lee meets sakura... again
Who: Lee and Sakura
What: Bumping into each other after Sakura was attacked by the crazy hag
Where: In the slums
Warnings: None
Rating: PG
Sakura sat beside a huge, oak tree in her backyard, her back resting against the bark as she held a huge book in her hands. It would soon be time to head into the slums; this time, however, would be different. She glanced down at the tiny scars on her arm from where the old woman had gripped her tightly, nearly breaking the bone in the process. It had been a while since she last traveled to the lower part of Konoha, as she was quite frightened of running into that creepy, old lady again. "Who was she anyway?"
Shaking her head, trying to get the thoughts of that night out of her mind she stood up straight, turning to the huge plant. She pulled her sack of clothing and tools over her shoulder and untied it, sticking her hand inside to pull out a candle. Sakura then picked up two rocks that she hid specifically for this purpose underneath a root and scraped them together to form a spark. Once the candle was lit, she pushed against the rough surface, the tree gave way like a door. Stepping inside, she grabs the rungs to a ladder much similar to that of the passage from the slums. Taking this downward, she stepped down into a tunnel, the only visible spots wherever the light from her candle touched.
She walked for quite sometime until she reached another ladder, taking it to the surface like she usually did whenever taking a trip to the slums. "I really need to find another way..." She sighed, blowing out the candle and placing it inside of her sack. The pink-haired girl then pulled out her set of clothing, this time consisting of something rather plain and rugged-looking. Slipping this on, she finally pulled out her final piece to the 'disguise.' A long, brown wig that would hide her obvious, pink hair from anyone who may recognize her. Sakura hid her sack behind a crate and made her way out into the alleyway, aiming for Sir Paul's once again.
Lee laid on his back on the rooftop of the bookstore, listening to the wind and watching the sky. The black cloak he was wearing and his position on the roof obscured his form from anyone who wasn't looking for him on the ground. He breathed in deeply; he was taking a huge risk in coming here, he knew. Every time he encountered her with or without planning to was a huge risk. For the past two years, they'd met up perhaps once a month or three or four; the most they'd ever seen each other was twice a month. Lee had the pleasure of watching Sakura mature and blossom before his very eyes, and the blazing fires of new infatuation had faded into something more buried, smoldering, lasting. For the past two years, Lee had adored his Lady as something a little more than a friend, an angel who fought for the poor and never strayed too far from his thoughts.
Lee had never asked her about the secret passageway he found so long ago; he was also still skeptical about her being a member of the Council, but if it was true, that meant she was close to the Akatsuki - and if they found her, well, the less she knew, the better she'd be protected. Which was why Lee had never told her his real name.
She would be even safer if I stopped seeing her altogether, Lee thought. He sighed and maneuvered himself to achieve a more comfortable position, his arms folded behind his head. The roughness of the roof did nothing to disturb his musings as he watched the sunlight and the dark specks of birds flying overhead.
Sakura made her way down to Sir Paul's, and stopped just before it to hand a coin to a begging child. Sure, she wore clothes that didn't label her as upper-class material, but perhaps the way she carried herself was still pretty much a dead giveaway that she was someone of high ranking at least in lower-class society. She sighed, twisting her finger around a loose strand of fake, brown hair. A frown spread across her face, she hated faking who she wasn't, even though it made her feel safer inside. She turned to glance back at the castle that she could never escape. The young woman was beginning to dread going back to the council. Usually she was excited about fighting for the rights of her countrymen and women, but lately she realized how much her fighting was in vain. Nothing was getting any better, and Sakura knew it better than anyone else. Perhaps there was no hope after all.
She moved again to the entrance of Sir Paul's, stopping just short of the doorway. A single tear managed to escape her eye and drip slowly down her cheek. I wish there was something I could do....
Lee had been keeping his senses open to catch footsteps on the cobblestone street when he heard what he'd been waiting for, but perhaps that wasn't her...
He peeked over the rooftop - a woman with brown hair and rumpled, plain clothing was standing at the front entrance. Since Lee was looking down from the top, he couldn't see her face, and from what he knew, his Lady Sakura always wore clothes that distinguished her as part of the aristocracy no matter how many times he tried to warn her against doing so. She also had pink hair. He returned to watching the sky on his back, breathing quietly. Maybe she wasn't coming today; it had happened before. Half the time Lee came when he finished his tasks in Konoha she wasn't here.
Sakura tapped lightly on the door, summoning Sir Paul. He opened the door, a smile gracing his pleasant, old features. "Hmm? May I help you miss?" It seemed that the old man had not recognized her.
"Oh! Uhm...Sir Paul, it's me! Sakura!" Sakura pointed to herself, emphasizing the message.
"Sakura? Hmm...playing dress up, now are we?" He chuckled, thankful that the girl finally had sense to disguise herself from the many troublesome theives and bandits that wandered the streets of Konoha. "I should fetch what you are looking for then. Hold on one moment." Paul made his way inside, going through his typical routine of reaching into the same bin and pulling out a red, hardback book. He made his way to the doorway again, handing the small item to Sakura, his smile broad and delightful. "This is a very old one. Have you ever heard of King Arthur? I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
Saying her thanks, Sakura bowed placing the book against her chest. "Thank you very much, good sir. I can't wait to read it."
Sir Paul nodded, and proceeded to close the door. "I'm glad you decided to keep your profile low. I was growing worried that something may happen to you, young lady. Now you have a nice day."
She nodded once again and turned to leave, taking a peek at the newly obtained piece of literature.
Upon hearing the quiet voices conversing below him, Lee perked and sat up slightly; did that woman just say her name was "Sakura"? Her voice sounded very familiar; Lee looked over the roof again, but she'd already entered the building. With barely a rustle from his cloak, Lee grabbed the ledge of the roof and flipped over onto the ground. He was standing casually next to the door when the woman emerged, and when he caught a glimpse of her face, his eyes widened in surprise; a feeling akin to pride spread inside his chest. She was finally hiding her appearance; had some event transpired to make her change her ways, or had she just decided by herself that she needed to take more care while in the slums?
Lee coughed lightly to announce his presence; he didn't want to startle her.
Sakura's eyes widened for a moment, but reset to their typical size when she turned to find 'Robin' standing next to her. "Oh!" She smiled, "Robin! Hello!" Having not seen him in a while, Sakura jumped out to hug her friend, "What brings you here?" She stepped back, giving him breathing room, holding the book once again to rest on her chest, a protective embrace over the little, red item.
Lee smiled at her fondly after she released him from her hug. "I've finished my work for my master, and had some free time; I thought maybe I might find you here, and that we could talk." Some time ago, Lee had given her a summary of his falsified life in Konoha - he was a servant who worked day and night for a noble house in Suna, and was sometimes sent to Konoha to run errands, the nature of which he could not disclose. "How are you, my Lady? And, might I ask why you decided to start wearing less conspicuous clothing?" He hoped it wasn't because she'd been attacked or had goods stolen from her on a day he hadn't been there to protect her...
"Oh...well..." Sakura clenched what her mother would call 'rags' with one of her hands. "I just kind of decided that I shouldn't be so... uhm... obvious?" Without noticing, Sakura played with the wig a bit, exposing her injured arm that was still in the process of healing from the old woman's attack. She forced out a struggled laugh, making it obvious that she was lying.
