Scarlet Justice - ep. 71
"Gain Ground"
[Hidden Sand Joint Mission: Departure]
We get our clearance and leave the village. It's a quiet affair as we travel through the desert, passing small villages and settlements along the way. The sun rises higher and higher in the sky until we decide to stop for a while and take shelter in the shade of some large rocky structures. Moving around in the heat is one thing, risking combat at high noon is another thing entirely. And while these girls have been raised in a desert environment, I don't want to put them in any sort of danger.
I pull water from the air near me into a small sphere, just to occupy myself, and keep it stable as I drink from it. A familiar shadow comes to my attention after a few minutes.
"You doing okay in this heat?"
"I am, yes."
Makoto crosses her arms as she looks at me. "Good. Wouldn't want you to overheat and collapse, or anything like that."
"Thank you for your concern."
She glances at the sphere of water in my hand for a moment before leaving. I sigh and shake my head. Stubborn girl.
Once it passes noon and the sun lowers itself in the sky, we begin to move again at a measured pace. Nomads and merchants walk down the few carved paths through the desert, or at least the ones that haven't been swallowed up by the shifting sands.
"..."
By now it's afternoon, and I can sense an unusually strong chakra in the area. Familiar, almost. I raise a hand and the group stops behind me.
"Keep close," I say simply.
"If it's something strong, we can handle it well enough," Makoto says. She has her weapons pop out from a scroll, two large kunai blades that look like they can be combined to make a scissor-like weapon. Makoto is a wind type, according to the data I have, meaning she can make good use of cutting attacks.
Suketsune readies herself; she's a poison user, primarily. Likely has multiple wrist-mounted weapons to launch poison, projectiles, or both. She also has a wind nature, useful for moving said poison to its target efficiently.
Aiko mainly uses ninjutsu, and she smartly readies her hands so that she can make seals as quickly as possible. And I'm certain that as that woman's daughter, her natures of fire and wind combine into something else entirely...
There are a few presences, but that larger one is unchanging...wait. I know this signature.
"Oi. It's been a while," I say as the other group stops close by.
"It has been. Lilith Kobayashi, isn't it..."
"You remembered me," I say to Gaara. He hasn't changed much, aside from the outfit that's more uniform on his body. A reddish-brown colour that suits him well. Maybe he got his fashion sense from the same place Temari did.
"It would be shameful to forget someone like you. Someone who changed my existence to this degree..."
"I'm flattered." It doesn't escape my notice that the girls are unnaturally quiet. Gaara's expression is neutral, but with a hint of apology hidden within. He understands that it will take a while before he's trusted in his home village. Even if it wasn't his fault that things turned out the way they did. "Breakfast was enjoyable this morning. You're quite the cook."
"I was under the impression that snakes enjoyed eggs."
I laugh. "So you have a sense of humour now? Very good. You're progressing nicely. The four of us here are heading to Mitsurin in the south. Any reports from that section?"
"None recently. Things seem to be largely unchanged."
"Understood. Have a safe journey, and tell Temari I'm thinking fondly of her."
"Of course. Good luck, Lilith."
"Thank you. And Lili is fine for the next time."
He nods and leaves with his team. I turn to face my own, watching as Suketsune catches her breath, Aiko relaxes, and Makoto grinds her teeth together.
"So you're friends with that psychopath too, huh. Aren't we full of surprises?" she says angrily. "But that's just like your kind, isn't it?"
"Makoto...that's too much," Aiko says.
"Suketsune's a wreck. You know exactly how frightened she is of Gaara. But whatever. Hope you enjoyed your friendly chat, Captain."
"Wait. Captain Kobayashi? How...do you know Gaara?" Aiko asks. "And you're acquainted with Lady Temari, too?"
"Temari helped me thwart the invasion of the Leaf all that time ago. We placed our faith in each other, and a friendship blossomed from there. As for Gaara, well...that was different. I merely showed him his place at the Chuunin Exams."
