Scarlet Justice - ep. 16
"Assembly"

"Lili! Lili, I gotta talk to you!"

I remember that Naruto left ahead of me, so I'm not terribly shocked at hearing his voice. But what he's said...why does he want to speak to me so urgently? Perhaps he wants to talk about his surprise promotion...

"Hinata, I'll see you later."

"Y-yes. B-bye, Naruto..."

"Oh! See you, Hinata! Congratulations, you got the best partner ever!"

"T-thank you...um..." She blushes and runs off. What a girl.

"So, uh. Let's go somewhere out of the way. It's...it's important."

"Alright." We head to the playground nearby, where there's nobody else at the moment. Naruto takes a seat on one of the swings, and I sit beside him. He's very quiet for a while.

I start to worry a bit. Is he okay?

"Iruka-sensei...you noticed, right? How he was moving today."

"He hurt his back. Do you know how it happened?"

"It was my fault."

"...a prank?"

He shakes his head.

"Then...what was it?"

"He saved my life."

"..."

"I know that he really likes you. And I like him too. And I like you too. You know? So...I just wanted to tell you about what really happened and stuff. There's a guy. Or was a guy...another teacher named Mizuki."

"I've heard of him."

"Yeah. Iruka-sensei and him used to hang out. Turns out it was all fake. He never liked Iruka-sensei at all and was just sucking up to impress the Hokage. Real scumbag. What happened was...he found me that night, after you and your family took me out to eat. He told me about a secret scroll, one that the Hokage kept around with all sorts of techniques and stuff. If I could learn something out of that, he said that I'd defintely be able to graduate. He tried to stick up for me after Iruka-sensei failed me, earlier in the day. So, I...well, I got the Hokage with 'that' jutsu. You know the one."

"Unfortunately."

"I even remembered what you said and added a bit more of that 'boing-boing'...man, you should have seen the look on the old man's face. Went down faster than ever!"

I clear my throat. He rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"O-oh. Sorry, ehe. Right, so...I nabbed the scroll. And I learned a neat trick after a few hours of trying. It sucked and was pretty hard at first, but...well, let me show you."

He gets up and stands in front of me, making the Tiger seal with both hands. I feel like...wait a moment.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

And all of a sudden, there are five Narutos standing in front of me. I instinctively look down and see that they all have shadows. These aren't illusions - they're honest to god copies.

No wonder Iruka passed him.

He dispels the clones and goes back to his seat.

"So where is the scroll now?" I ask, still trying to process everything.

"Back with the old man. Mizuki tricked me. I mean it worked out in the end, but he wanted the scroll for himself...for whatever reason. I don't know. He tried to kill me for it, but Iruka-sensei figured things out and came in the nick of time before anyone else found me. Took one of those giant shuriken to the back."

That's about what I would expect from that sort of man. Unbelievable. I really will have to do something special for him one day soon. I wonder if I should scold him personally for his recklessness...hm. I will have to think on it.

"Iruka-sensei told me that I was a shinobi of the village, and that...meant a lot to me. So I geared up and kicked Mizuki's ass, and that was the end of it. The scroll got put back, and I ended up getting some more ramen. The old man was confused to see me again so soon, but Iruka-sensei convinced him it was okay. Not often you get to have ramen for breakfast, yeah?"

"It shouldn't be often."

"Eh." He shrugs. "So...that's the story. And I wanted you to hear about it...well, there are a lot of reasons for that. I feel like..."

"What you did was reckless and foolish. You could have hurt many people. Maybe even killed them with your actions. You nearly put a dangerous power into the hands of a criminal and endangered the village, weakened its security, and brought shame to everyone you knew."

"..."

"But Iruka-sensei is right. You are a member of this village. You are cared for. You are needed, and necessary. Naruto, you are worth something no matter what happens, or what type of skills you do and do not have. Remember that. Treasure it. And focus on the fact that you did accomplish something great, with your own two hands."

"Lili..."

"All I want out of you is a promise that you will continue to do better, each and every day. And that you will use your powers for good from now on. You're a shinobi now. Got it?"

"Got it!"

"Good. Thank you for telling me all of this," I say with a smile. "I appreciate it, just as I appreciate you."

"Yeah...thanks."

"Now go on home and get yourself ready for tomorrow. You don't want to be unprepared for Sharingan Kakashi's first class."

"Probably not," Naruto says as he gets up. "Sounds like a real hardass, too. Ah, well. I'll figure it out when I get there. See you, Lili. And thanks for listening."

"You're welcome. You can tell me anything, Naruto. I'll be here for you."

"Yeah." He starts on his way, and I wait. A few more steps. He stops. Looks back at me.

Makes his way to my side, and whispers into my ear. Steps back a bit.

