What Dreams May Come…
Date: June 7th, 13 years aNb
Days since Team 11 left Mizumiyo Palace: 34
Time: 9:15 PM
Princess Kanna wa Akago cradled her younger sister, Kagura; holding an ice bag to her forehead as her dark haired sister coughed weakly in her fitful sleep. She was still feverish and unconscious, but Inugami-sensei had run a number of tests and had pronounced that Kagura was through the worst of the illness. Given the not insignificant number of body bags that had been carted out over the last few days, the white-haired woman was taking every grain of hope she could get.
Kanna had had a number of nightmares since the illness had kicked off where – thanks to whatever miracle drug that had saved her life after her father's botched assassination attempt – everyone else she knew or cared about died, leaving her all alone, left her crying… But it was the imagery of a corpse in familiar red jacket that always caused her to wake up in a sweat as frosty as her hair appeared to be.
Around the regional princess's neck the microphone and receiver that Nakahito had somehow arranged to be delivered to the quarantined floor was fastened snuggly like a choker. There had been a note – along with the instructions on how to use it – saying that he'd call her after he returned from escorting Reiyuriko-hime and Kodansyo-hika to the final performance of the Ballad of Kawamizu and Mizuka – something Kanna had thought would have made an excellent third date; before the illness broke out the day after her last date with Nakahito, quarantining the third floor of the Palace.
The regional princess's eyes flitted across the room to look at the bag from Something Unique Boutique that her stuffed carp rested on. A genuine smile crossed her lips as she thought back to their last date…
~•~
Date: May 31st
Time: 8:00 PM
The vendor at the Katanuki stall made some hemming-and-hawing noises as he looked over Nakahito Haruno's handiwork before nodding with a grunt as he looked up, the loupe glasses that aided him in examining the customer's finished product magnifying his violet eyes so they looked like they were the size of commemorative medals beneath his salt and pepper bangs. "Young man, I've been running this stall since before you were probably born… This is, without a doubt, the FINEST pin work I've ever seen! Congratulations, you've won your girl one of our top prizes!" He said as he held up the mixed blue and red candy plank that was stamped with the Undine Kawa mark that Princess Reiyuriko and her new husband Prince Kodansyo now carried on their backs.
Both the princess and the shinobi flushed as red as Haruno's jacket. "Uh, she's not… I mean, I like… But…" He stammered.
Kanna giggled softly, as much as she liked how confident and self-assured Nakahito could be, she found his occasional bumbling nervousness charming, too. Especially when it was because of her. All her life she'd been raised to think she wasn't important and his display only proved that he clearly felt the opposite was true. "What he's trying to say is this is only our second date..."
The older man smiled as he flipped up his lenses. "Well, I'd say you two seem to be a great match." He gestured to the hanging stuffed animals overhead. "Pick your prize while I get the next part ready."
"Next part?" Princess Kanna asked, confused. Nakahito shook his head, equally baffled.
"Just something special I do for the top prize winners; won't be but a minute." The vendor said as he turned around and began messing with some things out of view.
Nakahito smiled at his white haired companion gesturing for her to take her pick. "So which one are you thinking?"
"I'll take the stuffed carp, please." Kanna said as the owner turned back around with the candy plank pinned carefully in place in a wooden shadow box. She reached up to briefly stroke the necklace that Nakahito had carved for her – something she now wore everywhere she went, even though it was normally hidden beneath her layered clothes – resting just above the swell of her breasts. "I've become rather fond of them recently…"
"A fine choice!" The older man agreed as he reached up to take it from it's hanger. As she accepted it, the young woman made a slight squee of glee as she hugged it close.
'I've never wanted to be a plush fish more than ever…' Was what the look on Nakahito's face was saying to her; causing the regional princess to blush slightly.
Because, quite honestly, she wanted the same thing.
"What's with the box?" Nakahito asked, looking at the shadow box with his finished candy plate in it.
