Two days later, I was going down the Hokage tower's stairs when Shikaku followed suit. He had his hands in his pockets, the perfect picture of a lazy Nara.
"I don't know if I should thank you or curse you for the storm you unleashed in my house," he said nonchalantly.
I looked up from the files I was carrying and offered him a sheepish smile. "I would say I'm sorry, but I would be lying. Yoshino deserves that job. Actually, she deserves my job but I know that she won't accept it. It would cause too much political trouble if she did anyway."
Shikaku hummed in answer and stopped in the hallway.
I turned around to face him.
"She'll accept," he said, "but it will take several days for us to arrange things with the clan."
"Alright."
"In the meantime, convince Minato to create that third assistant position."
"Sir, yes Sir," I replied with a bow.
He poked me on the forehead and walked away. "And don't steal mine!"
I laughed. "How did you know that's what I had planned?"
He sighed and raised a hand to the ceiling just for show.
I chuckled and went through the administrative maze. On my way, I crossed paths with Ibiki Morino leaving a briefing room. "Morino-san. I wanted to talk to you. Do you have a moment?"
"Yes." He stood still and stared at me.
"It's about one of your subordinates, Mitarashi Anko. I'd appreciate it if you could remind her of our policies regarding the use of summons, the handover of personal requests, and the respect of private information available to the Intelligence Division."
"... Snakes, uh?" He shifted, keeping his hands in his pockets but looking somewhat more alert.
I pursed my lips in distaste. Damn him, his shrewd mind, and my phobia. "Yes."
"When?"
"Two weeks ago, and again two days ago."
"Anko left four days ago for a mission abroad. You'll need to find another culprit for that last one."
I frowned.
Anko could have planned it out in advance, but she would have needed an accomplice to get it ready. That didn't seem like her style.
I didn't like the idea that two people had decided to have fun at my expense using my relatively unknown phobia. I glanced suspiciously at Ibiki.
He read it without difficulty and smirked at me, which pulled on the scar crossing his lips. "I have better things to do than play with you, no matter how tempting. It would ruffle Hatake and Shiranui's feathers anyway, wouldn't it?"
I rolled my eyes and walked away. "Thank you for your time, Morino-san."
Now I needed to find who was trying to play with my nerves. I couldn't be the Hokage's first assistant — and an opinionated one at that — without making a few enemies, but the prospect bothered me.
I was frowning when I got back to the office.
Genma peeled himself off the wall to lean over my desk and ask: "Something wrong?"
I smiled distractedly. "Nothing much. Just this snake prank from a few days ago. Apparently, it wasn't Mitarashi. She's on a mission."
Genma hummed. "Whoever it was, they must have been good to avoid Raidou and Iwashi's notice. That seems a little above Anko's skill anyway."
"True. I didn't think of that." It wasn't reassuring either. Now I had a highly skilled enemy. Great.
"Hey," Genma whispered as he went around the desk to sit on the corner next to me. "Don't let it get to you, or they win, okay?"
"Yes, of course," I agreed. "I'd just feel better if I knew who it was, that's all, but I have far more important things to worry about."
Genma nodded in approval and — since the office was empty except for his best friend — he allowed himself to lean forward, remove his senbon and reach for my chin. I accepted the kiss, tilting my head for a more comfortable angle, and lingering afterward so our skin brushed together.
"Are you free tonight?" I whispered.
"I am."
"Want to spend the night with me?"
"I'd love nothing more," he whispered back, his nose brushing my ear on his way to kissing my neck.
A noise came from the corridor.
He was back at his post in a flash, looking perfectly casual and composed.
I hid a smile by looking down at my paperwork before I was able to face the newcomer.
oOo
This evening, I put on some music while waiting for Genma. The radio didn't offer much choice in style. It couldn't be compared to the musical diversity from my past life, but I found some decent instrumental songs, their version of classics.
Genma couldn't come for dinner, but he would be there soon.
I put away the dishes I'd used for my meal and distractedly adjusted my dressing gown over my bare shoulders.