"The Exams...wait, that means..." Aiko's eyes widen. "You're...her? The Desert Storm?"
"No fuckin' way," Makoto yells. "There's no way-"
"It makes sense," Suketsune replies shakily. "The red hair, being a jounin...what happened to Gaara. She's the Scarlet Viper from Leaf..."
"What...?"
"Do you know who I am now?" I say with a menacing smile. "The Leaf's Crimson Nightmare herself. A woman of battle who carries many oppressive titles. You were right, Makoto. Money can't buy skill. It's earned in blood. And I've spilled quite a bit of it."
"..."
"I apologize for your discomfort earlier, but it would be quite rude to ignore someone that I know so intimately."
"Yeah. Gaara...isn't a bad person. He just made a lot of mistakes in his past. Things that he's been trying to make up for," Aiko says.
"It's fine. You don't need to apologize for disliking someone, or feeling like you can't completely trust them after things they've done in the past. Grieving is hard, and forgiveness can be as difficult as it is virtuous. Do we need some more time to recover?"
"Suketsune?" Aiko asks.
"I'm fine. Captain...thank you. I'm okay."
"You're sure, now."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Alright. Let's move on so we can get to our designated area and set up camp. I hope it hasn't been washed away by sand, at least..."
"The desert isn't quite that volatile, ma'am," Aiko points out.
"Oh? Educate me then, Miss Mishoto."
"You mean that?"
"Of course I do. Learning from someone who has experience in an area is a great honour, and quite invigorating."
"Invigorating...?"
"It means filled with energy," Suketsune says quietly. "Okichi says it when he's having a good time making weapons."
"Your clan is that of weapon smiths, no?" I ask her. "I was thinking that your family name sounded familiar."
"Yes, we are. I'm not much myself, but my older brother Okichi is a genius. And there's Yushiro too, he's older than me but younger than Okichi. He makes his own weapons for personal use, mainly, but they're really good as well. I'm surprised that you know of us..."
"She's a rich girl, so maybe she heard about your high quality weapons and junk," Makoto says dismissively as we move across the sand again. "Your weirdo brother, not so much."
"Makoto!"
"What. He's a weirdo, Aiko. Always giving me shit about how I handle my kunai blades. For fuck's sake, I clean them every chance I get."
"You know that's not what he means."
"I'm not gonna polish and sharpen my blades everyday."
"He said he would do it for you."
"No. I don't want him rebalancing my tools or whatever weird jank he does. Remember when he 'fixed' a set of my kunai? They were unusable-"
"You have an improper throwing arc," Suketsune points out.
"See what I mean? Like brother, like sister."
"Fumi-sensei has told you the same thing for months," Aiko says.
Well, at least they're all comfortable again.
We carry on through the day, with not much in the way of civilization along this route. My attention is focused mainly on looking out for any sudden threats, and monitoring team activities. Suketsune is her quiet self, while Aiko and Makoto speak quietly at what they think is a safe distance from me.
"You're ridiculous...talking to her like that in the first place, Makoto."
"Some snobby little brat comes up and talks to me like that, what was I supposed to do?"
"Not say anything, maybe." Aiko sighs. "And now we find out she's the Scarlet Viper. Do you have any idea what could have happened? I mean, she wouldn't be out of line to slap you. You're lucky she's a good person."
"Good? Her?"
"Yes, her. She's really nice and is obviously looking out for us."
"You're way too kind to people sometimes, Aiko. And someone like that, who comes from money...what would they know about our struggle? It's people like them that are responsible for the village being the way it is right now. You know it, and I know it. Not just the poverty, but you..."
"..."
"You've suffered the most because of them, Aiko."
"Yes. And I've also been healed by one of 'them'."
"Remi...she's different."
"Because you know her, and because you know how much I love her. She was there for me when nobody else was after...after Mom died and Dad left. People aren't automatically bad because they were born rich, just like people aren't automatically good because they're born poor. I know that you have your hangups, but...I think we should give Lili a chance."