"Is that so," I say. It's something heavy. Something...I think should be unbearable.

"Yeah. Mizuki blurted it out in the forest." He looks down at his feet nervously.

"I see." I stand up and go to leave. "You should understand something."

"What...is it?"

I place a hand on his cheek, and stare into his blue eyes. I want him to remember this moment.

"What you might be to the world, and what terrible thing you might have inside of you...all of that is meaningless before me. Remember that. You will always be Naruto to me."

I watch as the worry melts away from him.

"I see everything you are. I accept you."

"...yeah."

"I'll see you, then. Take care of yourself." I slowly let my hand slide down from his face, and start my walk home.

The Nine-Tailed Fox. The means by which the Fourth Hokage saved the village...a child who became a jinchurriki at birth. I don't know the reasons, so I cannot judge them. But the way this village has treated him...it hurts too much. I don't know if it's something I can truly forgive. I will try, though. For his sake. And for the sake of the Fourth, who gave of himself as well.

If all I can do is stand by Naruto's side, then that is what I will do.

But I know that I can do more. And so I will.

"It's something we shouldn't spread around too much. Or at all, really. That boy is bold for telling you so suddenly after he found out."

Midori said that much to me yesterday before leaving for the day. I told her about Naruto and she seemed to understand completely.

"It makes sense. The chakra of the Nine-Tails is extremely powerful...still, I wonder what exactly the Fourth was thinking with that kind of set-up. I can tell that the Third doesn't know either, since he's been trying to handle the situation from afar. What a mess..."

"..."

"It's up to you, Lili. If you can lead him forward, then things will be okay."

"I'll do my best, Midori-nee."

She rubbed my head as she always did before taking off. Luna emerged from her room a moment later.

"Miss Lilith, I'm-"

"Your shirt."

"Eh?"

"It's backwards, Luna."

She looked down and made another one of her distressed noises while turning red.

"Midori-nee must be amazing if she can leave you in that state so consistently-"

"Not another word! Please!"

Luna could barely stand to look at me the rest of the night.

It's morning now. I will be meeting my sensei, Kurenai Yuuhi today. 7am comes and I rise from bed. Luna is already preparing the bath.

"You're up early today, Miss Lilith."

"I'm looking forward to my first day on the job. Plus, Hinata and I will be together. It should be fun."

"Very happy to hear that. The bath will be ready in just a moment..."

"No rush. Hinata will be here around 8:30." I wait patiently for Luna to finish, and then we get into the tub together.

"Where will you be meeting with your sensei? Miss Yuuhi, right?"

"Yes. We'll be meeting at the Dangoya for some tea and breakfast. It sounds classy enough, and should be nice."

"It sounds like it. Let me touch up your hair a bit..."

After we finish our bath, I get into my new clothing.

"Is this alright, Miss Lilith?"

The mirror in my room is full-length, and I take one last look at myself. For now, the clean and modest look is still in. A black sweater that shows off a bit of my shoulders, with sleeves that flare outwards starting from the lower part of my arms. Stylish, and functional for my alternative skills. The green armband fits nicely with it, I think. A pair of navy blue cargo shorts, over black tights. These feel comfortable enough, and I have many pockets to use, which pleases me. I have a sturdy black toolbelt and my pouch is now attached to it. And of course, my gifted butterfly knife from Midori, carried in a holster that is strapped to my right thigh. Just like Luna.

I feel my hair being brushed gently, Luna making sure as usual that it looks right. She steps away once finished, and I give an approving nod to my reflection as I turn and look myself over.

"A glass of milk before I go, Luna."

"Of course, Miss Lilith." I follow her into the kitchen and she pours from the pitcher. The doorbell rings.

"A moment, please."

"Mm-hm." I drink down my milk and then fuss over my outfit a bit longer. Finally, I see who's at the door. It seems to be the appointed time.

"Lady Hinata, good morning."

"Ah...good morning, Luna. It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise. Miss Lilith is ready...I hope you both have a safe and productive day."

"Thank you..."

"Will you be home late?" Luna asks me.

"We might be. Depends on how things go, but I think I should be home a reasonable hour."

"Understood. Please do not hesitate to call if you need my help."

"Yes. Thank you, Luna." We share a hug. "I'll see you later."

"Yes. Take care, Miss Lilith. You as well, Lady Hinata."

We wave goodbye before leaving, descending the stairs and hitting the streets of the Leaf. They seem a bit busier this time around, but it is the top of summer. Everyone has come out to relax and play, whatever suits them best. And school is out all over the land for most children. I follow Hinata to our meeting place. Her headband hasn't been changed, but is secured around her neck. Very chic.

"Um...Lili?"

"Yes?"

"Luna...really is, um. I mean to say...her body..."

