Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Glimpses of Darkness ❯ The Days That Follow ( Chapter 5 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: shattered-words 
When you become the object of people’s searches, where will you hide?
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.14.2008 | Updated On: 01.14.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 148 | Status: Work In Progress
When you become the object of people’s searches, where will you hide?
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.14.2008 | Updated On: 01.14.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 148 | Status: Work In Progress
Glimpses of Darkness
Author: shattered-words
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it’d be called ‘Gaara’. So, isn’t it a shame that I don’t own it? (This verse belongs to me. No, not all of them will be mine XD)
Summary: The Kakurezato are on the brink of war and certain events leave several lives hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, what’s the fire wielder’s fate, and who is the deadly Oto Oinin that has suddenly appeared? (AU, Sequel of “Glimpses of Fire”)
AN: Dina, if you see anything that might need to be translated, let me know please. Thank you and enjoy. n.n
His black hair had been cut and now was short and spiky around his head, and the mask he wore. It was porcelain with the Suna symbol on the forehead and the kanji for ‘Kamikaze’ etched into the cheek. The mask itself was painted with a black overtone and any that saw it would recognize it.
The one that trained him stood a few feet away from him and he wore a completely white mask that only had the eye slits. He was the current leader of First Seat Oinin but when he had taken him as an apprentice, he had handed over the mask since the former ANBU member would be leader soon.
He didn’t know the man’s name or his reasons for joining the Hunter ranks but respected his skills. Soon, however, he would surpass him and at the age of nineteen would hold a tremendous seat of power, and would only answer to the Kazekage.
The Godaime hadn’t been chosen yet but it was only a matter of time. He had heard from his father, whom was on the council, that some of the Elders were pushing for Sabaku no Gaara for Kazekage, but there were others that were refusing the decision. There was no need for him to guess who was at the head of that particular argument.
Kamikaze relaxed and he was confused but didn’t drop his guard. He had done that before and had gotten knocked on his ass. It hadn’t been a very pleasing feeling and would prevent it if he could.
However, he heard someone else approaching their training area and turned around to see who his sensei was looking at. The Erizawa Head was walking in their direction with a frown on his features. He turned to look at his teacher and the man gave a nod.
Having received permission, he hurried over to meet the older male. The apprentice Hunter stopped and he was disturbed to see a frown on his features. “What’s the matter, father?” he asked him, removing his mask and showing his young, handsome features.
Atsushi frowned at his eldest and wondered how to tell him. He knew that directly to the point was best, but this situation was a delicate one. “Ryohei-kun,” he muttered with a sigh. “Your youngest sister hasn’t show up for the last few days with your mother, sister and brother.”
Erizawa Ryohei felt his frown deepen at his words. “Are you sure?” he asked, trying to hide his worry. Usually, if his younger sibling didn’t have any missions she would visit their mother in the morning before training, and in the afternoon she would accompany their other siblings, Naoki and Keiichi to lunch.
He always accompanied them when he wasn’t busy with missions or training but he had been away from Suna and he had barely returned early this morning. The rest of the day after having rested, had been occupied with training with his sensei.
“Maybe she’s on a mission or is training with her teammate?” He didn’t want to jump to conclusions because he knew that his sister had always been a wild child and tended to be impulsive. Also, she had been spending a lot of time with Amane after the invasion of Konoha in which their third teammate had defected from Suna. At least, that is what the village had been told concerning her sudden disappearance, but he couldn’t help but think there was more to it.
Atsushi shook his head with another sigh. “She was summoned for a mission yesterday but she never showed,” he replied, and he saw his son’s face twist in worry. Iwane was impulsive and irresponsible at times, but she took her missions very seriously.
“I will look for her,” he promised his father, hearing the unvoiced request. They both knew that if she didn’t show soon then Itagaki Hiroaki would demand that they deem her AWOL or Nukenin, and both would not end well for his youngest sister.
The older man felt the tension leave his shoulders at that statement and nodded with a slight smile. He had always been proud of his older son and all that he had accomplished on his own, but he had somehow never been able to show too much affection toward his children. At first he had done so because of intimidation from Itagaki Hiroaki.
He had been younger by a year to Katsuhiko but when forced to interact he had the misfortune of meeting Hiroaki one afternoon. He had treated Atsushi harshly and peered down at him with contempt since the Itagaki Ichizoku was closer to the Morisue, and thus had more wealth and power.
