Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Ice Picks and Hand Grenades ❯ The Lotus Blooms Twice ( Chapter 12 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Damn the man, save the empire!

A/N:
OCs: Basically, since I don't describe Sudoko or Taro at all, just imagine Sudoko looking like Tayuya only with spikier shorter hair and a sarcastic smile, while Taro looks rather boring. A Sai-ish haircut, and really plain features. Clothes... eh, regular stuff I guess. But for all I care, you can go ahead and imagine them both in clown suits.

CHAPTER TWELVE: The Lotus Blooms Twice

Yet, despite this feeling of release, I find myself unable to sleep. I feel unusually aware, tossing from side to side even though I haven't caught wind of any sort of danger. This isn't like me. Usually I just let my thoughts wander for twenty minutes or so, then I'm out like a light.

I guess I'm more tense then I thought I was. What with the surgery I was completely passed out for, and my friends' uncanny ability to get in my hair. Kiba, Shino, Ino, Temari, TenTen, Sakura, Sasuke, Kiba... Did I say Kiba twice? Err... I suppose it makes sense why he'd stress me out more than everyone else. But the sad thing is, I must be letting him. Asuma always told me nothing bothers you unless you let it. He's right. Not that I ever doubted it, but I never expected it to be this true. I can't stop thinking. And if I can't stop thinking, I'll just run over everything over and over until I die of stress or suffer from complete hair loss.

There should really be an off switch on the back of my skull.

Then again, now is really as good a time as any to sort through all these things. Who knows, maybe if I put everything in its place I can finally just get on with my life.

Okay. So, I went on vacation. Why? To run away from boredom worse than death. From there I got carried away on a crush and slept with Kiba. My friends are insane, so naturally I was bothered to death by Ino and Sakura kissed me, probably out of desperation. Shortly thereafter, the knowledge that I slept with Kiba was discovered by Shino, who, because of intense feelings for Kiba, got extremely pissed off and nearly killed me. Shino won the battle, proving himself as a man, and rightfully winning Kiba's attentions. However, after a night of heavy drinking Kiba made out with Sasuke, somehow managing to end up in bed with myself, Temari and TenTen, dispite our agreement to end any feelings or relations between us.*

I've forgiven Shino, because I understand how he feels for Kiba. Sakura will be fine, and I'm sure she knows it. Sasuke and Kiba were drunk when they made out, so they probably didn't realize what they were doing. Ino was just acting out of concern for me. Temari is just horny and weird, so she probably pulled Kiba in because I either said something in a drunken stupor, or she heard it from Ino. Tenten is only involved because of her relations with Temari. Kiba, well... I slept with him because I A: hadn't gotten any in way too long and B: I had a crush on him.

What am I missing here?

Damn. I guess that didn't really help at all. Just popped up some imagery I probably shouldn't let into my head so easily.

I'm hopeless.

I roll onto my side, again, a little irritated by the feeling of my hair underneath my bare shoulder, but far too lazy to move it. I don't know. Maybe I just need to talk to someone. Maybe somebody else could see the details I seem to be missing. But I guess that's out of the question right now. Lee wouldn't exactly understand. And even if he did, I think it would be pretty awkward, what with some of the stuff I'd be saying. No. I should probably talk it out with Ino when I get back to Konoha. For some reason it seems right. Maybe because only a woman would understand guy problems, or maybe because I trust Ino with my life. Whichever. I suppose it's not really important.

Here I go again. Why can't I just fucking sleep?

I sit up from my bed sharply, shaking back the annoying mass of hair that's now tickling the tops of my shoulderblades. I need a haircut. If I let it go I'll start looking more like Ino's father than my own. When I pull it up into my usual ponytail it slouches a little more than it should, as if my hair is depressed or something. It looks like crap. Oh well. I guess that will have to wait until I get back to Konoha, too. I guess I could get it done here, but eh, lazy.

