Title: A Demon's Tale
Author: swiftstar85
Genre: Drama/Friendship/Romance
Rating: T for some strong language, violence, suggestive material, and crude humor.
~Chapter Twenty~
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, though I wouldn't mind if I did.
It was almost an hour later before the door was carefully and quietly being pushed open and the soft footsteps came creeping in. It had been long since it had gotten dark outside and it was dark in the dining area where Gaara and Kankuro had been in. A pair of dark eyes glanced over the room and stopped on the two laying across the table, looking out like the lights were. Both of the two Sand Shinobi were out.
A breath of relief was released from the young hostess before she carefully moved across the room towards the two sleeping Shinobi. She looked them over for a moment before bending down beside Kankuro and checking his vitals.
Satisfied she nodded as she carefully pulled him off the table and lowered him to the ground gently, as if trying to make him more comfortable. She made a soft sound as if she was smiling too loudly. "Sorry." She whispered so quietly that she almost didn't say it. "You're cute but I still have to finish my mission." Then she stood and made her way around the table over to Gaara. She bent over him to do the same as she had to Kankuro, though not checking his vitals. She just believed that he slept just like the older one.
But as soon as she lightly touched Gaara, the trap was sprung.
Sand flew at her, swarming around her before she could even have the chance to cry out. She could only gasp as the sand wrapped around her and pinned her arms to her body as more sand clamped around her lower jaw, pushing it up so tightly so that she couldn't yell out. Her eyes grew very wide as she saw the intimidating figure of the pale Shinobi push himself up and turn to glare at her. She couldn't move or speak at all. She was completely immobilized.
"Even if I had eaten or drank something, your poison doesn't work on me." Gaara spoke coldly as he stood up and loomed over Sen, who was staring up at him with wide eyes. "Now, you are going to tell me what you did to Kankuro or I will..."
Suddenly, Gaara's head jerked around and he used his sand to yank Sen behind him as two people, a man and a woman, came bounding into the room. The man was dressed as a chef and the woman looked very much like a Shinobi but it was obvious that they were associated with Sen. They had taken one look around the room before snapping into stances when they saw the young girl's capture. They even almost jumped forward to attack Gaara if not for the sand tightening around Sen, making her whimper in slight pain. The woman had been the one to grab the man's arm, keeping him from moving any closer.
"Let her go, scum!" snarled the man. He was quite a large man, built the same as Jiraiya. While dressed as a chef, he was no doubt a Shinobi because of how grace took his very person. He had dark brown, almost black hair cut short, yet their was a long small braid hanging down from behind his ear. His eyes were very dark, but nearly alit of a furious flame because he could not move to defend his young companion. In his hand, he held a curved scimitar, sharp and ready to taste the flesh of its enemies. With only a brief movement, the blade seemed to whistle or hum in the air.
The woman, whoever, was very much smaller than the man. She barely even reached his shoulders but she was still rather tall. She could have been the same height as Gaara, though. She was quite pretty with light brown hair pulled up tightly in a pony tail, falling only to her shoulder blades. Her deep brown eyes were full of concern as she eyed the captured Sen but merely glanced back to Gaara, almost full of curiosity. She, however, had a pair of rectangular tattoos on each cheek; both lavender in color. She was wearing a lavender top with a black net shirt under it and black pants cutting off below her knees. Sitting innocently, yet deceivingly on her back was a short blade katana, not even pulled for battle.
"Chiro," The woman spoke calmly as she glanced at him. "Don't provoke him. He's won this match." She turned back to Gaara, raising her hands. "Please, do not hurt Sen. It's my fault that she poisoned you. I told her to give you the sleeping potion. We were only looking for information about who you were and why you were here."
Gaara merely narrowed his eyes at her but did not release Sen. He glanced over at Kankuro before looking back at her. "What have you done to him?" He asked, in a deadly tone.
The man growled at him but didn't say anything because the woman placed a small, soft hand onto his shoulder, shushing him. She looked back at Gaara, meeting his stormy sea-foam eyes with her own. "It's just a sleeping potion. It will not hurt him. He should wake up in the morning. The only thing he will suffer from is a headache." She explained.
"Who are you and why have you attacked us?" Gaara encountered with another question.
"You first, boy!" The man growled, waving his deadly sword in his hand.
The young Kazekage narrowed his eyes at him but gave his head a shake. He wasn't going to play this game right now. There was too much at stake. "I asked you first. If you choose not to answer, I can't say that you will like the results." He said in a deadly tone.
