Where's Naruko? [Sachiko, Kiba, Naruko]
Sachiko said she would give herself a few days before searching out Naruko. Those days had come and gone, and now she was actively looking. It had been well over month since she had last seen the dobe. Longer than that, even. That was extremely unlike Naruko--and extremely worrisome. She had considered the possibility of Itae (or any other Akatsuki) getting their hands on Naruko, but if that had happened, she would've been told. Or heard about it in some way. Right? Therefore, since she hadn't heard anything, or learned anything about Naruko going AWOL, that meant she had to be somewhere in the village.
She'd checked the usual haunts: Ichiraku, the bathhouse, the hospital, Ichiraku, the 'team seven bridge', the yakinuki place, Ichiraku... If not for all the drama going on, she might have checked the Hokage Tower, but instinct told her it would be best to stay away from there for a while.
So she would do the next best thing - find Kiba. Between Kiba and Akako, there's no way Naruko wouldn't be found.
Her steps slowed as she neared the Inuzuka compound until she came to a stop outside the gates. Kiba had welcomed her here, and the others hadn't exactly discouraged her from coming (if anything, Kiba and Hanato had been pestering her about coming by more), but the place still made her a few shades uneasy. She inhaled deeply, slapped down the fear, and knocked on the door cut into the gate, half-expecting to be turned away.
The gate-door opened and a tattooed face crowned with disheveled hair stuck out. "Oh, hey. So you were the one lurkin' outside."
"...Yeah. Is, ah, Kiba in?"
The Inuzuka boy nodded. "Yah, she's up inn'er room. You need someone t' show you?" he asked as he scratched a spot on his shoulder.
Sachiko shook her head. "I know where it is. Thanks," she added as an afterthought when he stepped aside to let her in.
Invisible fur stood on end at the presence of the all the dogs. Not wanting to show nervousness or fear, she kept her pace to a swift walk and tried not to avoid eye contact too hard. She didn't like looking them in the eye, be they animal or human, so she just kind of bobbed her head. Once inside the building where Kiba had her room, she moved even faster until she was just short of running. She stopped outside Kiba's door and took a few moments to calm down before knocking. "Kiba? It's Sachiko."
Kiba found that she was slightly annoyed by the knock to her door.
It meant she had to put pants on.
Groaning slightly, the Inuzuka called out "Just a minute!" before rolling off her bed and placing her feet on the floor. Akako already knew who it was but just watched her master move about slowly, pulling up a pair of shorts carefully and wincing only slightly. Not everything had quite healed up yet, so it remained a little sore, not that Kiba would ever admit it. Once she was dressed fairly modestly (she figured this was safest, as none of the family ever knocked on her door) she moved over and opened said door, blinking slowly at Sachiko staring back at her. ".... hey. Come in."
The chuunin seemed wholly unconcerned about the messy state of her room or the fact that there were bandages wrapped around her hips, dipping below the hem of her shorts. She quickly pulled some clean covers onto her bed so Sachiko could sit, and then settled on the ground by Akako herself. "What's up? Ain't seen you in awhile and you look a bit freaked out."
The honest truth was that Kiba hadn't noticed anyone was missing at all. It wasn't that she didn't talk to Naruko, it was simply that she hadn't had the time lately, with how worried she was over the mess with Kureno. THAT mess had stolen most of her attention and would probably keep most of her attention, either until it was resolved or someone forcefully yanked said attention away from it.
"Been busy with stuff," Sachiko responded. The 'look a bit freaked' remark irked but she pushed it aside. Kiba was a friend. "Mission." The bandages intrigued her; did Kiba manage to hurt herself on something? It might explain the bed-head the Inuzuka had, along with general tiredness. She didn't sit as she still had too much energy.
"Have you seen Naruko? I can't find her, and I haven't seen her in... shit, I want to say at the least two months. She might be busy with something, she didn't tell me, but she's not AWOL, she hasn't got a mission, but her flat doesn't look like it's been lived in for a while." She shifted her weight from foot to foot. She'd been worried, but voicing this aloud made it more concrete just how different things were without Naruko bothering her. Dammitt! "Can... Would you help me find her? Between you and Akako..." Her voice trailed off, and the worry that gave her an angry edge to her voice showed in her dark eyes.
"... I haven't seen her," Kiba admitted, rising to stand and starting to rifle through her clothes, already knowing where this conversation was going. "I've been with my team lately, with this whole mess with Kureno-sensei and haven't checked into much else. Did she go out with Jimaiya-sama or something while you were gone on your mission?"
Ignoring how it was improper, she slid her shorts off and tossed them in a pile, and then pulled out a medical kit, still talking to Sachiko as she worked, unwrapping the bandages from around her. "And what's 'haven't lived in for awhile' mean? Days? Months? Hours? Days and hours? I mean, not that it matters I'll get her scent either way but it's something to keep in mind. And I take it you want to start there with looking for her?"