"..."
"At least be nicer to her, Makoto."
"I'll think about it."
"Thanks. I mean that."
"Only because it's you, Aiko."
Aiko's mother...her too. And yet she turned out like she did, so full of warmth. Thinking about my journey, where I struggled to keep my head above water most days...that's some kind of strength she has.
"We can keep going until later in the night, or we can stop earlier and get some extra rest before we head out early in the morning. At this rate, we're making good time," I announce. There are quite a few sand dunes here, and we slide down them to conserve energy when possible.
"Let's stop early. It sounds better if we're refreshed before taking on the next half of the mission," Aiko suggests.
"What she said," Makoto follows up.
"I agree with them, Captain," Suketsune says.
"Then it's decided. We'll keep going a bit longer and then settle in for dinner. Any objections to me cooking?"
"Oh, the rich girl can cook? This oughta be good. By good, I mean-"
"Makoto, hush. Captain, I think it would be an honour if you cooked for us."
"I agree...thank you so much, Captain."
"Hmhm. It's no trouble at all," I say with a smile. "Oh, and I do have a lovely maid that cooks for me at home. Maybe one day I'll visit again and bring along some of her wonderful treats."
The sea of sand gives way to flatlands, with different sorts of crevices and layers of rock. The vivid reds and browns stand out against the blue sky, and we skip through a small canyon with plant life blooming in the solid walls around us. Water flows at our feet, with birds scattering at our arrival and settling in again as we move forward. We're carried back out into the sand again, watching the sun start to dip below the horizon and colour the skies.
"Desert sunsets are always lovely," I say to myself.
"One of my earliest memories was watching one of these with my mom," Aiko says to me. "It was a long time ago, though."
"My mother loved to take me out exploring in the wilderness. We would see all kinds of interesting things. At night we watched the stars and drew shapes in the sky with our hands."
"It's always precious spending time with family."
"It is."
Night comes and we find a place to stop. There's some brush, plants, and rocks for cover in case we need them. A few of them we move around to use as seats, circling the fire that Aiko makes and maintains as I prepare dinner. Unsealing fresh meat and seasoning it with herbs and spices is the first step to any good meal.
"This is soooo good!"
Today's meal is a simple steak, cooked with fresh herbs to medium-rare. Enjoyable for most everyone, and leaves room for further cooking if needed. Thankfully, everyone is happy with their food, Aiko especially. Makoto says very little but seems to be enjoying herself with the pace that she's eating. Suketsune is quietly appreciative. I've paired the steak with some flat bread and wild salad.
"I agree with Aiko...this is very good, ma'am," Suketsune says. "To be honest...I didn't think you could cook, because of what Makoto..."
"Well, it's not a necessity in the wilderness. There's a booming business for ready-made meals that you can open and heat on the go, and then you have the last resort..."
"Military rations," Aiko says. She sticks out her tongue and fake gags.
"They're free for shinobi, at least," Makoto points out.
"And there's a reason for that," Aiko counters. "Not to mention it's totally random what you get when you buy in bulk. The absolute worst is the one they call 'Meaty Feast'."
Hm. It reminds me a bit of what Aoko calls her dish, 'Meat Surprise'. The only difference is that her food is actually good - Crim brought over some the other day for lunch and insisted I try it. Little wonder he grew up so well. It's somewhat heavy and makes you want to go to sleep afterwards, that's how satisfying it is.
"I'll take first watch when we're done," Makoto announces. "Unless Captain Kobayashi here has any objections."
"None whatsoever. The other girls and I will decide the remaining spots between us."
"..." She means to say something else, but holds her tongue. "Yes'm. I'll be right back, then. Gonna do a walk of the perimeter."
I watch Makoto get up and dust herself off before walking into the distance.
"She's been acting weird ever since the mission started. It's not like her," Aiko says.
"I see."
"I'll talk to her when she gets back, see if I can do anything. But I think she's coming around, at least. You know, not trying to bite your head off and all."