Now I'm far too awake for my own good, but I've been out of action long enough for my skin to feel damp and almost oily. I always feel that way when I'm woken up in the middle of the night or when I stay up too long. Sometimes in the morning, too, when I'm not quite rested enough and I have to pull myself sluggishly from bed. So maybe it's not actually my skin... I don't know. Maybe it's some troublesome sort of mental thing that happens when I feel unrested. But if I leave my hair down for too long when I'm feeling this way it starts to feel dirty and unwashed too. Maybe that's what I should do... take a shower. Maybe. So lazy... eh-ehhh. This sucks.

My feet move from the bed on their own accord, sinking softly into the temporary cushion of the plush carpet. I'm slowly drawn toward the door, my legs taking on minds of their own and giving me really no choice in the matter. Pushing through the unappealing slab of plastic and wood core, I walk silently through the hall, taking note of every little creak or gust of wind. Where should I go? The bathroom in this place is a little further down the hall and off to the right, or I could keep going straight and leave through the front doors to smoke a cigarette... troublesome. I hate making decisions that don't matter. If I go shower, I'll feel clean, but then again, just getting some fresh nighttime air would probably do the same. Hmm... but I can't smoke in the bathroom, so I guess outside wins. I pull a cigarette from the pack I left behind the service desk and stick it behind my ear.

I'm hit by a gust of unexpectedly cold air the instant I slide open the door, causing a momentary shiver to run the length of my body and escape from my shoulders.It's not that bad really. Just caught me a little off guard.

The moment I click the door shut behind me, I realize that I'm not actually alone out here. Down the porch a little ways Lee is practicing some kick sequences. Looks like I'm not the only one who had trouble sleeping. Except that it's likely a completely different world as to why.

"Shikamaru-kun!" Lee exclaims with a smile, finishing the last two kicks in his combination before filling the gap between us with a high spirited jog.

"Un. Yeah it's me. Just out here for a smoke." I flatten my eyes and shrug.

Lee strkes one of his patented nice guy poses, causing his bright green pajamas to rustle loudly and twist unnaturally around his arms and legs. "This is a blessed omen! I've been meaning to speak to you for days, but only now has my stern determination and youthful patience paid off!"

I shrug again, lighting my cigarette on the first try. Well, that hasn't happened in a while. "Yeah, so what's up?"

A deep inhalation of breath follows, and a sharp exhale thereafter. "I need to thank you, for whatever you did! Your cool words and laid back assurance have finally brought to light the intense passion in my heart!"

"Err... what?" I raise a single eyebrow and thrust my hands into my pockets. "You're not hitting on me, are you?"

Lee chuckles. "Of course not!" He sticks a thumb in the air, letting his smile sparkle for a moment before returning to conversation mode. "Sakura has sat beside me at lunch for an entire week now, and she has even accepted my proposition for a date as soon as we return from this mission!"

Uh, okay. "Geez, you sound like a lovesick teenager."

"As much as I enjoy working on such important missions for the good of my country, I can't wait to return home to my dearest cherry blossom." He puffs out his chest proudly. "It fills my heart with the most youthful of joy even thinking of it! I cannot thank you enough!"

"Yeah, I can't wait to get back either. I need a haircut."

Lee stops, his youthful exuberance suddenly put aside. "Surely you have more to look forward to than that."

"Not really. My hair is driving me nuts. I need to take a good three or four inches off." I shrug, flipping my head to the side to eccentuate the lame state of my ponytail.

Lee pauses, putting a hand to his chin in a way that is very reminiscent to his idol/sensei. "Wow it is pretty bad. It flops over like the unkempt tail of a mangy horse."

"Yeah, thanks for stating the obvious." I turn my head back, frowning to myself. It probably looks worse than it is due to the lackluster way I tied it up, but I didn't need the metaphor using my head as a horse's ass.