I felt a touch of trepidation and excitation as I waited for him. Not that I put too much thought into Our First Time, but it was still a step forward in our relationship and I was looking forward to it.
I was so lost in thought that I jumped when I heard knocks at the door. I went to open it with a welcoming smile. Genma came in and grabbed me by the waist as I closed the door behind him.
"Hi," he whispered against my lips.
"Hey, you." I chuckled and put an arm around his shoulders, pressing myself against him. "Can I finally have you all for myself, then?"
"If that's what my lady desires." He nuzzled my neck and shoulder, pushing away the dressing gown to reveal my nightshirt's strap.
"It is. Take me to bed, my knight."
"I'd like to make a quip about wasting the mood you so nicely set with that background music, but to be honest… I'm rather hungry for you, so it'd be my greatest pleasure."
He lifted me and threw me over his shoulder rather than carrying me any other way. The cheeky bugger. I hit him in the back while waving my feet. "Genma!"
He laughed and stroked the back of my bare legs. "Oh, sorry. Professional habit, you know."
In this world, the fireman's carry was called the shinobi's carry since it was used during missions to move wounded teammates or unconscious clients while keeping a hand free.
Nonetheless, professional habit, my ass!
I pinched his buttocks in retaliation. "Oh, you better make up for it!"
Still chuckling, he laid me down across the bed with more tender care than he had lifted me (as he should!).
He leaned over me and kissed me while opening my dressing gown. "You can count on it, sweetheart. I guarantee one-hundred percent satisfaction."
Well... I admitted that I had nothing to complain about afterward.
It was a great night...
Until we were awakened at four in the morning by a knock on the window!
I instinctively pressed back against Genma's warm body as I reached for a weapon.
"Easy," Genma breathed against my neck. One of his hands gently rubbed my belly. The other went to turn on the light. "It's for me. I'm being called in."
I relaxed but sighed as I watched him stand. "I thought that one of the advantages of being on the Hokage's guard was less impromptu missions."
"In theory," Genma agreed. "There are always exceptions."
I hummed in understanding. I didn't want to make him feel bad for doing his duty. I knew what I was signing up for by dating him. I sat up and watched him dress, admiring the lines of the muscles I had traced (and scratched) during the evening. When he was ready, I craned my neck in a silent request for a kiss. He bent down to comply.
"Take care," I breathed against his lips.
"Always," he promised before opening the window.
I caught sight of the white mask of an ANBU waiting for him before they both disappeared. I went to close behind him, grabbing my nightshirt to cover my nudity and protect myself from the cool night air. The fabric caressing my skin gave me goosebumps. I grabbed the wooden shutters and a shudder of a whole different kind went through the top to the bottom of my spine. I looked around into the darkness but couldn't find anything or anyone watching.
Spooked, I quickly closed shudder and window. I went back to bed, looking around the room to check that everything was in order. It was… yet, I couldn't convince myself to turn off the light and go back to sleep.
After a few minutes of hesitation, knowing that I couldn't fall asleep as long as I felt this way, I stood up and left my room. I was bothered by a soft but constant noise that I couldn't place. As I moved toward it, trying to find its source, I realized that the radio was still on, just on low volume. I frowned. How strange, I was pretty sure that I had turned it off before going to sleep earlier, on my way back from the bathroom.
I turned it off and went to prepare myself a cup of herbal tea. Something caught my attention in the corner of my eyes. I spun around to stare at the window left uncovered in the living room.
Nothing. Only the street lights.
"Oh, for…" I huffed. "Stop scaring yourself, Maiko. You aren't eight anymore, and you aren't going to freak out just because your boyfriend left you alone. You aren't that type of girl either." I was the kind of girl who talked to herself for comfort though.
Shaking my head with self-deprecation, I filled the kettle. When I looked up, I was startled by a movement behind the kitchen window. I cursed, my heart beating fiercely.
"Alright," I breathed. "Three's a pattern and not paranoia anymore."
I put down the kettle, grabbed the nearest weapon, and went to check every window, every door, and to close every shutter as quickly as possible.