Lee had been suspicious when he heard his Lady's forced laughter, but the protective instincts he had towards his friends flared when his eyes zeroed in on the hand-shaped bruises marring her usually flawless skin. He took Sakura's arm gently between his fingers, turned it all around to inspect the damage, and let it go. "What happened?" he asked, his voice strange; it was a tone very few had heard and lived to remember, and his eyes...
Cold, unforgiving anger had taken hold of Lee's expression, turning his face into something unrecognizable from the sunny visage everyone took for granted.
Emerald eyes widened a huge degree. Wow...where'd that come from? She was happy that someone was concerned for her well-being, but she didn't want to worry him. "I...I'm fine." She stuttered, trying to make it sound like it wasn't such a big deal. "You see...I bumped my arm against the fireplace last night, and I guess it started to swell today." The young woman held the injury with her other arm, trying to conceal it from Lee's stare. "I guess I'd better put ice on it or something." Another struggled laugh was forced out. "So, Robin..." Taking a step away from Sir Paul's shop, she walked slowly along the cobblestone alleyway, trying to change the subject. "How have you been?"
"I've been doing well, Lady Sakura," Lee said, walking briskly after her. He didn't want to let the subject drop. He couldn't. Who would dare harm such a kind and wonderful soul such as his Lady Sakura? "Working very hard every day, as usual. Those bruises looked like hand markings, Lady Sakura." And I wasn't there to help her, Lee thought, his heart twisting painfully in his chest.
Sakura stopped. She couldn't hide it from him, he was onto her, and most of all, she was a terrible liar. Well, at least in matters such as this. She could talk her way out of anything when it came to politics and sneaking in and out of her home. But when it came to people being concerned about her well-being, she was like a deer staring into headlights. Turning to face Lee, she glanced down at the scratches and bruises that decorated her once pale limbs. "Well...you see..." That night replayed in Sakura's head, sending shivers down her spine, hoping the young man didn't notice. "I was heading home when I came across this old, crazy lady. She started saying things to me, reciting what I did in town that day. I was kind of scared, but I..." But she fought back like the stubborn idiot she was, and look where it got her. Sakura sighed, still confused about the event herself. "I didn't really understand what she was trying to tell me, but I think she was warning me or something. Like...telling me to be careful." Yet, she was the one who did bodily harm to me!
"So, I decided that from now on I would put on a disguise whenever I came down here. But, it seems people still sort of see me as a high-ranking individual." Her head dropped, "I'm...still kind of scared that someone else may come after me, but I'm fine." She faked a smile, "Really. I am."
"Lady Sakura..." Lee began, but then stopped. Here was his Lady, feigning laughter and smiles; it wasn't like her at all. She was shaken. Lee wanted to hold her, comfort her, but what right did he have to do that when he couldn't even protect her from an old crone? And as much as he wanted her safe, he couldn't control where she went (and he didn't want to), he couldn't control the people she met, and he couldn't sneak into Konoha every day and disrupt the thieves and the rebellion.
His Lady Sakura was on her own most of the time, and Lee trusted her to know how to handle herself. His faith had been well-placed; she took pretty good care of herself and had never been physically harmed in the slums until recently. And by an old woman, no less! An old, crazy woman who had seized his Lady's arm hard enough to break blood vessels all around, and who had finally scared her into disguising herself (not that the disguise was a bad thing)... What was Lee going to do when he found her, pound her face in? Squeeze her arm until it shattered? Tell her to apologize? Chances were she wouldn't listen, and Lee would just end up getting angrier.
He couldn't do a thing in this situation, not even give Sakura a weapon to arm herself with; a stronger attacker could just wrest it from her, and a shrewd official may somehow trace it back to the thieves if they ever discovered it.
But still, Lee didn't want to just stand there without at least trying to rectify the situation. "Lady Sakura," he repeated, "I... where did this old woman attack you?" Perhaps Lee could find her and demand that she give an explanation. Lee was furious with himself, with the old woman, with the way the world worked in general; if the attacker had been a young male, Lee could have done something more... productive. Now, he was stuck interrogating violent, senile females with abnormally strong grips.
"Uhm..." Sakura grew worried. If she showed him exactly where she found the old woman, he would know of her 'secret place.' However, if she didn't...she probably wouldn't learn anything about that creepy lady. She admitted, she was intrigued by the old woman. As a child her mother told her stories of knights, kings, and people called 'magicians.' Being a child from a family that had no special skills other than simple intelligence made Sakura wish she had been born into a different setting. She was fascinated by people who could light a candle with a simple thought, and envied such ability. Ever since she was a little girl she believed that there lay some special unawakened power inside of her, and tried every method to bring it out. One day she even tried jumping from a high branch in a tree to see if she could fly. That, however, ended in failure and a broken leg.
Yet Sakura never stopped believing, and suddenly realized, Was the old crone a powerful magician? Realizing that she was caught in thought, she snapped back to her senses. She would show 'Robin' where she met the old crone. Perhaps she would find something that could help her on her quest to save Konoha. But why would a magician harm her? What made her so important to confront in such a frightening way?
She decided. She would show him everything. If she couldn't trust someone who appeared so concerned about her well-being, who else could she believe in? Besides...he hadn't betrayed her...yet. "Alright. I'll show you. But you must promise that you tell no one about this. Please?"
"Show me what?" Lee asked. He looked at her curiously, setting his anger aside for the moment because Sakura sounded so... intent. Whatever it was she was going to show him (and Lee had a feeling he knew what it was) must be very important. "And if informing anyone about 'this' will harm you, I will not tell a soul," he promised.
"Well...I'm not sure if anyone will harm me..." She paused for a moment and shook her head. "But, I feel I can trust you enough that you won't tell anyone. At least...until the time is right." The last part was said just above a whisper, and rolled off of Sakura's tongue unintentionally. "But, anyway. Let's go! There is so much I need to show you, Robin!"
Grabbing Lee's hand gently, she whisked him away to the broken down storage house. Sakura stopped at the intersection of two alleyways and indicated with a finger where Sakura stood that night, and where she found the old woman. Going through the whole event, describing the way the woman moved, the way she looked, and the way she smelled, it sounded like a military report more than a simple summarization of what happened. She explained every minute detail, hoping to get some lead about the old woman. If she was an old woman.
The disguised girl paused for a moment, frozen in her speech and in her tracks. Could it have been someone sent by the Leader? Her body shook for a moment, hoping to a higher power that wasn't the case. If the Akatsuki ever found out about her ventures into the slums...who knows what would become of her? Or worse.
Images of her mother and father locked in a dungeon, begging and pleading for their release. Hands reaching out through the bars, asking for forgiveness, wondering what went wrong. And in the end, they would blame her. She certainly hoped that wasn't the case, and just hoped that the old hag was a magician, and not a spy sent from the council to check on its members. Sakura knew the Leader trusted no one. Even the people he held closest to himself.
Looking to the dark-haired lad, she smiled her fake smile once again. "I just wonder who she could be. And why she showed up here to confront me.