"I've been sidetracked!" Lee shouts, straightening his back and thumping his fisted hand on his palm. "I must thank you again for helping the blossoming of my eteranal love, and know that I am deeply in your debt, Shikamaru-kun! If there is ever anything I can do to help you achieve the girl of your dreams, I swear upon the power of youth, that I will do it!"

"Eh, you don't have to do anything like that."

"You don't have a dream girl? That can easily be remedied! I will make sure that every fiber of my being will hereforth be devoted to the worthy task of finding your eternal love!"

"I'm fine, really."

"Nonsense, there is no need to be so hip and cool about this, Shikamaru-kun!" Lee turns on his bare heels, suddenly, an overabundance of energy sparkling in his eyes. "I have much work to do! If I cannot find your eternal love in one month, I will hang upside down from the nose of the Fourth's monument for an entire week without falling or resting. And for every time I pass out I will run fifty laps!"

That dumbass. That really is impossible. He'd pass out from all the blood in his head in a few hours and end up breaking his head or something. I reach out my hand to object. Before I can say another word, Lee is long gone.

I should be used to it by now, the way jounin are with their random comings and goings. Gods know I'm already used to their weird quirks and reckless lifestyles. I lean up against the railing, staring out at the deep blue black sky. Thin, fragile wisps of smoke rise from my cigarette, playing in the wind just as the darkened branches of trees and the barely visible blades of meadow grasses in the distance. Then again, for a jounin, Lee has an unusually stable state of mind. That means he's slightly less crazy than the rest of his peers. Ack. That's a scary thought.

Somewhere on the horizon, darkened clouds of smoke are rising, so dark they could be missed by the untrained eye. A brushfire, maybe.

Wait. Why can't I smell any smoke? Am I losing it, or something?

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

I have to be safe. Every ninja instinct in my body is screaming and tearing at me, and if I don't do something I could very likely snap. I step through the hallway without caution, pounding on each of my teammates doors twice, knowing they'll awaken without much effort. There's no such thing as a shinobi that can sleep deeply even in his own home, nonetheless in an unfamiliar hotel around other breathing humans.

Before I even finish knocking on Taro's door, Lee and Sudoko are already two steps behind me, pajamas still on, but weapons drawn.

"There's a suspicious cloud of smoke rising on the horizon, Sudoko, go ahead and scout, Lee, back her up, there's something amiss in this place!" Despite their higher ranks, Sudoko and Lee agree instantly, phasing out of the room silently as opposed to disappearing in a puff of smoke, which certainly takes less chakra, but is much more conspicuous. "Taro, stay behind us, all right?"

He nods. "For a chuunin, you sure are used to handing out orders. No wonder Tsunade-sama speaks as highly of you as she does."

"I'm a strategist, Taro, that's all. This has nothing to do with rank or ability." This isn't the time for conversation...

"I know, I know. Let's move out, captain!"

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

This couldn't have come at a worse time. I pass from tree to tree silently, striking Sudoko's marker tags to prevent any enemies from following our tracks, should they be around. The chakra burns left over should be virtually unreadable, but I have to be careful letting out any bursts anyway. The average jounin is trained in following chakra trails, so control is crucial.

It looks like we have the advantage right now, but I can't help but be worried. To be out so late at night...the moon has peaked in the sky. I'm useless at a time like this, when the world casts no shadow. I only hope my mind is sharp enough to make up for such a handicap.

The smoke rising higher and higher into the sky leads us into a clearing, though in the dark, I cannot see too much. But what I can tell is that a genjutsu barrier has been set up around the area, effectively blocking the senses of a lesser ninja or civilian. The craftsmanship is sub par, however. The ninjas who did this were either of chuunin rank or lower... or in a hurry to get out. I can't tell which, yet.

A swirling sensation passes over my shoulder for a moment, before an unnaturally red falcon with an upturned crest perches on my shoulder. "Don't dispel the jutsu yet, there's still something going on inside." Sudoko's voice pauses for a moment, the bird's head flicking from side to side. "Permission to investigate? It smells like blood."

