Scarlet Justice: Full Blossom - ep. 92
"Sanctioned Misbehaviour"

Sitting down with my loved ones is peaceful. It allows me to rest and think about a great deal of things, and in great comfort. Nothing rushed, nothing wrapped in chaos.

There's a lot I need to do. I have things that need to be put in line right away.

So the time for relaxation is over. For now, at least.

"Lili...come back to bed. You shouldn't be running around."

"No."

Fio grabs at me from our bed and I push her hand away. I zip up my sweater and make sure my tool belt is secure.

"I have work to do, and I'm restless on top of it," I say to her. "You go back to sleep and leave me alone."

"Lili..."

"If you keep bothering me, I won't tell you where I'm going later. Stop being a brat."

"Fuck off. That's my line," she grumbles. "How long?"

"Don't know. I'm going to Shino's first."

"At least eat breakfast."

"Kiko will pour me tea. She's been up for a few hours already."

"Always have an answer for everything."

"Of course I do. See you later, Fio."

"Try not to come back too late. Can you do that much?"

I lean over and give her a kiss. She glares at me, but the sleepy look on her face ruins the effect.

"I'll be back around noon. Not much later," I say.

"I can live with that, I guess. Don't overwork, alright?"

"I won't." I kiss her again and pat her head before leaving.

A quick trip across the village brings me to the Aburame District, and then to the clan head's home. I check on who's up and who's inside, and it's as I expect. Kiko strides from the kitchen as soon as I ring the doorbell.

"Lili, good morning!" she says cheerfully.

"Good morning, Kiko." I kiss her on the cheek, and she welcomes me inside. "Quick stop today. I wanted to see Shino."

"He's up by now. Did you want anything? I have tea warming."

"That would be lovely. Just that, thank you."

"My pleasure, as always. Shino!" she calls out. "Lili is here for you! Come on in, your slippers are in the usual spot. You're sure you won't have anything else?"

"I'm sure, Kiko. Thank you again."

She nods and walks ahead of me to the kitchen while I get into my house slippers. Shino comes down the stairs as Kiko sets a hot cup of tea in front of me at the table.

"Boss. Good morning."

"Good morning, Shino. Are we well today?" I ask.

"In good shape, Boss. What did you need from me?"

I have a lot of options when it comes to people I can bring on secretive trips outside of the village. But Fio, much as I hate to admit it right now, has a point. I am feeling a bit prickly at the moment. So I need someone who won't worry about me as much as the others do, and is prone to staying out of the way. Erika gave me some information the other day, that there have been a series of disappearances out in River Country. It's more than likely those freaks Kai and Ishako. I want to talk to the latter, because as of now...she's the weak link. I can attack her, and possibly get lucky with some extra information when she inevitably starts her screeching. Shino is faithful in the ways I want for this type of mission: vigilant, but not prying. Erika is similar, but she's busy with work for the village and other things on my behalf. Hina will probably dote too much and has a grudge against Ishako herself. I don't want that woman's attention divided this time.

"Tomorrow, I will be getting some information from Erika, that is of great importance. Over the next three days, I will be studying it extensively. So four days from now, we'll be going on a mission to eastern River, so as to investigate a rash of disappearances and likely murders. Much like Stone, it's a place where criminals like to roam around out of the immediate eye of the great powers. My suspicion is that the charming Ishako Shigisei is present there. I want to see what I can gather, while giving her some much needed correction if possible. That's the best way of dealing with brats."

"I see. I won't have anything scheduled four days from now, Boss."

I drink some of my tea and nod. "I'm happy to hear that. The finer details of this conversation, you don't remember. The mission itself will be posted by tomorrow afternoon, unless you want the documents delivered by hand."

"I can go to the desk myself, if that's okay."

"Perfectly fine. Pack lightly, and we'll be in civilization to start our routines. I should be able to count on you for this, correct?"

"Hm." He nods. "Understood, Boss. I'll be ready for your orders."

It's times like these that I remember how lucky I am to have Shino at my side. With just a few words, I have everything I could want.

"There are exceptions to every rule," I say before finishing my tea. I stand up and Kiko takes the cup away. "Thank you, Kiko."

"You're welcome."

"I understand, Boss," Shino replies. "There were a few things happening next week, but Futaba always plans ahead for these situations. I'll inform her so that she can adjust accordingly."

"Nothing to fix?"

"Nothing, Boss."

"Understood. I have more things I want to do before midday. Fio is grumbling on today, and she'll definitely be annoyed once I start on my extra projects. Whatever, I'll figure it out. Take care, Shino."

"Right. See you soon, Boss."

I nod and pat him on the shoulder. "Thank you for the tea, Kiko. I'll see you soon."

"Any time, Lili. Please don't work too hard."

I wave over my shoulder at her. "I won't. Already promised the wife."