Lee was wondering as well; with every whispered detail, every murmured fact, he found himself growing more and more... anxious. Concerned. And incensed - what a filthy old woman, spitting on a Lady right after backhanding her face!
Lee spent a few minutes absorbing everything Sakura had told him. From what he could gather, the old woman had stood, watching Lady Sakura on the street, suddenly insulted her, jumped and grabbed her arm, slapped her around while continuing to insult her, and scratched her before finally leaving.
And something else troubled him more than he wanted to acknowledge - the comment the woman had made about a “silly youthful green man” who would “chance to come to her rescue.” There were only two people Lee knew who fit that description, and one of them was still away on his self-assigned mission. The woman could have been talking about some other green man, but that would have been too much of a coincidence. Lee never wore his distinctive suit whenever he ventured into Konoha; he switched clothes to avoid detection, but sometimes he’d wear a dark green cloak, pants, shirt, etc. It seemed like someone had spotted them. Lee hadn’t been careful enough, but he had been so sure, every time... Damn it! He thought.
There was no telling who the old woman could have been - a deranged lunatic was nearly harmless if Sakura kept to herself and was more aware of her surroundings, but if the hag had been a spy, a warning from another noble -
To protect Lady Sakura, Lee would have to cut off contact with her. He would deal with that issue later.
“This woman…” Lee began slowly, trying to sort out his jumbled thoughts and the overload of information, “…It sounded like she was angry at you. Perhaps she thought you were mocking the slum-dwellers by coming down in all your finery and not expecting to be… attacked.” Lee had worried that Sakura might one day offend someone unstable like that - it had really been just a matter of time before it happened.
“But if that woman wasn’t just a - an insane, senile old bat… Lady Sakura, do you have any enemies in politics, or have you ever slighted anyone in the slums? Your assailant could have been someone in disguise.” It wasn't impossible in a society in which magic-users weren't an uncommon sight.
"I...I don't know..." The young woman began, slowly pulling off the wig to reveal her pink tresses. She was sure that no street dwellers would see them this far out. "I could, but the Akatsuki are ones that can hide their emotions very well. I do know that they find me slightly untrustworthy, what with my random outbursts in the courtroom and all, but..." she trailed off for a moment. Sakura knew of the abilities the Akatsuki possessed, and the rumors of their strength and power were proven many a times before Sakura's eyes. Sure she never witnessed their true power, but seeing executions they committed first hand often gave her nightmares. They were the cruelest form of humanity, if one could call them human, and Sakura sought an end to them. She was certain that they knew how much she hated them, but the fact that her hatred was displayed so openly seemed to make them not worry all too much about her sneaking behind their back. In a way, she was an enemy that was held close, that way they could keep a watchful eye on her.
She looked around, ensuring nothing was on the rooftops or peeking through windows, and tugged Lee once again, this time to a patch of grass that Sakura knew all too well. "There is something that I must show you. This is what you must keep a secret." Bending down she grasped a firm hand around a latch and pulled up the block of grass revealing her tunnel she frequently used. "This is how I come here. It seems no one knows about this other than myself. Even the Akatsuki do not know this passage exists." She glanced up at the dark-haired lad, her eyes coming into contact with his, sending him a message through her watery orbs that this secret must be kept just between the two of them.
Lee's eyes widened in surprise - not because of the trap door, but because she actually showed it to him. It seemed as if she truly trusted him, even though he hadn't done much to earn that trust...
"I will never tell anyone about this if it will put you in danger, and I am sure that it might, but why - why are you showing this to me, Lady Sakura?" He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. "You have to be more careful," he continued gently, his voice little louder than a whisper. "You may have been assaulted by that hag for being a noble, and you shout openly against your leaders in your meetings... I am not too familiar with them, as I come from Suna, but from what I recall, the Akatsuki are... merciless." A flicker of pain in eyes quickly lowered, We regret to inform you that Wizard Rock and his wife were killed...
Sakura said in nearly a whisper, "Because, I can trust you. No one else..." Sure, she had her share of friends back home, but there was something about 'Robin' that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't a bad thing, that was for sure, but there was just something that seemed a little...off. She wasn't sure if she could believe he was from Suna, but she could tell that he despised the Akatsuki as much as she. "I was hoping...that I could become a revolutionist one day. I've tried to do my share of fighting, my own way, but it all just doesn't seem to work. My words...they can't work their magic. Not the way I wish them to anyway."
She sighed, looking towards the sky, as if it held all her answers. "You see...I dream of a world that I fear will never come. But, I've been trying my best...thinking of ways to help the revolution I believe exists, but I'm not quite sure if it's there." She knelt down to play with a few blades of grass. "I was thinking, of running away somehow, to build a revolution of my own. I feel that there are some people out there willing to help me, but I'm afraid no one has the drive to even try..." Her eyes blurred for a moment, losing their fire and becoming doused with sadness. "But, I thought that if I waited just a while longer, maybe something could happen." Sakura glanced up at Lee, that fake smile never seemed to go away. "But, then I met you. And...the way you carry yourself, the way you speak, it gives me hope. And hope is all that I trust." Her smile faded, and she faced the ground once more. "I want this world to change. I'm afraid it won't if I can't trust anyone. So...this is our little secret. You can come visit me if you ever wanted to. It's pretty easy to reach anything from here."
Lee smiled. It wasn't the usual blazing grin of glory he gave his friends; it was slow and kind, just for her. His Lady Sakura definitely had her heart in the right place, he thought, but he couldn't reveal anything about the Rebellion, that was for sure. Not until he talked to Shino. He didn't even want to think about telling her that rebels and revolutionaries did exist, that a storm was brewing in the distance, and that it would hit soon.
"Thank you for trusting me," Lee said. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything else. "But I am absolutely sure that the world will change, Lady Sakura, without you putting yourself in unnecessary risk." He was only half-teasing. "Konoha cannot continue to exist the way it is now. Whenever I pass the slums to run errands, everything is decaying, every eye is filled with distrust, and everyone is angry and resentful. Freedom is stirring. Trust me," he whispered, looking fully into her eyes, "Those tyrants will never be able to cling onto their thrones." He leaned back slightly with his little smile. "I think that, for the time being, you will be able to help these poor people by staying alive and not letting yourself come into further harm. They need as much support as they can get from the inside; I doubt all nobles are as caring as you are. Which means that you should keep wearing your disguise whenever you come here, in my opinion."
Sakura's smile became a little clearer now, still struggled, but it was there. "Thank you so much, Robin..." Nodding to show she understood what he said, she stood up, pulling the brown wig back on sloppily, her natural pink mixing with the plain brown. She giggled placing her hands on her hips, giving him a childish grin that could be labeled as mischievous, "Alright, then! It's settled." She turned towards the castle, pointing a finger at it as if picking a fight. "I'll be good, for now. But I'll get you, my pretty." She laughed again, a huge weight being lifted off of her shoulders. "I'll be strong...for them. And keep my hope strong too. Maybe one day, everyone will have hope. Then...the world can finally change."
Giving her signature peace sign, her tongue sticking out in a playful manner, she winked at Lee.
