Chapter 8. Sake with Kakashi
As the night's performances dragged on, it became apparent that "pop star," was the main even. The other patrons while still intrigued, they were not those invested as before. They look like men who had tasted rich wine and now have to settle for cheap sake.
Kakashi was about to resume his search for his target, when the performance came to an end. The old lady from the before stepped onto the stage still smoking her pipe.
"My precious patrons it is now time to select the lucky customer." She said and waitresses walked around handing out papers. His own read "42" he watched the reaction of the other patrons and was surprised to see their enthusiasm.
What is going on here?
The old lady answered his unasked question. "The one with the luck number will send the rest of this fine evening with the pop star herself." That got a rise out of them, they immediately began to converse among themselves. He would be able to integrate her if he was alone with her. His next objective was to get the target alone anyway, so this would work out fine. Now he only had to make sure they picked his number.
A Maiko walked onto the stage with a box, presumably filled with random numbers. He wouldn't be able to get her to draw his number, but he could fool her into seeing his number. Pouring chakra into his sharingan he cast the genjutsu. The old lady didn't react to being out under an illustration such was its subtlety. She reached into the be and pulled out a paper, she looked at it while drawing on her pipe. With a long exhale and a cloud of smoke she smiled.
"Our lucky winner is number 42!" She said, tossing the note away, causing the poor Maiko to chase after it. The crowd erupted into cheers despite their lost. "If the lucky winner would be so kind as to make his way to the stairs, someone will guide you to your prize."
Kakashi rose, gaining the attention of almost all the patrons, he winced under their piercing gaze. He was felt uncomfortable under their gaze and he felt like glaring. He fought the urge and made his way to the stairs where the lady who escorted his up, waited.
The old lady drew the patrons' attention, as she reached into the box to select another person for another one of her Geisha. With his back turned he failed notice the paper once tossed away, had the number 42 upon it.
The third floor, according to his research, consisted of only large rooms used for lounging and entertaining patrons, "privately." As they reached the top steps they were greeted with a hallway of many sliding doors. Murals of mountains and oceans adorned their walls, each impressive on their own, but together they created a masterpiece. At the end of the wall before the turn was a door with a mural of whirlpool in an ocean surrounded by mountains and mist.
Uzushigakure the thought entered his mind immediately after seeing the mural, the village hidden in the whirlpool. The woman led him to that door, and he watched as she knocked on the door and waited for a response.
"Yes?" A soft voice came from within the room, he recognized and was quite pleased his mis was going so smoothly.
"Your guest has arrived," his escort called back. There was no shuffling of clothes, no tell tale sign the performer was getting ready to greet their guest. He did hear a sigh, however, before she called back.
"You may enter." His escort bowed and drew back the doors to reveal the room.
It was a spacious room, lit with four lanterns in each corner of the room, and one hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room. A low table sat on the right side of the room, two sake bottles and cups atop it. The opposite side revealed a futon surrounded by cushions, they looked appealing, but he had no intention of discovering how soft they were.
There was a balcony at the facing the entrance, on the third floor it would give someone a great view of the city, and potentially customers. Before it in the center of the room, in a low bow crimson hair cascading down her shoulders; was his target.
In the dimly lit room she seemed to radiate with beauty. Emerald eyes looked up at him through thick lashes, a small smile on her pink glossy lips.
He stepped in and the door closed behind him, the geisha stood and approached him. She took his elbow in hers and lead him to the low table with the sake. He stopped halfway there and she looked back at him confused.
"Will you not drink with me?" Her voice was smooth and pleasant to his ear, a walking temptation. His eyes drift from her face back to the balcony, he saw nothing there naturally, but his eye said what stood before him was a lie.
"Sir?" She said again and he had to resist the urge to glance upon her. He stood there for a good two minutes before anything happened. He heard a sigh and the geisha before him turned into Sakura petals. They flew to the balcony and revealed her. She sat on a low bench adorned with soft pillows he hadn't seen before. There was a sake bottle in her hand that she drank from while glaring at him.
"I hadn't realized this establishment condones ripping off their customers." He said in a light tone smiling at her. Her brows furrowed as she looked at him, as though trying to solve a puzzle.
She stood and strode over to him, she didn't appear hostile but it was apparant she loved to use genjutsu, he had to be vigilant.
"Your an Uzumaki aren't you?" He said starting the interrogation.
"What makes you think that?" She began to walk circles around him.
"The red hair" he stated matter-of-fact-ly, his ears trailed her as she stopped before him and twirled a lock between her fingers.
"And what if I am?" She walked over to the low table and poured her self a drink. "What does it matter?" She downed the drink and slammed the empty cup down.
"I'm curious, what brings you to our village?" He continued his questioning dispute the glare she offered.
"Mine was kinda destroyed, datteba. So excuse me for wondering into your village." She snarled. Kakashi winced only on the inside outwards he raised his hands in surrender.
"I didn't mean anything by it. So your staying here now then?" He needed to know what she was after if anything at all. She chucked and rested her elbow on the table and her chin in her palm.
"No I'm not staying after a few more gigs I'll be gone, datteba." something flashed across her face, an almost pained expression before it was replayed it a lazy smile. "Is that all the questions you have?"
She stood then and taking the unused cup and a battle with her as she walked to stand in front of him. "'Cause if so..." She placed the cup in his hand and poured him sake. "How 'bout we get back to the reason you're supposed to be here."
"You mean the reason you saw fit to cast an illusion on me?" He caused help but ask, she didn't react to his words merely smiling and walking over to the balcony. She sat down on her bench and smiled at him.