The man growled again but kept his mouth shut as the woman jabbed him in the side with her elbow. They shared a dark look at one another but then the woman turned back to Gaara. "Please, release Sen first. We won't say anything until she's safe. I promise, we won't attack you again. It seems that it would futile to do so. You maybe young but your techniques of Sand seems to outmatch us in speed." She told him.
For a moment, Gaara didn't move to do anything but eye her darkly. He didn't trust her but he didn't sense deception in her words. So he twisted his hand and the sand released Sen, allowing her to hurry over to the two older Shinobi. He watched as they looked her over, looking for any injuries. "Now, answer. Who are you? Why have you attempted to put myself and my brother asleep?" He demanded.
The three Shinobi looked at one another, not saying anything for a moment before the youngest slowly nodded as she turned around. "My name is Sen Zangetsu. These are my companions, Rin Hayashi and Chiro Nagataka. Our village is secret and not known by the Five Great Shinobi Villages but it carries two different names. Kagegakure or Shadoai Village, the Village Hidden in the Shadows." She told Gaara. "We are called Shadoai, Shadow Ninja. We're on a covert mission, searching for a certain Shinobi that has done our village wrong. We only gave you the sleeping potion to find out information about you. And you are?"
Gaara didn't speak for a moment but study the three, who had finally relaxed. The man had even put away his scimitar to show that he was not threatening him again. He probably shouldn't answer them. Especially if they were working with Orochimaru. But...might as well. "Gaara. He's my older brother, Kankuro." He said, nodding towards his slumbering lump of a brother, who just barely began to snore. He merely grimaced before shaking his head as he looked back at the three, who were somewhat smiling and laughing as they eyed Kankuro. They obviously found his snoring funny. "Answer this. You are not associated with the Legendary Sanin, Lord Orochimaru, are you?" He asked, carefully.
A flash of familiarity took over each of the Shadoai's eyes before they grimaced and looked almost disgusted. "Oh, hell no. Don't you be insulting us by thinking we're associated with that SOB." Chiro growled, his no doubt powerful arms folding across his wide chest. "He doesn't have a clue about our village, or at least he's never bothered us. But we'd rather keep him out of our mountains. If that mutilating scumbag steps foot in our Village, I can guarantee you, he won't be welcomed."
For the first time while meeting them, Gaara snorted and smirked at them. He was now finding them very interesting. And he could sense truth on Chiro's words. There was a lot of dislike for the Snake Sanin in their eyes and even in their words. He eventually nodded for them to come closer. "Sit down. I have a feeling that this will take a while." He told them.
So they all did.
"As Chiro said, we don't associate with Orochimaru. But we only know him by reputation." Rin began the explanation. "We are actually looking for a Shinobi who had murdered our Shadokage three years ago. His name is Caligo Zangetsu and he is Sen's uncle. He murdered his own brother, so their Kage was Sen's father. By rights, she is now the Shadokage."
Gaara frowned, eyeing her carefully. He glanced back at Sen, who merely smiled and shook her head. "How?" He asked.
"You see, Kagegakure, or Shadoai Village does not choose our leaders like all of the other Shinobi Villages do. It is a birth right. And a choice by our Founder, the Great Okami." Sen began, playing with her fingers. "You see, many, many years ago, much before our time, our village was built up by a band of settlers, who were looking for a place to call their home. They found a vast valley between Earth and Sand Countries. It is well hidden by high mountains where it is hard for the sun to reach. That was what became the Shadow Valley. It is well hidden by diamond mines within the mountains. So our village is well endowed and we try to keep our mines hidden from others."
Rin nodded as she shared a glance with Sen before looking at Gaara. "Anyway, at the time that Kagegakure was built, a war began between the settlers for leadership. No one could decide who should lead the new village. There was many deaths." She said with a sigh but a light smile stayed on her face. "It was a terrible war. But it only ended when the people of Shadoai Village heard the thousand cries of demon spirits. The thousand cries belonged to a powerful but great hearted demon spirit named Okami. He is a Great White Wolf spirit who lived within the mountains. It was his valley the Shadoai decided to reside. And it was his decision about letting them live there."
Gaara frowned as he listened but he understood it. He had to glance off to the side when he heard Shukaku grunt within his head. 'Shukaku?' He asked the Sand Tanuki.
