Chapter 38 - Arc V: Broken- Chapter 4

((Sorry this one is a little shorter than usual, but it leads right into the next chapter, which is a major arc. Please enjoy!))

Azami was waiting to greet Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Asuma at the gates to the temple. They all bristled when they saw her, but she raised her hands in surrender.

“I can never apologize enough for what I put you through. But, please, don’t attack. I’ve since become good friends with Ryouko, and I’m in the middle of helping him.”

There was a group silence. Asuma and Shikamaru didn’t know anything about why Naruto and Sakura would suddenly get so uptight, but they knew enough to back their comrades.

“He sends his regards,” Azami continued, “But he’s currently doing his duty shift, guarding the Fire Daimyo.”

Asuma held his cigarette out of his mouth so he could talk more freely. “I’d heard he and a couple others had gotten ‘recruited’ since the disaster. That’s what Shikamaru and I are here for. We were invited by Shinmaru, the senior most of the twelve.”

“He’s asked not to be disturbed right now,” Azami informed Asuma. “He left you a letter-” Azami held it up as proof “-apologizing for not being able to greet you right away.”

Asuma took the letter, glancing through it. It was definitely from Shinmaru. The handwriting, the writing style; both were matches.

“Alright. Then do you have any idea where we’ll be staying?”
--

Inside with Shinmaru, Ryouko was given his waist cloth with the Fire Daimyo’s seal on it. He tucked tied it around his waist, feeling kind of proud, even though he had just happened to be here at the right time. Despite Shinmaru’s assurances that Ryouko had more than earned the commission, Ryouko was certain that he was just convenient.

“We’ve got no dress code; where what you like.”

“Thank you.”

Shinmaru got quiet, deciding whether or not he was about to ask the question in his mind. He decided that he might as well, in case there was a problem that needed to be dealt with.
“The people coming…you know all of them?

“Yes, I do.”

“And do you have a problem with any of them?

“It’s not a problem per se…” Ryouko let his voice trail off, but Shinmaru’s body language made it clear he was waiting for an answer. “It’s more one of their associates that’s a problem for me. And I left them under less than idea circumstances, so I’m not sure what they’re thinking. It’s a little intimidating. Combat would be more straightforward.”

“True, true,” Shinmaru commented. He stretched his neck a little bit before he continued. “As long as it won’t interfere with your work, it’s no concern of mine.”

“I assure you- it will not. I am dedicated to being a Guardian for as long as I’m needed.”

Shinmaru stretched a little more, nodding his head. “Good. Then take off and go see these people.”

“Dwah?!” Ryouko couldn’t stop the unintelligible sound as it escaped his lips. “But I’m on duty for another four hours!”

“Heh. No avoiding these people now, Ryouko. Besides, I don’t need to sleep, and I can guard the Daimyo myself. I’m making it your assignment to see that these people are comfortable. I need to speak with Asuma and his pupil anyway.”

Damn. So much for my excuse not to see them again.
“Very well,” Ryouko conceded, his tone making it clear he was apprehensive. “I’ll change and then go see them.”

“And have the medic-nin heal the burn I gave you. Sorry about that,” Shinmaru added, snickering slightly. “I’m so used to that style of jutsu that I forget I can’t spar with other people without protection.”

“I notice there’s glee in your voice, Shimmaru-sempai,” Ryouko murmured in reply, an amused grin on his face. With that, he went to change.
--

The four Leaf Shinobi were still getting to know Azami when Ryouko returned.

“Ryouko!” Naruto and Sakura exclaimed as one, both scrambling over to see him. They stopped short of him, though, as he bowed unexpectedly low.

“It’s…good to see you both again,” Ryouko said, still doubled over.

“Hey, hey, what’s with the formal crap?!” Naruto exclaimed, pulling Ryouko up. “And, c’mon into the light, we can’t see you in the shadows!”

Ryouko allowed himself to be dragged into the light. The four stopped and stared at him.

Since he had been gone, Ryouko had cut his hair shorter; more aggressively, if it was possible to do so with hair. He had the tattoo on his face now, and he was dressed in a simple black gi top and typical shinobi pants, with the Guardian waistcloth sticking out. Around his neck was a pendant with a tooth on it (It looked like a shark tooth, but the light was too dim to tell).
And his chakra…the feel of it was…deep. It was like a pool of black water. Dark and heavy, devoid of anything cheerful.

Sakura stepped forward carefully, looking to Azami for approval. Azami giggled, but nodded, mouthing ‘we’re not together’ to her. Sakura nodded and finished her journey over.

“You’ve changed,” she said carefully, trying hard not to make it sound like a bad thing. “And that tattoo…is that made from a burn?” She couldn’t resist touching it lightly.

“It is. You saw the burn it was made from…you know, the last time you saw me. But, uh, if it’s not too much trouble, my superior asked me to have you look at a burn he gave me by mistake.”

“Oh, of course!”

Ryouko raised his gi top in the back. On his lower back was an odd colored burn. Sakura put a hand on it lightly, feeling the muscles on Ryouko’s back contract.

“Mm, that’s a nasty one. But treatable. Let me just…”

Using her Chakra Palm Jutsu, Sakura managed to get rid of the burn and pain altogether very quickly.

Naruto grinned, thinking That’s my girl!.
Shick!
A needle sunk into the back of Naruto’s neck.

“Sorry!” A voice called.

“BE MORE CAREFUL, WILL YA?!” Naruto shouted back, yanking the needle out of his neck and tossing it down, grumbling.
Then his world changed. He saw red for a moment.

“You’ll be fine,” Sakura was assuring Ryouko. “We’ve missed you, you know? It’s not the same without you.”

Ryouko blushed a little, apparently a little happy about that. “I’m sorry I haven’t returned. But I mean to stand by what I said to Master Jiraiya. But I’m close to being able to come back. I mean to keep my vow to you two as well.”

Naruto felt a horrible anger. He was shaking. The anger actually hurt! He started to walk toward Ryouko and Sakura.

“Oh well. It’s just good to see you alive and well. At least write us a letter to let us know you’re breathing!” Sakura playfully admonished, before bonking Ryouko playfully on the head.

“I will. I-!”

Naruto reached Ryouko and grabbed him by the neck with one hand.

“What the-” Ryouko managed, before Naruto clamped down even more.

“You two-faced bastard! You help me get with her, then you try to steal her for yourself! You’re scum! SCUM!”

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