Of course she was going to help.
Quickly, with practiced ease she folded up the long bandage, revealing two tattoos, one on each hip. They were almost exactly like the ones on her face, except longer and narrower and over her hipbones- obviously fresh. Even quicker, she put patches over them and taped them up before putting on a better pair of pants, and then slipping on her jacket, and grabbing some of her pouches.
Sliding her shoes on, she glanced back at Sachiko. "Kay. Let's go."
"There's dust all over everything, so I'd say she's been away for a while. Nothing to indicate she left in a hurry," Sachiko replied. She politely averted her eyes when the shorts came off, then but they returned when Kiba hauled out the medkit as Sachiko was curious to what injury the other girl might have to need bandages around the hips. Tattoos. Fresh ones. Interesting ones, too. Sachiko wondered at their meaning.
"I figure her place would be the best to start, as its the strongest with her scent. It also should've been her starting point. I can't say if she went training with Jimaiya, but, wouldn't the mission desk know that so they don't try to assign Naruko to a mission she couldn't show up for? And thanks," she added under her breath.
Kiba laughed as she pushed Sachiko slightly, to move her out of her room. "It doesn't matter where the scent is the strongest Sachiko. I'll find her even if it was almost non-existent. Don't doubt an Inuzuka's nose."
Moving down the stairs with Akako in tow, Kiba shrugged lightly. "No thanks needed. And I don't know. Maybe they meant to but got sidetracked. Or she went camping or something and got sidetracked. I doubt she's in trouble because I'm pretty sure we'd know by now if someone took her, or something went and blew up.
"Then again," the chuunin continued, only a little bitterness seeping into her tone. "It seems half the population lately has been focused on other pressing issues at hand that those of a younger rank aren't privy to know."
"Asuka and Kureno-sensei," Sachiko said quietly as she obeyed the soft shove. Yeah, a major chunk of the village was quite preoccupied about that. She didn't say anything else, though. The less said about them (and her own peripheral involvement), the better. That little bit of bitterness, she suspected, hid a great deal more.
She could understand.
"I don't doubt your nose, Kiba. I just thought it could still be a good place to start." She jerked her chin a little at the patches covering the tattoos. "What're those for?"
There was the faintest of growls at the mention of Kureno and Asuka, but it died quickly as they made their way out into the sunlight and Kiba slipped onto Akako's back. No one paid them much attention as they moved, and the Inuzuka glanced over at Sachiko. There was a hint of something, but she couldn't put her finger on it and decided, for now, to simply let it drop.
"It is a good place to start," Kiba admitted, looking forward. However, she took Sachiko's question a little literally, and glanced down at the chin jerk. "Oh, the bandages? Just to cover up the tattoos. They're still healing and my pants can bother 'uhm, so I cover them."
"Do they have any meaning?" Sachiko inquired as they headed to the compound's gate. Once they passed through, she planned on sprinting to Naruko's apartment.
For awhile, Kiba was silent after the question, almost like she hadn't heard it. But as they slipped through the gates, she finally answered in a, possibly surprisingly, even voice.
"They're because I'm still here. I've made it this far."
It wasn't, perhaps, the best explanation in the world. But it was the one that seemed like it fit the best, and Kiba didn't add anything after that. Instead she just started sprinting once they were out of the gate, heading towards Naruko's apartment.
And kept her nose to the wind, just in case she caught the blonde's scent.
Not able to think of a reply, Sachiko instead remained quiet. She matched Akako's speed easily and felt herself relax some. It was freeing to move so fast. To have a set destination, a set goal to move forward to. They would begin at Naruko's, and proceed on from there.
When they reached the balcony-type thing right outside Naruko's apartment, Sachiko walked to the sliding glass door and with a soft grunt moved it open. She had broken the lock the first time she had come by out of concern. The only way to fix the thing was to replace it, so to try and deter others from breaking in she'd bent the track the door ran on so it would at least take a little noticeable effort. She pushed the door completely open, then stepped aside so Kiba and Akako could go in. Even from where she stood she could see nothing had changed in the past few days. Nothing at all.
Akako perched carefully on the balcony, next to Sachiko, as Kiba moved inside, glancing around. She moved around, going to each corner, as she pushed chakra to her nose. Every inch of the apartment would be checked, for any clue as to where the other girl might have gone, or at least headed.
Ramen. Clothes. Milk, spoiled. Food. Sweat. Water. Calm. Protection.
The Inuzuka continued to look around slitted eyes looking for something that only she could see.
Worry, nervousness, a touch of fear, concern, friendship, from Sachiko. Naruko's scent. Thick, but old. Musty. Covered in dust like the furniture. Leading a hundred places out the door, out the window, on the balcony, in the air, everywhere, which is the right one, where is the strongest-.