The shopkeep smiled, gesturing to the back of the stall, where photos of individuals or couples hung, holding the same box and their prizes. "Just a little thing I like to do for the winners." He pulled out a small camera. "If you're willing..?"
Nakahito looked at Kanna, who nodded emphatically, as she hugged the carp again; wishing she were brave enough to grab the young man she was talking to similarly. "Let's do it, 'Hito!"
The vendor grinned, handing the box to Nakahito. "You'll have to get a little close; I'm afraid this old thing has a pretty narrow range. Maybe after twenty years it's time to replace it?"
"Only if you properly retire it by an album of all the hard work it's done for you over the years." Kanna replied earnestly. "It's not its fault it's old."
The older man chuckled, smiling at her. "A sentimental type, I see." He grinned at Nakahito. "She's a keeper, young man; don't let her get away on you." The dating couple flushed slightly in embarrassment. "A little closer…"
"Pardon my boldness, Kanna…" Haruno whispered to her as she felt his strong arm reach across the small of her back and take hold of her waist; pulling her into him slightly.
'In for a mon, in for a Ryou.' Kanna thought to herself as she leaned into his hold to rest her head on his shoulder."
"Perfect! Hold that pose..!" The man raised his camera and took a few shots. "Got it."
Nakahito opened and closed his mouth a few times as his flush intensified at his own thoughts. "That candy was rather sweet… Is there anywhere around here I can get some water?" The vendor nodded, gesturing to the food cart down the road. "I'll be right back, Kanna."
She nodded, waiting for him to be out of earshot, before she leaned over. "Can I arrange for you to make two extra copies of that when you get it developed? I'd like it to be a surprise, though…" She reached into her purse, pulling out her Kuge credentials as well as enough cash to cover an entire film roll's worth of copies. "I'm going to be at the Palace for a few more weeks."
The older gentleman blinked in surprise, but smiled; mentally picturing how best to utilize this unexpected windfall. "Gladly, Princess Kanna." He glanced in the direction of the ninja currently purchasing a pair of chilled water bottles. "I thought there was something familiar about your companion… So he's..?" The old man briefly clenched his fists in an unspoken question, to which she nodded in agreement. "I was thinking it's a travesty that those young heroes were forced to stick around because of the Traitor's legal bullsh…" The vendor paused as he remembered he was speaking to nobility and coughed to cover his near faux pass. "…malarkey. But I see that he's not exactly suffering because of it; in fact, I'd daresay he's the luckiest young man since the Straw Millionaire."
Before Kanna's blush at the gentleman's words could resolve itself, Nakahito returned, drinking slowly from a water bottle while offering the other to the Princess, who gratefully accepted and took a long sip herself. "So the food cart guy says he'll be unveiling this year's version of some dish that he only offers during the Festival of Waters after 10 PM. Sounds like it could be something interesting, don't you think?"
"Wakaki's pretzel bites are a Festival staple in this part of the city." The Katanuki stall owner acknowledged. "He only makes so much dough and dips so that when he runs out, they're gone until the next year… If you're lucky, that is." The couple on the date have him a confused look. "He's known to rotate them out between years based on their popularity and he NEVER shares what will be available a given year until he starts serving them the first night of the Festival. In about an hour and a half, there will be a line at least a kilometer long."
"Well color me intrigued…" Kanna mused with the slightest of smiles. "Is there anywhere nearby that would be an easy place to spend an hour or so?"
"Given that you're both not from Kawa City and you're here on a date, there's only one place nearby that's a must see…" The Katanuki vendor declared, pointing to a store just down the street.
"Something Unique Boutique..?" Haruno replied, his voice sounding like it was a question; the sign's kanji was in a variety of fonts and styles making it slightly difficult to figure out which symbols were meant to be paired up to make complete words.