Lee blushed; he couldn't help it if blood flooded right underneath the surface of his skin whenever beautiful women acted adorable in front of him. "It will, Lady Sakura," answering her with a shining grin. Glad that Sakura seemed to have shaken off the fear she had carried with her mere minutes ago, Lee turned his attention to other things; he didn't sense anyone watching them right now (but he never thought that anyone was watching them all those other times too, and look at where that got them...), so he winked back at her. "I doubt that anyone is around right now, and I doubt that woman is here either, so may I make a few more suggestions for your disguise?"
"Oh..." Blowing the fake hair away from her face, only to have it fall back into place, she then glanced down at her clothing. "I realized that people still noticed me. I'm pretty horrible at this kind of thing, so please! Suggest away." Signaling with her hand, she swept her arm across her outfit, presenting it for thorough inspection.
"Well..." Lee peered at her clothes like the professional thief he was, from top to bottom. After a while, he leaned forward and spoke quietly. "The clothes you're wearing aren’t as flashy as the others, but... if I may?" Lee felt the hem of the dress between his fingers. "It's still high-quality material, and the dress looks like what a maid would wear while she was serving her masters. The clothes of long-time slum-dwellers are more worn down, faded, rough and long-lasting. Perhaps a little dirty, a little stained; youngsters are always getting into scuffles on the streets, and fathers and mothers are always working." Lee remembered observing children playing tag from the brief excursions his teachers from the orphanage sometimes took their wards on, and wishing he could join them. None of the other orphans ever wanted to play with him.
"Your shoes are too new and expensive to be owned by anyone from the slums, unless they were acquired by unsavory means; what's more, they are sandals. You should find yourself some worn walking shoes or boots." Lee examined her hands with his eyes. "Your fingernails are very well manicured, a dead giveaway that you do not live in the slums. Some bite their nails to the quick, some clip them, most have at least some dirt underneath or on the edges, and none possess nails as fine as yours. You should start cutting your nails on your own, and if you already do, be a little more careless in their upkeep. Most women also have calluses on their hands from working, and their skins are split from washing... you could wear inexpensive gloves to cover your hands up, I suppose; that would be easiest." Lee didn't really want his Lady to harm her beautiful hands, and besides, it would be strange to the other nobles if she suddenly started doing servants' duties.
"What else..." Lee looked at her smooth face, her clear eyes, and caught the faint, pleasing smell of her skin. "You shouldn't wear perfume, and your skin is much too clean," he said with a teasing smile. "Just a little dusty will do. It is not uncommon to find people wearing cloaks to conceal their faces - you may try that, but you may look suspicious." Lee himself was wearing a hooded black cloak that concealed everything underneath. "A knee-length woolen tunic would be fine," he said, "Maybe leggings. Just no expensive clothing made with fine textiles, nothing too colorful. Bring fewer golden coins; better yet, don't bring any gold at all. And..." Lee was getting a little carried away with his "suggestions," but he didn't notice. "Don't walk like a noble. They are very self-assured and controlled, backs straight, heads high, distinctive. Be more loose and casual. That's all I can suggest for now," he concluded, still with that same mild voice and amused eyes.
Easy for you to say... Sakura sighed, "I don't even know where to begin...oh..." She decided to take it step by step, "Okay...think...dirty." Grabbing a huge clump of dirt from the ground she wiped it on her face, a huge smudge of mud decorated her soft features. This, however, just made her eyes glow more brilliantly, contrasting greatly with the dull color of the gooey substance. "How's this?" The pink-haired girl asked with exasperation, distressing on how to make herself blend in more with the crowd. "Oh...I'm horrible at this...I don't even know how to obtain any of those items...BAHHH! This is hopeless!" She swatted the ground, looking like a child throwing a temper tantrum.
Looking up at Lee, she looked amusingly pitiful, her lip shifting slightly into a sideways frown. A huge clump of dirt slid off of her face onto the grass below with a splat. "I don't know if I can pull this off..."
Lee had to stop himself from laughing. "I said just a little dusty, but if you want to be stained with mud, that works, too." Lee felt around inside his pant pockets, pulled out a long, dark green handkerchief, and handed it to her. "Yes, those items would be hard for you to obtain... I might be able to get something, but I don't know when I will be able to visit Konoha again. If you could get clothes that are more worn from your servants, you could wear those." He smiled at her. "You can't be telling me that a well-bred Lady who openly defies the Akatsuki, who talks of bringing hope back to the people, is defeated because she can't find a few articles of clothing."
"Well...I'm just not used to this," she pointed to the mud splatter on her face before she wiped it away, "compared to shouting at them. It's a whole different ballpark." Sakura grinned, "Besides, I've been arguing with them since I was fifteen. I've had practice." Winking, she nodded to the hole. "I should try my best though. When do you think I should see you next, Sir Robin?"
"It depends on whenever my master sends me out again," Lee said; he sounded a little wistful. "But, right now, I can stay for a few minutes longer." He was immensely curious, and he couldn't pass up an opportunity to learn more about the trap door. He squinted down into the ink-black, seemingly bottomless, depths.
"Where, and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, exactly does this tunnel lead?"
"To my home of course." She grinned, "You see, my house is conveniently located near the castle, so whenever they request a 'meeting' with the council, all I have to do is walk. But the thing is, my backyard consists of many trees, so it's impossible to see the passage from the castle windows and even my own home. Whoever came up with this passage planned it very strategically. It's possible to sneak hundreds of people through."
She stopped for a moment. Why am I telling him all of this? Certainly she trusted 'Robin,' but to tell him so much was pushing that trust a bit too far for her liking. Thus, she stopped speaking for the moment, just to see how he processed the amount of information given and whether he even wanted to hear more. She could have been boring him for all Sakura knew.
Lee's heart beat wildly with excitement. This - this was amazing! A tunnel like this would be extremely useful to the Rebellion; did she say hundreds? They could use it to launch attacks, hide -
No.
Lee couldn't betray his Lady's trust, and she wasn't even part of the Rebellion. This would take a lot of contemplation.
"This tunnel... it is amazing," Lee said, repeating his thoughts because he could find no other words. "I - I hope you haven't told anyone else?"
Sakura shook her head, "No." She looked Lee directly in the eyes, "I took every precaution to keep this a secret. You are the only one that knows other than myself."
Lee took in her gaze with his brown eyes, trusting and grateful.
"Thank you, Lady Sakura."
I will try to be worthy of your confidence.
"The next time you come here, please be more aware of yourself. I don't want to see you get hurt again." He was still angry about the old woman; he would search the area when Sakura left, but he didn't hold out much hope on finding her. He would ask a contact to keep a lookout - perhaps Lady Anko.
Sakura nodded, "I should be going now. Thank you, Robin." She took one step into the hole, catching hold of the ladder. "I hope to see you again, soon. Thank you so much for everything." Taking a step onto a lower rung she quickly looked up again, "Oh! And...if you ever feel like it... I would be delighted if you could visit sometime. I often read in the woods near the passage. It's a personal place of sorts. I frequently go there to think or just clear my mind."
"Thank you, Lady Sakura," Lee repeated quietly. "I hope I will see you again soon." His heart - his buzzing, fluttering, terribly confused and captivated heart - he was sure it could be seen in his eyes.
"Goodbye."
Lee held the trapdoor up until he spied the glow of a candle, and closed it.