The Erizawa had been sixteen years old when his father had passed away of heart failure and he was suddenly expected to be the Head of the Clan. He had tried his best and had run the operations of the clan to the best of his abilities, and with a lot of help from his father’s assistants. Hiroaki had intervened only when he had gone against his suggestions during a Council Meeting.
He was still terrified of the older man and he had given into him like a coward, and had been doing it ever since. When he heard of Hiroaki’s plans to arrange a marriage for Katsuhiko, he had taken the first possible prospective mate he could find and wed her. Atsushi knew he had married for all the wrong reasons but when Ryohei was born, all his doubts were washed away.
If he tried to make his new wife and son happy then that’s all that would matter. Atsushi had always wanted a large family and had enjoyed his son’s affection, until Katsuhiko’s son was born two years after his own child, and then everything had changed.
Hiroaki would no doubt condition his grandson into a heartless bastard like him, which he had never accomplished with Katsuhiko because of Kiyo’s influence. The first few years were good, despite Hiroaki’s attempts to make life harder for those around him.
Then his first daughter, Naoki, was born two years after Motoki, and then Miwako and Akemi were born months away from each other two years afterwards. It had become risky for Akamatsu Ai, Katsuhiko’s wife, to have anymore children after their daughter, so she was unable to give the Itagaki anymore children, but Atsushi had one more son four years later, Keiichi.
Now, looking upon his son, he felt so very proud that he was stronger than him and that he surpassed Itagaki Motoki in everything he did. He wondered how much of that was because he had instilled that he must never bend over for them as he did. Atsushi was glad that Ryohei had never followed his example.
Atsushi hesitated and Ryohei frowned as he saw his father fighting with some kind of decision. He could feel dread creeping over him. “Tell me,” he demanded. While this was his father, it was also true that he would be the next Kamikaze and thus commanded more authority then his father did. At times it wasn’t too pleasing to know that, but now he was fully glad that he had it.
“I sent your brother out to search for her at her apartment but there was no one located there.” He pulled out something from inside of his shirt, from a hidden pocket sewn there. “The door was unlocked and he found this.” In his hands he held one of his youngest sisters’ shirts that Naoki had given her to wear when not on missions. It was torn and splattered in blood.
Ryohei wouldn’t remember what went through his mind in that instant. All he knew was fear and a deep rage that he had never felt in his life. Atsushi had felt the same thing when he had seen the shirt and he would forever regret showing his son the shirt after seeing the look in his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The servant glanced down the hall and then the other way as he shifted almost nervously but caught himself a moment later. He was supposed to look natural and like he belonged or he’d be seen as suspicious. Even so he bit his bottom lip as he saw another servant turn a corner and tried to blend into the wall behind him as he continued to wait by the door. The woman glanced at him as her eyes openly passed over his body but said nothing about him being there.
When he’d chosen his appearance he had imaged a similar build as he actually had and had henged. Instead of his long hair he now had short blonde locks and black eyes that seemed out of place compared to his pale skin. In all actuality, his own skin was tanned because he spent most of his time outside training.
Even if he knew it wasn’t permanent he continued fidgeting in place. He had no use for short hair, and blonde! Why he had ever thought blonde was stylish and unnoticeable was beyond him. He stood out as much as any golden haired kid in Suna.
When a fourth woman servant checked him out, he almost lost patience. He had no problems with females, but they were nuisances when throwing themselves at him. It had happened too many times while growing up, and to his sibling as well. When they’d turned fifteen and were already getting ready to join ANBU, he’d solved both their situations with them.
It was the talk for weeks when he’d publicly announced that he was of the homosexual variety. The young women and teenaged girls had been disappointed but had taken a hint and left him and his brother alone. Although, his twin wasn’t too fond of being stalked, he also didn’t like that people automatically assumed he was gay as well.
Not only that, but men randomly hitting and/or trying to cope a feel wasn’t on his list of activities he enjoyed. It was plainly obvious that Satoshi was heterosexual, and that was only proven when he beat any man stupid enough to try and disprove that theory into a coma.
That was also when he’d fallen out of his father’s good graces, but some how, Satori could never gather enough effort to care. Itagaki Hiroaki had always been a serious and disciplined man, and that in itself was everything that he was not. The elder man had also always imputed his own rules to everyone within their clan. Much like the Hyuuga Ichizoku in Konoha, the rules were instated for the convenience of the Main House, and left very few options for those of the branch houses.