"Yeah, the owner's a bit of an odd duck; likes to joke that he was he was a Karasu Tengu – a crow goblin – in his last life and so, like a crow, he enjoys collecting strange and unusual things. He's one of the few shops in the city that not only allows haggling, but will also barter his 'treasures' for other items. I swear, his accountant must live in a state of continual existential dread over the thought of having their books audited…" The older man shook his head in bemusement. "That said, the S.U.B. there is something that needs to be experienced at least once… You literally can never know what you might find there; from the exclusive stock he orders from the different artisan colonies throughout our country to things that look like treasures from a bygone era that come from who knows where."
Kanna's dark eyes were wide with excitement at the old man's description of the shop, causing Nakahito to chuckle softly. "Well, I guess we just found our next stop." He licked his lips hesitantly before extending his hand the way he recalled her older brother doing for "Princess Reiyuriko" when Muso had danced with Kimiko. "Shall we, milady?"
The white haired princess's heart skipped a beat; the only moment of hesitation before she placed her hand in his and unconsciously interlaced their fingers. Emotions began to boil within them both that would lead to a very awkward moment later, though they were still three hours or so away from that discovery.
As the duo approached the entrance of their destination, a new venue came into view; one that added to the awkward stress of the moment.
A strip club.
A veritable bevy of scantily clad women and men, oiled up so their toned skin gleamed in the lights that bounced off the buildings to attract Festival attendants interested in more adult entertainments.
Kanna felt a rush of conflicting emotions: envy that the women were so comfortable with their own nature they could put on such a display. Jealousy at the thought that Nakahito's eye might be attracted to such a display. Self-loathing that she was STILL too terrified of disappointing her father to be able to cut loose.
And underneath ALL that, a little nugget of lust that left her wanting to jump Haruno's bones right then and there to stake her claim on the brown haired ninja who'd not only saved her, but had shown her that who she was NOW was as worthwhile as who she'd dreamed of one day being.
Suddenly a hand gently covered her eyes, sparing her any further view of the lurid display.
"Come on, Kanna-hime…" Nakahito whispered in her ear, cutting through the mental fog like a torch in the night. "There's nothing over there for us but tawdry fantasies that you're worth more than a million of."
"Hito?" The princess whispered, voice catching in her throat as her heart started beating harder and faster. Worth more than a million other women? Her?
Kanna's lip quivered at the notion that anyone could feel that way about her.
That it was Nakahito telling her this made a different pair of lips tingle with anticipation.
"Welcome, tovarishch…" A gentleman with a beak-like nose and a nameplate that said "Mr. Vorona, owner" announced with an easy grin that quickly faded into annoyance when he saw the flushed features of Haruno and wa Akago as the ninja removed his hand from the princess's face once they were safely in the store. "Eti shlyukhi vyshli rano! Yukiya, the button!"
The woman behind the counter who appeared to be around the age of Princess Reiyuriko pushed something out of view. Across the way, a banner bearing warning signs that the area ahead was not intended for anyone under 18 as wide as the street opened up, blocking the view of the strip club and the hosts and hostesses outside it.
"Ya prinoshu svoi iskrenniye izvineniya, tovarishch. Those 'ladies' – and I'm using the term as loosely as I can – aren't supposed to be on the streets until after the last bell rings at 10… They're taking advantage of the limited police presence during the Festival; code enforcement is less important than the safety of those visiting the city for the next week."
"Pardon me, but were you just speaking in Roshsyan?" Kanna asked curiously.
Mr. Vorona's head pulled back in shock. "I was… Forgive me, I must admit I'm surprised; most people on this continent don't know there are lands beyond those of the samurai, let alone the name of one. That you even recognized the language…" He shook his head. "I've lived in Kawa City for the better part of fifteen years now and you're the first to ever do so."
"Until a few days ago I was similarly ignorant, but a young doctor who's been treating me would occasionally mutter in it when he got frustrated and I recognized bits and pieces from your pronunciation." Kanna looked over at Nakahito. "We'll have to tell Inugami-sensei about this shop, 'Hito."
