Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Chapter 84 - Is this War?

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Kakumei – Arc 4: Might Makes Right

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Chapter 84 – Is this war?

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It has been over 10 months since the Hokage's visit to Hikarigakure and his warning to the members of Kakumei. As they had planned, the group stayed away from troubles and quietly planned their next moves.

During this time, everyone did as he was asked by the ruler, including Meinu who spent the last 10 months taking regular unauthorized trips to Ketsugakure to see her friends over there without the agreement of Lady Toshima, who already made it clear by the past to Oshio that her clan won't work with Kakumei.

After 10 months, Killin' Kiss had managed to not only trap the 3 girls she first met there in the illusion activated by her mitsudomoe tattoo, but she also could deactivate the Genjutsu and still convince them to keep these feelings, be it love or admiration. These 3 girls include Kiseru Tomoe, the eldest daughter of Toshima.

Despite her cold behavior, she accepted to help Meinu with getting in the village secretly to take baths with her and others, "out of curiosity" she always said as an excuse. In reality, she just found in Killin' Kiss an image to follow in order to escape the village and clan that she speechlessly despises.

After many months, Meinu's influence ended up convincing one of the 3 kunoichi to run away from Ketsu and join her in Hikari. This girl is Seiki Tomoe whose desertion alerted the village's queen who unfortunately made the connection and found out about her own daughter's complicity with the mercenary.

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In the present, Toshima Tomoe has just caught Meinu Imai in Kiseru's private onsen and is chasing her from her territory. Killin' Kiss is being forcibly escorted to the village's exit, still wearing nothing but a towel. Following her is Lady Toshima nobly sitting on her horse, hiding her disappointment.

At the gate, Meinu is thrown away by two female guards. She trips and falls over in the field of red flowers. Toshima's mount takes a gallop forward before the Lady tosses a bag and a scroll to Meinu who's just getting up.

"Take your things and give this message to your sovereign, bounty huntress." the leader says. "I will allow no collaboration between my village and yours. Do not come back, or I won't be as merciful as this time."

After these few words, the horse turns around and leaves back to her territory's HQ. Behind her, Anastasia, her second born, is following while looking back, mistrustfully, at the bounty hunter lying in the dirt. She thinks of her elder sister, Kiseru, who will have to face the consequences for keeping this secret.

Above the gate, on a watch tower, Pai, the third of Meinu's 3 Tomoe friends, sees the scene, surprised and worried. As she stands up, Killin' Kiss tries to get a hold of herself and resist the urge to rectify this humiliation. After all, this was only part of her plan. There is no reason to be mad.

This is what Meinu says to herself. But another stream in her consciousness thinks differently. As these intrusive and vengeful thoughts speak in her, she unknowingly but swiftly raises her right arm. From under this arm's skin emerges a blade that her hand catches and promptly throws toward the closing gate.

Too slow, it hits the door, but unexpectedly, it pierces through the thick wall and goes forth to brush Toshima's leg and leave a cut in her horse's ear. Anastasia shockingly stares at the weapon flying by, afraid of how her mother might react.

Meinu's right hand, having missed its shot, now performs a single hand seal, ready to throw a jutsu, but goes down when she looks up and crosses Pai's gaze. The two girls stare at each other for a second, before Killin' Kiss lightly smiles and turns around. Pai looks behind at the thrown blade that landed a bit further in the ground. She thinks to herself that she'll hand this weapon back to its owner when she goes to join Seiki.