[OPEN] Paper Shurikens

[bunsofsteel]

Tenten didn't have so many regrets as she had wishes. Even back in Konoha, she'd always made a point, if she wasn't on a mission during the festivals, to toss a piece of paper into the bonfire each day it was lit. The first night had been a wish for Itachi's health, the second for Sasuke to someday come back to the village, the third to beat that Neji, the fourth that he find happiness, and so on, and so forth.

As happy as she was here, she couldn't quite bring herself to wish that she stay. She cared for both of her Uchiha -- she still blushed to call them lovers -- but it just wasn't the same as spending even an hour with her team. Tonight's wish was to go home and let everything go back to the way it had been.

She offers a silent prayer with closed eyes, then she folds the wish into a paper shuriken like a child and flicks it to the edge of the fire to watch it burn. Though the white silk of her Chinese-style dress is lined with wool, her flesh prickles as she watches the fire consume the little shuriken and the smoke start to rise into the air, then with a sudden cry of surprise she brings both arms up, crossed over her chest in an X to guard as a sharp winter wind makes the flames gutter for a moment.

By the time she looked back, her shuriken had disappeared.

Comments

[endeavorbeyondgenius]

The wind was very likely not helped by the figure that found himself -very- startled by the appearance of the fire, skidding from a dead sprint to an abrupt halt as he windmilled his arms for a moment. A quick look around confirmed that indeed, his run seemed to have taken a rather large detour away from where he'd been circling the village.

This was a mystery! However, that must wait, for his eyes lit on the familiar form of his teammate, who looked far too sad for the girl he knew so well. "Tenten! My fair teammate! What is wrong this fine evening?"

There was a pause here as he took in that it -was- evening, and given it had just been morning really -shouldn't- be... He brushed it off. Not important. Nope. First there was seeing what was wrong, then figuring out why the world just tilted on its head.

Padding over to the girl, he leaned to peer into her face. "For such festive dress, you look much too sad."

[bunsofsteel]

She jerks straight upright at the initial shout and freezes. No, her mind had to be playing tricks on her. Even for all the times she had wished, never that quickly had it been answered, and never so precisely.

There hadn't been any words written on the paper, just a single, spiraling mark with a small point -- the Konoha leaf. By reflex, she turns toward the shout, her breath catching in her throat. "L-Lee..."

Her mouth it parted in shock as she stares at him, not really registering his question. Was this a transformation? Teeth gritting, she abruptly grabs him by both shoulders and shakes him roughly.

"Lee! Is it really you?! 'Cause if this is someone playing a trick on me, I'll kill you!"

[endeavorbeyondgenius]

His eyes widened at the shaking and he brought his hands up to mirror her, resting them on her shoulders to hold her in place so she'd stop rattling him. "My most fine teammate, there is no cause for such threats between us! I know not what troubles you but I am here for you to shower with your woes! There is no trick!"

He paused, looking around before looking back to her. "Though I am most confused as to how the forest turned into a bonfire. Is this a genjutsu? It is most strange."

[bunsofsteel]

"Who's having woes?!" She glares at him stubbornly, then finally lets her hands fall limply to her sides. So it was him... Lee was really here. If Lee was here, maybe he could talk to Neji and everything would go back to the way it was. Maybe...

Without answering at first, she just takes a quick step in and all but tackles him in a bone-crushing hug, knowing she won't be able to budge him unless he wanted to be budged. "You're really here..."

[endeavorbeyondgenius]

"Tenten?!" He was surprised, to say the least, and after a moment smiled brightly and gave her a crushing hug in turn. "You have finally embraced the youthful joy of hugs!"

[bunsofsteel]

"Gak! Let go!" Immediately she's regretting it as she stomps down hard on his foot, swearing she could hear her spine pop from his grip. In spite of herself, she couldn't help but smile because -- it was really him. It was Lee!

[endeavorbeyondgenius]

He crumpled slightly at the pain, which had the effect of easing his grip, but it by no means dampened his happiness even as he released her. "The spontaneity of your hug was glorious and well planned. You must do so again in the future Tenten, I would welcome you!"

[bunsofsteel]

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She punches his shoulder, harder than she would anyone other than Lee and Neji, but such things were common for them. Her team. "You've got no idea how happy I am that you're here."

[endeavorbeyondgenius]

"It is good to see you as well! With how busy we have all been in the reconstruction of our beautiful village we have not had the time to spend together that we need to maintain our comradely bonds!" He tossed her a grin, giving her a thumbs up. "So I am most pleased to have you at my side. Though."

He leaned over, taking on some seriousness. "This looks like no part of Konoha with which I am familiar."

[bunsofsteel]

She just rolls her eyes at his way of speaking, though her smile stays on her face until he asks. Oh... oh. So he'd just arrived, then. Maybe even before she cast her wish. Her smile starts to fade at the corners, and she gestures, moving to head to one of the benches near the bonfire to sit down.

"That's 'cause it's not. It's this place called Michi no Sato in Jiten no Kuni. It's... hard to explain, but we're stuck here, at least for the time being."