'She's telling the truth. We, Bijuu, know of Okami. He's not a Tailed Beast but he's nearly as strong as we are. There are spirit demons like him who are mere underlings to us, yet they don't seem to like us too much. Okami is one of them. He especially hates the Nine Tailed Fox, Kyuubi because of its lust for destruction. He's actually very peaceful, a disgrace to what we Bijuu stand for. But...' The Tanuki snorted. 'I would rather not battle with him. When he bites, it hurts.'
Gaara almost started to chuckle but he noticed the three Shadoai now eyeing him. They obviously had been watching him carefully. "Go on." He merely stated, not wanting to tell them that he was a Jinchuriki.
Slowly, Rin nodded before she cleared her throat. "Anyway, Okami forced the Shadoai to stop their battles after witnessing the near death of a child. He had been watching the blood shed from a high cliff but when he witnessed a mother die defending her child, he had had enough. He sang the howlings of many wolves as he came down, making all battles stop to listen. His song of the howlings of thousand wolves brought peace all over the Shadoai and then they begged him to govern them, to lead them away from murdering each other again. They asked him to choose the new leader." She explained.
"And he chose the child that lost his mother." Chiro finally spoke up, his voice a little softer now. "The latest ancestor of Zangetsu. Sen's sixth great grandfather."
Sen nodded, smiling. "My Grandfather became the very first Shadokage. He was very young but with Okami guiding him, he became a proud and honorable leader. It was through the Zangetsu family that Shadoai Village had their leaders. And it is Okami who chooses which Zangetsu becomes the leader when its time for the former to retire. And those who become Shadokage," She paused now pulling at kimono neckline before bringing out a silver pendent on a black leather strap. "They get the Black Diamond of Okami."
On the silver pendent, there was a sparkling black gem embedded in the metal.
Gaara had never seen a diamond in his life, but he knew that this black diamond must have been rare. He had never heard of such things, as it was. But by looking at the diamond, he sensed a power emitting off of it. Even Shukaku was growling a little as if sensing the power within the gem.
"The problem was, at the time my father became Shadokage, my uncle, Caligo wanted the seat of Kage." Sen said, her voice lowering. "It was almost twenty years ago when my father, Kageri Zangetsu was chosen. However, Kageri was the younger brother of the two. It should have been Caligo who became Shadokage. But the day of choosing him came, Okami emerged from the black diamond and flat out told Caligo and Kageri, as well as my grandparents that my uncle had a black heart. He would have used his seat of power to create an army and use Okami's diamond to invade the other Shinobi Villages."
"Caligo became angry." Rin started up. "He was denied the one thing that he desired most but he did not say anything out of fear of Okami. He stayed back in the shadows, plotting to take over the seat of Shadokage. He gathered a few followers that he trusted and waited for a few years. It was at that time, Kageri's wife had given birth to twins. Sen and her brother." She stopped to look at Sen.
The young girl was already digging into her hip pouch, where she pulled out a photo and held it out to Gaara, who took it. "My twin brother's name is Sei. I've never met him but I feel a strange sensation that he is still alive." She told him.
The picture was of a rather beautiful woman and a handsome man holding two newborn babies in their arms and smiling lovingly at them. The two babies had thick head of black hair while their faces were beet red. But they were both as cute as could be. Both of them were looking up at their mother and father's faces and that's when Gaara saw the face behind them.
It was very furry and pure white with orbs of yellow like the full moon. It was a giant white wolf. No doubt that it was the so called Okami. It was looking down at the newborns with such a loving look, as if they were his own cubs.
"One month after Sen and Sei were born, Caligo put his plan into motion. It was at a time where Kageri went out hunting with Okami and a few of our Shadoai." It was Chiro to speak again. "It left Yukoi wide open for an attack. Caligo snuck into Yukoi and Kageri's room and murdered her. He attempted to abduct the twins so he could throw them into a river to drown but Okami was the one who sensed the danger they were in. He ran back to Shadoai Village and attacked Caligo, scarring him. It was I who rescued Sen from the battle. But Caligo got away with the older of the twins, Sei. We haven't seen the boy since."
Sen started sniffling at this time, tears starting to blind her as she curled up a little. "All my life, I always felt this empty hole within me. I always knew that I was missing something. I never knew about my brother until Caligo attacked my father and killed him three years ago. My father's last breath was of the admitting of my brother's existence. He never told me about Sei because he didn't want me to know until they actually found him. He never stopped looking for my brother. He refused to believe that Caligo killed him." She reached up and wiped her eyes. "I always knew that my father had been hiding something but I didn't know it was this. He told me that Caligo admitted that Sei was still alive somewhere. But he wouldn't say where. So that's who we're looking for. My uncle, to force him to tell us what he has done with Sei. I have to find my twin brother."
