The research into this chapter made my soul leave my body. ( ͡ಥ ͜ʖ ͡ಥ) -author
[2]
Nikko
No sooner had Kabuto put distance between them had Nikko grabbed the Aponi on her shoulder and held it aloft. Her face was hidden by the Otafuku mask, but none the less one could envision the glare. "You---" She shook the monarch butterfly repeatedly, "--good for nothing guide!"
Aponi recovered from the onslaught and floated safely out of reach. "Hime-sama, I deeply apologize! But what is it we did, exactly?"
Nikko gestured around the forest vaguely. "You told me to avoid the Tea House, so I did! But look what happened instead! If that wasn't a [bad ending] then what was?"
She was referring to being poisoned by the needle Kabuto had thrown, piercing her left bicep. The follower of snake freak had challenged her to use the Jikan Henko no Jutsu to reverse time or fall into a deep sleep. Luckily she had been able to utilize enough chakra to avoid that fate, but only barely.
"I...see...Yes, you make a valid point Hime-sama. But in our defense, Aponi did not know Kabuto-san was there..."
"Exactly my point! How the hell am I going to avoid the main story, Aponi?" Nikko sighed full of anxiety. "I just know if this keeps up I'll be dead meat--again!"
Their conversation was cut short from the nearest tree being uprooted and thrown like a tiny chopstick somewhere behind Nikko. She was too astounded by the sight to even scream.
[Great! What the hell is it, now? Another bad ending?]
But it wasn't what Nikko had thought. An elderly woman who was fuming at the nose thumped through the trees like a galloping bull. If Nikko didn't move she was sure her remains would be pound into the ground like so much dust. There wasn't time to react however. The rampaging bull lady came to a screeching halt some feet away. As the shock wore off, both Aponi and Nikko realized it was in fact her Governess Gale.
[H-Holy hell! She's crazy strong for an old woman! ]
Gale glowered down at her with smoke coming from both nostrils like some kind of fire dragon. "Lady Nikko-san! Get your ass in that Tea House! Before I use Shi ni kusugura no Jutsu!"
[I-Is she serious? She'd really tickle me to death?! Just who the hell invented that jutsu?!]
Aponi glittered gold in fright. "Hime-sama..if I were you, which right now I am very glad not to be, I would try to avoid that bad ending at all costs.."
Nikko gulped down saliva and tried not to think about being tickled until death. After quelling the images of sheer horror she stood at attention and bowed lowly. "R-Right away Governess Gale!"
Gale grabbed her pupil by the ear and proceeded to drag her the entire rocked path towards the Tea House. When the building was in sight she tossed Nikko roughly onto the engawa. The slacker rubbed her sore bottom and glanced at the shinobi shoes lined up. Try as she might, Nikko had been unsuccessful in avoiding the Tea Ceremony. What she should do now was unclear, but avoiding the main story was the highest priority. If she got sucked into the story it was almost certain that many ninja battles would take place.
Aponi landed on Nikko's shoulder. "Hime-sama, I will assist you in the Tea Ceremony. Although you should have the real one's memories we cannot rely solely on that. Nobody knows you aren't her, but if something amiss were to occur that could prove hazardous. Lord Kazekage may even have you killed. "
The girl couldn't reply without being heard by the Governess so she remained quiet. Then, carefully, she slid the tiny tea door open. As her frame entered the tiny tatami matted room, she scooted backwards in astonishment and fear. Before Nikko's very eyes sat multiple important shinobi whom was recognized at once.
To the left of a long traditional table sat Temari and Kankuro, the two siblings blinking at her curiously. The Kazekage of Sunagukure was next, and his intimidating pose was one of importance. Nikko couldn't see anything but his sharp brown eyes. They didn't appear friendly in the least. In a criminal line up, the Kazekage's eyes would give away his nature right away. After him sat an important figure in the main story line. Someone Nikko would do very well to avoid.
Orochimaru.
His disguise was in place, but she knew who he was from the show. It would be hard to forget that freakishly long tongue, after all. Orochimaru was in the body of none other than Shiore from Kusagakure. The predatory way he observed Nikko Utsuri made chill bumps all along her body. If was as though her very soul was shaking from fright. There was nothing but death awaiting her in those eyes.
Next to Orochimaru sat Baki. She barely remembered him but believed he had something to do with ordering Gaara and his siblings around at the Chunin Exams. At the very least she knew that he was a high ranking official of Sunagakure. Beside Baki was Kabuto, who smiled down at her as though they were more than strangers. Nikko really didn't like that grin one bit. Like he was coaxing a small child into doing something forbidden.
[I'm screwed!]
Nikko had only half her body in the tea door but tried to wiggle back out. She would have been successful had Governess Gale not planted a firm sandal on her exposed bottom. The two had a wrestling match which the old woman won by yeeting her the remainder of the way inside. This caused Nikko to sprawl on her arms, making quite a loud and unattractive entrance.
That was when she spotted Gaara by the door. He rest against the rice paper wall with arms crossed, eyes shut. But at the noise his teal eyes slowly opened and stared at her, not displaying any sort of feeling. With all eyes on her Nikko bowed with legs tucked under and her masked face touched the floor. "Lord Kazekage, I apologize for the tardiness."
"Very well. Rise, Utsuri-san. We don't want to bring in bad fortune, do we?"