"I probably could earn a few brownie points with him for doing so…" Haruno agreed. "I don't suppose you have things for sale from your homeland after all these years, do you? He's my teammate and his Mom is from there."
"I barely got out of there after the Coup nineteen years ago with my daughter Yukiya and my skin, but I do have a few knickknacks that I saved from the Zimnij Dvorets." A slightly haunted look crossed his features for a second, but he quickly shook it off. "Come, come, they're in the back."
The genial shop owner guided the couple through the shop, sharing stories and details of the things that caught their eyes along the way.
"No… Way…" Nakahito breathed as he spotted a well-worn hardback book.
"Ah, you are a fan of 'Tales of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi' my young tovarishch?"
"Huh? No, I've never even HEARD of it, but the name of the author…"
"Oh, Jiraiya-san, yes. This was his first published book, released before his more popular 'Make Out' series. He was even kind enough to autograph it the last time he passed through Kawa City." Vorona smiled. "A steal at 200,000 Ryou."
Nakahito's gasp of shock set him hacking up a lung like a five pack a day smoker. "Too rich for me; I'm just a Genin…" He coughed as a scowl crossed his features. "Plus I owe that jerk a punch in the face for peeping on my Sensei." A brief snort of laughter escaped the regional princess at her ninja's words. "Well, I do!"
"Another day, perhaps, then." The owner said, good-naturedly as they passed through a section of assorted perfume bottles. "It's not too much further."
Kanna paused at a small display with a half dozen bottles that resembled the commonly held view of the Goddess of Rivers, Undine Kawa. "Pardon me, Vorona-san, but what is this?"
"Sen no Kawa no Ibuki, Thousand Rivers' Breath; newly arrived yesterday from the Kousui artisan colony down south."
Kanna spritzed a sample onto her wrist. "Oh! I'm getting notes of lily and jasmine… But it's light; like the breeze carrying the merest memory of flowing water." She extended her wrist to Nakahito, a beatific smile training her lips. "It reminds me of when Mother used to take Muso, Kagura and I to the lakefront."
Not quite sure what to do, Haruno gently took her hand in his and sniffed at it as gentlemanly as he could. "I'll be honest, my nose isn't very good, Kanna; I kinda damaged it in my early days of learning fire jutsu." He smiled. "But if you like it, I'll buy it for you." Vorona made a high pitched bird call and almost instantly his daughter appeared with a small shopping basket, which she handed to Nakahito after adding a box of the perfume to it, before returning to the front counter. The ninja blinked in surprise. "Wow, so that just happened…"
Kanna giggled at his reaction as the three of them resumed walking. The next zone of the shop had clothing of various styles from all over the ninja continent: cloaks suitable for the Great Desert of the Land of Wind, wetsuits that were standard fare for Rain and Water Country, and then…
Nakahito's cheeks turned as red as his jacket as they hit a zone of lingerie; most hanging on hooks but a few on rather lifelike mannequins. His eyes briefly lingered on a particular set that seemed to stand out from the sea of pastels and blacks. The deep burgundy caught the boutique's soft lighting, rich and luxurious against the white hangers. Kanna could practically see the wheels turning in his head as his throat bobbed as if suddenly dried out again and his flush deepened as his hormone laden mind clearly tried to picture the outfit on her.
In a nearby mirror, Kanna could see that she had had a similar reaction.
The lingerie was the kind of wine-red that reminded her of velvet theater curtains or autumn leaves. The craftsmanship was immediately apparent—delicate scalloped lace formed intricate patterns across each piece, with tiny satin bows placed like little jewels at strategic points. The bra had a romantic, vintage-inspired cut that suggested elegance rather than anything too bold. The matching pieces created a complete story: coordinating panties, thigh-highs with the same lace trim, and delicate garter straps that tied everything together.