"That much is appreciated," I say flatly. "I suppose I'll take last watch and make sure everyone's up in the morning."
"I'll take third watch. Suketsune, is that okay?"
"Yes, it's fine. I can follow up after Makoto."
"Don't let her push you around this time. When it comes time to switch, make sure you switch and she goes to bed."
"I-I'll try. She's...kind of scary at times, though."
Aiko sighs. "She puts on that kind of front when she thinks she can get away with it. Once you call her bluffs, she's not that hard to deal with."
"It sounds like you know your way around her," I say with a smile.
"Kinda have to. Makoto's a really great friend and teammate, but...definitely a handful at times. Um, just as a heads' up..."
"The girl could burn a hole through me if she stared any harder. It's alright, darling. I'm aware."
"It's not a problem, is it?"
I shrug. "I certainly don't object to it. Not to be too vain, but I do cut a stylish figure...it's only right that she sneaks a peek so often. Though it is kind of sad that we don't get along currently."
"Well...that's not wrong," Aiko says timidly.
"Mm?" I already had an idea about Aiko, but it's fun being a tease. "What isn't?"
"That you're, um...very attractive," she says while blushing.
I sigh dramatically. "'Tis a shame. You're cute, but taken."
"Taken? Um...I mean, that's not..."
"It's alright, I'm just having fun. But seriously, it's quite obvious. Very protective of you, and not averse to your scolding most of all. You have a comfortable sort of relationship. It's cute."
"...thanks."
"And of course, what we talk about out in the wilderness stays here, between us." I think a moment. "She...hasn't noticed, has she?"
"Way too busy crying to herself about how you're rich and some sort of evil witch because of it. Makoto can be all muscle at times," Aiko mutters. "You really would hit it off if she paid attention for five seconds."
"Such is life."
"Yeah. Anyways, dinner was super delicious! I've never eaten this good on a mission before. Do you do this all the time, Captain?"
"Most of the time. My teammates and sensei all have some skill in cooking. Some more than others, but we eat at least this well when we're out in the field."
"That's so awesome. I should learn how to make stuff like this for the future...hmm. Something for later. Oh, I'll clean up for us. Suketsune, you need time to do your checks, right?"
"Yes. Just a bit of tuning before bed. I hope that's alright, Captain?"
"Very much so. Whatever it takes for you to be in your best shape," I say.
"Thank you." She bows and shuffles off, presumably to take care of her hidden weapons and poisons. I wonder just how much she has on her, considering she has to recalibrate so often. Hm. I won't worry too much about it, she'll be fine.
Makoto quietly returns and everyone settles into their sleeping bags so that she can take first watch. I sleep soundly and wake a few minutes before my time to switch with Aiko comes.
"Captain?"
"I'm here. Looks like it's time to switch over," I say to Aiko.
"Did you sleep well?"
"I did. Very comfortably."
"Is it okay if...we talk for a while?"
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing, I just...thought it would be good to say a few things while it's just us. You know?"
"I might. Come, we'll find a place to sit." I get up and lead Aiko to a set of rocks nearby. Between the few wire traps set, my sensing ability, and the light of the fire, we should be safe. "Tell me what's wrong, dear."
"It's nothing, really...nothing bad. I guess."
"Hm." The desert is cool at night, in stark contrast to the day. I can just barely see my breaths in the air. "Your mother is Pakura. The hero of the Sand from a generation ago."
"How long did you know?"
"It came together shortly after we met. Even if it was long ago, I'm sorry for your loss. I can't claim to know her as well as you did, obviously. But she was a remarkable woman from what I've read of her. And heard directly."
"Yeah?" Aiko says, perking up. "From who?"
"Lord Hokage, Lady Tsunade...mainly them. They've spoken highly of her as a soldier and a stateswoman. Sharp tactical mind, incredible control of her bloodline limit, and a desire to create a peaceful world. Gentle and well loved in the Sand. A terrible loss for many, even if some reasons for mourning were less savoury than others."