Today is an early day. Yesterday I spent with Fio to try and soothe her worries, which worked somewhat well. She was still slightly annoyed with me by the time we went to bed, but was considerably more tender when sending me off at dawn. Since I don't want to draw too much attention today, I've gone with a smart looking black blazer and pants to wear for my little meeting. A pair of glasses with false lenses will help with the ambience.

One of the many seemingly empty office buildings in the village is where this meeting will take place. Shinobi are many places, and spies are always present in the village. But they don't occupy every empty space, nor are they always watching your every move unless you give them reason to. There are always people on the ground investigating, making sure the resources of the village go towards observing the people that need to be observed. Life in a shinobi village means that your privacy is never guaranteed. That is not synonymous with non-existent. We need some level of public trust, otherwise nobody would ever live here and help to build the economy we so rely on. That's just to start, anyways.

"Good morning, ma'am. How can I help you today?" the receptionist asks. A slender, dark haired woman is sitting behind the desk. She has rosy cheeks and hoop earrings.

This operation is a shell, with many civilians working at a remove from the actual activity that takes place. Our family does the same, and is in the process of being formally listed as a zaibatsu. Horizontal integration was completed a long time ago, apparently before my father took control of Kobayashi Rice. Emi in comparison has been more aggressive, looking at JPC's movement and gaining inspiration from it. She said that this was part of her mission to do good without giving up her current existence – the zaibatsu structure would allow her to provide the greatest benefits to the workers and consumers in her care, even if it means higher costs and the risk of being seen as a monster to be slain by the government.

There's still time to complete my training when it comes to the family business. I have things I need to do as well, and it will help Emi if I have an understanding of what she means to do in turn.

"I have a scheduled meeting with Miss Kotowari."

"That should be here...yes. You still have about thirty minutes. Would you mind if I fetched you something while waiting, or did you have somewhere else to be?" she asks me.

"I can wait in the designated area. If you could get me something to munch on, I would appreciate that."

"Of course, ma'am. Give me about five minutes, and the waiting area is over here."

"Thank you."

She leads me to a wooden table with a few chairs around it, and then disappears. A little over four minutes later, she returns with a tray that has tea and a light breakfast sitting on it.

"Did you need anything else, ma'am?"

"Nothing else. Thank you, darling. You're brilliant."

"I do try my best, ma'am. I'll let you know when the meeting time is getting close."

"I appreciate that."

She smiles and returns to her desk, fielding more calls and visitors as I slowly eat. I look at my watch every five minutes or so, before finishing my tea with five minutes to go.

"Sorry to bother you, ma'am. You have about five minutes before the meeting starts, and I got a call down saying that they're ready upstairs."

"Excellent. Thank you for your help, I should be fine from here."

"Of course, ma'am. I'll take care of the tray for you. Have a great morning."

"Only if you do the same," I say with a smile. She nods and smiles back before we part ways. The elevator takes me up to the sixteenth floor, and I acknowledge the guard standing in the hallway as he lets me pass by. The boardroom is to my left, and I can already see the large windows through the glass door. I open it to see another woman inside, drinking her tea slowly. An electric pot is plugged into the centre of the large wooden table.

"Good morning, Lili."

"Pleasant morning, love." I walk over to where Erika is and give her a hug. Her white hair is braided today and rests on her shoulders, while she wears a sleeveless white blouse and straight black skirt.

"I have everything that you requested today. Shikamaru worked diligently on these reports, along with others."

"As he would. I'll be sure to reward him properly once I get back from my trip."

"Regarding that, I have obtained confirmation on your target. The descriptions given by those native to the area tell us that Ishako Shigisei is there, and will likely be there for a while."

"Nothing on Kaitaikojo?" I ask.

"Nothing. He is being well hidden, at least for now."

I think on that for a moment. "That can play into our hands easily enough. I wanted to get her alone...but I can muse over that more later. Nothing has changed with regards to your schedule?"

"No changes."

"Don't move anything, then. I'm taking Shino. As awful as it sounds, I know how to steer him properly so that I get what I want."

"I am a bit surprised that you would worry about that at this stage."

I tilt my head a bit. "A curious thing to say."

"You would think so."

"I might think the lot of you are getting far too vocal for your own good these days," I say. "And you would call it looking out for my well being, of course."

"Whatever your decision, I believe it would be wise to postpone my punishment for a later date. Perhaps two weeks from now? I should have some free time before lunch. The wait would also provide a boost to your already considerable creativity."

"Keep sassing me, and I'll take you up on that offer."

"Of course. Tea for my lady?"

I sigh and look at her indignantly. "Fine. Pour me some, and let's get started. I shouldn't take up too much of your time...as you said, proper correction can come later."

"Well said, ma'am. We are as reasonable as ever." Erika gives me an annoying, smug smirk before pouring me a cup of tea. I take the seat next to hers at the head of the table. "I committed most of the relevant information to memory, and have documents here for reference. The results from Shikamaru and his team were largely as you predicted."