Maybe it was because of what he'd said about those barely clad hostesses on the street… Maybe it was the fact that Nakahito cared about her for more than just her body… Maybe it was because she just wanted to give her father's view of her a gigantic fuck you…
Or maybe it was because she was a horny teenager herself, but right then and there Kanna wanted nothing more than to privately display that outfit on her own body for the ninja who had not only saved her life, but had taught her what it meant to live…
And then have him rip it off and have his way with her. His breath hot on her smooth skin, his muscular hands…
'Oh, Goddess, am I really that wanton?' The princess asked herself as they continued past the clothing zone. She was glad she was behind Nakahito so he couldn't see her flush of embarrassment at her own perverse thoughts! They were unbecoming a lady of her status and breeding!
'No. No! That's Father's views talking. They're not mine! If we were older, I'd forsake all of it for 'Hito and never look back! Not that Muso-niisama or Kagura-chan would turn their backs on me the way Father would for following my heart!'
The trio reached a golden metal cage, reminiscent of the kind used at banks to block the way back to the vault, which Vorona opened with a very complex looking key with multiple prongs. Nakahito frowned at the cage; there was something unusual about it. He reached out to examine it, only for the owner to catch his hand.
"Forgive me, my young friend, but you ninja, yes? Metal is very rare alloy – so rare it has no translation in your tongue – from my homeland, procured at great cost, that siphons magical abilities and causes incapacitating pain upon contact. Many ninja and others less noble have tried to steal the treasures on the other side." He gestured to several mummified looking figures attached to the cage with rictuses of agony on what's left for their features. "None have succeeded."
Nakahito's face fell and he bumped into a horrified looking Kanna…
Vorona suddenly snorted and guffawed with laughter. "I kid, I kid… Is merely gold plated steel from old bank vault and those are props for Korochun Festival – ancient Roshsyan holiday around Winter Solstice. But very convincing sounding, yes? Looks on your faces! These are merely valuable memories to me; they would be little more than curiosities to anyone else… I don't normally allow customers back here, but since you expressed curiosity in Roshsyan goods, I am making exception. Please." He gestured for them to follow.
The other side of the cage housed a wood paneled room with a wooden chair with a cushion on the seat that was of a style different from those commonly made on the ninja continent. There was a crate with clear glass bottles by the chair that screamed alcohol, but Kanna couldn't recognize the type despite having been forced to attend a great many cocktail parties dolled up while Daimyo Akago had been working at negotiating a "suitable" courtship for her - translated "most politically advantageous." On the other side was an old style phonograph with a single record visible beside it, easily reachable to move the needle back to the start when the disc finished playing. On the three walls opposite where the chair sat were shelves set at a height where the person in the chair would have an unobstructed view of what little was in the space.
It was clearly meant to be a space that Vorona came into for the sole purpose to drink and remember.
One box contained parts of what was clearly meant to be an ornate egg made of blue glass inlaid with silver stars configured in pattern quite different from the constellations visible in the night sky in either Konoha or River Country. The parts were chipped, suggesting they had been through some rough handling before getting here, probably rescued by Vorona during this Coup he'd spoken about.
There was a boxy old style camera. "Reminds me of the one the Village used to take my photo for my ninja record." Haruno mused as he looked at the framed photos beside it and suddenly froze. "What the..?" He glanced at Vorona. "Am I being punked again? Did Inugami visit here before me?"
"I do not know this word 'punked…' What is wrong?" The Roshsyan gentleman asked in confusion.
Kanna moved over to Nakahito's side, gasping in shock as she saw it, too. In one of the photos stood Vorona, clearly some twenty years younger, with a young man around 11 years old that bore a striking similarity to the medic-nin from his team, albeit with hair a similar shade of brown to Nakahito's own, done in a style drastically different than the young doctor's. Haruno's eyes had moved to another photo, this one of a girl with copper red hair about 14 with her hair in thick braids that were pinned up to form two circular rings, but he didn't say anything about that one. There were other photos showing two or three older women with the Sho lookalike and the copper haired woman that were clearly related.
