all details before adjudicating something.
"I blocked her shoulder tenketsu to stop her from killing them. I did not expect they'd murder her," Genma said. He had come to the Hokage's office no more than ten minutes ago and narrated everything.
"I see," the Hokage nodded.
What was he supposed to do in this situation?
If it were grown-up men that Genma talked about, he wouldn't be surprised of the situation. Being a ninja held many cons, one of them - making some enemies. If right now the jonim standing before him said Root was after him, Sarutobi would say it's normal. During their years of duty jonin, especially, have done things quite inhumane.
There were hundreds and thousands scenarios where such ninja could be justified and respectively accused.
However, the kids were another thing - a much more delicate situation.
Why was Root chasing them, the girl in concrete, and why did they go as far as to commit a homicide?
Sure Danzo's ways of protecting the village were questionable. The Sandaime had held a long argument with his former teammate but had given up years ago. One simply couldn't impose his own ideals upon others.
The Hokage was aware Danzo took innocent kids' childhood and ripped it away from them in order to make them his, straight-forwardly said, slaves. He couldn't do anything against it, even if he wanted it so badly.
Surely, the other two participants in the fight had right to kill. But for God's sake, they had just graduated the Academy yesterday! (They hadn't even taken their jonin test so not properly graduated either.)
When did Konoha get so ruthless?
"Hokage-sama, may I ask you something. It's more of a request," Genma asked.
"Go ahead."
"I've been thinking over what you said to me about taking a step back. This night I saw skill and teamwork in those two children. If it's possible, depending on your punishment for them, could I take them as apprentices?"
Sarutobi looked up at Genma. He hummed, then, leaned in his chair.
"I can't answer your question just yet but I'll take into account your request. I shall summon you later. You're dismissed."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," said the jonin before shunshing away.
The Sandaime didn't have time to take a nice deep breath before another person came in his office.
Uninvited yet expected.
"Danzo," the Hokage murmured. "I guessed you'd come."
"You aren't planning on freeing those kids from guilt, are you, Hiruzen?" Danzo didn't waste time in little games.
"My hands are tied unless, of course, you tell me why your student was after them."
"You know perfectly well I can't do that," Danzo faked a sorrow expression.
"I am the Hokage," Sarutobi remarked. "You ought to."
"And I am one of the village Elders, in case you forgot," he muttered. "I am in my right to not share classified information."
The Sandaime sighed. Indeed was he old for this.
"In that case you shouldn't protest when I do justify the kids."
"They killed a member of mine!" Danzo opened his eye in rage as he raised his voice.
"Because she tried to kill them," Sarutobi stood up. "And I have a witness; don't even think of lying."
Danzo growled, murmuring something in the line of 'taking care alone'.
"Don't touch the kids," Sarutobi warned.
His old friend threw him a last glare and went out of the cabinet.
The Nidaime's student sat back in his chair and turned to look out of the big window. The village was still waking up.
He had to summon Genma back here bit chose to wait. He needed to leave his mind rest for a bit.
"Should we do something else? Like say something?"
I gave Dai and odd look, "Like what?" I continued in a whisper. "Kamiko was a nice girl and always looked after us when she wasn't trying to murder us."
"She won't hear you, you know," Dai, then, shrugged. "I was just suggesting."
Kamiko's body was already in its grave with as much soil over it as possible. It didn't look natural nor like a proper grave or a bump. Actually, it was a little below the other ground and I was beginning to worry we hadn't dug her deep enough. I sure as hell didn't want someone to stumble across her decaying body, which had reappeared after a little strong wind.
"Is it good enough?" I wondered aloud.
"Do you want the truth?"
"Okay, we need more earth," I concluded.
"No time for that," a somewhat familiar voice said.
My heart skipped a beat.
Dai and I turned in unison to the source and sighed in relief once we saw it was only Genma.
"The Hokage has summoned us," he continued, looking indifferent to our reactions.
"That's great," Dai said sarcastically. "Which direction?" He pointed his finger around.
"How cute," Genma stated before grabbing him and me and shunshing to the Hokage's.
Not a moment later we found ourselves in front of the Hokge's office, which I recognized from the anime.
I noted that even Genma couldn't just randomly appear in and disturb Konoha's leader. He was just about to knock when the door opened and almost slammed him in the face.
A certain whiskered blond flashed past us, chuntering something about stupid photo policy. He was so fast round the corner, the chances were he didn't even notice us.
No one seemed to give him a second glance, however, so I kept the comment I was going to make to myself.
In the meantime, Genma had asked permission to enter and was waving us in.
I felt my heartbeat fasten. This was the highest yet point in lying I had to reach. Hiding the truth from my mother and Dai, up until now, was easy but doing so in front of the Hokage himself was trickier. I had had enough time to put together a nice story and make sure it sounded realistic but I wasn't, and had never been, a convincing liar when under pressure.
The Hokage was sitting behind his desk with his hands crossed and rested on it and an un-burning pipe in his mouth. He eyed both me and Dai before clearing his throat and turning to Genma.
"Have they completed their task?" he asked.
"Poorly but yes," Genma answered.
"Good," he turned his glance back at us. "Genma-san told me about your past night. Rough, wasn't it? I'd now want to hear your side of the story." He signed to me to start explaining.
"Well, Kamiko had always had something against me," I began confidently, ignoring the sweat that was building up on my forehead. "But I ignored it, since I didn't want to cause myself headaches. Yesterday, I defeated her in what had to be a friendly spar. She seemed cool at first, even acted friendly and all. We talked and stayed `till late. She lured me into the forest, where I know I shouldn't have gone." I lowered my voice on the last sentence to sound ashamed. "And once we were deep enough she began acting violently, as you can see." I pointed to my swollen face. "She definitely wanted to kill me."
"I see," Sarutobi shook his head in understanding. "How did you know she was from Root?"
"She said it more than once during the fight," I stated simply, knowing he tested if what I'd initially told Genma matched this story.
"Okay," he looked at Dai. "Your turn."
I wasn't sure Dai was going to be okay with lying so I made sure he didn't have to.
"Like Amaya said, there was tension between her and Kamiko so after she was late for training and I learned she had last been seen with Kamiko I went after their trail."
"Do you train together every day?" the Hokage asked.
"Not really. We had it arranged the day before."
"And how did you know your friend was with the girl from Root? Did you see them leave the Academy together?"
"No, I left earlier, because I had to clean my room. I never saw their spar. And uh," Dai scratched his head. "Naruto told me where and with who he'd last seen her."
The Sandaime's eyes twitched at the mentioning of the troublesome blond but he restrained himself.
"Alright," he said more to himself than to us and sighed. "Genma."
"Yes, Hokage-sama?"
"I entrust the kids to you," Dai and I shared a look. "Make sure you teach them well and keep them away from trouble. By all evidence it seems that they are innocent, however I do not encourage the murder of other villagers, Root or not." He looked me straight in the eye. I shivered. "Am I clear?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Dai and I said in unison.
"Thank you," I added.
"Now go back home, soothe your worried parents and don't, by any means, talk with anyone on the roads. What happened last night will stay in that part of the forest forever and you should NOT tell this story to anyone. Even your parents."
"Hai," we said and went out.
3rd Person POV:
"You forgot to mention those are kids from that village, Genma," Sarutobi said seriously when he made sure the kids couldn't hear them.
"I didn't know it was important, sir."
"You have one more task-"
A/N: I'm getting more and more inconsistent with the updates *blushes* Sorry about that guys. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, anyway. Please, let me know what you think by leaving a review. `Till next time~