I gave up on even trying to sleep. Sipping on herbal tea in the hope it would calm my nerves, I tried to read (I couldn't recall the few pages I pretended to go through) while I kept a hand on my tessen.
A little after dawn, as Konoha slowly started to wake, there were enough people in the streets that I could feel safe enough to leave my apartment. Clothed and armed to the teeth, I left cautiously, always looking over my shoulder, and more conscious of my surroundings than I ever remembered being. I stayed on the rooftops, where any shinobi passing by could see me and notice if I was attacked. I went straight to a nearby district and knocked at a door loudly.
I had to wait too long for my taste before a sleepy eye appeared through the partially open door. Kakashi blinked at me in surprise. I couldn't begrudge him that: while I knew from his file where he lived, I never came here, not even when we were pseudo-dating. He had always come to me, not the other way around.
"Can I come in?" I asked without waiting for a reaction.
He startled awake when he noticed something was up, taking a cue from my frazzled look and nervous posture. He let me in without a word and closed the door behind me.
"What's wrong?"
I bounced on my feet and rubbed my forearms nervously. "I… Genma was… Genma was summoned tonight, at four — he was staying with me. Since he left, I saw — behind the windows — I saw things… movements. I felt like I was being watched. I felt it coming here too."
He was barefoot and only wearing low pants and one of his sleeveless tops attached to his masks. They were creased and hastily put on. I had woken him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, but I…"
"Hey," he murmured, stepping forward and raising a hand to cup my cheek. "It's fine. Breathe."
I did, and I wordlessly requested a hug that he gave me without complaint. He stroked my hair as I hid my face against his neck, focusing on breathing to calm myself.
"Better?" he asked after a while.
I nodded but didn't move.
"Rin and I noticed being watched the last few days too," he admitted.
I looked up. "You did? Then…" I shuddered as a thought I had tried to keep at bay finally imposed itself.
"What?"
"I thought I imagined it but… from the window, I saw a red eye… like the Sharingan, but only one." I glanced at the eye he kept closed.
"Obito?" he blurted out. "You think it's him?"
"I don't know! But… why would anyone else spy on you and Rin?"
"What about you?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. He's not supposed to be here…"
"But things changed, thanks to you," he pointed out. He stared into space as he thought it through. "If Genma has been summoned… something might have happened at the Hokage's mansion. That's too many coincidences. I'm going to dress, and we'll go check."
I nibbled at my thumb as I waited for him, trying to distract myself by looking around his flat. It was a studio, much smaller than my own space. He had gone to change in the bathroom, leaving his bed/couch undone. I arranged his bedding just to have something to do. Then I sat down and pressed my face in his pillow, pressing the comforting weight against my heart and breathing in his scent.
He froze when he stepped out of the bathroom and caught sight of me.
I squeezed the pillow tighter, challenging him to comment on it with a fierce stare.
He snorted and shook his head. "Come on. Let's get you back to your boyfriend."
I stood up but stubbornly kept the pillow. "I don't need my boyfriend. I need safety. That you and Genma happen to be linked to it is secondary."
"Is it?"
I threw the pillow at his face. "Yes." I went to the door. "You're absolutely right though: coming to you was a mistake, I should have gone directly to Yondaime-sama. That would have been much more effective. I don't know what I was thinking."
He threw the pillow back on the bed and caught my elbow, bending down to drawl: "Maa, I think we both know why."
I suppressed a shiver and stubbornly turned away. "Shut up. You're the one who didn't want any ties attached, Kakashi."
"I know," he said as he straightened and opened the door.
oOo
ANBUs were visible around the Hokage's mansion, which was never a good sign. Kakashi traded hand signs with one before we went inside.
Familiar with the house, he led the way until we reached what I remembered to be Minato's office. He knocked on a panel and waited to be called inside before pushing open the sliding door.
Minato was sitting behind his desk. He wasn't alone. Rin was leaning on a chair. She looked shaken and like she didn't get enough sleep.
"What happened?" Kakashi asked, going to his friend's side.
"I'm fine," she reassured him, "but someone slipped into my room tonight and tried to abduct me."