"I think these are legitimate photos, 'Hito… Look, you can see how they're starting to yellow from age at the corners; I don't think you can fake that…" She turned to the gentleman that had taken to the sole chair in the room and was in the process of pouring a clear drink that – surprisingly – didn't smell like alcohol, but just as clearly wasn't water. "Pardon us, Vorona-san, but who are these people with you in the photos?"
Vorona lurched to his feet and picked up a rolled object that turned out to be a family painting that had clearly seen better days... The edges were frayed from where the painting had clearly been cut from the frame it had been on. There were also signs the painting had been slashed, but someone had taken great pains to restore it as best as possible.
The painting consisted of an older gentleman in his mid-40's in a suit that appeared to be a military uniform the likes of which the two natives of the continent had never seen. He was surrounded by five women, one the red haired girl to his left, one clearly the man's wife to his right, and the other three, standing behind the couple, were probably his daughters between 16 – 19 years old. The boy that resembled Inugami-sensei knelt in front of his parents.
"They look serious… But I can feel happiness somehow… Like their love for each other seeped into the painting." Kanna said softly, feeling a slight touch of jealousy; even when her Mother had lived, such emotions were notoriously lacking from Daimyo Akago.
The Roshsyan man nodded. "Tsar – that is our word for Lord Daimyo – Nicholas, his wife Alexandra, and their five children: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei." He said, gesturing to each one. "Their family ruled all of Roshsya for over 300 years…"
"Damn… That's impressive." Nakahito breathed.
wa Akago nodded. "Lord Mizuzaki's family has only been in power about 180 years."
"As a leader, I fear he was not the greatest as a number of his philosophies were severely outdated, but as a husband and father, he was everything I've strived to be for Yukiya and my late wife." He sighed, his eyes getting a distant look. "I was a colonel in the mounted cavalry forces – the magic you ninja and the samurai use is not so common on the other continents so we rely on more conventional types of warfare – and I received the honor of being the equerry for the Imperial family. I taught all five of them the finer points of riding – it was expected of the nobles – though Alexei's medical condition required special care; a fall as minor as tripping over one's feet could have been fatal." He slammed back his drink as fresh tears fell. "But those grebanyye truslivyye ublyudki stormed their home, captured and killed all but our Shvybzik, the little mischief," Vorona gestured to the photo of him alone with the copper headed daughter astride a black horse with a small black and white dog snoozing by the stallion's hooves, "who disappeared from the Zimnij Dvorets a few months before that damned mystic who created the unrest leading to the Coup got himself blown up on that stupid airship."
"Air… ship?" Nakahito asked, his eyes going wide at the notion. "Wait, they have ships that can fly in Roshsya?!"
"Emmm…" Vorona said wiggling his hand in the so-so gesture. "Not true flight; they just use giant balloons and special motors to lift them up so they hover. While they LOOK impressive and their cannons would turn conventional forces into mincemeat, they really aren't practical in an area where even a beginning ninja using simple lightning magic could easily destroy them."
Haruno's face showed an intense curiosity at the older man's story of combat types unfamiliar to him. "What's a cannon?"
"I'll let the two of you talk shop." Kanna said with a slight bow as Vorona tried to explain the concept of guns to the ninja.
Leaving the Roshsyan's "memory vault," Kanna returned to the lingerie area and lifted the hanger with the outfit that had caught Nakahito's eye slightly, admiring how the set seemed designed by someone who understood that beauty was in the details. While the other lingerie on the rack felt either too simple or trying too hard, this one struck a perfect balance—sophisticated enough to feel special, but with a softness that didn't intimidate.