"I wasn't expecting company," was all she said. She gestured to the cushions on the left. "Now sit, I'll play you a song." He looked over to the arrangement of pillows and then back to her. A koto was suddenly before her, slender fingers hovering over the stings. He complied and sat on futon, and yes, they were as soft as they appeared. He couldn't help but sink deeper into them. Two sake bottles were to the side and he pick one up pouring a cup full.
The note of the pulled sting vibrated through the room, his eyes landed on her, she seemed at peace as she played. A melody of notes bounced of the wall she she played a song. It was so soft and southing, that he found himself with his eyes close.
It was bright, green field of grass seemed endless around him. Laughter reached his ear and he searched from which it came, only to pause in wonder. Rin stood in the field her short brown hair dancing in the wind, she looked older, now dressed in a jonin outfit as appose to her black shirt, white skirt and purple leggings. She laughed again and the man in front of her become more animated in his tale. His black hair was wild his going wind and goofy unbefitting the the jonin jacket he wore. His right was covered in much the way Kakashi's own was. It wasn't until he turn to look his way that he saw who it was. Obito Uchiha, his team mate he was taller and much like Rin looked older.
"Kakashi!" Rin called "what took you so long?" Obito folded his arms behind his head and grinned at him. The left side of his face that was crushed was forever scared, it didn't hurt if the way he grinned widely was any indication.
"Sorry about that," the familiar voice came from behind. Kakashi spun, blond hair and narrow blue eyes adorned a handsome face. Minato Namikaze, his sensei didn't change at all. "We had to drop of Naruto at the academy." He said walking by Kakashi giving him a nod.
Minato walked over to them and they dived into a lively conversation. Minato was bragging about his amazing son and how he's making lots of friends. Rin rebuked him saying his son is a trouble maker and too much like Obito. The man in question laughed it off saying if Naruto was like him then surely he will become Hokage. They all laughed at that and Kakashi basked in the sound. It had been forever seen he heard it.
You've heard their laugh everyday.
His mind tried to fool him, but he know it wasn't true. He would think this an illusion if not for the improbability of it. The caster would have to know his team intimately to have pulled off an illusion like this. No, he was fairly sure this was a dream, if nothing else it was better that the occasional nightmares.
He had expected the images of their deaths to flash in his mind, but only the scene before him played. He was grateful for that, he heard his name and focused on Obito.
"Yo Kakashi, tell Minato sensei of how awesome I was in that fight yesterday." Obito demanded. Kakashi had but a second of confusion before his "memory" was filled. His team had apparently gone on a mission to subdue rogue Cloud ninja. A smile worked its way onto his face, this was but a dream he knew but if only for a little while, he'd like to pretend it was more.
"I seem to remember that in counter rather differently," Kakashi spoke with ease taking a step towards the group and then another. "I had to drag you out of a forest fire, you caused!" His words had the desired effect and Obito rapidly be begun defend himself.
This may his been not being but a dream but he would be damned if he wasted this moment.
Kakashi woke to the face of the lady whom had escorted him, she began spouting excuses once she was could watching him sleep. Sitting up he ignored her in favour of observing his surroundings. He was still at the pleasure house in the same room, everything remained as was when he fell asleep except one.
"Where's she?"
The woman stopped her rambling and followed his gaze, they fell upon a koto that sat atop a low table in from of the balcony. The woman's eyes lid up with understanding and she quickly explained.
"Lady Hana has retired for the night," she said "she only works until 10 so she had left while you were asleep." He hadn't realize she was on a time deadline, he assumed all geisha's slept in the building. "You're welcomed to spend the night of course." She continued, "most of Ms. Hana's clients usually end up in the same state as you, so we have a system where you will be allow to sleep here. No additional fees required." She smiled at him expectantly though he couldn't figure out why. He stood and sorted his clothes as he thought.
"I initiated contact and interrogation and got the answers the Hokage asked for. I should report back to him.
Mind made up he excused himself, much the geisha's disappointment. He left the building and walked a good distant in the smaller crowd before flickering away.
"I see..." The Hokage sighed after Kakashi finished his mission report. He had long since retired for the night and sat in his sleeping robes in the meeting room. Kakashi had told his commander of everything but his dream. He didn't see the relevance of it. "Well from what you have told me, it would appear she is only here to raise funds." His eyes were tired but he seemed to relax. "Let us hope it remains that way, her skills with genjutsu would be rather hard to combat if even the Sharingan can not see through it."
Kakashi had been under a genjutsu the moment he stepped into that building. He wasn't sure what they were hiding of if it was just to appear more appealing. Either way he hasn't been able to dispel it and soon found more being added on to it. "Perhaps an Uchiha would be better suited to combat her illusions." Kakashi suggested already thinking of the young Uchiha, Itachi.
The Hokage hummed in acknowledgement, he looked out the window and sighed again. "I am much too old for this" it was a whisper but Kakashi heard it. Though he remained in his kneeling position, choosing not to acknowledge it. "Gets some rest Kakashi it's been a long night."
"Sir!" With that he flicked away into the night.
The moon hung high in the dark sky as she made his way home. He hummed a newly discovered tone almost unconsciously. He voice ringing in his ears.
The key to finding happiness lays no where else but in my soul.
Should he meet her again he would be sure to ask what she meant.
Hello night walkers Luna here. I'm still alive and kicking, going through the Great Depression, but other wise fine. Hope the same can be said about the lot of you. Just be a clean freak for a bit and you'll be fine, embrace your inner shut in.
Keep clam and read fanfiction
Until next time. Night Song!