2Chapter 4: Interference
When a person knows a secret, it has become their problem as well. And now they want to know more.
Part 1
What the fuck is going on!
Thao's heart raced so fast, she barely able to feel it. No answer. That had never happened before. All of them, ignoring her helpless cries. Just when she needed her family the most, they shut her down for no reason.
She tried to focus on her goal, to make it to her residence. Concentrating on the flow of the river, she blasted off, hurriedly. For the time being she hoped no one in the village would get hurt more. She hoped Gionn stayed low. If they found him, she hoped he survived... or a quick death.
She reached her perimeter and instantly knew something was wrong. The invincible barrier her family had been cast, was gone. In fact, no barriers at all were put up around her house. Thao turned into her body form, slowly creeping between the dark trees and heavy bushes. She let some of her black blood dripped, absorbed by the soil. She closed her eyes and let a part of her trailed along the soil pores, closing in to her home.
She saw her family were gathering in the middle of an empty yard in front of one of the houses, beaten up and kneeled down and all. Usatchi and Marogito were missing, but she could clearly spotted Otsuro, looking as frightened as an eight-year-old innocent child. Surrounding them were a group of twenty shinobi scattered around the area. No, twenty-three as three more just exited her house. She frowned.
Konoha nin! What's going on? How can they find us!
A shinobi walked up and kneeled down in front of Tamashi. She couldn't make up what he said but apparently, he didn't get what he wanted and delivered a kick to Tamashi's jaw. From then on things went downhill quickly, with Reiko ran to protect his father only to accept the same fatality. Damn it.
"Ibiki, that's enough." a man came to stop the brute kicker. That was when she saw it.
She saw him.
He lied to me. He lied to me and I didn't know… Thao thought bitterly as Shikaku ordered Ibiki to back away. The big brute let out a sneer but he turned around nonetheless. She watched as Shikaku began to talk to the group. Does he know?
"Under the circumstances of the lack of cooperation, I announce all of you to be taken under the custody of Konohagakure. By any means you are not to speak out of terms unless it is about the crime that you commit."
"I swear to you, sir. We didn't do anything wrong." she heard Sukii pleaded.
"You're trespassing into Fire Country without proper document. And vandalism," Shikaku glared at the twins. "As far as my concern, you all are no more than suspects –"
Just then Shikaku abruptly turned to shift bristle of wind from the deep forest. Thao immediately crushed her body to the tree, hoping that no one was aware of her presents. Unfortunately, she heard running footsteps marching towards her.
Thao took a deep breath and closed her eyes, calming her ill nerves.
With a little courage she had left, a woman walked out of the bushes, her hand held high, surrendering. He flinched at her sight for a bit but ordered the ninjas surrounding her to back away slightly, but still alarmed. Although the woman looked harmless, Shikaku couldn't take anything for granted. Besides, he remembered her lies.
"I know you. Himari, is it not?"
"Y-yes, sir," the woman sobbed weakly. "I-I am sorry. I need help. P-please you have to listen to me."
He ignored. "I assume you are with them?"
"Please, Shikaku-san. The North of here, the Fire Temple is in danger–"
"Answer me!"
The woman flinched, and tripped herself to the ground. She glanced at some people of the crowd and hesitantly nodded. "Y-yes. They are my family and friends."
"Family and friends," Shikaku scoffed. "All of you will be taken to Konohagakure, being held captive–"
"Wait! The Fire Temple is in danger! Please you have to go there!" She cried.
"Silence, whore!" Ibiki barked, already feeling the nerve towards the loud woman.
"No, please! This is serious! The monks are killed. You have to go there to save them."
"Ignore her, Shikaku. This might only another plot to escape."
"No! You have to believe me! Akatsuki is coming–"
In a blink, a hand swung across her face colliding with her jaw. A loud slap echoed. Ibiki slapped her so hard that her mind became blur, and frightened.
"Ibiki, I said enough!" Shikaku ordered calmly but the look of his face towards the bigger man said otherwise. He turned and kneeled down in front of her. "What did you say?"
"The Akatsuki was there, two of them. Black robes, red clouds. One was wearing mask; one carried a big scythe. They are killing monks," she sobbed. Some blood started to ooze out from her cut lips. "Please, you have to save them."
"Is this one of your lies as well, Himari?"
"Not this one," she pleaded as a small drop of tears falling down. "Not this one, I promise."
Shikaku watched the woman who held so many secrets. His eyes fixed no hers, long enough that he could see her trembling words, long enough to feel her fear of the truth. Or was it the truth?