She sits and slides the teacup along with a folder towards me. I flip open the folder and scan the first set of papers on top.

"Hidden Rain...out of Warehouse B3, northeast. Manufactured and assembled at Factory 2 in the same area. Materials...metal came by way of Mareo Steelworks which is in this country, but that batch is supposedly from a delivery to Cloud. Says it was two years ago. Filtration kits from Mist, extra minerals from Rock. An impressive team effort, in all the ways we don't like. It's what I wanted to see, at least. Those shinobi in Konan's orbit were from the Hidden Rain, because this product is exclusive to its village of origin."

"A possibility that the information we obtained is somewhat out of date," Erika says.

"Won't matter. We can use it as justification to move in on the village and do some investigating. It'll have to be us as the primary force, but...this allows us to tie Konan to the Hidden Rain, which is notoriously secretive and isolationist. More so than the Mist has been, and for a much longer period of time." I look at more of the sheets.

"In addition to all of this, we may have confirmed something else during our search for information."

"What is it?" I ask.

"Page four, near the top." I turn to it and read as she speaks. "The listed Factory 2 was formerly part of Nobara Manufacturing, and this facility worked exclusively on the same kinds of re-breather cartridges that Captain Mitarashi found on her mission. According to what we have here, the Nobara Family was a staunch supporter of Hanzo, and was one of the allies that provided funding and materials to his various campaigns frequently. They owned different types of businesses within the Hidden Rain and surrounding region."

"And then they suddenly vanished off the face of the earth."

"Yes. All of their assets were absorbed by the state itself, at a speed that prevented most from realizing the truth until it was too late. This pattern repeated for other businesses and families that were active until about the same period, before disappearing or being reorganized."

"And so what you think you've confirmed is Hanzo losing the civil war. And given how paranoid he was, and how many traps he probably set...he's more than likely dead at this point."

"Yes."

"Konan is probably working closely with the person in charge now. Obito...or more likely, that Pain person. All of the arrows are pointing in that direction. Which means the next move is to infiltrate the Hidden Rain Village. That means us."

"Who do you propose?" she asks.

"Both of us, Ino, and Hina. Long range observation, egress, stealth, and power on all sides. It's the best suite of abilities I can think of, and they're conveniently confined to our little clique. The details will be filled in later, but that's the scenario I want. In the meantime, you can continue to look over things inside of this village."

"Is there anything I need to do regarding Lord Jiraiya?"

"No. I've given Itachi and Anko warning, so they'll keep a few steps ahead of him, and that will be enough to pull him off our trail until the promised time. Everything will be lined up as we need it, so don't worry."

"I will try my best."

"Tch. I think you can do more than try. Was there anything else I missed? Ah, right. Danzo Shimura. The old man must have talked to you about the lists that I gave him."

She nods. "It was...sobering to see how many of us within the village have fallen into the darkness. And there might be even more of them, whether simply hidden from view, or as collaborators."

"Those were considered," I say. "We took steps to rule out those with connections that were too thin, as they would lack any ability to continue ROOT's plans, or revive it to a viable state in the future. Even those sorts of opportunists are needed to help the village function."

"That is true."

"Anyone who is still nominally under the direction of the Hokage, rather than Danzo, can be investigated at our leisure. Maybe even saved from the worst fate. The others...it's because he has methods other than use of that genjutsu. It's certainly possible that he could have gone to each and every member of the organization and twisted their minds in that manner. But he didn't. He wouldn't be so basic as to just use a technique like that, especially considering his time in service. It was only a decade ago that the Uchiha were wiped out, down to two known survivors. Danzo had no access to such an almighty technique before then, and the ability to use it with any frequency would have come later, thanks to those experiments that modified the rest of this body. So how would he have gained such an army, with such influence? It would have been manually, with proven methods of brainwashing and indoctrination."

"It means that many would be beyond reach by now."

"In the same way that Sai was. Instead of being devoid of emotion or understanding, blindly following ideology, or guided solely by the Sharingan's power...it would be something else entirely. Something that came from inside of them, cultivated over many years and reinforced with darkness and brutality. The best thing we can do now, possibly the only thing...is to free them from the bounds of this world. But that will wait until the old man gives me permission. Not a moment before."

"Whatever happens next, I hope that you can take me with you," Erika says. "Something like that...even as strong as you are, it's not something you should do alone. I also have my own reasons. If I am to stand in the shadows on your behalf, things like this are a necessary experience."

"That is also true." I sigh. "We can worry about all of that when the time comes. For now, I think this is enough. Figuring out what state Ishako and Kai are in...then some preparation for the big event. If this Pain is the one with the Rinnegan, I would have to see it for myself. Another pair of so called enlightened eyes. Oyaji agreed with me, that it would be a tragedy if such power was confined to the hands of a coward."