"There."
It was soft, but said with absolute certainty as Kiba stared into a particular direction, gaze almost unfocused. Soundlessly Akako slid past Sachiko, and nudged Kiba onto her back. The Inuzuka paused only to glance back at Sachiko.
"We go this way."
Sachiko nodded, her eyes turning red. "Lead on. I'll keep up easily enough."
The scent path lead out through the market place, a meandering line through the village before turning sharply and into the nearest growth of trees. Deeper into the forest until all the sounds of the village were silenced to a low whisper on the edge of hearing. Then it led deeper still until it was on the borders of the village. It stopped at what looked like a forgotten training ground; the old equipment grown over with moss and saplings, but the earth was freshly disturbed. Naruko was slumped at the base of a tree, chin tucked and her arms wrapped around her torso, her knees pulled up. Her hair was a ragged mess that hung in her eyes even with the headband to keep it back. Her duffle bag was dropped next to her, and despite several scrapes and bruises, they were cleaned and bandaged. She scowled and grumbled in her sleep, shifting fitfully before settling again. She didn't wake at their approach, but rather tried to use her bag as a pillow.
It was decently far away, where the scent went, but it was easier to follow once they left the village. Kiba moved swiftly and easily with Akako, never wavering from the trail she'd found. There was a mild frown at how deep the trail went, but that was because of past memories, and not because she was actually worried. And she had to admit, she was pretty damn proud of herself when they came upon the apparently sleeping Naruko.
"There," Kiba said, sliding off Akako and glancing back to Sachiko," found her."
Sachiko nodded and let her eyes return to normal. "Thanks," she said again. She dropped down easily from the tree branch and walked towards Naruko carefully, glad that while dirty and bedraggled the blonde looked okay. (Which still beggared the question of just how long had Naruko been out here?)
Crouching by the dobe's side, Sachiko reached out to shake the other girl's shoulder. "Hey. Naruko. Wake up."
"'way Sachiko." Naruko tried to shrug her off and curl deeper into her bag, only to startle awake and nearly fall over herself trying to get to her feet. Fists clenching in her shirt she stared at both of them with wide eyes, her heart pounding before she visibly relaxed. Running a bandaged hand through her overgrown hair, Naruko yawned. "Hey guys, whatcha doin' out here?"
"Looking for you," Sachiko replied crossly even though she was actually relieved. Probably why she was cross in the first place. She had been worried, whereas Naruko'd been... "Where've you been all this time? Out here?"
"What'd you mean?" The blonde scratched at a scab long her elbow, looking confused. "It's only been a few days, hasn't it?" She looked around at the training field, her lips quirked.
"Or maybe not. I was so busy I guess I just forgot. They stopped giving me missions a while back after I got hurt, and everyone seemed so busy, so I just figured I might as well come out here and train some." She was quiet for a time, scratching at her scalp and eyeing her duffle bag. "I packed enough food to last for a while, and it's not like Kakami-sensei never taught us how to survive, so I guess I just got into a routine..."
Sachiko looked hard at her. "It's been at least a month, Naruko. What have you been doing?"
Naruko almost glared at her. "I told you, I was training. Duh."
"For a month and by yourself," Sachiko deadpanned back.
"Um, yeah. It's not like you've never done it." Naruko rolled her eyes, shaking her head to herself.
With effort, Sachiko conceded the point. In her head. She felt stupid, getting all upset when Naruko'd just been training, but the blonde had just disappeared! At least Sachiko had left a note saying she was on a mission. Plus, this still felt different somehow.
She crossed her arms and glanced away for a handful of seconds before looking back. "You make any progress at all?" Because if you're going to train for that long, might as well have something to show for it, right?
"Uhm hey." Kiba interjected, raising a hand from where she was standing, watching the almost amusing interaction. "If you don't need me anymore, I can just disappear and let you two duke it out."
Sachiko glanced back at the Inuzuka. "...If you want," she said slowly. She didn't really want Kiba to leave, but she wasn't about to force her to stay, and that slight hesitation showed. Now she looked again to Naruko. "I'm not interested in fighting."
"Not unless you try to punch me, or somethin'." Naruko scratched at the skin under the collar of her shirt. Man, she just bathed the other day, maybe there was something in the water? If that was the case, she'd want to get back home just to bathe properly, if nothing else. Yuck.
Sachiko just looked at Naruko with narrowed eyes as she gripped her long sleeves tighter. "I'm not going to punch you." She exhaled in a soft hiss. "I just wanted to be sure you were okay."
Kiba watched the two for a moment, as if unsure, and then decided that this wasn't something she should be watching. Waving a hand slightly at both, she slipped back onto Akako. Within just a few moments, she was out of sight.
