"That dress looks really great on you," says Kurenai.
After the two girls spent some time shopping, they ate at a sushi restaurant and before Calista knew it, she was at Kurenai's house getting ready for tonight's festival.
"You think so?" says Calista as she sizes up herself in the mirror. The red dress comes down to her ankles with a slit up the side of the leg. It's form fitting and sleeveless, perfect for the humid nights. It has a collar that buttons at the neck leaving a small key hole shape revealing an appropriate amount of chest.
She isn't use to wearing these sorts of dresses. She will surely get some stares but that's not necessarily because of dress. She is a beautiful woman. But she is use to getting stares because of the dresses she would typically wear back in her previous home. Dresses that were used to lure men and provide for her clan.
It's refreshing, she thinks, to dress up for no one but myself.
"Ready to go?" says Kurenai
Calista lifts the collar of her dress to ensure the mysterious tattoo is covered and then follows what she hopes is a new friend, out of the her home.
"I'm glad you joined me tonight, Calista. Since I've became a mother, it's not too often I get to have a girls' night."
The corners of Calista mouth turn up in a slight smile. "Well, I believe this may have been my first girls' night. Ever."
"That so? Well, I hope you enjoyed it because I would love to do it again."
"That's fine by me."
The girls walk around the decorated and beautifully lite streets and Kurenai introduces Calista to everyone they run into. At some point along the way, Calista wandered to a quiet bridge, craving some solitude. She leans over it and looks down at the ripples that the aquatic creatures beneath the surface create.
But even when Shinobi's are not working, they are still in fact working. She can feel eyes on her. Someone nearby is watching her. When she locates her audience, she feels as wave of excitement as Kakashi nods his head to acknowledge her. She waves back at him.
"I have some grains if you would like to feed the fish," says a voice from behind.
"Oh, Iruka," she says.
Iruka stops in his tracks when she turns around, unsure of what to say to the beautiful woman in the elegant red dress. "You look--" he pauses to clear his throat, "very nice tonight."
"Thank you," she says putting out her hand. He dumps a palm size amount of feed in her hands and she turns around to drop it into the water. By now, Iruka is by her side and they watch the water dance in shades of white, orange, yellow and blue as the fish swarm the service in hopes of a taste.
"Have you been spending this night alone? Oh, um -- not that there is anything wrong with it if it's what you want," he says.
She laughs as she dusts off the rest of the feed that's stuck to her palm. "No but I decided to take a little break from all the people. I do love solitude."
Iruka stops, his face red. "I'll go."
He turns around to walk away but Calista grabs his arm. "You're so serious all the time. That's not what I meant," she says.
He looks down at her hand that's gently wrapped around his arm. She let's go and they turn to gaze back into the pond, as that's less awkward than gazing at each other. Calista quickly scans her surroundings taking note that Kakashi has left.
Kakashi is either in or he is out. There is no in between with him at all, it seems, she thinks.
"I wonder," says Iruka distracting her from Kakashi. "The fireworks will be starting soon and I know a great spot to watch them."
YOU ARE READING
Lightning In The Hidden Leaf
FanfictionCalista Hime is anything but a typical Shinobi and a brief encounter with Hidden Leaf's very own Kakashi Hatake makes her question her wandering gypsy life. It isn't until she takes Kakashi up on his offer to move to the Hidden Leaf when she discove...