"I know."

"It's...not difficult?" she asks.

"Not at all. I'm used to it. And she doesn't do anything to make me uncomfortable, or feel like I'm inadequate. So it's more than fine."

"I see..."

I rub at my cheek. "It's also nice. The softness, I mean..."

"S-soft...ah?"

"You should try it."

Hinata shakes her head. "I-I don't think...would t-that even be okay?"

"I would think so. I tease her about being a pedophile sometimes, but that's far from the truth. And I don't think she would mind, especially since you're also a girl."

"..."

"Maybe she could wash your hair, if you're more interested in that. She's really good at it."

"Ah. Yours always does look nice. She washes it every morning?"

"Only as often as needed." We stop at an intersection and make sure it's clear before crossing. "If you take care of it properly, you only need to do light washing most days. Yours is nice, too. Have you thought about growing it?" I ask.

"Hm..."

"You should consider it. I think long hair would suit you."

"I'll...I will definitely think about it," Hinata says. The gears are turning in her head, so that's good.

Before I realize it, we're at the dango shop. Early, as is my way. Shino is standing up ahead, easily recognizable.

"Shino," I say to him as we approach. He pushes up his glasses and nods to acknowledge me.

"It's good to finally greet you properly, Miss Genius." A strange way of speaking, but not particularly cold. Nothing like Sasuke, anyways.

"I feel the same. It's nice to meet you, Shino." I bow and Hinata follows suit. Shino bows in return. "Lili is fine."

"I'll note that...but I think last names sound a bit cooler."

"..." Well, everyone has their quirks. Wanting to experience coolness isn't so bad. "Kobayashi is fine also," I say.

"Thank you. You're more accommodating than I assumed."

"I appreciate hearing that." He's agreeable, at least. This seems fine. Hinata timidly introduces herself while I look out for our sensei. Kurenai Yuuhi...hm.

There's a woman coming up the street who looks decidedly mature. Her hair is wild-looking and reaches to her shoulders, and she has striking red eyes. She wears red lipstick and an interesting looking kind of blouse, patterned like vines and thorns with bold red lines running vertically. Her one visible sleeve on her right arm is also coloured red. There are cloth wrappings strategically placed on her limbs.

This is her, then.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, sensei," I say politely.

"No need to be so stiff with me, alright?" she says with a smile. "As you might have guessed, I'm your squad leader. My name is Kurenai Yuuhi. For the record, you're my first group of genin ever. I've only become a jounin and an instructor recently."

Is that so...a rookie jounin? Hm. I wonder what was behind that decision...dumping us off on her? Or something more sinister? Was Iruka guessing at this, or something else? Many questions...

"Let's head inside for now and have some tea," Kurenai says. She seems nice...but it could always be a front, I suppose. Not likely. She said she was new to this, so she wouldn't want to screw up badly by causing us harm. Not me, as an accomplished graduate, and not Hinata or Shino, who are the children of prominent clans.

We follow her inside the shop and have a seat. She makes an order for tea and some light breakfast items to share amongst all of us. We sit on one side, she on the other.

"We'll probably be discussing things for a while. I think we should make a trip down to the barbeque place when we're finished for some lunch. I'll buy for everyone." As she speaks, I notice she's wearing some eye shadow. It's purple, and she carries it well.

"Sensei."

"Remember what I said earlier, okay? But Kurenai-sensei is okay, if you wish."

"I see, understood. Kurenai-sensei, is this usually how you look when on assignment?" I ask. There is much debate over womanly appearances during work. I wonder what her views are.

"Usually, yes. Part of being a shinobi is being in your best condition. Feeling good is important, and looking good contributes to that. I enjoy my womanhood, and so I embrace it. Self-care is important." She smiles and winks. "This isn't just for young people, either. Remember all of this as you grow. Ah...it's the same for you, Shino. Remember to take care of yourself."

"Understood. I'll immerse myself in esoteric pursuits," he says.

"Hm. That's fine, too. Anyways, I've had a chance to glean some information from the Aburame and the Hyuuga about their children, so...Lilith, right?"

"Yes. Lili is fine."

"Good, I like it. Lili, I'll have to meet with your guardian soon. Will that be inconvenient?"

"Not at all. Luna will be home tomorrow and I'll be sure to inform her of your wishes tonight before bed."

"Thank you. And Luna...her relation to you is...?"

"My maid. Stepmother is at the estate," probably molesting the help, I leave out, "and Father is...busy. Working, somewhere." I've lost track of where he might be. But it's hard to care at this point.

"And I heard that you have an older sister as well," Kurenai says.

"Midori-nee. She's not my sister by blood, but I love her very much. Right now, she should be performing ceremonial duties."

"She's royalty, then."