"I really loved her. I...want to be just like her one day. Just as good as she was."
"You seem to be on your way. Have people told you that you're too nice sometimes?"
"Yeah. A lot, actually."
"Listen to them," I say as I look up at the starry sky. "But never let go of that kindness. Never change who you are at your core. We can evolve without throwing ourselves away."
"That's true." She pauses a while. "My mom...died protecting the village. It was about seven or eight years ago, I think. Gaara lost control of his tailed beast and fully transformed. My dad's name was...is...Sozen. Everything before then was good. We were happy. Dad was on a mission when that incident happened, and Mom was there so she hurried and tried to help out. They said her body was...destroyed beyond recognition," Aiko says sadly. "All they had left to give us was her headband. When Dad came back, he heard the news...I didn't understand. I didn't know where my mom was, and I kept asking. It drove him to madness along with everything else."
"Did he...?"
"No. He never hurt me phystcally. Could never work up the strength to try, so he just got drunk all the time and abandoned me. Left me at home to fend for myself...he'd get food from outside and leave it in the kitchen. Whenever he saw something that reminded him of Mom, or heard her name even...he would find a bottle and drink. Over and over. Crying and drinking. And I was all alone."
"I'm sorry, Aiko."
"It...got worse." She looks at me. "There was that night...he said he had a mission to go to, and that he wouldn't be back for a while. That last part was right, I guess. He hasn't come back since that day. My dad is a missing-nin now. Maybe he's dead. It's not likely since he was so strong, strong enough that the Fourth Kazekage trusted him with difficult missions before he got depressed. I don't know what he was thinking. He...I know he loved me. I just don't understand. I never understood a thing."
"How did you overcome it all?" I ask.
"I almost didn't. My uncle is Yusuke. He found me after my dad was declared missing by the Kazekage, and adopted me. That's my uncle on my mom's side. My dad...there's a lot I can't say to you about my dad, unfortunately."
"I understand perfectly well."
"Thank you. Uncle Yusuke did a lot for me, but I was still...all broken inside. Mom dying, Dad leaving...it was all too much. But then I met someone. Her name's Remi. Remi Sugita."
"Ah. It's a small world, isn't it? The beautiful daughter of the Sugita House, then...she's a sweet flower."
"You met Remi?"
"I had some things to take care of before formally taking on this mission. Yes, we had a brief exchange while I was at the mansion on business."
"Wow. Oh, but Remi's...you know. Straight."
"That much is fine. I don't lay claim to every woman on this earth, you know. Being able to view those heavenly creations called women, unfettered and in the light of the sun...that is satisfaction enough."
Aiko giggles. "You know, you sound like Makoto if she suddenly got really classy and stuff. I guess a refined lecher, maybe?"
"I suppose, if you must give it a common name. I vastly prefer to be called a 'connoisseur of cuties'."
"Oh my god, you're awful."
"I'm cultured! There's a difference. Anyways, it seems that you'll have to introduce me to Remi properly next time."
"For sure. Um...when you talked about your mom earlier, it sounded like..."
"Yes?"
Aiko looks at me sadly. "Like it was...past tense. Is your mom...?"
"She passed away. Nearly...six years ago now. A terrible illness that was never disclosed to me."
"I'm so sorry."
"I...watched her pass on. It was when I woke up that I saw her struggling. We held hands and she took her last breaths while holding onto me. I'll never forget that moment. That helplessness, everything that was taking over me. I loved my mother so much. After she died, my father took on her inheritance and we left that country in the west together. I saw many things that little girls shouldn't, at all hours of the day for many, many months. In a sense, my father was present but at the same time very far away. He never cared for me. Not from the moment I was born."
"Something like that...what do you mean, Lili?" Aiko asks.
"Do you remember the name I gave you, when we met?"
"Lilith Kobayashi."