Because of this very reason, he did not get along too well with his cousins. Unfortunately for them --or fortunately, depending on how you want to see it-- Hiroaki had never given Katsuhiko any support or encouragement to becoming the Clan Head, even if he had the birth right. Thus, he had concentrated his efforts on the infamous Itagaki twins. They were well known because of the terror they unleashed on the Chunin instructors during their Academy days.
During those times, they had been young and too innocent to realize that the life of a shinobi was harsh and full of many tears which they could never shed. It was one of the many rules that had been drilled into their heads whenever they cared to listen in class.
10th rule of Shinobi Conduct: “A shinobi is in control of his emotions. When one becomes an excellent ninja, feelings will become a distant memory and you will never shed a tear.”
They were somehow able to become ninja and attained the ranks of Chunin in the first exam they participated. At the time it had been explained that it was natural for any Itagaki children to easily attain the next rank, but the truth was that they had survived thanks to Kuroboshi Aiko. He had been the third member of their squad and had been two years their senior.
Aiko had just turned ten years old when his first team had participated in their first exam in Kirigakure and only he had returned alive. Of course, the details of what had happened were distorted but he had muttered two words at the time ‘blood...mist’, and then he had fallen into a coma for a month.
Afterwards, he wouldn’t speak of what he’d gone through no matter who asked, and so they had stopped trying to get anything out of him. He had refused to take the Chunin Exam for the next two years until Kiri held the exam again. They were nine and he was eleven when the twins had been placed on his one man team. The Kazekage had assigned them with some persuasion from their father, but no one knew the type of training he had gone through that first year he had been by himself with his Jonin instructor, Ishikawa Taiki.
They had traveled to Mist and had passed through the exam that had claimed his teammate’s lives, and a bit of Aiko’s sanity. It had been an experience they wouldn’t soon forget and the reason they respected the older ninja. He had shown no mercy and at times had been like a man possessed. If he hadn’t of been there with them, they would have most likely failed and still be no more than Chunin even now, or probably dead.
Satori shuffled his feet as he stood watch and another servant passed by him and he was relieved when she looked at him and made no move to eat him with her eyes. In fact, there was a suspicious expression on her features. Also, the girl looked vaguely familiar. A moment later he realized why when he glimpsed the hitai-ate that was tied around her right forearm, hidden until she stopped in front of him and turned. Erizawa Naoki.
He almost asked what she was doing in the Itagaki household, but realized that he had no time to ask when the door beside him opened and Satoshi stepped out. Of course, he was henged but this was a kunoichi of Suna. Not only that, but she was an expert at seeing through illusionary jutsu. She had just turned sixteen and already was well beyond the Chunin level, but would most likely only make it to Tokubetsu Jonin.
“What-,” she paused in her statement when the door was slid open and Satoshi stepped outside. He had slightly longer hair than he actually had and it was also black, but his eyes were the same expressive onyx.
Satori grinned at her and shook his head. “Don’t ask,” he told her, and his tone gave indication that it was classified information. Of course, underneath their henge they were in full ANBU uniform, and even if they weren’t on duty, it would serve as an excuse if they were caught. The hyperactive shinobi was glad that his twin brother thought of everything.
Naoki had the strangest eyes within both the Erizawa and Itagaki Ichizoku. She had one black and one sea-green. The one with the shariper sight was in her right eye, but in many instances she had referred to her left one as the one gifted with better insight. Now, she opened her mouth and quickly closed it when someone walked around the corner. If their luck could have gotten any worse, it just had. Itagaki Motoki.
Satoshi glanced at her and the girl seemed to understand and she stepped in front of Satori as he pushed his brother back inside the room. As the door closed, the youth looked up and was only slightly surprised to see the Erizawa female in front of him. Both households were abuzz with the sudden disappearance of Miwako, or Iwane, and so it wasn’t too strange to see an Erizawa at the Itagaki compound.
“Itagaki-kun,” Naoki breathed, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth as her face flushed prettily. Her mismatched eyes lit up at the sight of him and the older ninja tried not to roll his own sea-green orbs, obscured within his bangs.
“Erizawa-san, what are you doing here?” he asked none too nicely, never letting his voice take on a friendly tone. He was well aware of the girl’s crush on him and he had no intention of letting her think that he was even vaguely interested, which he wasn’t. He was completely infatuated solely with Iwane.
