The sun was high in the sky as Kakami calmly walked through the streets of Konoha. A book was in her hand and a pack slung over her shoulder
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The tall, intimidating-looking woman shifted during one of her and Haku's short rests. (They didn't need them, but the longer they were away from Orochimayu, the better--no doubt, she would punish Zabuya when she learned of her lie.) She stared at the ground, thinking of the men she had sent ahead. She had foolishly hoped that Orochimayu would spare them after seeing the size of the bounty, but no more. She knew better now, and in the future she would guard the bounties herself and bring them to their master. Master. She gritted her teeth together tightly, grinding them as she thought of the term. Even though she hadn't remembered what had happened in the haze before their resurrection (though she was sure that she had been in Hell), she much preferred whatever had been in that void to this disgusting existence, this... slavery. The woman was shaken out of her thoughts by the faint scent of something familiar; the mixed scent of earth, dog fur, herbs, and blood. Her sense of smell wasn't very good, especially now, but she knew nly of one person who smelled like that. Her mood simultaneously grown better and worse at the same time, the devil-woman (one could almost use that term literally now, with her) arose and stepped out, walking towards the path she knew lay not far from her and Haku. Seeing the silver-haired woman made her grin in spite of herself. "Hello, Kakami."
Over the past few hours, Kakami had gradually moved to the front, Sachiko and Sakurai falling behind her a tad. They had kept up an even pace - going between a steady run and a quick walk- and the light was starting to fade quite a bit.
The silver haired woman's steps started to slow. Kakami's sense of smell was rather keen and now she was smelling something...that she hadn't smelt in a very long time.
That's when she appeared. Kakami actually stopped short, not quite able to keep the shock from her revealed eye.
After all...when you bury someone...you expect them to stay dead.
"Zabuya..." Kakami's eye narrowed, senses suddenly very alert.
Genjutsu? Henge? It was possible - a way to catch them off guard with shock.
Sakurai stared in shock at the woman from where he was a few steps behind Kakami. He looked for any signs of a Genjutsu and found none - he didn't have a Sharingan, but Sakurai was no slouch at identifying jutsu in use. If there was one, it was subtle, very subtle.
"But you're dead!" he exclaimed, ever the tactful one.
"That hasn't changed." Haku murmured just loud enough to be heard -- behind the group.
She'd sensed it, too, and followed Zabuya-san of course, moving unseen around to come up behind them. She had an idea of what Zabuya-san might be planning... and put herself in the best position for it. Though it didn't mean she had to like it.
She was both happy and disappointed to see that Naruko was not with the group.
The woman sighed, a little tiredly. Why had they come? Why now, dammit? Why not in a few hours, when they would have returned? But there was no time for regrets, no time for hesitation. They had both been ordered to bring someone back from that team, and although Orochimayu obviously wanted the Uchiha brat, she hadn't specifically requested her. There was no point, after all, in specifics when said specific had a very good chance of failure. Her eyes flickered over the group, settling for the fraction of a second on the pink-haired one. Yes. That would be it. Looking back at Kakami, she smirked. "Miss me?"
"Miss is perhaps too strong of a word." Kakami said quietly.
This was...more than a slight shock. Her body was tensed, ready to jump, defend...react to what ever would happen next. She considered pulling out the Sharingan - mainly so that it wouldn't be revealed again too late.
"You sure have a record." Kakami murmured, hand going to her head band. "Why are you here, Zabuya?"
Zabuya chuckled. "Don't tell me you didn't notice I was gone," she said, smirking. "Heh. You always seemed that way to me, even at the end." Zabuya remained in her casual stance, idly watching the copycat go for her headband. Of course. Still somewhat predictable. "You should know why I'm here."
Haku didn't even nod, what could be seen of her gaze clear and unwavering behind her half-mask. Her eyes looked over the group. So, it would be the pink one.
Naruko would be very sad, she thought, but they could not go back to Sound empty-handed. Zabuya-san would always, always come first, and Haku knew if there was punishment it would first fall to her master.
What must be done must be done.
And it was made all the easier in the way Sakurai moved quickly in front of Sachiko, thinking that she must be their target.
"Sakurai!" Sachiko growled, her Sharingan activated and tomoe spinning, "Stand back!" She pulled Sakurai to her side and glared at Haku, ready to fight.
"Uchiha... Sachiko... right?" Haku asked quietly, though it was terribly clear that Sachiko had not been forgotten. Haku looked exactly the same, perhaps a little paler, her clothing a little more worn, but otherwise just as she did over two and a half years ago.
She lacked the bloodstained lips that were the only sign of the Chidori that completely destroyed her insides, however.
"I'm honored that you seem to remember a ninja such as myself."
Haku didn't know how lenient she could be, with the control tag in place. She had avoided killing the girl before, and suspected that Orochimayu placed something in the tag to keep her from killing Sachiko anyway, but there was no point in embarrassing the girl. Then again, maybe she had learned how to use those eyes of hers.