"And if it is the truth?" she asks.

"Then the solution is simple," I say with a flip of my hair. "I will show them the true hand of God."

She nods at that. "The only fitting answer, it seems. I will leave my lady to ruminate on these things, as I have other matters to tend to. And I suspect that she does as well."

"She might. And she will have to find a day to properly punish you for your earlier insolence."

"As you wish." She stands and pecks me on the lips before smiling. "Be safe, Lili."

"Hmph." I pout at her briefly before smiling back. "I'm always safe. Don't worry too much about me."

"And yet, I am going to anyways."

"Have it your way. Send Ino my love, as always."

"Yes. Until the next, Lady Kobayashi." She turns and disappears in a swirl of leaves.

"Hm. She's probably right to push me around a bit," I mutter. There are about three dozen pages in this folder, packed with detail and efficiently double-sided. I intend to go through each of them, character by character. This might be the home base of the strongest enemy we've ever seen. I need to be ready, especially since I won't be alone. Every molecule of information is precious in this case.

"..."

I'll get to it after eating something nice and filling. Maybe Kurenai was right after all, about getting hungry after being bullied. Wouldn't be the first time.

The next two and a half days start off as a blur. Then everything snaps together as the end comes.

I scour the archives at Intelligence for information. Anything and everything related to the Hidden Rain, its history, the civil war, its economy, and so on. With everything I need in hand, I lock myself in a small room and emerge a few times each day to clean myself and eat. Every other moment, I read and draw charts, write notes of all kinds, create diagrams, and put everything into order one step at a time. Every line falls into place, one after the other, even as my mind gets hazy near the end of each session.

At each moment, I think of someone. All of the people who I love dearly in this village. My family. The many friends that I've made, all over this world. All I can think about is winning. Protecting them from harm. Stopping this menace from marching across the continent and devouring them, one by one. I can't let it happen. I won't let it happen.

The stack of papers comes to organize itself, according to my wishes. We have general information, scenarios, battle plans. Routes toward and away from each target, and target types. Various profiles on our enemies, known tendencies. I shuffle out of the room at dusk on the last day and slap at my cheeks while using the secluded printer to make more copies for the girls. I might make a digital file later for convenience, but definitely not now. I'm barely on my feet as it is.

I go home and prepare for my mission with Shino. Once that's over with, I shovel rice and beef strips into my mouth while failing to pay attention to the television. The only thing I catch is that there might be some rain by the time we leave the village.

Fio was out with her team training today, and came back shortly before I did. I finish washing up and yawn as I go to bed, where she's waiting faithfully as always.

"You really look like you're about to fall over. Did you finish everything you wanted to?" she asks as I slide next to her.

"Finished...and in good time. I know that I've been bothersome..."

"You don't have anything to apologize for. I just don't like seeing you run yourself ragged all the time," Fio says. She wraps her arms around me.

"You might have to get used to it, but likely not. I should be able to manage a few clones properly by the time I get the hat. If not, I'll delegate more work. But it's as I said before. I was mostly restless."

"Do you still feel that way?"

"No, not any more. Accomplishing all of these things has given me a bit more peace. I'm sorry for that. For what I might have done, and how you've felt the past few days. You're not an unreasonable type of person."

"You've always said that. I'm just glad you're okay, and that you got the nerves settled by now. Tell me about all the important stuff when you get back, okay?"

"I promise."

"Good. Time to go to sleep. I got some stuff to do early, so I'll be the one to wake you this time. That okay?"

"Yes...definitely."

"Cool. Night night, Lili. And good work today. We're all proud of you."

"Thank you...Fio."

She gives me a kiss, and her smiling face is the last thing I see before falling asleep.

"Happy morning, Lili. Almost time for your trip..."

I open my eyes and reach for Fio to give her a morning kiss. She tastes like mint.

"Hehe. Thanks much~! The best way to start the day!"

"You're welcome, love."

"Breakfast is on the table. I got paperwork to do with Karin, and then we're doing some snooping afterwards. Couple of idiots talking too much for their own good. We've got it handled."

"I always trust that you do. Well...time for me to wash up and get ready for the day. I'll eat in a bit."

"Alright. Wish I could be there with you, but since I can't...be safe."

"I will, Fio. I love you very much."

"And I love you lots more." I hold to her cheeks gently as we kiss again.

"Send Karin my love."

"Yes, ma'am. And you send mine to our pal Shino!"

"Easily done."

She smiles and pats my head before leaving. I stretch a bit more and let out a yawn before finally getting out of bed. After eating, I use a bit of my extra time to collate the notes from yesterday, and bind them together. I'll hand them off to the girls myself after some more review. I check over my supplies and then leave, going to the Leaf's main gate ahead of our scheduled meeting time. Shino is already there, as he always is. We do another supply check and confirm our route before leaving for good.