He stood up and turned to his men. "Asuma, take five men and go to the Fire Temple – the rest, we move out."
Once Asuma left, Shikaku turned his attention once again to the suspects in front of him. "All of you will say nothing unless being asked. Cooperate with us and no harm comes to you."
…
Thoughts began to attack her mind. How did he know? How did he find them? And what exactly did he find? Was her lies lack of convincing? Was this all her fault?
On the corner of her eyes, Thao felt something or someone staring at her. She didn't dare to look up to see who it was, but she had her guess. Reluctantly however she glanced to her side and met the eyes of what she thought was policeman on the job. The man's eyes caught hers and he confidently kept glaring. She winched and immediately looked down, as the man finally walked past her to the back of the line.
She lowered her head once again, but this time took the opportunity to glance to the back of the rows to see Otsuro walking side to side with Sukii, one hand holding a small toy and the other holding tightly to the hem of Sukii's kimono. She inwardly sighed. The fact that Otsuro was treated like an innocent child he was, without the ropes and all was a relief on its own. The worry on his face still lingered but at least he wouldn't have bruised wrists.
Thao realized now what a poor of a sister she had been, leaving the child without her care because he was… different. At the end of the day she realized they shared the same womb, the same blood, and he was the only person she had. On top of that, she realized he is in danger and he needed her. She realized that after an encounter with the Akatsuki pricks, and chills struck her body. Afterwards, all she wanted to do was to hold Otsuro tight until he had enough of her and pushed her away. She wanted to beg for forgiveness for mistakes that himself didn't realize she did. She wanted to screamed 'I love you no matter what' so many times until he found them annoying.
All she wanted was to be there for him, so bad, she started to think she didn't deserve him at the first place.
Breaking her thought, she felt a tug on her hands, slightly pulling her to the front. The knot on her hands were connected to Kabushiro who was walking in front of her. A ninja hushed her to pick up the pace and so she did.
After a couple of hours walking, she saw a light wide stone path leading straight into an opening. Passing several torii gates, she could walls towering above everything else, guarding whatever inside. She could see a gate door. A huge gate with green door with red hiragana painted on it. Hermitage, it said. Above it was a cement structure with carved spiral like symbol with different shapes of beak on the bottom left of it.
Konoha.
Thaomi was aware of the village's name but never really took a study on how big and shiny the village looked. And hot too, as the sun blaring its ray above it. The village was warm and very vibrant as well, she noted, with colorful buildings and roof and lanterns decorating the streets. One thing she couldn't definitely ignore five heads flying in front of her. Only that they weren't flying. Above her were a carving of five heads on a mountain cliff. It was so enormous, their eyes felt like moving, watching the village from the cliff. She guessed they were the noble people in the village… or the Kage. In Kirigakure, all they did were stone statue that started to moss. But this… A small smile carved on Thao's lips. Surely, she shouldn't trust the Konoha ninjas already, but she couldn't hide her amusement.
But her amusement last only for a bit when the faces were gone and instead, she found herself standing in front of a cell. A cold cell room with little to no light at all, but a small ventilation at the cement wall.
"We will contain you. You will stay here as necessary until being called upon." One of the ninjas barked a statement and started to move the whole groups into several cells. Thaomi glanced as the men were taken to another staircase. Once entered the iron bars, the ropes on their hands were finally freed.
"What about my son?" Sukii who was carrying Otsuro on her hips and begged. "He's only a boy. Please."
The ninja mumbled something about further notice and left, and Thaomi was angry at instant, but kept her thoughts to herself when Sukii gave her a stern yet comforting glare. When they felt the ninja was really gone from their sight, Sukii let out a loud sigh and carefully slid herself to sit down, Otsuro was still vast in deep slumber.
"Calm down," Sukii finally said. "We will figure a way out. Fortunately, they haven't figure out our real identity."
"Yet," Thaomi rolled her eyes. "Does that mean I have to be Himari all the way now?"
"I am afraid so," Sukii sighed again. "Just pay attention to the use of your blood energy."
Thaomi huffed and decided to get comfortable in any way, which didn't seem to work as she tossed and turned against the hard-cold cement floor. Eventually she found a position she could consider.
"Why did you turn into Himari at the first place?" Fumaki, who was there with them asked.
"I was spotted and I just did on an instant."
"But you knew the man. You called his name. And he knew Himari," Fumaki remarked. "How did you know?"