"Hey! Why are you even fighting?!" Sakurai yelled at his partners and their enemies. "I thought you reached some kind of understanding last time, didn't you? So why this attack?!"
Despite Sakurai's impassioned plea, Haku's expression didn't change at all, though perhaps her eyes had gone just a little softer, just a little more regretful.
All of a sudden, Haku's needles were in her hands. Only a sharingan could see how she moved, at such speed. And when she rushed the two chuunin, it suddenly became very, very apparent how easy she was going on them last time.
A sharingan can see movement, yes, but if the user can't react fast enough, it does little good.
Though it seemed very impressive the way Sakurai was able to get between Sachiko and Haku, that was mere coincidence. He had started this movement before Haku, and luck itself let him get to his goal.
Or maybe lack of luck.
"Hey! Don't under-estimate me!" Sakurai yelled, taking a swing at Haku as she darted forward.
"Unfortunate." Haku murmured, dodging Sakurai's attack as easy as a fish slipped through water. He didn't even have time to react as the side of his neck was punctured by two needles. Seconds later he coughed dryly then crumpled like a house of cards, only to be caught by the small girl and slung easily over her shoulder.
Master. She gritted her teeth together tightly, grinding them as she thought of the term. Even though she hadn't remembered what had happened in the haze before their resurrection (though she was sure that she had been in Hell), she much preferred whatever had been in that void to this disgusting existence, this... slavery.
The woman was shaken out of her thoughts by the faint scent of something familiar; the mixed scent of earth, dog fur, herbs, and blood. Her sense of smell wasn't very good, especially now, but she knew nly of one person who smelled like that.
Her mood simultaneously grown better and worse at the same time, the devil-woman (one could almost use that term literally now, with her) arose and stepped out, walking towards the path she knew lay not far from her and Haku. Seeing the silver-haired woman made her grin in spite of herself.
"Hello, Kakami."
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The silver haired woman's steps started to slow. Kakami's sense of smell was rather keen and now she was smelling something...that she hadn't smelt in a very long time.
That's when she appeared. Kakami actually stopped short, not quite able to keep the shock from her revealed eye.
After all...when you bury someone...you expect them to stay dead.
"Zabuya..." Kakami's eye narrowed, senses suddenly very alert.
Genjutsu? Henge? It was possible - a way to catch them off guard with shock.
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"But you're dead!" he exclaimed, ever the tactful one.
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She'd sensed it, too, and followed Zabuya-san of course, moving unseen around to come up behind them. She had an idea of what Zabuya-san might be planning... and put herself in the best position for it. Though it didn't mean she had to like it.
She was both happy and disappointed to see that Naruko was not with the group.
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Taking a casual stance, she added, "But do ghosts not rise?"
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But there was no time for regrets, no time for hesitation. They had both been ordered to bring someone back from that team, and although Orochimayu obviously wanted the Uchiha brat, she hadn't specifically requested her. There was no point, after all, in specifics when said specific had a very good chance of failure. Her eyes flickered over the group, settling for the fraction of a second on the pink-haired one.
Yes. That would be it.
Looking back at Kakami, she smirked.
"Miss me?"
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This was...more than a slight shock. Her body was tensed, ready to jump, defend...react to what ever would happen next. She considered pulling out the Sharingan - mainly so that it wouldn't be revealed again too late.
"You sure have a record." Kakami murmured, hand going to her head band. "Why are you here, Zabuya?"
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Zabuya remained in her casual stance, idly watching the copycat go for her headband. Of course. Still somewhat predictable.
"You should know why I'm here."
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Naruko would be very sad, she thought, but they could not go back to Sound empty-handed. Zabuya-san would always, always come first, and Haku knew if there was punishment it would first fall to her master.
What must be done must be done.
And it was made all the easier in the way Sakurai moved quickly in front of Sachiko, thinking that she must be their target.
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She will not lose this time.
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She lacked the bloodstained lips that were the only sign of the Chidori that completely destroyed her insides, however.
"I'm honored that you seem to remember a ninja such as myself."
Haku didn't know how lenient she could be, with the control tag in place. She had avoided killing the girl before, and suspected that Orochimayu placed something in the tag to keep her from killing Sachiko anyway, but there was no point in embarrassing the girl. Then again, maybe she had learned how to use those eyes of hers.
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'That's what Naruko would say... isn't it?'
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All of a sudden, Haku's needles were in her hands. Only a sharingan could see how she moved, at such speed. And when she rushed the two chuunin, it suddenly became very, very apparent how easy she was going on them last time.
A sharingan can see movement, yes, but if the user can't react fast enough, it does little good.
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Or maybe lack of luck.
"Hey! Don't under-estimate me!" Sakurai yelled, taking a swing at Haku as she darted forward.
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