She hesitated at his none too amiable tone but resisted glancing toward the door Satori and Satoshi had fled into. “I was actually looking for your sister,” she admitted, since he might know where to find the other female. Naoki knew where Iwane and Amane lived but she had gone there and found the apartment empty. Now, she had no choice but to come here. She was just as worried about her younger sibling as Ryohei was because Iwane was her only sister.
Motoki frowned as his eyes narrowed and he might have been pleased by the fear that crossed her face at his expression but he only seemed to become more annoyed. “I have no idea where she is,” he stated in his usual calm voice. At times, he was an emotionless drone when around other people. When around Iwane, he was all emotion. At times he wondered if that was a bad thing. He couldn’t honestly say.
Naoki nodded and tried to give a smile but failed in the face of his cold features. She had always tried to understand the Itagaki and get close to him. After all, she had been in love with him for a long time now and she wanted nothing more than to be his girlfriend. However, that wasn’t an easy feat since he had never had one, and there was a lot of speculation that he was gay.
The Erizawa kunoichi feverishly hoped that this wasn’t the case since she really liked Motoki. If he liked other boys, then there would be no chance for her. Now, if it was another girl then putting her out of the picture would be easier. She could be devious, since her mother had taught her well. After all, Aizawa Machiko hadn’t been the only one that had wanted to marry Erizawa Atsushi at the time.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harukaze caught the stench of alcohol practically radiating off the slumped figure on the stool, their head resting in their arms which were folded on the bar top. He didn’t need to approach with any type of caution since he realized that she was unconscious.
The barman had been “kind” enough to inform him that the kunoichi had been coming here for the past week. Also, that she’d been there all day today. He hadn’t known where she would go after she left from here but only that her presence had been constant and an annoyance.
He had already tried to have her kicked out several times but she had knocked out any that tried to approach, and even the bouncer, a mountain of a man, had gone flying. The Hunter had no qualms about getting near her, since she’d be no problem even if she had been awake. The barman almost embraced him when he had stated that he’d be taking her with him, but he knew not to follow his impulses unless he wanted to lose a limb to the Oinin.
Haru almost sighed as he lifted a limp Iwane against him and vanished in a puff of smoke, only to appear on a rooftop several blocks away. He had no idea that this is where he would ultimately find the girl and he wondered just what the hell had happened for her to have drowned herself in sake.
It had been three days since Amane had allowed him to help look for her teammate but she had not said a thing about letting him assist them in recovering Arisa. He knew that she wanted to know exactly who he was and normally he would have brushed anyone else aside but this was different. He needed both kunoichi, since not only did they not have as many missions as him, but they were also the only two that wanted to get Arisa back that he could ask. Gaara was out of the question and Enoki, their Jonin instructor, had died in the invasion.
A sigh left his lips, features still hidden behind his mask, and lifted the unconscious girl in his arms and started to move along the roofs. His pace was quick and noiseless, and soon he found himself at Amane and Iwane’s apartment. The other ninja had told him where they lived in case he found her while Amane wasn’t around and had to bring her home.
The heavens had been painted an assortment of colors as dusk approached and already the streets were starting to get dark. Harukaze saw a figure manifest out of the shadows as he paused. He wouldn’t have given it too much notice any other day, but the figure lunged as killing intent radiated off him. The Oinin barely had time to move out of the way, deterred by Iwane’s added weight.
He turned to face his attacker and froze when he saw the white mask like his own, with the black markings and the kanji on the fore head. ‘Kamikaze.’ Haru hesitated in confusion and the other ninja took that opportunity to attack. He bit back a cry of pain as agony coursed through his midsection as his sword struck true.
Haru tried to keep his hold on Iwane but she was being torn from his grasp and he was kicked down. He landed on the ground below him heavily and then knew no more.-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Translations:
1. Kamikaze: divine wind
2. Tokubetsu: lit. “Special High Ninja”. Ninja who, rather than all-around Jonin training, have Jonin-level ability in a single area or skill like Jonin such as Ibiki that deals with torture and interrogation. Hayate specializes in examination, and so does Genma, that’s why they’re the proctors of the Chunin Exam. Raido specializes in body guarding, that’s why he was assigned to Haku’s team.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
End, Chapter Five
Author: shattered-words
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it’d be called ‘Gaara’. So, isn’t it a shame that I don’t own it? (This verse belongs to me. No, not all of them will be mine XD)
Summary: The Kakurezato are on the brink of war and certain events leave several lives hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, what’s the fire wielder’s fate, and who is the deadly Oto Oinin that has suddenly appeared? (AU, Sequel of “Glimpses of Fire”)
AN: Dina, if you see anything that might need to be translated, let me know please. Thank you and enjoy. n.n
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Those that are left behind,
are often the ones that suffer.