"Yes L-Lord Kazekage." The girl hoped her voice didn't betray how scared she was. Once again for the second time today she was grateful for the mask.
The Aponi trio fluttered around the room. One landed on the Kage's wide brimmed hat, one on Gaara's sand gourd and the last on Nikko's lap. "Hime-sama, the stove is already hot. Please go ahead and purify the utensils."
Luckily for the girl, the real Nikko's memories came in handy as they loaded into her mind. She eyed the tea kettle which steamed as well as the tray of materials needed to perform the Ceremony. With the past memories and Aponi's guidance she began.
The first step was purification. This was simply the act of cleansing not only the room but the materials of bad energy. So, while rubbing down the cups, bamboo whisk and scoop, and ladle, she glanced every now and again to the guests. They weren't speaking but this was not the time for conversation, but the time for enlightenment and quiet serenity.
Now that purification had ended she poured fresh steaming water into the bowl before adding green matcha powder with the bamboo scoop. Nikko hoped the amount of green powder wasn't too much or too little. Using the bamboo whisk which had been made with a cut piece of bamboo and slit many times, she vertically whisked the matcha until it became frothy and bubbled.
Once this had been done, Nikko gracefully poured cup after cup of tea. She made sure to turn each cup twice as tradition dictated. First she offered it to the most important guest, Lord Kazekage. Next came Orochimaru followed by Baki, Temari and Kankuro, Kabuto, and lastly Gaara. With her head bent forward she extended the cup of green liquid towards him nervously. After a pause the cup was grasped and a set of cold fingers momentarily grazed hers.
"Hime-sama, he is staring most intently at you!"
The girl couldn't reply but smiled behind the mask, seeing from the slit of it into his rimmed teal eyes. Gaara was indeed handsome for his age.
***
Gaara
What a absurd mask she wore. The Utsuri girl held the cup out and he grasped it, feeling the heat of which was a bit startling for some reason. Perhaps because so little things in his life had seemed warm. But the more he thought about it the more it dawned on him that she hadn't hesitated to reach and give him the cup. So many others had. In silence he looked from the slightly waving green liquid and into the slit of her mask. It was the only area in which he could see her eyes. Their amethyst shade appeared to be quite vibrant.
As vibrant as the day Yashamaru was buried. When he'd heard those words echoing, "Gaara-san, you're cruel!"
Distracted by these thoughts Gaara didn't at first realize his leg was hot.
"Gaara-san," Temari remarked with a gasp.
He took notice that the tea had spilled onto the blackness of his thigh. In his haste the cup had sloshed and soaked the cloth. His eyes were wide looking at the evidence. "..."
The girl grabbed the cup from his hand and set it down. On the tray she'd used to construct the tea lay a dry cloth. She grabbed this and reached forward to dot the liquid away. Gaara was too stunned to move. Just as in the past, the Utsuri female had shocked him more than most. It wasn't like him to be distracted. Shukaku laughed in his deepest thoughts at the moment of weakness.
From the wet cloth to the girl he looked.
"Gaara-san, are you okay?" She asked.
Was he okay? Yes; the sand armor had protected him from being scalded. Only a mild hotness was detected. Yet inside he wasn't so sure. For a split second he'd been vulnerable. The wound in his chest felt reopened--he quickly smacked her pale hand away before it was evident to them all.
"Sorry!" She squealed before lowering her head.
Everyone was staring at them. The one named Orochimaru did a few hand signs and a wind blew across Gaara. It dried the wet clothing. "Lord Orochimaru, how kind of you." Kabuto remarked.
The girl rose her head once more and his eyes were drawn downward to the paleness of skin between her kimono. At the realization of what it was his body grew warm. [Her..chest...] He shut his eyes but still saw their squished glory. Shukaku merely laughed at his perversity.
Nikko
The Aponi atop Gaara's sand drum was fluttering excitedly. "Hime-sama! Great work!"
[Great work? The hell are you talking about?] She wanted to say but could not. The other butterfly on her lap then said, "Hurry! The biwa!"
Nikko grabbed the four stringed instrument and began to pick at it with the assistance of Aponi and her predecessor's memories. As the music filtered around the room she could only hope it was satisfactory. If they suspected anything amiss if could prove problematic to her role.
Finally the pleasantries were over and she stood, bidding them goodbye. Because it was Tea Ceremony none had talked very much, and Nikko couldn't help but wonder what their true goal was by coming. When they'd all exited the Tea Room is was made obvious when the Kazekage and Orochimaru signaled her to wait while the others walked across the bridge.
"Yes, Lord Kazekage?" She asked worriedly.
The glint in both of their eyes wasn't healthy looking. The Kazekage nodded to his companion who then spoke: "Utsuri-san, you are a shinobi of many talents. How honored we were to hear such lovely music." He smiled but it was creepy.
"Yeah? Well, thanks."
The Kazekage looked across the gardens before he said, "Indeed. The Utsuri Clan is skilled in many things. Are you aware of the Chunin Exam in two days?"
She shook her head.
"I see. Konohagakure is hosting the event this year. Our village is sending the best three Genin to participate. However...we also have another goal in mind."
Nikko waited.
Orochimaru smiled and his long ass tongue fell out. How he could talk around it she had no idea. "Yes. With the help of your Jikan henkō no Justsu, we will began an assault against the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
The girl almost fainted. It was as she had feared. How could she get away from being drug into this?