"My current family name comes from my stepmother's side. It's because my father married into the family, so he could take control of the business - you would know it as Kobayashi Rice."
"Oh, wow. Is your dad at the top, then?"
"The chief executive officer. Something he's very proud of, clearly. Lilith...well, that name is a curse. It always has been."
"A...curse?"
"My father wanted a male heir above all else. Someone to properly follow him. He never wanted me, and I realize that now. I have yet to fully accept it within myself, and it's possible I never will. But he gave me that name for a purpose. A witch. A demon. A temptress, a deviant. He wanted to curse me so that I would suffer, first for being a woman, and secondly for being a nuisance."
"That's so terrible. What kind of person..."
"Such are the whims of mortals, Aiko. But my mother was a glorious woman. She found a blessing and gave it to me. Do you know what that blessing is?"
She thinks for a moment and scratches her head.
"You've said it once before. Think a bit longer, yes?"
"Hmm...a blessing. In a name...Lilith. Or, Lili...ah! Like the flower!"
"Mm-hm. That's exactly right."
"So Lili was what your mom called you...and I guess all of your precious people call you that too, right? Or at least the people you like. That's really beautiful." She frowns. "What's not beautiful is how your dad treats you. He sounds so awful."
"He doesn't approve of my career choice. Ironic, since he sent me off to become a kunoichi so that I could learn manners and respect."
"Good for you! You're a great kunoichi, so who cares what he thinks!" Aiko yells. Definitely fired up...but it makes sense she would be so disapproving of abuse, given what she went through. She's so precious. "What about your stepmom, is she treating you well?"
"She is, yes. We've come a long way since our first meeting, and she's very proud of me. Also, I thought she was straight until recently...turns out she likes both women and men. How to put it...hmm. Imagine Makoto, except she's even more vulgar, leers at boys too, and has a whole lot of money."
Aiko gasps. "Something like that...how do you even...?"
"I know, I know. I love her dearly, but that woman...she's a lot to handle sometimes. She's also tired of my father's antics, and has a child on the way. Hopefully she's staying out of trouble. My maid Luna and my big sister Midori are engaged."
"Oh...that's something. I think the only person I know who's out is Makoto, but she doesn't know how to be...in. Something like that. Does the village know?"
"Ah, they will soon enough. Plenty of big mouths in my village...one woman keeps thinking that I'll scoop up her daughter if she's not careful."
"Well...would you?"
"Mm...a treat to be sure, that one. I'll think about it a few years down the line."
Aiko shakes her head. "Sounds like she's got a good reason to worry. I bet a bunch of other people are hiding their daughters away from you too. I should warn Remi..."
"You make me out to be a villain," I say with mock outrage.
"You're way, way, way more dangerous than someone like Makoto. Can't take any chances."
"A compliment. My heart flutters, Aiko."
She laughs and we settle into a comfortable silence.
"We've both been through a lot...haven't we?" she says after a long while.
"We have been. And the journey continues."
"Yeah."
"I know that your mother is proud of you. She must come to you in your dreams from time to time."
Aiko looks at me with surprise. "How do you...does it happen to you, too?"
"Yes. They're precious moments."
"They...really are." She smiles and hugs herself. "I visit her memorial...and sometimes she comes to me and just holds me. Her warmth is there, like it's really her standing with me and holding me close. And that's why I can keep going, day after day. I'm going to become as great a kunoichi as she was. In my own way."
"Truly, it's the only way to go through life. That kind nature of yours will make a difference in many lives."
"I'll remember that."
"Well said. Now, as much as I would like to talk into the day with you...beautiful blossoms like you need your rest. I'll wake you at the promised time."
"Yes, ma'am. Good night."
"Good night, Aiko."
She kisses me gently on the cheek before smiling and heading towards her sleeping bag. I'm alone again, with the cool desert wind and a canvas of stars for company.
But even without those, I am never alone.
"Further...into the great beyond. I will become the woman you wished for me to be. Watch over me, Mom."