River Country is about a day away at normal speed. At the heart of it is the Hidden Valley Village, which in comparison to even the other small villages is insignificant. Its era of prosperity was close to fifty years ago, which would have been in the early days of the organized system. The country is, as one might expect, dominated by rivers and other flowing bodies of water. As such, the government dabbles in a variety of things, which gives the small shinobi population something to do other than stand around and guard a bunch of national assets. With the recent improvements in relations between Leaf and Sand, trade through the area has increased greatly. The country has some significant mineral stores, and potential for utility development such as with water power. The aforementioned trade routes, and most significantly, opportunities for business.

As always, the government's desire for wealth and power leads them to turn a blind eye to indiscretion.

Discreet criminal enterprise is common, and if you let the few shinobi here tell it, welcomed. The ecosystem also means that everyone gets along most of the time, as long as they keep their distance. So violence isn't something seen often. When the bodies start piling up, they're not usually hidden for long, if at all.

Which leads us to now.

Instead of inns, a lot of these smaller places in the country generate enough wealth to have luxurious hotels instead. We check into one of them after two days of travel, and I pay for our separate rooms. One day of rest before we head out. I picked this location because from here, Hidden Valley ends up on the inside edge of my normal sensing limit. I wait until night and my shower to search for my targets.

"..."

Not all that far from here, to the north. Maybe fifteen or so kilometres away, and currently inactive. Together, as expected. And definitely well hidden, in line with the reports. This area is also the closest one to them with useful supplies. So at the least, she'll be wandering this area. There's no mystery to solve, and no point in trying to fight them without information on their status. A simple talk will do us good. I stop my observation and finish washing, then have a light snack before turning in for the night.

"Ready?"

"Ready, Boss."

Shino and I head out in the morning after breakfast. Following the main road out of town takes us deep into the forest, where many streams of many sizes run next to each other and cross over at some points. A few go further and merge into the river ahead, which has bridges crossing it in various places. Some are natural, others for pedestrians, and still more for carts and heavier vehicles. River has been reportedly investing in the motorized coaches from Frost, which is doing relatively well after their so called miraculous energy solution was taken offline years ago. They've managed to pivot away from reckless pollution and genocide to something marginally more useful.

"Here should be good." We stop within a section of trees. This is about eight kilometres out from town, due north. "Start your monitoring, and use the regular signals if anything comes up. I don't need to lecture you about engagement rules...best judgement, as ever."

"Got it, Boss. Any details on your plans?"

"No. And don't interfere."

"Right. That's why you brought me along." You'd expect some bitterness to slip in there, but it didn't. That just makes it more annoying, somehow.

"If you have something to say, say it."

"Nothing, Boss. Honest."

"Alright. I know you didn't mean anything by it. Just...remember that you can be honest with me. I'll listen."

"Even if you don't do the same?" he asks.

"Even if I don't do the same."

He nods. "That's how it is, Boss. I wouldn't follow you if I thought otherwise."

I lean in and kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you. I'll be back soon."

"Good luck."

I head further into the trees, and feel out the area for any other anomalies. Nothing else of note. It's just them, and she's making her way out as expected.

"Halfway should be good enough."

I stop behind a large tree and sit with my back against the trunk. My hands start to weave seals, and I hold the last one while closing my eyes to focus. Now...it's finally time.

"How terrible. And I was having such a good morning earlier."

I emerge from behind a tree as Ishako drops down from above, at a good distance. Her dark blue eyes regard me with contempt, but it's not the same as before. More of a simmering this time, rather than a full boil. Maybe she's reached a new understanding of me? That would be interesting to see.

Again, I'm struck by how beautiful and composed she is. The light coming through the canopy kisses her skin, and her light blue dress seems to embrace her small frame. In another world, we could explore any number of fantasies together, things that would be called disgusting and depraved...but we live in the current world, as enemies who would wipe each other out at the first opportunity. A peaceful existence together is beyond both of us. Even now, I think that it's an unfortunate thing.

"A pleasant morning to you as well, Ishako. Very exciting to meet you all the way out here."

"Out for a stroll, I suppose? Maybe hoping to discover some corpses?" she asks.

"Perhaps so. I take it you two got a bit peckish, and couldn't help yourselves. Well, this would be one place to get your fix in an emergency. Hidden Valley isn't much for a shinobi village."

"It's a shame that you're such a raging bitch. You seem like you would be quite fun to work with. In fact...I've been doing a fair bit of thinking, to frustrating results."

"Have you."

Ishako puts her hands behind her back, and leans against the tree behind her. Her look towards me softens. "Yes. I admit it. I think you have...a rather impressive sense of style, Lilith. And a fearsome spirit."

"Like yours."

She purses her lips before nodding slowly. "Yes. Like mine. And Kai's. I was stubborn and hateful when it came to you." Her eyes narrow. "Rightfully so."

"Hm."