"We met briefly during the festival," Thaomi added. "And a dinner. Kabushiro actually knew, if he didn't forget. And the boys – wait, where're Usatchi and Marogito?"
"You are right, Kabushiro knew him. When he realized, he sent Usatchi and Marogito away, afraid that they got caught." Sukii told her.
"But why didn't all of you run away, or fight, or something? Why gave in? I mean you all looked like surrendered. You and Kabushiro didn't even alter your appearance. None of you did," Thao asked. "And how are these leave ninjas found us anyway?"
"I think the twin took a visit to Konoha Village and did something to put their sensor on guard. They managed to track them down–" She stopped when she felt Otsuro moved under her arms and she rocked him slowly. "The next thing I know more than twenty ninjas were coming, surrounding us. We don't have time. We don't have time to even change faces. We don't have a choice but take the barrier down. With familiar faces gone, we thought they wouldn't recognized us."
"But he recognized me," Thao scoffed, a pang of guilt grew heavier in her heart. "What a party-popper."
"He recognized Himari, not you. Nevertheless what has done is done. We will figure it out," Sukii shrugged. "You convince this Shikaku guy to get some of his men away to the Fire Temple. He seemed to trust you."
Thaomi had almost forgotten about that. About them.
"Thaomi," Sukii whispered quietly. "Is it true? The one happened in the Fire Temple?"
Sukii was and always a wonderful woman. Loyal, integrity, passionate, and most of all kind. And she knew everything, even up to little details. She took Thaomi's silence as answer and instantly tightened the arms around Otsuro. Leaning her chin on his head, she closed her eyes. "Did they see you?" Sukii asked calmly.
"I-I didn't think so. I was altered when it all happened. And I saw them from a far. I fled right away after I figure out who they were," Thaomi faintly answered. "Gionn stayed, though. I didn't know what he was going to do."
Sukii nodded and opened her eyes just on time to see a small tear fell on Himari's cheek. With one arm securing Otsuro, she used the other arm as a three leg as she carefully crawled and sit in front of Himari.
"Thaomi, take off this face," Sukii asked. Thaomi hesitated but eventually changed her appearance into her normal black haired and pale face. Satisfied, Sukii lifted Otsuro and gently flopped him on Thao's lap. Sukii smiled and nodded. "My arms are sore. We might as well take turns now, yeah?"
Thao automatically wrapped her arms around his body. She leaned in, giving a small peck of love on head. She held him close.
…
Thaomi didn't know what time or day it was, or if it was day or night. The cement cell really did a good job keeping her off of the real world. The cement cell also did a tremendous work to irritate her. She was tired, and thirsty, and hungry, and itchy. At one point she regretted being seen as Himari, and now had to be Himari literally every minute. By the looks, Himari was a tall and curvaceous woman with perfection, very unfitting with Thaomi's smaller figure for outfit. She once asked the guarding ninja for spare clothes. The ninja nodded, but never returned back.
"Nechan?" a soft voice yawned came from her lap. Otsuro who was sleeping against her thigh, stirred some bit and finally looked up to her. "Nechan."
"Sleep well, Otsuro?"
Rubbing the back of his hand to his still droopy eyes, he shrugged lazily. "I think so. You don't get to sleep, Nechan?"
"I'll be fine," Thaomi smiled and ran her finger to the long locks of his hair. "You know, you shouldn't call me sister just yet."
"I know. But it's weird to call you aunty. You are not my aunty. You can't be my aunt," Otsuro pouted, turning his body to her. "You are my sister."
"I am always you sister, don't worry about that. But here, I am playing as Himari now and Himari is your aunt."
"I don't understand," Otsuro beamed. "Why don't we just destroyed the cell and leave? I can do that."
Thao's eyes quirked up. "Oh, really now?"
"Yeah!" he exclaimed. "The White Lady taught me a lot of things. Oh, have I told you that I can shoot black arrows from my mouth?"
The White Lady was a quick reference to Her Might, Kamasosso, who unfortunately was still stuck in Otsuro's body. Otsuro made a remark on how She always wore white kimono whenever they had a conversation, and on went the nickname. Thao reluctantly followed his stories. Ironically, the use of the White Lady actually worked well to forget the actually black spirit that lived inside him.
"Tamashi-oji taught me several hand signs to activate the arrows thingy. But I haven't tried to really shoot them," Otsuro said. "Can I show you, Nechan?"
"Why, of course! But not here, though."
"But why? I can destroy the cell with them."