They have to live with the sorrow,
of those that will never return again.
~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter Five: The Days That Follow ~*~*~*~*~*~
He grunted as he hit the ground once again and his body heaved as he coughed and tried to regain his breath. The man had no mercy when training but he knew that it was all for a reason. When the time came that he would take on his position, his body will have been honed to react completely on instinct. So, it was with much effort that the young man lifted himself back onto his feet.Those that are left behind,
are often the ones that suffer.
They have to live with the sorrow,
of those that will never return again.
~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter Five: The Days That Follow ~*~*~*~*~*~
His black hair had been cut and now was short and spiky around his head, and the mask he wore. It was porcelain with the Suna symbol on the forehead and the kanji for ‘Kamikaze’ etched into the cheek. The mask itself was painted with a black overtone and any that saw it would recognize it.
The one that trained him stood a few feet away from him and he wore a completely white mask that only had the eye slits. He was the current leader of First Seat Oinin but when he had taken him as an apprentice, he had handed over the mask since the former ANBU member would be leader soon.
He didn’t know the man’s name or his reasons for joining the Hunter ranks but respected his skills. Soon, however, he would surpass him and at the age of nineteen would hold a tremendous seat of power, and would only answer to the Kazekage.
The Godaime hadn’t been chosen yet but it was only a matter of time. He had heard from his father, whom was on the council, that some of the Elders were pushing for Sabaku no Gaara for Kazekage, but there were others that were refusing the decision. There was no need for him to guess who was at the head of that particular argument.
Kamikaze relaxed and he was confused but didn’t drop his guard. He had done that before and had gotten knocked on his ass. It hadn’t been a very pleasing feeling and would prevent it if he could.
However, he heard someone else approaching their training area and turned around to see who his sensei was looking at. The Erizawa Head was walking in their direction with a frown on his features. He turned to look at his teacher and the man gave a nod.
Having received permission, he hurried over to meet the older male. The apprentice Hunter stopped and he was disturbed to see a frown on his features. “What’s the matter, father?” he asked him, removing his mask and showing his young, handsome features.
Atsushi frowned at his eldest and wondered how to tell him. He knew that directly to the point was best, but this situation was a delicate one. “Ryohei-kun,” he muttered with a sigh. “Your youngest sister hasn’t show up for the last few days with your mother, sister and brother.”
Erizawa Ryohei felt his frown deepen at his words. “Are you sure?” he asked, trying to hide his worry. Usually, if his younger sibling didn’t have any missions she would visit their mother in the morning before training, and in the afternoon she would accompany their other siblings, Naoki and Keiichi to lunch.
He always accompanied them when he wasn’t busy with missions or training but he had been away from Suna and he had barely returned early this morning. The rest of the day after having rested, had been occupied with training with his sensei.
“Maybe she’s on a mission or is training with her teammate?” He didn’t want to jump to conclusions because he knew that his sister had always been a wild child and tended to be impulsive. Also, she had been spending a lot of time with Amane after the invasion of Konoha in which their third teammate had defected from Suna. At least, that is what the village had been told concerning her sudden disappearance, but he couldn’t help but think there was more to it.
Atsushi shook his head with another sigh. “She was summoned for a mission yesterday but she never showed,” he replied, and he saw his son’s face twist in worry. Iwane was impulsive and irresponsible at times, but she took her missions very seriously.
“I will look for her,” he promised his father, hearing the unvoiced request. They both knew that if she didn’t show soon then Itagaki Hiroaki would demand that they deem her AWOL or Nukenin, and both would not end well for his youngest sister.
The older man felt the tension leave his shoulders at that statement and nodded with a slight smile. He had always been proud of his older son and all that he had accomplished on his own, but he had somehow never been able to show too much affection toward his children. At first he had done so because of intimidation from Itagaki Hiroaki.
He had been younger by a year to Katsuhiko but when forced to interact he had the misfortune of meeting Hiroaki one afternoon. He had treated Atsushi harshly and peered down at him with contempt since the Itagaki Ichizoku was closer to the Morisue, and thus had more wealth and power.