"But I saw the strength of your soul, and your resolve the last time we met. Your courage was shown to me. All of your worth. It would have been easy, and logical, to evade that attack and leave those people to their fates. But what you did...it took a lot of strength. I could see what Kai saw in that moment. Maybe even...understand you a bit." She sighs. "Like you understood me. The first time we met wasn't a put on, was it..."

"No. I did understand what you felt," I say. "And how you felt. Even if I didn't agree with any of it. I still don't now."

"You and Kai are the same like that." She bites her lip, frustrated. "It burns me up. I fucking hate it. The way I love him, it...made me furiously jealous."

"Well. You pulled him back to your side, didn't you?"

"Not entirely," she says bitterly. "Especially after what happened with Utakata. You shine brightly in his eyes. He still thinks of you, even as he loves me far more, and always will. It's easy to hate you for that. Every inch of space in his heart should belong to me."

"I see."

"You really might see, in the end." She breathes out. "What did you really come here for, scarlet woman?"

"This."

"The corpses don't concern you?"

"How could they? What's done is done, and I know who's responsible. The only thing to do is kill the ones guilty. You know how well that would go, right? Not much room between Kai being away and being right in front of me, as long as you're here."

"Smart."

"I can get a bit more intelligent for you," I say as I step closer. At this distance, it would be easy for her to attack me. But that's not what she wants. Not just yet.

"Can you?"

"He doesn't know you're here. Not yet, at least."

"I suppose that answers my question. Well done. So you wanted to talk, then. Fine...I have some time to spare. What do you want to hear about, aside from the obvious?"

I'm probably not going to get anything out of her regarding Akatsuki. That's fine enough. I have things that I want more than that.

"Dreams," I say.

"Dreams," she repeats.

"You wouldn't know this, but...that title of Crimson Nightmare isn't just for show. I want to swallow up all of the distant, disparate dreams of this wretched world. Including the one that led to its current form."

She raises a brow, intrigued. "Is that so...you mean to say, even that of the man who founded your little village. Hashirama Senju."

"The same."

"That sounds rather blasphemous, doesn't it? Especially with that Will of Fire nonsense you follow."

I shake my head. "The Founder was a good, earnest man. But not always correct."

"So you want to talk about...my dreams."

"Yes. The dreams you and Kai have. I'm very curious about the flavours that I'll be tasting in the near future."

"Hmph." She closes her eyes. "You really want to know."

"Yes."

"Then the answer is simple." She opens her eyes again, staring at me. "My dream is freedom. To live freely and openly with Kai, as the people we are now. We love each other more than any words can express, and this world...it looks down on us. Hates us for who we are and the way we love each other. The freedom to live and love as we please. That is the dream we fight for."

"A world where you could become one without shame," I say.

"Yes. Kai sees you as worthy because of who you are. And as I said before, I finally was able to see that truth for myself. You live according to your own truth, and cut your own path through this world. You have emancipated yourself from society's disgusting trappings. That's why you can understand us, even if it's only a little bit. Kai wants a world where everyone can be their true selves, no matter how right or wrong everyone else sees it. And so do I."

"And you think the masked man will help you get there?" I ask. "Are you sure you know who he truly is?"

"It doesn't matter," Ishako says. She shrugs and shakes her head. "There is a lot that I know, as of now. A lot that I can question. But whether the masked man is who he says he is...that doesn't matter. It never did. Kai feels the same. The spirit within him is that of Madara Uchiha, and it is that spirit which drives Akatsuki forward. If his power and that of the beasts can open the door to our ideal world, then Kai and I will lend him our strength. It's not like we can lose, either way. If he disappoints us...the essence of one of the greatest shinobi to walk the earth would make an exquisite meal for our Sessho-seki."

"Oh? So you have a means of crushing his power."

"Easily enough. But..." She puts a finger in front of her lips. "It's not something I would be willing to share, even if we were allies somehow. You'll have to get by on your own."

"How unfortunate."

"Surely. But I need to maintain a competitive advantage or two. Especially since it's you, Kobayashi."

I can see and understand it in full now. With their background, it only makes sense to risk so much. With their power, it only makes sense to reach for such a lofty goal. A better world...no, something simpler. A free, truly accepting world. What Kai and Ishako have...it really isn't something that would be accepted by this world, no. But then, I think of Yamato and Fubuki Inugami. They lost their family as well, and struggled to survive in the outside world. Their love was forged out of desperation, a longing to survive. And yet, they fought against the savagery and depravity that could have defined them. They resolved to die fighting for their beliefs. And in the end, Fubuki was willing to stand aside, giving her brother a chance to find happiness and restore their family.

Selfish. Greedy. Hateful. Far from the darkest evil...and still a truth that remains incompatible with mine.

"A dream of freedom," I say to Ishako. "I understand it well. In its own way...it is a beautiful thing."

"And yet?"