"Circle the area and enter from the north. Have Lee come in from the west. Taro and I will cover the southeast. Be careful." The bird flutters away, disappearing the instant it leaves my shoulder. That bird wasn't a summon... I don't quite understand, but I suppose a hunter-nin with an animal companion isn't necessarily unheard of. There are plenty of animal worshiping tribes, like the Inuzuka, and even my own family. My father sometimes boasts about several missions where the deer call actually came in handy.

"Captain?" Taro interjects, placing a hand on my shoulder to indicate his direction, since I cannot see him. Standard ninja practice. Confirm location and presence while speaking, so as to not get stabbed in case of sudden movement. "We should split up, cover more ground."

"No." Taro's chakra surges for a moment. "I can't risk it, not right now. You aren't up to the level of fighting to go off on your own, and I can't perform to my full ability at night. We're better off together."

The answer seems to satisfy him, a bit. The two of us circle a short distance around the right side of the illusory bubble ahead of us before carefully passing through. It doesn't seem to be a trigger of any sort, and the user's chakra prints are all over the place. Only one. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't very careful.

"You sense anything?" I ask, very careful not to move from my hiding place.

"Nothing. We should contact the others."

"Don't bother. Just be very alert. Let nothing go unnoticed." I slink off to the side, following the line of shrubbery toward the cluster of houses in the central area of the clearing. I can still see the smoke, and I can calculate the location... but I can't see far enough to determine just what the smoke is rising from. And strange... I still don't smell anything burning... is the fire an illusion as well? How annoying.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Dammit.

There was no fire. The smoke was just a beacon, calling out shinobi to see this--this... mess. This massacre. Five bodies, stacked one across another, purposely piled like a totem. What is this supposed to be? Art? It's not to my taste if it is. From the corner of my eye, I catch Taro pulling up a mask. I don't think it's to any of our tastes.

The four of us didn't sense anything. This doesn't bode well, and yet... the work of this particular shinobi was so amateur. It makes very little sense. For some reason, I don't think we're being toyed with. It doesn't have that sort of feel to it. If I were to guess, I'd say this guy is just arrogant and wants others to witness his handiwork.

"The question is..." Sudoko voices, her words very deep in her throat. "Captain, does this have anything to do with our mission?"

I cross my arms. "I don't know. Why are you asking me?"

She spits over her right foot. Very ladylike. Like several other females I know. "You're supposed to be the brains in this shit, aren't you?" Eloquent, too. She'd get along with Temari all too well.

"If nothing else, we're close enough to Wave that it's worth looking into."

"I wonder what Lee's found?" Taro steps up beside me, his mask still firmly in place.

"I'll send my Hunter." She must mean that red hawk. Sudoko steps back, pulling a scroll from her breast pocket.

"Wait! There's no need for that." The three of us whip our heads to the side only to catch the ever charismatic Lee perched up on a treebranch, a heavy load slung over his right shoulder, seemingly unconscious, with a good amout of blood drying up around his mouth and nose. "And you're gonna love what I found in his scroll pouch!"

o.o.o.o.ooo.o.

I don't know about 'love', but this is definitely a step in the right direction. However, decoding the first half of the letter was far more troublesome than I was hoping, seeing as I had to do it by myself and I'm not exactly a prodigy when it comes to things of that nature. But I suppose I managed. The hardest part was really just figuring out the fact that the symbols on the sheet didn't decode into kanji figures like one would think they would. Once I cleared that hurtle, the first stage was a snap. The second half I tossed over to the other three, but still ended up figuring it out myself. Whatever happened to ninja's being able to see the underneath of things? Gah, I don't know. Maybe they just don't want to mess with the Latin letters.

"What does it say, Captain?" Taro pokes his nose up over the paper, invading my personal bubble a little.

"Go-- go! It says go, right?" Lee puts a hand to his chin, putting up a perfect thinker's pose. "But now, does he mean go as in the number? Go as in the game? Interesting..."