"You were supposed to sleep here tonight."
"I was," she confirmed grimly. "That's the only reason they didn't succeed. Sensei heard me."
If someone could intrude in the Hokage's mansion without being detected, it was extremely worrying.
"Why wasn't I alerted?" Kakashi asked, displeased. "For that matter, why wasn't a jounin alert called?!"
"A jounin alert implies a chase. You can't chase someone who vanished into thin air," Minato replied calmly.
I inhaled sharply, my eyes going wide as the Hokage stared at me.
"It's the same man I faced the day of Naruto's birth. The man with a space-time ninjutsu you warned me about. It's Obito, isn't it?"
"It… certainly sounds like him," I replied uneasily.
Rin let out something between a hiccup and a sob. I went to crouch beside her, squeezing her hand gently.
Kakashi stepped towards his sensei angrily and repeated: "Why wasn't I called?"
"Because you were a bait," Minato replied, looking his student in the eye. "Since he had been following you around previously, we thought he might go after you next. I had ANBU watching over you, but he didn't show himself."
Kakashi looked pacified by the idea that he hadn't been snubbed. That he'd been used as bait without his knowledge didn't seem to bother him at all. Was it due to his mindset as a tool of Konoha or his complete trust in his sensei? Maybe both.
"No," he said, "because he went after Maiko. She felt watched after Genma was summoned."
Minato's attention rested on me. He leaned on his elbows as he thought it through.
"It doesn't make sense," I said. "If he really wanted to do something to me, he could have. Doors or windows wouldn't stop him." Oh, Sage… The radio, was it him? The thought creeped me out.
"Indeed," Minato agreed. "And since he knows his presence isn't a secret anymore, why would he waste time simply watching?"
"Why would he even do anything against Konoha?!" Rin cried out. "This doesn't sound like Obito!"
"That's because he isn't the Obito you knew," I reminded her. "I'm sorry. I know it's difficult for all of you, but you have to remember: he changed, and not for the better."
The only answer I got was silence. While they didn't exactly deny it, they were far from accepting it.
"Whatever his objective is, we have to consider that we are all potential targets," Minato said. "We can't stop working because of a threat, but you'll follow the Kidnapping Prevention Procedure for S-rank assets."
Rin and Kakashi both stepped forward to receive something from their sensei. I followed and held out a hand. A small capsule, like what you could use for medicine, was dropped in my palm. I glanced at my friends to see them swallow it without hesitation. I raised an eyebrow toward Minato.
"It will allow me to track you down for more or less a day. I'll give you another tomorrow."
Understanding dawned on me. "Oh. There is one of your seals in this?" It must be so small… That it could be drawn at all was impressive. With a shrug, I swallowed it too. If it was Minato's work, I probably didn't need to worry that my intestines would be blown up by a faulty seal. Probably not… I hoped… Damn, now I was regretting swallowing it.
"Two ANBU will follow you constantly. Don't try to lose them or distract them," the Hokage ordered sternly, glancing at Kakashi in particular.
"Maa, it was good training."
I wasn't looking forward to working with a sword of Damocles over my head, but we weren't going to hide and stop living because of a risk. We were shinobi. Risks were part of our lives.
oOo
The day progressed more or less as usual. The lack of sleep didn't help my tolerance to the daily bullshit I had to put up with, but I managed.
A little after lunch, Genma stopped by. He was wearing a black jacket over the ANBU's black under-armor, thus hiding his tattoo.
"I'm on break," he told me. "I have just enough time for checking on you and getting a nap. Kakashi told me what happened after I left. Are you alright?"
I nodded and smiled. "Sure. I'm fine, nothing happened."
He watched me closely. "You should take a break too." He caught my hand and pulled me to my feet, leading me toward an empty meeting room.
"Really, Genma, I'm fine," I insisted.
The last word had barely left my lips before Genma cupped my face between his hands and kissed me. It was intense, hot, and hurried. He was holding me tightly with an arm around my waist, and I arched my back as I hold on to his jacket.