Sachiko heard them leave and glanced back to them again before refocusing on Naruko.
"...What?" Naruko boggled at her.
"What?" Sachiko responded shortly.
"I dunno! You're the one lookin' at me funny!" Naruko huffed, cheeks puffing immediately as she began to glower.
Sachiko closed her eyes. "I don't want to fight. I've had enough already. I ran into my sister a week ago and... forget it. Good luck on your training," she added before turning to leave. Probably better she should go, if being concerned only pissed Naruko off. Sachiko was tired of fighting. Or just tired.
Stupid raiton getting out of control...
"Ah..." Naruko seemed to droop as Sachiko turned away, then paused to scrub at her nose. "...'kay. See you later then, I guess." She should've figured Sachiko'd get grumpy, she always did. She shuffled over to her bag and considered going home. It might be a good idea. She wanted a bath and she wanted to sleep, and it might just be better to go home and do both. She was starting to miss her bed and meals, anyway. Casting a forlorn look over her shoulder after her teammate, she stooped to lift shoulder her duffle and head home.
Sachiko heard Naruko moving so she stopped walking. She dropped her hands from holding her arms so she could slip them into her shorts' pockets. Still facing forward she asked, "Are you staying out here? Or are you coming back?"
"I'm going home. I want a shower and some real food, I'm still tired." Naruko had been really tired since hurting herself. She should probably go see Tsurude, but it had seemed like he'd been really busy lately.
Sachiko smiled a little to herself, unseen by Naruko. "Then c'mon. I'll warn you, though - the lock on the sliding door going to your balcony? It's going to need to be fixed," she said as she waited to see if Naruko would join her.
"What?!" Naruko jogged to catch up. "Why?! It was fine when I left home...ooooh, what am I going to tell the landlady?" She groaned, scrubbing her face with her hands.
"Tell her the truth. Tell her I broke it."
"Oh my gosh Sachiko, please don't break my house when I'm not hoome, I kind of need it." Naruko whined, slumping in defeat as she tried to shrug her bag into a more comfortable position.
"Yeah, well, next time, leave some kind of note or something when you decide to go off training like that. Or at least tell someone," Sachiko growled. "At least when I went training without telling people, I stayed within the village and honestly, it wasn't that difficult to find me in the compound."
"I was in the village. Sort of. Inside the walls at least." Naruko scratched her head. "Everyone seemed so busy, I didn't want to bother them. Besides, I wasn't planning on being gone so long, it just sorta happened."
"Just barely in the village," Sachiko said. "Still could've left a note."
"Didn't think anyone would notice, I guess..." Naruko kicked at a clump of dirt. This whole training excursion had been really tiring.
"I noticed." Which was true. Despite all the drama going on with Asuka and Kureno-sensei and the mission and Rin-san and chats with Ibiki, Sachiko still noticed that Naruko hadn't been around. She wasn't sure yet if this was a good thing or a bad thing, and decided it was better not to think about it.
"Huh." Naruko tugged at a shank of hair that hung in her eyes. It might be long enough to start putting it back up again, she'd have to see.
Sachiko let the silence settle between them as they headed back to the more settled parts of the village. When they were closer to Naruko's place she began speaking again. "Tsurude's back from the jounin exam along with everyone else. And there's... trouble. Asuka's got herself laid up in a coma at the hospital, Kureno-sensei was arrested for treason, Ibiki's skulking about asking questions, and I think that's only the tip of the iceburg."
"What?!" Naruko stared. "What do you mean, treason? The heck was everyone doing while gramps was gone?"
"I don't know what was going on with Kureno-sensei, exactly, but the mission I was on with Asuka... didn't go quite as planned, and that's bad enough. They're being very hush-hush about this until the Hokage makes his decision," Sachiko replied.
"Ooooh, that's crazy, I can't see Kureno-sensei committing treason. What is wrong with everybody?" Naruko scrubbed at her eyes. Everything just got really, really weird in the span of five minutes. What the heck.
"Maybe Tsurude'll tell you," Sachiko supposed. "Kiba didn't appear to know what's going on, and she's Kureno-sensei's student."
"I dunno, if even Kiba-chan and Shi-chan don't know, I don't think I'll be able to find out. Gramps gets mad if I try snooping too much."
"'Shi-chan'?" Sachiko echoed blankly.
Naruko flailed a little. "Hoshino. If they don't know, I'm pretty much toast."
Ah. "I don't exactly interact with Hoshino, but I guess you could talk to Hinaji and her and Kiba, find out what they do know."
"Maybe. Not sure if I should though. I think if anything new comes out about their sensei, they should be the first ones to know, not me. That's how I'd want it to happen if something went down with Kakami-sensei."
"Yeah. Me too."