Painless (A Naruto Fanfiction) [Completed]

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Roses and Secrets

A/N: So, this chapter shifts between Kazue and Jun's situations, seeing as it's my way of attempting to let you know what's going on in both places. *nods* Hope it doesn't come off as too awkward. Oh, and if you hadn't figured this out yet, for the main point this mission arc is a filler arc. But like with most filler arcs, there are a few details that are worthwhile if you pay attention for them. :3

By the time they'd almost made it to the Daimyo's mansion, Kazue was already wishing to be done with the mission. The Moon shinobi had decided that a simple wig would not do and had brought out some hair dye that they swore would wear off within a week or two. Kazue- suspicious but seeing no real way to argue without accusing the shinobi of lying- reluctantly agreed to let them use it. After a mess of curlers, horrible smelling chemicals, scissors and foil, her blonde hair had turned pitch black and was neatly trimmed to chin length. As she stared into a hand mirror and examined it, she simply shook her head in distaste.

"You're preventing two countries from hating each other," she reminded herself aloud. "It's worth sacrificing your hair for a few weeks... or longer." 

Even with those words said, she brought her face closer to the mirror and frowned at it. Did the black color wash her out? It looked like it did. Then again, it wasn't like she was a pale person. She would be able to handle this for a short time, it didn't look horrible. 

It just didn't look like her. 

A thought suddenly occurred to her, causing her whole frame to go tense as she examined the mirror again. Black hair.... yet her eyes. Is this what a kid of theirs would look like if Neji and her were wed as their clans planned and eventually had kids? After-all, his hair was a rather dark shade of brown, almost similar to black. A second later, she shook her head and stood as the caravan came to a halt, indicating that they'd arrived. 

No, she wouldn't think about that now. There was plenty of time for their families to change their minds, as unlikely as that idea seemed. 

"Ai-sama," the blue-haired shinobi, a man by the name of Sadou she'd learned, greeted as she stepped from the caravan door. 

Almost instantly he'd offered his hand to help her down, whether it was from custom or to keep her from falling and making a fool of herself, she wasn't certain. Not about to complain, she took it and allowed him to help her make a more graceful descent to the earth beneath the caravan than if she'd done it herself. At the same time, she allowed her gaze to shift to the figures gathered just a short distance away. At the foot of the mansion entrance way stood three figures, one she could instantly recognize as the daimyo from photos and the dark-haired, slender figure standing next to him she assumed to be his son. Then the third figure waiting, a taller, elder man, she could easily assume to be an advisor of sorts, just like Sadou was for the princess. 

For a moment, she focused her attention on the son, the one she was supposed to pretend to be engaged to. His dark hair hung in well maintained locks to his shoulders, casting an almost envious feeling through her. How was it that the man Princess Ai was marrying had longer hair than the princess? His age, if she had to place it on looks alone, would have been about seventeen. She was well aware, however, that he was only two years older than her. His eyes were a matching dark, charcoal shade, and his skin a pale tone that betrayed his origins. Why would he have a reason to be tan, after all? There was no need for him to work, with his heritage he already had everything he needed. 

As she tore her gaze away from him, she picked up on the Neji and Gai, along with Raiden and Kaede, had gathered to the side and were talking quietly among themselves. 

"Ah, the trials of youth! No wonder the-"

Well, most of them were, she corrected herself as she watched Neji slap a hand over Gai's mouth, cutting off the shinobi's loud exclamation.