The Erizawa had been sixteen years old when his father had passed away of heart failure and he was suddenly expected to be the Head of the Clan. He had tried his best and had run the operations of the clan to the best of his abilities, and with a lot of help from his father’s assistants. Hiroaki had intervened only when he had gone against his suggestions during a Council Meeting.
He was still terrified of the older man and he had given into him like a coward, and had been doing it ever since. When he heard of Hiroaki’s plans to arrange a marriage for Katsuhiko, he had taken the first possible prospective mate he could find and wed her. Atsushi knew he had married for all the wrong reasons but when Ryohei was born, all his doubts were washed away.
If he tried to make his new wife and son happy then that’s all that would matter. Atsushi had always wanted a large family and had enjoyed his son’s affection, until Katsuhiko’s son was born two years after his own child, and then everything had changed.
Hiroaki would no doubt condition his grandson into a heartless bastard like him, which he had never accomplished with Katsuhiko because of Kiyo’s influence. The first few years were good, despite Hiroaki’s attempts to make life harder for those around him.
Then his first daughter, Naoki, was born two years after Motoki, and then Miwako and Akemi were born months away from each other two years afterwards. It had become risky for Akamatsu Ai, Katsuhiko’s wife, to have anymore children after their daughter, so she was unable to give the Itagaki anymore children, but Atsushi had one more son four years later, Keiichi.
Now, looking upon his son, he felt so very proud that he was stronger than him and that he surpassed Itagaki Motoki in everything he did. He wondered how much of that was because he had instilled that he must never bend over for them as he did. Atsushi was glad that Ryohei had never followed his example.
Atsushi hesitated and Ryohei frowned as he saw his father fighting with some kind of decision. He could feel dread creeping over him. “Tell me,” he demanded. While this was his father, it was also true that he would be the next Kamikaze and thus commanded more authority then his father did. At times it wasn’t too pleasing to know that, but now he was fully glad that he had it.
“I sent your brother out to search for her at her apartment but there was no one located there.” He pulled out something from inside of his shirt, from a hidden pocket sewn there. “The door was unlocked and he found this.” In his hands he held one of his youngest sisters’ shirts that Naoki had given her to wear when not on missions. It was torn and splattered in blood.
Ryohei wouldn’t remember what went through his mind in that instant. All he knew was fear and a deep rage that he had never felt in his life. Atsushi had felt the same thing when he had seen the shirt and he would forever regret showing his son the shirt after seeing the look in his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The servant glanced down the hall and then the other way as he shifted almost nervously but caught himself a moment later. He was supposed to look natural and like he belonged or he’d be seen as suspicious. Even so he bit his bottom lip as he saw another servant turn a corner and tried to blend into the wall behind him as he continued to wait by the door. The woman glanced at him as her eyes openly passed over his body but said nothing about him being there.
When he’d chosen his appearance he had imaged a similar build as he actually had and had henged. Instead of his long hair he now had short blonde locks and black eyes that seemed out of place compared to his pale skin. In all actuality, his own skin was tanned because he spent most of his time outside training.
Even if he knew it wasn’t permanent he continued fidgeting in place. He had no use for short hair, and blonde! Why he had ever thought blonde was stylish and unnoticeable was beyond him. He stood out as much as any golden haired kid in Suna.
When a fourth woman servant checked him out, he almost lost patience. He had no problems with females, but they were nuisances when throwing themselves at him. It had happened too many times while growing up, and to his sibling as well. When they’d turned fifteen and were already getting ready to join ANBU, he’d solved both their situations with them.
It was the talk for weeks when he’d publicly announced that he was of the homosexual variety. The young women and teenaged girls had been disappointed but had taken a hint and left him and his brother alone. Although, his twin wasn’t too fond of being stalked, he also didn’t like that people automatically assumed he was gay as well.
Not only that, but men randomly hitting and/or trying to cope a feel wasn’t on his list of activities he enjoyed. It was plainly obvious that Satoshi was heterosexual, and that was only proven when he beat any man stupid enough to try and disprove that theory into a coma.
That was also when he’d fallen out of his father’s good graces, but some how, Satori could never gather enough effort to care. Itagaki Hiroaki had always been a serious and disciplined man, and that in itself was everything that he was not. The elder man had also always imputed his own rules to everyone within their clan. Much like the Hyuuga Ichizoku in Konoha, the rules were instated for the convenience of the Main House, and left very few options for those of the branch houses.