When he relented, leaving us both breathless, I mumbled: "What was that?"
"Something to keep us both in a much better mood for the rest of day," he replied with a cheeky smirk.
I laughed.
I had one hell of a boyfriend. I didn't think I could ever get bored with him. I threw my arms around his neck and snuggled against him.
He kissed my temple and squeezed me. "I spent part of the night looking after a ghost harassing Rin, and then I learned he was after you while I had my back turned. I was pissed… and worried."
"Yeah, I didn't sleep after you left," I admitted. I had meant to keep that detail for myself, but I always had difficulties hiding things from people I loved. "Aside from that, I'm fine," I insisted.
I pressed a butterfly kiss on his lips, but it deepened in a much slower and tender kiss than the previous one. He stepped back to sit on the table and brought me forward between his legs. Our foreheads pressed together.
"I love you."
We blinked, moved back, and stared at each other. We laughed, and I let my head fall on his shoulder as the chuckles shook us.
Somehow, we had managed to say it together.
oOo
In the middle of the afternoon, the Yondaime stepped out of his office and told me: "I'm going to the meeting with the Hyuuga. It will probably take the rest of the afternoon. I was hoping we could meet for dinner at my house with Rin and Kakashi afterward? You're welcome to stay the night."
"It would be an honor, Hokage-sama," I replied respectfully, fully aware that he just wanted to have everyone in the same place tonight. It might be nice, though, to spend an evening with those three… as long as I didn't feel like the fifth wheel.
He nodded and took his leave, his guards trailing behind him.
A dozen minutes later, a tall teenager from the Genin Corps stopped in front of my desk.
"Kamizuki-san, the Jounin Commander requests your presence."
I stood up and organized my desk for my departure by shutting away a few sensitive things in secure drawers. "Let's not keep him waiting then."
I followed the genin down the stairs. When we reached the floor for Shikaku's office, he stopped me from going the way I knew by heart, saying: "He's in the basement."
"Alright."
Only the old and dusty archives were kept in the basement. I wondered what Shikaku was looking for there. Was he still working on Danzou and ROOT's doings?
The rooms underground were even more of a maze than those above (at least then you had windows to find your bearings). We went through several rooms connected together without any hallway. I frowned, surprised that I wasn't familiar with those rooms at all. They weren't the archives.
A loud sound startled me, and I spun around to find the door we had just passed through closed shut. I heard the impact of a fist hitting it repeatedly a second later. My ANBU bodyguards.
Wide-eyed, a shiver of fear going through me as I understood, I spun back toward the genin. I was reaching for my tessen but didn't manage to grasp them.
I was propelled back against a wall. The hand clenched around my neck stole my breath, holding me up, the tips of my feet barely touching the ground.
If I wasn't already afraid, the sinister laughter that came from the deformed face staring at me certainly finished to terrify me. The henge was slipping away, leaving behind a pallid face and yellow slitted eyes.
"We finally meet, Kamizuki Maiko," Orochimaru said, smirking. "Danzou mentioned how troublesome you could be, but to think that you led to his downfall… What a strange little mouse you seem to be. I think..." He stepped closer. I could feel his breath. "Yes, I think we should get acquainted. Don't you? After all, I heard the most fascinating rumors about your birth…"
A mix between a squeak and a whine escaped me. This was my worst nightmare happening. The possibility of being experimented on had haunted me during all my childhood. Now that I had the Hokage's protection and that Danzou was dead, I thought I was safe!
How? How could this happen?! I thought Obito was after me, not him!
Oh.
Oh, Sage…
I forgot. I completely forgot…
Orochimaru was with Akatsuki. He was a member of the organization until Itachi joined it! And Akatsuki members worked in pairs.
Obito and him, they…
A spiraling void appeared in the corner of my eyes.
They were working together.
Orochimaru let me go suddenly. I fell on my knees as I tried to catch my breath and relieve the pain crushing my throat.
"Namikaze?" Orochimaru asked the newcomer.