What: Bumping into each other after Sakura was attacked by the crazy hag
Where: In the slums
Warnings: None
Rating: PG
Sakura sat beside a huge, oak tree in her backyard, her back resting against the bark as she held a huge book in her hands. It would soon be time to head into the slums; this time, however, would be different. She glanced down at the tiny scars on her arm from where the old woman had gripped her tightly, nearly breaking the bone in the process. It had been a while since she last traveled to the lower part of Konoha, as she was quite frightened of running into that creepy, old lady again. "Who was she anyway?"
Shaking her head, trying to get the thoughts of that night out of her mind she stood up straight, turning to the huge plant. She pulled her sack of clothing and tools over her shoulder and untied it, sticking her hand inside to pull out a candle. Sakura then picked up two rocks that she hid specifically for this purpose underneath a root and scraped them together to form a spark. Once the candle was lit, she pushed against the rough surface, the tree gave way like a door. Stepping inside, she grabs the rungs to a ladder much similar to that of the passage from the slums. Taking this downward, she stepped down into a tunnel, the only visible spots wherever the light from her candle touched.
She walked for quite sometime until she reached another ladder, taking it to the surface like she usually did whenever taking a trip to the slums. "I really need to find another way..." She sighed, blowing out the candle and placing it inside of her sack. The pink-haired girl then pulled out her set of clothing, this time consisting of something rather plain and rugged-looking. Slipping this on, she finally pulled out her final piece to the 'disguise.' A long, brown wig that would hide her obvious, pink hair from anyone who may recognize her. Sakura hid her sack behind a crate and made her way out into the alleyway, aiming for Sir Paul's once again.
Lee laid on his back on the rooftop of the bookstore, listening to the wind and watching the sky. The black cloak he was wearing and his position on the roof obscured his form from anyone who wasn't looking for him on the ground. He breathed in deeply; he was taking a huge risk in coming here, he knew. Every time he encountered her with or without planning to was a huge risk. For the past two years, they'd met up perhaps once a month or three or four; the most they'd ever seen each other was twice a month. Lee had the pleasure of watching Sakura mature and blossom before his very eyes, and the blazing fires of new infatuation had faded into something more buried, smoldering, lasting. For the past two years, Lee had adored his Lady as something a little more than a friend, an angel who fought for the poor and never strayed too far from his thoughts.
Lee had never asked her about the secret passageway he found so long ago; he was also still skeptical about her being a member of the Council, but if it was true, that meant she was close to the Akatsuki - and if they found her, well, the less she knew, the better she'd be protected. Which was why Lee had never told her his real name.
She would be even safer if I stopped seeing her altogether, Lee thought. He sighed and maneuvered himself to achieve a more comfortable position, his arms folded behind his head. The roughness of the roof did nothing to disturb his musings as he watched the sunlight and the dark specks of birds flying overhead.
Sakura made her way down to Sir Paul's, and stopped just before it to hand a coin to a begging child. Sure, she wore clothes that didn't label her as upper-class material, but perhaps the way she carried herself was still pretty much a dead giveaway that she was someone of high ranking at least in lower-class society. She sighed, twisting her finger around a loose strand of fake, brown hair. A frown spread across her face, she hated faking who she wasn't, even though it made her feel safer inside. She turned to glance back at the castle that she could never escape. The young woman was beginning to dread going back to the council. Usually she was excited about fighting for the rights of her countrymen and women, but lately she realized how much her fighting was in vain. Nothing was getting any better, and Sakura knew it better than anyone else. Perhaps there was no hope after all.
She moved again to the entrance of Sir Paul's, stopping just short of the doorway. A single tear managed to escape her eye and drip slowly down her cheek. I wish there was something I could do....
Lee had been keeping his senses open to catch footsteps on the cobblestone street when he heard what he'd been waiting for, but perhaps that wasn't her...
He peeked over the rooftop - a woman with brown hair and rumpled, plain clothing was standing at the front entrance. Since Lee was looking down from the top, he couldn't see her face, and from what he knew, his Lady Sakura always wore clothes that distinguished her as part of the aristocracy no matter how many times he tried to warn her against doing so. She also had pink hair. He returned to watching the sky on his back, breathing quietly. Maybe she wasn't coming today; it had happened before. Half the time Lee came when he finished his tasks in Konoha she wasn't here.
Sakura tapped lightly on the door, summoning Sir Paul. He opened the door, a smile gracing his pleasant, old features. "Hmm? May I help you miss?" It seemed that the old man had not recognized her.
"Oh! Uhm...Sir Paul, it's me! Sakura!" Sakura pointed to herself, emphasizing the message.
"Sakura? Hmm...playing dress up, now are we?" He chuckled, thankful that the girl finally had sense to disguise herself from the many troublesome theives and bandits that wandered the streets of Konoha. "I should fetch what you are looking for then. Hold on one moment." Paul made his way inside, going through his typical routine of reaching into the same bin and pulling out a red, hardback book. He made his way to the doorway again, handing the small item to Sakura, his smile broad and delightful. "This is a very old one. Have you ever heard of King Arthur? I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
Saying her thanks, Sakura bowed placing the book against her chest. "Thank you very much, good sir. I can't wait to read it."
Sir Paul nodded, and proceeded to close the door. "I'm glad you decided to keep your profile low. I was growing worried that something may happen to you, young lady. Now you have a nice day."
She nodded once again and turned to leave, taking a peek at the newly obtained piece of literature.
Upon hearing the quiet voices conversing below him, Lee perked and sat up slightly; did that woman just say her name was "Sakura"? Her voice sounded very familiar; Lee looked over the roof again, but she'd already entered the building. With barely a rustle from his cloak, Lee grabbed the ledge of the roof and flipped over onto the ground. He was standing casually next to the door when the woman emerged, and when he caught a glimpse of her face, his eyes widened in surprise; a feeling akin to pride spread inside his chest. She was finally hiding her appearance; had some event transpired to make her change her ways, or had she just decided by herself that she needed to take more care while in the slums?
Lee coughed lightly to announce his presence; he didn't want to startle her.
Sakura's eyes widened for a moment, but reset to their typical size when she turned to find 'Robin' standing next to her. "Oh!" She smiled, "Robin! Hello!" Having not seen him in a while, Sakura jumped out to hug her friend, "What brings you here?" She stepped back, giving him breathing room, holding the book once again to rest on her chest, a protective embrace over the little, red item.
Lee smiled at her fondly after she released him from her hug. "I've finished my work for my master, and had some free time; I thought maybe I might find you here, and that we could talk." Some time ago, Lee had given her a summary of his falsified life in Konoha - he was a servant who worked day and night for a noble house in Suna, and was sometimes sent to Konoha to run errands, the nature of which he could not disclose. "How are you, my Lady? And, might I ask why you decided to start wearing less conspicuous clothing?" He hoped it wasn't because she'd been attacked or had goods stolen from her on a day he hadn't been there to protect her...
"Oh...well..." Sakura clenched what her mother would call 'rags' with one of her hands. "I just kind of decided that I shouldn't be so... uhm... obvious?" Without noticing, Sakura played with the wig a bit, exposing her injured arm that was still in the process of healing from the old woman's attack. She forced out a struggled laugh, making it obvious that she was lying.