"And yet...the incongruity of such a wish means that we cannot co-exist. Freedom to live means freedom to consume as well, isn't that right? The freedom to indulge, to violate and sin as you please. That is the true form of the freedom you desire."

"Is that so hard to accept?"

"It certainly is. Because it is foolishness, Ishako. I met a child with the same thoughts, long ago. Their desire was to validate their existence by spilling blood and crushing bone, in an endless loop. To straddle the boundary between life and death for eternity. The unfortunate requirement of that, as you might guess, is the existence of civilization to terrorize. And it would be the same for you."

"..."

"Freedom without boundary? That sounds less like a dream and more like a delusion on your parts. And even if it could be so, I would not let it be in my world."

"Then it's a good thing that you're going to die soon," she says. "You're in our way. I know that even if we managed to gather all of the beasts, you would find a way to ruin everything. You need to die, Lilith. And I promise that you will."

"Not very wise to make promises you can't keep."

Ishako pushes herself up from the tree, walking a few steps forward.

"I don't care about this world. It can all burn away...as long as I get to be with Kai, and live life as we please. What Madara wants, whether he's real or not...what that fool who calls himself Pain wants. None of that matters. All of this is just a means to an end. You can step away any time that you want."

"But you know that I won't," I say. "I'm going to be your enemy. Because your selfish desires are threatening the world I live in, and all of my loved ones. I've said it before, and I will say it as many times as it takes. Nobody in this world takes from me. Not you, not your masked bitch of a boss, not some freak who calls himself Pain, or his secretary made of paper. Nobody."

"You know...lots of people have considered themselves invincible, only to realize that they weren't in the end. Sessho-seki has plenty of testimony to that end," Ishako says. "But more than that..."

She crosses the short space between us, and I feel something sharp and cold tear through my stomach.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you die, Lilith." She smiles her familiar, twisted smile while shoving the blade deeper into me. "The power that it will give us...and the release that it will give me. You will be the most beautiful sacrifice to us, and the end of all obstacles towards our ideal world. Everything...everything starts once we get rid of you."

"Every...thing," I cough out.

"Yes. Everything." She plunges the blade deeper, making me shudder. "I can already see the fun we're going to have with you. Oh, it will be glorious...perhaps we should make it a wedding event? How wonderful it would be, to seal our vows with your blood, and be serenaded by your pitiful screams. I can already see it, hear it, feel it! More than a want, I need it. I need you to die, at our hands. I have to have it!"

"Is that it...is that really it...then?"

She pauses in confusion, and I grab onto her arm, shoving the blade further into my body. My other hand grips her shoulder tightly, pulling her into me.

"Is that really what you want, Ishako Shigisei? What if I told you what I want most, hm? Kekekekeke..."

"You," she snarls.

"So delicious and spicy. Mmm...I want to know what your blood tastes like, Ishako. I think I'll enjoy it very much. I'm going to squeeze and suck you dry, and then when I'm done...I can have the sweetest treat of all."

I show her my special smile, and she flinches.

"I'm going to devour your dear, sweet brother. Without you in the way, meddling and scheming, slobbering and spitting, whining and screeching...I can finally have him all to myself, just like I wanted! I'll finally get my chance to swallow him up, to drink every last drop of his essence! And you'll be too fucking dead to do a damn thing about it! What do you think of that, Ishako?! Doesn't that sound lovely to you?! Kehahahaha!"

"You...s-s-saying that. M-my Kai...you can't..." I can see it happening. The maddening light dancing in her blue eyes. The complete loss of control. Every restraint, crumbling to nothing. Hurt, pain, and absolute fear. She can see that terrible outcome, over and over again inside of her head.

Her mouth opens, and she screams. Inhuman, an outpouring of otherworldly rage. She drives me into the tree a few feet behind us, twisting the knife inside of my gut back and forth, over and over and over, spilling blood onto our feet.

"Ahahahahaha!"

I laugh, and she crumbles further. Screaming. Twisting. She's become an animal. That was all it took. Turning her violent visions back onto her by promising to violate the centre of her world, the only thing that held meaning for her.

"AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Kill you! Kill you kill you kill you! I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you! Cut you into fucking pieces! I'll make you beg me to fucking die, you fucking whore!" she screeches. "I'll make you wish you were burning in hell! I won't let you touch him!"

"You hate me!"

"More than anything in this fucking life! I'll fucking violate you! I'll ruin you until the end of time, you despicable fucking cunt!"

"That's it! That's what I want!"

"What are you...what are you doing? What the fuck are you saying to me, you damned fucking whore?!"

"Hate me. Do it." I put my hand around her throat. "Do it, you fucking animal. Hate me."

She snarls at me, breathing harshly.