[endeavorbeyondgenius]

"Oh." He followed after her, thinking for a moment. "And are our most wondrous teammates here as well?"

[bunsofsteel]

"Neji is." Two Nejis... She just shakes her head and crosses her arms as if to ward off the night's chill. "I'm sure you'll run into him sometime, this place's great for meeting people, you know? People just come here out've nowhere."

[endeavorbeyondgenius]

He pondered this, studying her form for a moment before reaching to sweep her hands into his. "Tenten, have you and my most intense rival had a fight?"

[itachi_san]

The fire was starting to subside when Itachi walked by. He was a little disappointed to have missed pretty much the entire festival, being too ill to leave Kabuto and Orochimaru's care. But the night was still beautiful. And in the distance, he saw a familiar face. (The girl who wanted to interrogate him about his health at sword-point.)

"So... are they all right?" he asked, and then clarified in case he startled her. "You... were asking me questions, I assume, because someone you cared for was also ill. Are they all right?"

[bunsofsteel]

The voice lulled her into complacency for a half-second too long, the thought that it was her Itachi bringing a smile to her lips as she turned -- then tenses, a hand immediately dropping to the slit cutting her dress up the thigh, hidden by the folds of the dress, to draw a small scroll from its holster. The scroll is already open before her, ready to release as she stands there opposite him, breath coming in quick bursts through her nose.

In marked contrast to her own Itachi, her eyes are on his chin instead of his eyes, studying his body from there down to use it to gauge his movements.

"You look well," she says instead, fingers tightening on the paper. "You'll excuse me for sounding surprised."

[itachi_san]

He didn't take another step. His hands remained where she could see them. He wasn't here to fight, but he understood her reservations. He was still a criminal, even here.

"I was able to acquire some new medicine." he answered calmly. "So far, it appears to be keeping things under control. Is the same true... for the ill person you spoke of before?"

[bunsofsteel]

"He's not sick," she answers immediately, showing no sign of relaxing even for all his efforts to not appear a threat. "He isn't like you. In any way. And he's never going to be like you." There's no mistaking the venom in her voice as she watches his body, alert for any movement. Her speed's improved since training with both Itachi and Sasuke, but she knew if it came to pure speed, she would lose. She had to be ready to react to anything.

"What do you want? Why do you care?"

[itachi_san]

"Curiosity... Nothing more." he answered calmly.

He put a hand on his chest. It didn't hurt nearly as bad right now. He hoped that would last for a while.

"...And no one else should have to endure this. Any of this." he turned away. "Forgive me for intruding."

[bunsofsteel]

"Hold on." She doesn't lower the scroll, but her eyes flick up his back as he turns, studying his form. So like the Itachi she knew so intimately, and yet nothing like him at all. "What kind of medicine? Where from?"

[itachi_san]

"From Kabuto and Orochimaru." he answered honestly. "There are few who would treat one such as myself. You understand why."

He glanced back at her, but still made no sudden motions. She wouldn't hesitate to strike, he could see it in her posture and her stance.

"I understand now why the apothecary wouldn't even try. The treatment is more like poison than medicine... I guess you could say that the best way to prevent the body from destroying itself is to destroy it first..."

[bunsofsteel]

"Great. More missing-nin." Neji would have a field day with this information, and though she knew she had an obligation to warn him, she doubted he'd be willing to take her advice. Maybe he was already aware, anyway, thanks to that damn Byakugan of his.

What did that mean, destroy the body first? "What're you talking about? Explain." A beat, then she lowers the scroll slightly, still watching him and ready to attack if needed. "...Please."

[itachi_san]

It shouldn't have been that surprising. Who but a missing-nin would treat another missing-nin?

"Kabuto discovered that the only way to keep it in check... is to take out my immune system. How much, how badly... I don't know, really. But that's what the medicine does. And it seems to be working. For now."

[bunsofsteel]

"That... doesn't seem like much of a solution." Already her mind is working ahead, trying to think of just how she could use this to her advantage. Sending her Itachi to Kabuto and Orochimaru was completely out of the question, especially if that was what they deemed a proper solution.

"...If they really did that to your immune system, are you sure you should be walking around like this?"

[itachi_san]

Itachi almost found himself laughing inside. If this is what Sasori's medicine had been doing for years (to some degree, at least), all of the bounty missions he did for the Akatsuki, all the intelligence missions he still did in the name of the village, all of it... were things he probably shouldn't have been doing.

"No. Probably not..." he eventually replied. "But all things come with a price. Even a little fresh air."

[bunsofsteel]

She stares at his body for a long moment, wishing she had Neji's Byakugan so she could maybe see what was wrong... or better still, have Neji look over her own Itachi. That would be for the best, really.

"You said you were ordered to do it," she says finally, grip tightening on the scroll, though it's not for an attack. "If that's the case, then why are you hunting Naruto-kun?" She clarifies, "Why didn't you just... stay underground in Konoha? Wear a mask or something?"