"Yes." It's not a lie, at least.

"Interesting. Alright, I'll talk to Miss Luna at some point, perhaps tomorrow." Kurenai sips from her teacup, and I follow. Hinata does the same. "With all that aside, let's introduce ourselves formally. I'll start. Kurenai Yuuhi, jounin of the Hidden Leaf. I like reading and evening drinks. I want to become the best kunoichi that I can be, and carry on the Will of Fire like my family and comrades have. As for my dream...well, I suppose it's old-fashioned. I want to retire one day and be an old woman, with a good kid and a husband who will love me forever."

She nods to Shino who clears his throat. "Shino Aburame. Member of the Aburame Clan and genin of the Hidden Leaf. I enjoy winter melon and collecting various insects. My goal is to refine my insect techniques to perfection, and become the greatest insect user of all time. Why? Because the pursuit of perfection is what advances humanity to its greatest heights."

"Ambitious," Kurenai says. "And interesting. Winter melon, eh..."

"Is there a problem with that, sensei?" he asks. Wow. A little defensive, aren't we?

"Yeah. It's weird." And this woman doesn't pull her punches. "I don't know anyone who likes winter melon at all."

"It's an acquired, perhaps a...refined taste."

"Oho...refined, huh?"

I nudge Hinata. No need to let this turn into a bloodbath so early.

"A-ah...my name is Hinata...Hyuuga," she starts shakily. "I'm a genin and member of the...Hidden Leaf's Hyuuga Clan. They're...one of...I-I mean, they are the greatest clan of the Leaf...um, I like...I like to press flowers...and cinnamon rolls...and, um...my dream is to become strong...like the people that I admire."

She blushes and goes quiet again. I pat her head in approval, and she calms a bit. A good job for her first try.

"From what I know of you, that's a big step. But it's my job as your sensei to help you get there," Kurenai says. "That kind of effort will make you a fine woman, Hinata."

"Kurenai-sensei...thank you..."

"Any time. And now, we come to the number one rookie. Tell us about yourself, Lili."

"Yes." I seem to know what I want. Nothing truly set in stone, but...it never hurts to reach for the stars. "My name is Lilith Kobayashi. My friends and comrades call me Lili. I'm the top rookie genin of the Leaf. My mother is a socialite and gravure model, while my father is a rice magnate. I developed shinobi talents and find myself enjoying them, despite being from a rich family. I live in an apartment with my beautiful maid and guardian, Luna. I like curly fries, milk, and Midori-nee a whole lot. I also really like girls. And my dream..."

I clasp my hands together dramatically.

"I want to become strong and elegant like my sister, discover the world, and find the most outrageously beautiful wife. Becoming a full-fledged shinobi will help me accomplish all of these things."

"A wife? I see," Kurenai says with a nod. "I personally prefer men, but you know how it goes."

"That's fair. I know that Hinata is the same," I say as Hinata blushes.

"Hm. That would make you the daughter of Kobayashi Rice's CEO, then. I can see why you would want to travel, you must have lived a sheltered enough life under those conditions. Being able to defend yourself is a good asset, and the village does send you on missions far and wide. When you become a chuunin, you should think about petitioning the Hokage to become a special envoy," Kurenai explains. "It involves a lot of back and forth travel. That way, you'll get to see all kinds of exotic women with good figures."

"Ah. I'll take that into consideration." Kurenai really is good. Not only accepting my preferences, but finding a way to mix them into a potential shinobi career. Very nice.

"Let's finish our light breakfast here and get going."

We do so, taking a few more minutes to finish before heading outside. Kurenai stretches her arms before holding up one finger to the air and nodding.

"Okay, so...as I suggested earlier, we'll be getting barbeque for lunch. Shino and Hinata know the spot that I'm talking about. Let's call it three hours from now. The reason why I kept your breakfast light will become clear."

"Sensei, what will we be doing before then?" Shino asks.

"A team-building exercise."

I don't like where this is going.

"I'm going to head to a specific spot in town, and you're going to track me down. You've got three hours to do so. If you pass, you'll get an interesting prize along with your barbeque. If you fail...well, one of you is going to be punished harshly. Use the skills you have to find me before time runs out. You're starting now."

"W-wait...!" Hinata protests.

Kurenai winks before disappearing in a swirl of cherry blossoms. "Good luck~"

"She's swift...I didn't get to plant my insects onto her," Shino mutters. "Not cool..."

"Lili...w-what are we going to do?" Hinata asks. "She said we have to find her in three hours, but the Leaf is s-so big...a-and she could be hiding anywhere."

"..." I do wonder what I can do in this situation. There's really not that much time to find her, considering the size of the village...I should do something.

In fact, I think I will. I have just the tool for this.