"Hate me, Ishako. Just like this. Do it for the rest of your pitiful existence. Hate me. Fill yourself with anger. Dream about this moment, when you finally get me, when you'll be able to violate me for as long and as hard as you want. It's good, isn't it. Penetrating me like this. Tearing me apart. That's what you crave. Your every waking thought will be of me. You won't be able to think of anything else but breaking me. Nothing else but my blood staining your luscious body. Nothing else but the pleasure that you'll feel when the light starts to leave my eyes. Nothing. Else."

I squeeze her neck, and she twists the blade inside of me again.

"Oh, just like that...give me everything. Every single drop of your hatred. And when the time comes...it will be so much sweeter than anyone could imagine."

I pull her face close to mine, feeling her hot breaths against my face. She trembles, still overwhelmed by rage...but with something else mixed in. That look. The same look she gave me before disappearing with Utakata, after barely escaping with her life that day. The very thing that gave me an opening into her fragile heart.

"It will be so yummy when I break you into pieces," I say softly.

"Never."

"All of the hatred you've built up...all of the dreams you have of my demise. When the promised time comes, you'll look back and realize that it was all for nothing. Ah, I can already see it...you, on your knees in front of me. Battered and broken, crying in anguish. Knowing that nothing you ever did mattered, that your future was decided from the start. Knowing that nothing could ever save you from me. And when all of the rage, and the passion, and sorrow and pain and utter futility blend together...they will create the sweetest nectar for me to drink."

I lick her cheek slowly.

"Despair."

I feel myself start to destabilize from the damage, electricity flaring out from my body.

"No matter what you do next...no matter how you choose to feel," I say to her as she shivers. "I am going to ruin you, Ishako. Your only choice is whether you die with your brother...or without him. I am...inevitable."

"No. It's not...true."

"Hate me until nothing else matters. It's all you have. It's all you will ever have, until the moment I devour you. I'll take everything from you, Ishako. Your brother...your dream...your very life."

"No. I won't let you. I won't let you! Lilith! I won't let you!" she screams.

"You don't have a choice. You never had a choice. The moment you made me your enemy...that was the moment you lost."

"No..."

My body starts to shift into lightning chakra. "Ehehe...hehehehe...hehehehaha...!"

"You won't! I won't let you! You're going to die!"

"Hahahahahahaha-"

"You're going to die!"

"-hahahaHAHAHAHAHA-"

"I'll kill you! I'll find you and I'll kill you! I'll kill your family and friends, one by one! I'll bathe in their blood!"

"-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA-"

"I'll violate every fucking inch of your existence! I'll make sure you wish you hadn't ever been born! I fucking promise! I'll ruin you-"

The last thing I see is Ishako turning into red liquid.

"I might have...made a mistake."

Unzipping my sweater hasn't helped me cool down at all. It's still oppressively hot. I'm starting to sweat, and I haven't been able to catch my breath properly since my clone was dispelled.

All I can do is wrap my arms around myself, and try to calm in a reasonable time.

I went overboard. I got into my routine too much, but...there might not have been an opportunity like that again, so I wanted to take it.

But it's the same as ever. Bullying really is amazing.

I can't help but remember Ishako's face as I toyed with her...it keeps sending me over the edge. Even better than my first time with Gaara, so long ago. Probably because I've become even more depraved since then. Most people don't...get so much pleasure from things like this, if any. I might be sick.

But that's a concern for me, and me alone.

"Still too much."

I close my eyes and nibble a bit at my finger. No good...it's going to be a while before I can pull myself together.

I'll have to make it up to Shino later, even if he won't mind the wait.

"Everything went well, Boss?"

By the time I get it together, it's well after lunch and into the afternoon. Shino and I have reached the hotel again.

"It went well enough, Shino. Thank you for...a lot of things. The waiting especially."

"Anything you can talk about?"

"No. And I'll be keeping it to myself," I say, trying to hide my blush. He knows a lot about me, but talking about those sorts of things would still be very embarrassing. I can't say why. It's...just a feeling.

"Got it, Boss."

"Thank you for being so accommodating, Shino. I know it's why I brought you along, but...it's still worth mentioning. I appreciate it, a lot."

"You're welcome. You can call on me for anything, as I always say. Why? I suppose that doesn't need much explanation, especially to you."

"Heh. I guess that much is deserved," I say.

"Who can say, Boss?" I can see his smile beneath the collar.

"I really need a shower, but after that...I want us to have an early dinner together. A salad should be good, yes?"

"Sounds good. I have a new combo that I discovered. We can try it together, and perhaps make some changes for the other ladies."

"That could be nice. Actually, we could also discuss some side salads for the ladies group...Ino gave me a list of ideas, and you would be best to evaluate them. We can make it a salad party."

"I'm at your service, Boss."

"Good." I cough. "If I take longer than an hour to reach your door, check on me. I...might be distracted, still."

"Lots of information to process." He nods. "I get it, Boss."

"As always, I'm glad that I don't have to explain too much," I say with a smile. And do I ever mean it.