Hidden Villages

I: Mist of Fear

For a few minutes he sat on the ground where he'd slid down with his back against the wall. Yagura's violet eyes looked up at the ceiling shrouded in the darkness. Eventually the jinchiriki swallowed and lowered his arms which had rested on his knees to the ground so that he might push himself up off the ground.

He moved in a sluggish manner, but eventually proceeded in lighting the room up. His violet eyes traveled over to where the container of milk lay spilling all over the place. He brought out what he needed to sop up the mess and tossed everything in the appropriate place. The carton made a satisfying thunk in the trashcan. "He probably drank straight from the carton anyways."

Taking a deep breath he stripped and stepped into the shower letting the hot water cascade down around him. His eyes closed in frustration, yet the hot water began washing the stress away. A female voice echoed through the back of his head "Despite the fact he doesn't know how to show it, he really does care."

"Who? The Mizukage or Zabuza?" Yagura's violet eyes snapped open. His next words were said out loud. "Why did Isobu let you out this time?"

"Why? That's a good question."

"I take it you don't have an answer."

"You know as well as I that Isobu and I are two separate minds from each other." The female voice continued speaking. "From the way he's acting I do think the incident with the Kage did have him worried. I am worried as well."

"Don't be. I'd rather pretend you don't exist. Could you possibly - actually, just go away." Yagura closed his eyes, but reached up one hand to rub the bridge of his nose in frustration. This seemed to actually do the trick, but soon his latest problems faded away. He left the shower, dried off and dressed for bed. Neither voice in the back of his head plagued his sleep, so he found himself rested in time for the villages entrance ceremony.

He stood helping to flank the path the students took to get into the academy proving to be a rather formidable, if not scary sight for the incoming children. His mouth twisted into a frown as he watched each child pass by, yet watched the look of fear in their eyes at seeing the villages jinchuriki and swordsman.

The looks on their faces made his stomach twist, but the female voice decided to speak up at just the wrong moment.

"It hurts, doesn't it?"

Yagura's teeth ground together in frustration. "This is the worst time for you to surface."

"Yes, but you don't like the idea of frightening children." The female voice said.

Yagura's right hand reached up and covered his right eye as he continued to frown. "You know I can't show any sign of weakness. You know I've got to suppress any feeling of compassion there is. So please, just go away already."

"So you don't want to know you're actually frightening the children more than you were before?"

Yagura's eyes blinked and his mouth opened up. He saw a small child in front of him looking up in fright as they gripped their parents hand tightly. A few of the other children obviously saw him clenching his teeth and covering his eye before becoming distracted, almost as if the tailed beast was taking control despite the fact it was not.

His right hand remained over his right eye and he looked up and down the eyes with the scar underneath which also tended to frighten children. He grimaced noticing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist looking at him. Most seemed unconcerned at any sign of possible mental instability, yet Zabuza seemed somewhat concerned as he stood there with his arms crossed.

A quick glance in the other direction and he saw the Mizukage. The man also noticed, yet he found himself unable to read what the man was thinking. Instead, he found himself lowering his hand and returning to looking straight forward and the procession of children while he crossed his hands. Eventually the procession ended and they headed towards their places so the Mizukage could make their speech.

Zabuza walked by and spoke so only Yagura might hear. "It was her, wasn't it?"

Neither said more as they moved to their position, yet Yagura found himself pleased when the speech was done as he could slip away. He found himself finding a quiet place and closed his eyes. He was glad neither voice rattled around in the back of his head. However, the silence was interrupted by a familiar voice which in fact didn't come from inside his head.

"You know as well as I you come across soft enough as it is to the Mizukage without her coming out."

"You know I can't help it. You also know this isn't something we should talk about in public spaces."

"If the Mizukage finds out..."

"All he cares about in truth is whether I can control the three-tailed beast. In all honesty he and everyone else in the village already think I'm mental."

"Most of the village also thinks you have a bloodlust which can never be sated. Only the Mizukage suspects the fact you actually hate killing with a passion and would rather avoid it."

Yagura continued standing with his back in the wall. "Careful Zabuza. You speak of things best left unsaid."

He would normally expect the other shinobi to laugh at this point, yet Zabuza didn't laugh. Instead the man reached out and flicked him in the forehead. "I speak of things which might end with you dying."

"Sometimes I wish I were."

Zabuza's finger flicked into his forehead. "There you go thinking like that again."

The other man crossed his arms and turned so he might walk away.

The female voice spoke. "He doesn't say it, but he doesn't want you to die. You are, after all, his only friend in this world. I wouldn't wish for you to die either."

"Because you'd likely die with me?"

Isobu's voice spoke. "She's not that self-centered, but I actually enjoy having you as my jinchuriki."