I can feel my forehead throbbing, mercilessly. "Damn... can't you people see I'm not done here?"

A few painstaking moments later, I've cleared out another two letters... T... C... what kind of word is this? From the looks of it, it's a single word... after all this freakin' work! H... Gotcha? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

"Let me see!" Sudoko rips the paper from my hand, smearing a small portion of the ink I so carefully softened. "Gotcha? What the fuck is this? Some kinda Wave country fuckin' joke?"

"Sudoko, you're smearing the ink." She glances down, staring at her own hand for a second. No wonder she's an EX-member of ANBU.

"Whatever, it's just a lame joke."

A look of concern crosses Lee's face for a moment. "Sudoko-san, we have to send that scroll to the Hokage!"

"Fuckin', what the--" Sudoko stops, gazing down at her hand a second time. "This ink it's... it smells like chakura..."

"It's tracking ink. I thought an ex-member of ANBU would be keen to something like that."

The girl frowns, "I didn't think anyone used this shit anymore."

"You're right. Chakura tracing ink is obsolete because it's too easy to detect and counter." My lip pulls down, slightly. "There's something wrong with this whole thing. Activity this far down, amatuer jutsus, out of date tools... I think Hokage-sama got some bad information."

Lee stops, taking a backward glance at the captive tied to the tree. "After we send him back to Wave, we should follow the trail this guy left. It's a few days old, but..."

"That's what I'm here for." Sudoko smiles, dispelling the chakura tag with a simple clench of the fist.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Very bad information indeed. The man's prints were a straight shot, leading directly to a rickety old building on the outskirts of the forest. It's strangely quiet here, but according to Sudoko, the man we captured wasn't working alone, due to several different sets of footprints on the scene. Many very recent.

After this, I wasn't at all surprised to find the so called 'army' was just a bunch of ruffians spreading some in depth rumors to give themselves the inkling of credibility. It's pretty obvious when you look at it, though. For one, seeing as Wave country doesn't actually have ninja, low level ninja activity would seem like a big deal to them. And if the bandits' leader has any sort of intelligence at all, which he seems to, spreading an intricate rumor around a fairly naive country would be a piece of cake. Sensing danger, Wave's leader did the only thing he could do. Hire ninja.

And here we are, hired ninja, our objective pretty much destroyed and our mission... I don't know if you'd call it a success, but it's been accomplished nonetheless. I doubt Wave will be happy when they find out, after all, A rank missions don't come cheaply.

"Should we take these guys out?" Sudoko whispers, catching glimpse of three or four men in makeshift ninja garb through a few broken slats. "It would be easy as hell, don't you think?"
"That's not our mission. We'll head back to town, and if we recieve word back from the Hokage, then we'll do something about it... but until then, we'd better lay low and put the civilian act back on."

"Not that they could tell, anyway." Taro interjects, a half-assed scowl creeping to the corner of his lips.

kxsxkxsxkxsxkxs

A/N: Wow. I didn't expect Shika's conversation with Lee to sound so silly... but what can you do? Sadly, that conversation was really the main event in the chapter. The mission is just a sidetrack.

*BTW: They never made that agreement.... heh. Oh how he tries to convince himself.

NEXT TIME:

In the heat of battle, a soldier can kill a thousand men to become a hero. In the heat of passion, a man can only kill one and be forgiven. So when the soldiers fall, and the blood of a man has been spilt, the story ends. The pacifist knows no such story. Pain like a river washes over him, and in time, as the wounds refuse to heal, the only life he can take is his own.

Why must every story end in bloodshed? Why must the story end at all? He who only watches cannot say. His eyes stare in disinterest at the carnage wrought, knowing that in time, his story will end as well. But to survive the battle and to survive the crimes of the heart, does that not grant him strength as he presses forward? He says nothing, smiling a knowing smile. He knows much, but he knows nothing of these things.

All he does, is lazily watch the clouds.