Because of this very reason, he did not get along too well with his cousins. Unfortunately for them --or fortunately, depending on how you want to see it-- Hiroaki had never given Katsuhiko any support or encouragement to becoming the Clan Head, even if he had the birth right. Thus, he had concentrated his efforts on the infamous Itagaki twins. They were well known because of the terror they unleashed on the Chunin instructors during their Academy days.
During those times, they had been young and too innocent to realize that the life of a shinobi was harsh and full of many tears which they could never shed. It was one of the many rules that had been drilled into their heads whenever they cared to listen in class.
10th rule of Shinobi Conduct: “A shinobi is in control of his emotions. When one becomes an excellent ninja, feelings will become a distant memory and you will never shed a tear.”
They were somehow able to become ninja and attained the ranks of Chunin in the first exam they participated. At the time it had been explained that it was natural for any Itagaki children to easily attain the next rank, but the truth was that they had survived thanks to Kuroboshi Aiko. He had been the third member of their squad and had been two years their senior.
Aiko had just turned ten years old when his first team had participated in their first exam in Kirigakure and only he had returned alive. Of course, the details of what had happened were distorted but he had muttered two words at the time ‘blood...mist’, and then he had fallen into a coma for a month.
Afterwards, he wouldn’t speak of what he’d gone through no matter who asked, and so they had stopped trying to get anything out of him. He had refused to take the Chunin Exam for the next two years until Kiri held the exam again. They were nine and he was eleven when the twins had been placed on his one man team. The Kazekage had assigned them with some persuasion from their father, but no one knew the type of training he had gone through that first year he had been by himself with his Jonin instructor, Ishikawa Taiki.
They had traveled to Mist and had passed through the exam that had claimed his teammate’s lives, and a bit of Aiko’s sanity. It had been an experience they wouldn’t soon forget and the reason they respected the older ninja. He had shown no mercy and at times had been like a man possessed. If he hadn’t of been there with them, they would have most likely failed and still be no more than Chunin even now, or probably dead.
Satori shuffled his feet as he stood watch and another servant passed by him and he was relieved when she looked at him and made no move to eat him with her eyes. In fact, there was a suspicious expression on her features. Also, the girl looked vaguely familiar. A moment later he realized why when he glimpsed the hitai-ate that was tied around her right forearm, hidden until she stopped in front of him and turned. Erizawa Naoki.
He almost asked what she was doing in the Itagaki household, but realized that he had no time to ask when the door beside him opened and Satoshi stepped out. Of course, he was henged but this was a kunoichi of Suna. Not only that, but she was an expert at seeing through illusionary jutsu. She had just turned sixteen and already was well beyond the Chunin level, but would most likely only make it to Tokubetsu Jonin.
“What-,” she paused in her statement when the door was slid open and Satoshi stepped outside. He had slightly longer hair than he actually had and it was also black, but his eyes were the same expressive onyx.
Satori grinned at her and shook his head. “Don’t ask,” he told her, and his tone gave indication that it was classified information. Of course, underneath their henge they were in full ANBU uniform, and even if they weren’t on duty, it would serve as an excuse if they were caught. The hyperactive shinobi was glad that his twin brother thought of everything.
Naoki had the strangest eyes within both the Erizawa and Itagaki Ichizoku. She had one black and one sea-green. The one with the shariper sight was in her right eye, but in many instances she had referred to her left one as the one gifted with better insight. Now, she opened her mouth and quickly closed it when someone walked around the corner. If their luck could have gotten any worse, it just had. Itagaki Motoki.
Satoshi glanced at her and the girl seemed to understand and she stepped in front of Satori as he pushed his brother back inside the room. As the door closed, the youth looked up and was only slightly surprised to see the Erizawa female in front of him. Both households were abuzz with the sudden disappearance of Miwako, or Iwane, and so it wasn’t too strange to see an Erizawa at the Itagaki compound.
“Itagaki-kun,” Naoki breathed, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth as her face flushed prettily. Her mismatched eyes lit up at the sight of him and the older ninja tried not to roll his own sea-green orbs, obscured within his bangs.
