The Dragon Queen // (Under Revision)

Flowers And Poisons

"Come on," Tsuyoi commanded, standing up. "We have to get ready to leave. I doubt we have more than two or three hours left." She walked over to her closet and swung the door open. Inside hung two different colored kimonos, one slightly bigger than the other. She pulled them out; both of them were a beautiful startling white material.

Ooooh! Kashii squealed. They're so pretty!

"Here." Tsuyoi handed Naruto his kimono. I have a feeling they made ours match for a reason, she thought glumly. Naruto, reading her thoughts, laughed aloud. He took his and left.

Tsuyoi sat on her bed, holding out kimonos in front of her. It was a glorious thing indeed. Its fabric was a vibrant white, like a wedding dress. Ack! Tsuyoi froze. A wedding dress..damn you, Fukuo and Tomoe. She pictured them giggling like chipmunks as they weaved. They did it on purpose. She stared at it, looking it up and down. But how do I...?

"Kashii, how do I put this thing on?" Tsuyoi said sheepishly.

Beats me...I don't wear any damn clothes

"All these strings and stuff...what am I supposed to do with this? And when did you learn how to use swear words like that from?"

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...stop swearing around me.

A knock sounded at the door then. She looked up. "Come in!" Instead of seeing Naruto like she was expecting, Sakura came in, fully dressed in a gorgeous soft gold kimono. Around her waist was a white belt. She had her pale pink hair tied in a knot over her left shoulder. Her eyes still looked gentle, even in the harsh light. She's so pretty...

"Hi, Tsuyoi! Lady Fukuo said I should help you...she and Tomoe are helping Naruto."

The thought of her old patrons helping Naruto get dressed...seeing him undressed...it made her face grow hot. She looked away. "Y-yeah, I need help, too."

You are so cute! Natsukashii laughed, her tongue lolling as she rolled on her back in their mental space. You should just kiss him and get it over with.

"Shut it!" Tsuyoi shouted. Sakura started. "No, no, sorry, I was talking to Natsukashii. She was...nothing, nevermind."

Sakura relaxed, coming over to sit beside her on the bed. "Can Natsukashii speak through you? I've seen Kurama do it to Naruto..."

Tsuyoi's face burned at the mention of his name. "I've never tried. Can we not talk about Naruto right now?" Natsukashii chortled gleefully.

Sakura smiled. "Okay. Here, let me." She gently took the kimono from Tsuyoi. "Stand up." Tsuyoi obeyed. "Take this off." She pulled at the edge of Tsuyoi's shirt. Tsuyoi obliged. Sakura pulled the kimono over her head and began tying the complicated knots and ribbons.

Tsuyoi closed her eyes, cherishing the feeling of Sakura's warm fingers brushing against her back. She let a familiar sensation rush her. A memory floated up; two little girls playing with each others hair. Tsuyoi frowned a little.

"Mu-chan..."

"Hmm? Who's Mu?" Sakura asked, perking up.

"Uh..." I called her Mu-chan...Hiromu...The image of a girl with mint green hair and eyes and creamy brown skin appeared in her head. Hiromu Hoshi. Her shimai...sister-friend. Tears dotted her eyes. What's wrong? Natsukashii sat up, alert.

Sakura reminds me of my childhood friend. Hiromu. I called her Mu-chan, and she called me Suko-chan.

Well, tell her that.

Why?

Just do it.

So Tsuyoi did.

"Oh...but won't you see her tomorrow?" Sakura said, twisting Tsuyoi's hair into a braid to trail over one shoulder.

"Yeah..." Tsuyoi said. An idea hit her. "I want you to be my shimai. My new sister-friend. I know it's sudden, but you remind me of her. I'll call you...Kura-chan!"

"That's cute! And you can be Tsu-chan!"

Tsuyoi turned to face her. "Yeah!"

"But if we're going to be sister-friends, you have to have to answer a question for me." Sakura stepped back, then picked up the belt on the bed and tied it around Tsuyoi's waist.

"Sure, anything!" Tsuyoi agreed eagerly. Sakura being her shimai was the best idea ever!

"Do you like Naruto?"

Tsuyoi's heart stopped beating. "W-what?"

"You've been with him every day since we've gotten here. I admit I felt a little jealous that he got all the attention. Now when I say his name you blush...it's all suspicious." Sakura teased, putting her hands on her hips.

"Uh, I, um..." Tsuyoi stammered. She'd walked right into this. Suddenly a strange twist flooded her tongue. It started moving on its own! "I love Naruto Uzumaki!" It didn't sound like her voice, it sounded a lot like...Kashii! She slapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. You took over my tongue!

Ha ha ha!

Kashii! I'll kill you!

Sakura clapped, squealing. "I knew it!"

"N-no, that wasn't me...that was Kashii!" Tsuyoi growled.

Sakura crossed her arms, skeptical. "Prove it."

Tsuyoi sighed. "Say something, Kashii." She opened her mouth again and the taste filled her mouth again. "Tsuyoi dreamed of Naruto three nights in a row!"

"Damn you, Kashii!" Tsuyoi pulled the control of her mouth away from her. "You probably have a crush on Kurama or something!"

"You are a fool!" Kashii roared back. "And that's exactly where I learned to swear from!"

Sakura covered her mouth and laughed. "You two are a lot like Naruto and Kurama. Now come on, you're all done. Let's go see what Naruto thinks!" She pirouetted away.

"Let me look in a mirror first--"

"Nope!" Sakura grabbed her arm and dragged her along.

"You're both cruel!"

Bwa ha ha!

Tsuyoi smiled. Hiromu...the girl who loved flowers and poisons....she'd like Sakura a lot. 

Memories are like flowers and poisons. They smell good, but can kill with their sweetness....