"Because…" Thao paused. "We are currently playing hide and seek. We don't want to give a clue to the seeker, do you?"
"No," he shook his head. "Is the seeker near?"
"I don't know about that. But it's best if we keep hiding until we are sure of where they are, don't you think?"
"Yes," Otsuro nodded excitedly. "But then again if the Akatsuki is getting closer I can just shoot them with arrows! Right, Nechan?"
That caught her off guard. Did he know, now? Had he been told? How much had he been told?
She looked at Otsuro who was setting an imperfect hand-sign and opening his mouth as if spitting some said arrows. A 'chu, chu, chu' followed as he spat some air out to the void room.
Otsuro saw the confusion on her face and he abruptly sat down and turned in front of her. "Don't worry, Nechan. With the help of The White Lady, I will protect you from those fucks."
"Whoa, sshhhh!" This one really caught her off guard. "You are not allowed to say that word. Where did you learn that?"
"Oh, you mean fuck? I heard Reiko and Tsaiko nii said it a lot."
"Do not say it again now, Otsuro," Thao warned. "Do you know what it even means?"
After some thoughts, Otsuro shook his head. "No."
"Don't say it again, okay? I mean it, Otsuro."
"Alright," Otsuro nodded without any question. But then he suddenly asked. "What does it mean, Nechan?"
Thao snorted and rubbed her hand across her face, preventing from crying for help. Yeah, Thao swore she would always be right by his side now. Thao quietly, face red, told Otsuro about the word, but only to the context of his sentence. Funny, Otsuro seemed to listen to her words very carefully, as if it was a good lecture from a teacher, or from the White Lady.
His concentration however was dismissed when two of them heard the metal door opened loudly. Otsuro scooted into Thao's arm, as she waited for a ninja to appear. It was looking like to be more than one person coming. The sound of the steps drummed against the concrete floor, louder, quicker and heavier. Not long after that four men came into the view in front her cell. She remembered Shikaku and Asuma, and another ninja who was sent to the Fire Temple. But surprised her when amongst them was an elderly man dressed in a subtle gray kimono. A sheath of so familiar sword by his side.
She watched as the four people walked past her cell. Shikaku once again locked his dark eyes on her for a moment. But the eldery man looked like he didn't acknowledge her inside the cell. He looked beaten and tied up. But that didn't matter. He was alive. That drinking old man found a way to survive, or escape. It didn't matter. He was alive.
Thao just sighed and pulled Otsuro closer as he buried his head deep into her uncomfortable coat. She began to wonder what Gionn was doing at the correctional facility, or how he got caught. Might as well be sent into imprisonment, his past backgrounds as this crime pack leader was utterly fascinating.
Who knew of how he got here; it didn't matter anyway. At least not another person had died on the hands of those fuckers.
Shikaku found himself standing in front of the table of Lady Hokage. Shikaku bowed and Tsunade couldn't help but to roll her eyes. She still didn't like this treatment, being the superior out of all people. That took effort and hardship, and time. Nonetheless, she ruled.
Tsunade bobbed her head the chair on the other side of the room. Shikaku took a hint and settled down in front of her.
"So… you have found your lady-love," she began, chuckling lightly. "Himari, is it not the name?"
If Shikaku was to be annoyed by the comment, he didn't show it. He just nodded simply. "Yes. We have found her, along with fourteen of others."
"She has more friends and family than you thought." she sneered.
"Yet the three people I saw her with, Marogito, Usatchi, and Kenhi, was still unknown. They might have run away the same time Himari decided to show up from the woods. It could be a plan to escape. As of right now, we have set perimeters to scout the entire area of the country."
"Those three men can wait. Remember our priority, Shikaku," Tsunade warned. "And what of this guy you captured later on?"
"He was found only on the next day by the river across the area of the secret hideout."
"What do we know of him so far?"
"He is aging and wrinkled, but he is most definitely Gionn, a criminal magnate who ran his business in Water Country. He is on bounty book for 12 million ryo. Or was…," he paused. "He is presumed to be dead after a tsunami that struck his island, Koji."
"Yet he is here, sleeping in our cell," she pondered. "So, what do you think of this whole situation?"
"I believe everything is related. We have checked the identity of these unknown trespassers and we can confirm that almost all of them were subordinates to Gionn."
"Also supposedly dead? And the dead came marching into our gates," she scoffed. "And what of this 'almost'? What of the rest of the group?"
"We have not been able to proof anything. But based on the research my son has been conducting on, we have a theory of who they could be."