Lee had been suspicious when he heard his Lady's forced laughter, but the protective instincts he had towards his friends flared when his eyes zeroed in on the hand-shaped bruises marring her usually flawless skin. He took Sakura's arm gently between his fingers, turned it all around to inspect the damage, and let it go. "What happened?" he asked, his voice strange; it was a tone very few had heard and lived to remember, and his eyes...
Cold, unforgiving anger had taken hold of Lee's expression, turning his face into something unrecognizable from the sunny visage everyone took for granted.
Emerald eyes widened a huge degree. Wow...where'd that come from? She was happy that someone was concerned for her well-being, but she didn't want to worry him. "I...I'm fine." She stuttered, trying to make it sound like it wasn't such a big deal. "You see...I bumped my arm against the fireplace last night, and I guess it started to swell today." The young woman held the injury with her other arm, trying to conceal it from Lee's stare. "I guess I'd better put ice on it or something." Another struggled laugh was forced out. "So, Robin..." Taking a step away from Sir Paul's shop, she walked slowly along the cobblestone alleyway, trying to change the subject. "How have you been?"
"I've been doing well, Lady Sakura," Lee said, walking briskly after her. He didn't want to let the subject drop. He couldn't. Who would dare harm such a kind and wonderful soul such as his Lady Sakura? "Working very hard every day, as usual. Those bruises looked like hand markings, Lady Sakura." And I wasn't there to help her, Lee thought, his heart twisting painfully in his chest.
Sakura stopped. She couldn't hide it from him, he was onto her, and most of all, she was a terrible liar. Well, at least in matters such as this. She could talk her way out of anything when it came to politics and sneaking in and out of her home. But when it came to people being concerned about her well-being, she was like a deer staring into headlights. Turning to face Lee, she glanced down at the scratches and bruises that decorated her once pale limbs. "Well...you see..." That night replayed in Sakura's head, sending shivers down her spine, hoping the young man didn't notice. "I was heading home when I came across this old, crazy lady. She started saying things to me, reciting what I did in town that day. I was kind of scared, but I..." But she fought back like the stubborn idiot she was, and look where it got her. Sakura sighed, still confused about the event herself. "I didn't really understand what she was trying to tell me, but I think she was warning me or something. Like...telling me to be careful." Yet, she was the one who did bodily harm to me!
"So, I decided that from now on I would put on a disguise whenever I came down here. But, it seems people still sort of see me as a high-ranking individual." Her head dropped, "I'm...still kind of scared that someone else may come after me, but I'm fine." She faked a smile, "Really. I am."
"Lady Sakura..." Lee began, but then stopped. Here was his Lady, feigning laughter and smiles; it wasn't like her at all. She was shaken. Lee wanted to hold her, comfort her, but what right did he have to do that when he couldn't even protect her from an old crone? And as much as he wanted her safe, he couldn't control where she went (and he didn't want to), he couldn't control the people she met, and he couldn't sneak into Konoha every day and disrupt the thieves and the rebellion.
His Lady Sakura was on her own most of the time, and Lee trusted her to know how to handle herself. His faith had been well-placed; she took pretty good care of herself and had never been physically harmed in the slums until recently. And by an old woman, no less! An old, crazy woman who had seized his Lady's arm hard enough to break blood vessels all around, and who had finally scared her into disguising herself (not that the disguise was a bad thing)... What was Lee going to do when he found her, pound her face in? Squeeze her arm until it shattered? Tell her to apologize? Chances were she wouldn't listen, and Lee would just end up getting angrier.
He couldn't do a thing in this situation, not even give Sakura a weapon to arm herself with; a stronger attacker could just wrest it from her, and a shrewd official may somehow trace it back to the thieves if they ever discovered it.
But still, Lee didn't want to just stand there without at least trying to rectify the situation. "Lady Sakura," he repeated, "I... where did this old woman attack you?" Perhaps Lee could find her and demand that she give an explanation. Lee was furious with himself, with the old woman, with the way the world worked in general; if the attacker had been a young male, Lee could have done something more... productive. Now, he was stuck interrogating violent, senile females with abnormally strong grips.
"Uhm..." Sakura grew worried. If she showed him exactly where she found the old woman, he would know of her 'secret place.' However, if she didn't...she probably wouldn't learn anything about that creepy lady. She admitted, she was intrigued by the old woman. As a child her mother told her stories of knights, kings, and people called 'magicians.' Being a child from a family that had no special skills other than simple intelligence made Sakura wish she had been born into a different setting. She was fascinated by people who could light a candle with a simple thought, and envied such ability. Ever since she was a little girl she believed that there lay some special unawakened power inside of her, and tried every method to bring it out. One day she even tried jumping from a high branch in a tree to see if she could fly. That, however, ended in failure and a broken leg.
Yet Sakura never stopped believing, and suddenly realized, Was the old crone a powerful magician? Realizing that she was caught in thought, she snapped back to her senses. She would show 'Robin' where she met the old crone. Perhaps she would find something that could help her on her quest to save Konoha. But why would a magician harm her? What made her so important to confront in such a frightening way?
She decided. She would show him everything. If she couldn't trust someone who appeared so concerned about her well-being, who else could she believe in? Besides...he hadn't betrayed her...yet. "Alright. I'll show you. But you must promise that you tell no one about this. Please?"
"Show me what?" Lee asked. He looked at her curiously, setting his anger aside for the moment because Sakura sounded so... intent. Whatever it was she was going to show him (and Lee had a feeling he knew what it was) must be very important. "And if informing anyone about 'this' will harm you, I will not tell a soul," he promised.
"Well...I'm not sure if anyone will harm me..." She paused for a moment and shook her head. "But, I feel I can trust you enough that you won't tell anyone. At least...until the time is right." The last part was said just above a whisper, and rolled off of Sakura's tongue unintentionally. "But, anyway. Let's go! There is so much I need to show you, Robin!"
Grabbing Lee's hand gently, she whisked him away to the broken down storage house. Sakura stopped at the intersection of two alleyways and indicated with a finger where Sakura stood that night, and where she found the old woman. Going through the whole event, describing the way the woman moved, the way she looked, and the way she smelled, it sounded like a military report more than a simple summarization of what happened. She explained every minute detail, hoping to get some lead about the old woman. If she was an old woman.
The disguised girl paused for a moment, frozen in her speech and in her tracks. Could it have been someone sent by the Leader? Her body shook for a moment, hoping to a higher power that wasn't the case. If the Akatsuki ever found out about her ventures into the slums...who knows what would become of her? Or worse.
Images of her mother and father locked in a dungeon, begging and pleading for their release. Hands reaching out through the bars, asking for forgiveness, wondering what went wrong. And in the end, they would blame her. She certainly hoped that wasn't the case, and just hoped that the old hag was a magician, and not a spy sent from the council to check on its members. Sakura knew the Leader trusted no one. Even the people he held closest to himself.
Looking to the dark-haired lad, she smiled her fake smile once again. "I just wonder who she could be. And why she showed up here to confront me.