"Protecting his favorite, but he won't be fooled for long. Let's go." Tobi(to) stepped forward and crouched down next to me. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his orange swirling mask. "Kamizuki Maiko. I know you're the one who corrupted Rin. You'll pay." He let me go roughly with a noise of disgust.
I could hear the ANBU trying to smash open the door (it was clearly reinforced to stop elite shinobi for so long). I knew I didn't have much time. I didn't think. I screamed as loudly as possible: "OROCHIMARU AND TOBI—"
Pain exploded from the side of my head, and the world turned black.
oOo An Hour Later oOo
"SHIT, shit, shitshitshit."
Since the announcement of Maiko's abduction, Raidou was keeping a watchful eye on his best friend.
Genma was pacing in the ANBU meeting room like a caged beast. He had already bent three senbons and split his lip once. If the Yondaime didn't arrive soon, Raidou wouldn't put it past Genma to start taking it out on the walls.
The ANBU in attendance were giving him a wide berth, especially those who had been tasked with Maiko's protection: they were literally hiding behind their friends, trying to blend in with the wall. No one dared say a word since Genma snarled at the last one who tried.
Consequently, the room's mood was tense, and the Hokage's arrival didn't happen a moment too soon. The elite shinobi straightened and relaxed in the same breath.
Genma stopped pacing and stared at the Yondaime like he was defying him to say something he didn't like.
Damn, his best friend really was in love, Raidou realized with a sigh. He had never seen him so invested.
The Hokage looked blank, the kind of impassiveness that indicated to those who knew him well that he was not pleased and even quite upset. Kakashi, standing by his side, had the laidback air that his colleagues knew to hide a killer ready to pounce. Maiko's bodyguards made themselves even more discreet if it was possible.
"You're all aware of the situation. Our enemies allied to make a diversion while abducting a S-class asset of Konoha. While we do not know if that's their only goal, Kamizuki Maiko can't be left in their clutches. She's to be retrieved immediately. Fortunately, Orochimaru doesn't know that I have a tracer on her. She has been transported to Rice Country and wasn't moved since. You're all to leave immediately, find her, and bring her back at all costs."
There were a few seconds of silence during which no one dared ask what they all wondered.
Minato sighed and answered the silent question: "The S-class asset retrieval procedure applies. If she can't be brought back alive… her death is preferable to her continued captivity."
Raidou winced as Genma bent senbon number four. Fortunately, his friend was professional enough that he didn't scream, protest or try to bargain with the Hokage. No one wanted to be left alive as a prisoner of Orochimaru anyway. Death was a kinder fate.
"Kakashi and Raidou will lead the teams. Jiraiya-sensei will join you on site. Summon me if necessary. Genma, you're staying with me."
This time, Genma went to protest.
Minato raised a hand preemptively. "My decision's final. I need you here: an attack on Konoha isn't out of the question, and you'd be a liability to your teammates. You stay. Don't make me tell Maiko you behaved unprofessionally when she'll be back."
"That's low," Genma muttered before slouching in a chair, his arms crossed and his lips pursed. He stared at Kakashi and then Raidou, conveying silently to "bring her back or else".
They both nodded before leading their teams out of the room.
Raidou glanced at the dressing around Kakashi's hands, guessing that some others were hiding under his clothes. "Will you be alright?"
"Yeah. It's only scratches. Ob—Tobi was more interested in playing cat and mouse rather than doing any real damage."
Thanks to his relationship with Rin, Raidou was one of the few people knowing who was really Tobi. He didn't like it at all . Rin was extremely distressed by her former teammate's fate.
"Did he say anything to you?"
"Insults and jibes, mostly."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Insults were the way we communicated even before... And it made it easier. Maiko was right. He isn't the one I knew. He's twisted. He talked like Rin belong to him."
Raidou made a sound of disgust. "How is she taking it?"
"Considering that she punched him? Pretty well."
"She did?!"
"The only one of us who managed to lay a hand on him. He underestimated her."
Raidou smirked. "Big mistake."
"Yep. She was pissed. She ordered me to bring back Maiko, so…" He clapped his hands together and turned toward his team. "Let's get moving people! Leaving Konoha in two!"