"If you're suppose to be the new Shadokage, why are you not back in the Shadoai Village?" Gaara asked frowning, but understanding the reasoning.
Sen shook her head with a soft sigh. "Okami hasn't told me that I'm to be the Shadokage. He's actually been very quiet for the past three years other than helping me fight our enemies. The only thing he said was that I can lead but without Sei I cannot be Shadokage." She told him.
Rin nodded as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before dropping her hand back into her lap. "We're guessing that Okami wants both twins to serve as leaders of the Shadoai Village. They are pretty much One. It's the very first time that there had been twins in the Shadoai Village. They've never had twin children before until now." She announced.
Gaara looked at Rin, studying her for a moment before tilting his head. "Since we've met, you have not called Shadoai Village your own. You have always addressed it as 'their' village. As if it is not your village. Are you not Shadoai?" He asked, carefully.
Almost surprised, Rin sat up straighter, sharing a glance with Chiro and Sen before she faintly smiled at Gaara and shook her head. She carefully reached into her hip pouch and brought out a Shinobi headband, though the plate was wrapped completely within the cloth. She fingered it with a very soft look before looking at Gaara. "I am only Shadoai by title. I was not born in Kagegakure. I became apart of their village while as a traveling medic. I left my own village nearly sixteen years ago, a year after Caligo murdered the Lady Shadokage. It was only a few years after leaving my own village that I found the Shadoai Village and saved the life of Sen from a terrible fever." She carefully began unwrapping the headband, yet did not reveal the symbol etched in the silver plate. "I was accepted by the Shadoai for saving the life of the Shadokage's daughter. I became one of her Guardians, along with Chiro. Her mentor, really."
"And best friend." Sen added grinning at the woman.
Rin smiled back before looking back at Gaara. "But in truth, I am from a whole different village." She said softly before holding out her headband. And she smiled even softer when Gaara's eyes lit up with surprise and alarm when he saw the symbol. "I am a Leaf Ninja from Konohagakure."
Gaara stared at the symbol of the leaf with alarm. He couldn't believe this. This woman, Rin Hayashi, was from Konoha!
His head jerked up and he looked directly at Rin, who was looking down at her headband with a faint smile. He could see a pinch of sadness in her eyes, probably remembering everything that had happened. He had to frown at her, eyeing her suspiciously. "You left the Leaf Village? Why? Are you...?" He was asking.
Rin's own head snapped up and she quickly shook her head. "No! I didn't betray my village! I'm not a Rogue, as you may think I am." Her voice lowered again as she heaved a gentle sigh. "The reason I left was because, there was just too many painful memories there. I was born and raised in Konoha and I loved it dearly. I still love it. But...things happened and one of my best friends was killed by trying to save my life, and our best friend's life. My best friend is the only one who knows I'm still alive. Though, I haven't seen him for years. I've heard that he's been doing very well, though. His name is always in the Bingo Books and I'm glad that he's been using the Shar...never mind. It doesn't matter."
"Kakashi?" Gaara found himself ask, startled to even think it. He had caught that brief cut off of saying the Sharingan and he knew it had to be his former teacher she was talking about.
Again, Rin looked at him with surprise, ignoring the curious glances from Sen and Chiro. She looked almost breathless by what he just revealed. "How...how do you know Kakashi?" She asked quietly.
It was Gaara's turn to reveal his own Leaf headband. He had always kept it with him, though hidden on his Sand gourd. He simply used his Sand to turn the gourd to show her his Leaf Shinobi Headband. He didn't know why he was showing her it but for some reason, he felt an inkling of trust for her. If she knew Kakashi and had once been his friend, then why not? And once again, Rin looked surprised. "I was not born in Konoha but I was raised there. Kakashi Hatake was my mentor and is a very close friend of mine."
And then he began to explain his life.
A/N: Thus, we bring in the Shadoai, a completely OOc band of ninja. They were actually created by a friend and fellow FF writer of mine, Eden Black, who has granted me permission to use them. She completely created the Shadow Village, Kagegakure and a bunch of key words dealing with it. I always found myself facinated with her idea and I got talking to her about using her own personal Shinobi idea, which she completely agreed, which I am ever so grateful for. For a little while, however, we exchanged different ideas about how to bring Sen and Chiro into the story, as well as a few others. And she completely agrees with what I've decided to do with the story. Hope you enjoy it, because it should be very interesting. Keep reading, my friends! ^_^!