“Erizawa-san, what are you doing here?” he asked none too nicely, never letting his voice take on a friendly tone. He was well aware of the girl’s crush on him and he had no intention of letting her think that he was even vaguely interested, which he wasn’t. He was completely infatuated solely with Iwane.
She hesitated at his none too amiable tone but resisted glancing toward the door Satori and Satoshi had fled into. “I was actually looking for your sister,” she admitted, since he might know where to find the other female. Naoki knew where Iwane and Amane lived but she had gone there and found the apartment empty. Now, she had no choice but to come here. She was just as worried about her younger sibling as Ryohei was because Iwane was her only sister.
Motoki frowned as his eyes narrowed and he might have been pleased by the fear that crossed her face at his expression but he only seemed to become more annoyed. “I have no idea where she is,” he stated in his usual calm voice. At times, he was an emotionless drone when around other people. When around Iwane, he was all emotion. At times he wondered if that was a bad thing. He couldn’t honestly say.
Naoki nodded and tried to give a smile but failed in the face of his cold features. She had always tried to understand the Itagaki and get close to him. After all, she had been in love with him for a long time now and she wanted nothing more than to be his girlfriend. However, that wasn’t an easy feat since he had never had one, and there was a lot of speculation that he was gay.
The Erizawa kunoichi feverishly hoped that this wasn’t the case since she really liked Motoki. If he liked other boys, then there would be no chance for her. Now, if it was another girl then putting her out of the picture would be easier. She could be devious, since her mother had taught her well. After all, Aizawa Machiko hadn’t been the only one that had wanted to marry Erizawa Atsushi at the time.
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Harukaze caught the stench of alcohol practically radiating off the slumped figure on the stool, their head resting in their arms which were folded on the bar top. He didn’t need to approach with any type of caution since he realized that she was unconscious.
The barman had been “kind” enough to inform him that the kunoichi had been coming here for the past week. Also, that she’d been there all day today. He hadn’t known where she would go after she left from here but only that her presence had been constant and an annoyance.
He had already tried to have her kicked out several times but she had knocked out any that tried to approach, and even the bouncer, a mountain of a man, had gone flying. The Hunter had no qualms about getting near her, since she’d be no problem even if she had been awake. The barman almost embraced him when he had stated that he’d be taking her with him, but he knew not to follow his impulses unless he wanted to lose a limb to the Oinin.
Haru almost sighed as he lifted a limp Iwane against him and vanished in a puff of smoke, only to appear on a rooftop several blocks away. He had no idea that this is where he would ultimately find the girl and he wondered just what the hell had happened for her to have drowned herself in sake.
It had been three days since Amane had allowed him to help look for her teammate but she had not said a thing about letting him assist them in recovering Arisa. He knew that she wanted to know exactly who he was and normally he would have brushed anyone else aside but this was different. He needed both kunoichi, since not only did they not have as many missions as him, but they were also the only two that wanted to get Arisa back that he could ask. Gaara was out of the question and Enoki, their Jonin instructor, had died in the invasion.
A sigh left his lips, features still hidden behind his mask, and lifted the unconscious girl in his arms and started to move along the roofs. His pace was quick and noiseless, and soon he found himself at Amane and Iwane’s apartment. The other ninja had told him where they lived in case he found her while Amane wasn’t around and had to bring her home.
The heavens had been painted an assortment of colors as dusk approached and already the streets were starting to get dark. Harukaze saw a figure manifest out of the shadows as he paused. He wouldn’t have given it too much notice any other day, but the figure lunged as killing intent radiated off him. The Oinin barely had time to move out of the way, deterred by Iwane’s added weight.
He turned to face his attacker and froze when he saw the white mask like his own, with the black markings and the kanji on the fore head. ‘Kamikaze.’ Haru hesitated in confusion and the other ninja took that opportunity to attack. He bit back a cry of pain as agony coursed through his midsection as his sword struck true.
Haru tried to keep his hold on Iwane but she was being torn from his grasp and he was kicked down. He landed on the ground below him heavily and then knew no more.-
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Translations:
1. Kamikaze: divine wind
2. Tokubetsu: lit. “Special High Ninja”. Ninja who, rather than all-around Jonin training, have Jonin-level ability in a single area or skill like Jonin such as Ibiki that deals with torture and interrogation. Hayate specializes in examination, and so does Genma, that’s why they’re the proctors of the Chunin Exam. Raido specializes in body guarding, that’s why he was assigned to Haku’s team.
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End, Chapter Five