Lee was wondering as well; with every whispered detail, every murmured fact, he found himself growing more and more... anxious. Concerned. And incensed - what a filthy old woman, spitting on a Lady right after backhanding her face!
Lee spent a few minutes absorbing everything Sakura had told him. From what he could gather, the old woman had stood, watching Lady Sakura on the street, suddenly insulted her, jumped and grabbed her arm, slapped her around while continuing to insult her, and scratched her before finally leaving.
And something else troubled him more than he wanted to acknowledge - the comment the woman had made about a “silly youthful green man” who would “chance to come to her rescue.” There were only two people Lee knew who fit that description, and one of them was still away on his self-assigned mission. The woman could have been talking about some other green man, but that would have been too much of a coincidence. Lee never wore his distinctive suit whenever he ventured into Konoha; he switched clothes to avoid detection, but sometimes he’d wear a dark green cloak, pants, shirt, etc. It seemed like someone had spotted them. Lee hadn’t been careful enough, but he had been so sure, every time... Damn it! He thought.
There was no telling who the old woman could have been - a deranged lunatic was nearly harmless if Sakura kept to herself and was more aware of her surroundings, but if the hag had been a spy, a warning from another noble -
To protect Lady Sakura, Lee would have to cut off contact with her. He would deal with that issue later.
“This woman…” Lee began slowly, trying to sort out his jumbled thoughts and the overload of information, “…It sounded like she was angry at you. Perhaps she thought you were mocking the slum-dwellers by coming down in all your finery and not expecting to be… attacked.” Lee had worried that Sakura might one day offend someone unstable like that - it had really been just a matter of time before it happened.
“But if that woman wasn’t just a - an insane, senile old bat… Lady Sakura, do you have any enemies in politics, or have you ever slighted anyone in the slums? Your assailant could have been someone in disguise.” It wasn't impossible in a society in which magic-users weren't an uncommon sight.
"I...I don't know..." The young woman began, slowly pulling off the wig to reveal her pink tresses. She was sure that no street dwellers would see them this far out. "I could, but the Akatsuki are ones that can hide their emotions very well. I do know that they find me slightly untrustworthy, what with my random outbursts in the courtroom and all, but..." she trailed off for a moment. Sakura knew of the abilities the Akatsuki possessed, and the rumors of their strength and power were proven many a times before Sakura's eyes. Sure she never witnessed their true power, but seeing executions they committed first hand often gave her nightmares. They were the cruelest form of humanity, if one could call them human, and Sakura sought an end to them. She was certain that they knew how much she hated them, but the fact that her hatred was displayed so openly seemed to make them not worry all too much about her sneaking behind their back. In a way, she was an enemy that was held close, that way they could keep a watchful eye on her.
She looked around, ensuring nothing was on the rooftops or peeking through windows, and tugged Lee once again, this time to a patch of grass that Sakura knew all too well. "There is something that I must show you. This is what you must keep a secret." Bending down she grasped a firm hand around a latch and pulled up the block of grass revealing her tunnel she frequently used. "This is how I come here. It seems no one knows about this other than myself. Even the Akatsuki do not know this passage exists." She glanced up at the dark-haired lad, her eyes coming into contact with his, sending him a message through her watery orbs that this secret must be kept just between the two of them.
Lee's eyes widened in surprise - not because of the trap door, but because she actually showed it to him. It seemed as if she truly trusted him, even though he hadn't done much to earn that trust...
"I will never tell anyone about this if it will put you in danger, and I am sure that it might, but why - why are you showing this to me, Lady Sakura?" He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. "You have to be more careful," he continued gently, his voice little louder than a whisper. "You may have been assaulted by that hag for being a noble, and you shout openly against your leaders in your meetings... I am not too familiar with them, as I come from Suna, but from what I recall, the Akatsuki are... merciless." A flicker of pain in eyes quickly lowered, We regret to inform you that Wizard Rock and his wife were killed...
Sakura said in nearly a whisper, "Because, I can trust you. No one else..." Sure, she had her share of friends back home, but there was something about 'Robin' that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't a bad thing, that was for sure, but there was just something that seemed a little...off. She wasn't sure if she could believe he was from Suna, but she could tell that he despised the Akatsuki as much as she. "I was hoping...that I could become a revolutionist one day. I've tried to do my share of fighting, my own way, but it all just doesn't seem to work. My words...they can't work their magic. Not the way I wish them to anyway."
She sighed, looking towards the sky, as if it held all her answers. "You see...I dream of a world that I fear will never come. But, I've been trying my best...thinking of ways to help the revolution I believe exists, but I'm not quite sure if it's there." She knelt down to play with a few blades of grass. "I was thinking, of running away somehow, to build a revolution of my own. I feel that there are some people out there willing to help me, but I'm afraid no one has the drive to even try..." Her eyes blurred for a moment, losing their fire and becoming doused with sadness. "But, I thought that if I waited just a while longer, maybe something could happen." Sakura glanced up at Lee, that fake smile never seemed to go away. "But, then I met you. And...the way you carry yourself, the way you speak, it gives me hope. And hope is all that I trust." Her smile faded, and she faced the ground once more. "I want this world to change. I'm afraid it won't if I can't trust anyone. So...this is our little secret. You can come visit me if you ever wanted to. It's pretty easy to reach anything from here."
Lee smiled. It wasn't the usual blazing grin of glory he gave his friends; it was slow and kind, just for her. His Lady Sakura definitely had her heart in the right place, he thought, but he couldn't reveal anything about the Rebellion, that was for sure. Not until he talked to Shino. He didn't even want to think about telling her that rebels and revolutionaries did exist, that a storm was brewing in the distance, and that it would hit soon.
"Thank you for trusting me," Lee said. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything else. "But I am absolutely sure that the world will change, Lady Sakura, without you putting yourself in unnecessary risk." He was only half-teasing. "Konoha cannot continue to exist the way it is now. Whenever I pass the slums to run errands, everything is decaying, every eye is filled with distrust, and everyone is angry and resentful. Freedom is stirring. Trust me," he whispered, looking fully into her eyes, "Those tyrants will never be able to cling onto their thrones." He leaned back slightly with his little smile. "I think that, for the time being, you will be able to help these poor people by staying alive and not letting yourself come into further harm. They need as much support as they can get from the inside; I doubt all nobles are as caring as you are. Which means that you should keep wearing your disguise whenever you come here, in my opinion."
Sakura's smile became a little clearer now, still struggled, but it was there. "Thank you so much, Robin..." Nodding to show she understood what he said, she stood up, pulling the brown wig back on sloppily, her natural pink mixing with the plain brown. She giggled placing her hands on her hips, giving him a childish grin that could be labeled as mischievous, "Alright, then! It's settled." She turned towards the castle, pointing a finger at it as if picking a fight. "I'll be good, for now. But I'll get you, my pretty." She laughed again, a huge weight being lifted off of her shoulders. "I'll be strong...for them. And keep my hope strong too. Maybe one day, everyone will have hope. Then...the world can finally change."
Giving her signature peace sign, her tongue sticking out in a playful manner, she winked at Lee.
Lee blushed; he couldn't help it if blood flooded right underneath the surface of his skin whenever beautiful women acted adorable in front of him. "It will, Lady Sakura," answering her with a shining grin. Glad that Sakura seemed to have shaken off the fear she had carried with her mere minutes ago, Lee turned his attention to other things; he didn't sense anyone watching them right now (but he never thought that anyone was watching them all those other times too, and look at where that got them...), so he winked back at her. "I doubt that anyone is around right now, and I doubt that woman is here either, so may I make a few more suggestions for your disguise?"
"Oh..." Blowing the fake hair away from her face, only to have it fall back into place, she then glanced down at her clothing. "I realized that people still noticed me. I'm pretty horrible at this kind of thing, so please! Suggest away." Signaling with her hand, she swept her arm across her outfit, presenting it for thorough inspection.
"Well..." Lee peered at her clothes like the professional thief he was, from top to bottom. After a while, he leaned forward and spoke quietly. "The clothes you're wearing aren’t as flashy as the others, but... if I may?" Lee felt the hem of the dress between his fingers. "It's still high-quality material, and the dress looks like what a maid would wear while she was serving her masters. The clothes of long-time slum-dwellers are more worn down, faded, rough and long-lasting. Perhaps a little dirty, a little stained; youngsters are always getting into scuffles on the streets, and fathers and mothers are always working." Lee remembered observing children playing tag from the brief excursions his teachers from the orphanage sometimes took their wards on, and wishing he could join them. None of the other orphans ever wanted to play with him.
"Your shoes are too new and expensive to be owned by anyone from the slums, unless they were acquired by unsavory means; what's more, they are sandals. You should find yourself some worn walking shoes or boots." Lee examined her hands with his eyes. "Your fingernails are very well manicured, a dead giveaway that you do not live in the slums. Some bite their nails to the quick, some clip them, most have at least some dirt underneath or on the edges, and none possess nails as fine as yours. You should start cutting your nails on your own, and if you already do, be a little more careless in their upkeep. Most women also have calluses on their hands from working, and their skins are split from washing... you could wear inexpensive gloves to cover your hands up, I suppose; that would be easiest." Lee didn't really want his Lady to harm her beautiful hands, and besides, it would be strange to the other nobles if she suddenly started doing servants' duties.
"What else..." Lee looked at her smooth face, her clear eyes, and caught the faint, pleasing smell of her skin. "You shouldn't wear perfume, and your skin is much too clean," he said with a teasing smile. "Just a little dusty will do. It is not uncommon to find people wearing cloaks to conceal their faces - you may try that, but you may look suspicious." Lee himself was wearing a hooded black cloak that concealed everything underneath. "A knee-length woolen tunic would be fine," he said, "Maybe leggings. Just no expensive clothing made with fine textiles, nothing too colorful. Bring fewer golden coins; better yet, don't bring any gold at all. And..." Lee was getting a little carried away with his "suggestions," but he didn't notice. "Don't walk like a noble. They are very self-assured and controlled, backs straight, heads high, distinctive. Be more loose and casual. That's all I can suggest for now," he concluded, still with that same mild voice and amused eyes.
Easy for you to say... Sakura sighed, "I don't even know where to begin...oh..." She decided to take it step by step, "Okay...think...dirty." Grabbing a huge clump of dirt from the ground she wiped it on her face, a huge smudge of mud decorated her soft features. This, however, just made her eyes glow more brilliantly, contrasting greatly with the dull color of the gooey substance. "How's this?" The pink-haired girl asked with exasperation, distressing on how to make herself blend in more with the crowd. "Oh...I'm horrible at this...I don't even know how to obtain any of those items...BAHHH! This is hopeless!" She swatted the ground, looking like a child throwing a temper tantrum.
Looking up at Lee, she looked amusingly pitiful, her lip shifting slightly into a sideways frown. A huge clump of dirt slid off of her face onto the grass below with a splat. "I don't know if I can pull this off..."
Lee had to stop himself from laughing. "I said just a little dusty, but if you want to be stained with mud, that works, too." Lee felt around inside his pant pockets, pulled out a long, dark green handkerchief, and handed it to her. "Yes, those items would be hard for you to obtain... I might be able to get something, but I don't know when I will be able to visit Konoha again. If you could get clothes that are more worn from your servants, you could wear those." He smiled at her. "You can't be telling me that a well-bred Lady who openly defies the Akatsuki, who talks of bringing hope back to the people, is defeated because she can't find a few articles of clothing."
"Well...I'm just not used to this," she pointed to the mud splatter on her face before she wiped it away, "compared to shouting at them. It's a whole different ballpark." Sakura grinned, "Besides, I've been arguing with them since I was fifteen. I've had practice." Winking, she nodded to the hole. "I should try my best though. When do you think I should see you next, Sir Robin?"
"It depends on whenever my master sends me out again," Lee said; he sounded a little wistful. "But, right now, I can stay for a few minutes longer." He was immensely curious, and he couldn't pass up an opportunity to learn more about the trap door. He squinted down into the ink-black, seemingly bottomless, depths.
"Where, and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, exactly does this tunnel lead?"
"To my home of course." She grinned, "You see, my house is conveniently located near the castle, so whenever they request a 'meeting' with the council, all I have to do is walk. But the thing is, my backyard consists of many trees, so it's impossible to see the passage from the castle windows and even my own home. Whoever came up with this passage planned it very strategically. It's possible to sneak hundreds of people through."
She stopped for a moment. Why am I telling him all of this? Certainly she trusted 'Robin,' but to tell him so much was pushing that trust a bit too far for her liking. Thus, she stopped speaking for the moment, just to see how he processed the amount of information given and whether he even wanted to hear more. She could have been boring him for all Sakura knew.
Lee's heart beat wildly with excitement. This - this was amazing! A tunnel like this would be extremely useful to the Rebellion; did she say hundreds? They could use it to launch attacks, hide -
No.
Lee couldn't betray his Lady's trust, and she wasn't even part of the Rebellion. This would take a lot of contemplation.
"This tunnel... it is amazing," Lee said, repeating his thoughts because he could find no other words. "I - I hope you haven't told anyone else?"
Sakura shook her head, "No." She looked Lee directly in the eyes, "I took every precaution to keep this a secret. You are the only one that knows other than myself."
Lee took in her gaze with his brown eyes, trusting and grateful.
"Thank you, Lady Sakura."
I will try to be worthy of your confidence.
"The next time you come here, please be more aware of yourself. I don't want to see you get hurt again." He was still angry about the old woman; he would search the area when Sakura left, but he didn't hold out much hope on finding her. He would ask a contact to keep a lookout - perhaps Lady Anko.
Sakura nodded, "I should be going now. Thank you, Robin." She took one step into the hole, catching hold of the ladder. "I hope to see you again, soon. Thank you so much for everything." Taking a step onto a lower rung she quickly looked up again, "Oh! And...if you ever feel like it... I would be delighted if you could visit sometime. I often read in the woods near the passage. It's a personal place of sorts. I frequently go there to think or just clear my mind."
"Thank you, Lady Sakura," Lee repeated quietly. "I hope I will see you again soon." His heart - his buzzing, fluttering, terribly confused and captivated heart - he was sure it could be seen in his eyes.
"Goodbye."
Lee held the trapdoor up until he spied the glow of a candle, and closed it.