Looking around, the regional princess found a changing area for checking the fit and began to head towards it, only to freeze mid-stride just short of the 90% doors that allowed them to quickly check if someone was inside. Displayed on the boutique's special collection wall was something that completely took her breath away. This wasn't just lingerie—it was like finding a piece of wearable art tucked between the everyday sets.
The ensemble in question was entirely in shades of crimson and reddish coral, but what made her breath catch were the intricate floral embroideries that seemed to bloom across the sheer fabric bodice that made the piece look more like a single piece, though the top and bottom were clearly complete on their own. Delicate cherry blossoms and peonies were embroidered in silk thread, creating an almost kimono-inspired aesthetic that felt both romantic and sophisticated. The craftsmanship was extraordinary—layers of translucent fabric created depth and dimension, while strategic placement of the floral motifs offered both beauty and coverage. Tiny ribbon bows dotted the design like little gifts waiting to be unwrapped. The matching thigh-highs featured the same embroidered flowers climbing up like a garden trellis.
What struck her most was how it managed to feel both delicate and bold—the sheer panels were daring, but the artistic floral work made it feel like something that belonged in a museum as much as a bedroom. The design elements gave it a cultural richness that set it apart from anything else in the store. Kanna found herself wondering about the designer, imagining they were someone who had realized that intimacy and artistry weren't mutually exclusive.
Kanna licked her lips as she eyed the piece. 'Hito's head would explode if he saw me in that…' A naughty tittering laugh escaped her lips. 'Both of them.'
Impulsively, the princess checked to see if the outfit would fit – unfortunately it was two sizes too big – but the tag did list the name of the designer, a Yoshiko Kawashima, and her shop location; both of which she quickly wrote on the small notepad in her purse. "It would be the perfect gift wrapping for our first time…" wa Akago murmured to herself as she entered the changing room.
It was a standard changing space inside the cubby, albeit with a sign that said, Lingerie that directly touches flesh must be purchased. Kanna looked at herself in the full-length mirror and sighed as she touched her hair, which had only grown out about a centimeter since the explosion, before removing her yukata to hang it up. Next to go was her riding outfit, leaving her standing in her simple, plain white underwear; while Daimyo Akago would spare no expense for any formal outfits that she and Kagura used to wear in public, he was downright miserly when it came to everything else where his daughters were concerned.
This pair of underclothing was going to be the first ones she ever looked forward to putting on. That her personal ninja hero had all but picked them out for her made the event that much more exciting!
Her barely tolerable bra and panties – coarse to the touch and poorly assembled – fell limply to the ground, shed and forgotten like the last vestiges of the cocoon from which Kanna wa Akago had emerged to take her first tenuous flaps as Princess Kanna of District 3. She might be cursed to legally be wa Akago – even after marriage by the traditions of the Land of Rivers Kuge – but as far as she was concerned, her father was as dead as he'd attempted to make her in every concern save for official events they would have to see each other at.
The white haired woman looked at herself in the mirror, still feeling a disconnect between her mental image of herself and the one being reflected back at her. The explosion had burned her intensely – only her desire to talk to Nakahito one last time had kept her alive long enough for Inugami-sensei's miraculous cure – and the female medical staff had cut away her burnt underclothing and what little body hair had survived the initial inferno before the young doctor had treated the last of her injuries that day.
'I'm glad Sho braced me for that revelation almost as soon as I woke up… I know he's a doctor and he loves that orange haired girl, but seeing how 'Hito is around him, I can't imagine how he'd be if he thought Inugami-sensei had been involved with this part…' Her reflection touched one of the shorn areas, wishing for a moment it was Haruno's hand instead. 'Although I do like the way my skin feels without the hair… Maybe I should ask Kikyo-neesama or the grooming staff Nii-sama hires how one keeps it this way.'
Kanna wa Akago cooed to herself as she slid on the new underclothing, the material some of the smoothest silk she'd ever felt on her skin, the way it didn't scratch, pinch, or bind her sensitive pale flesh like the old pair did.
The world around Kanna became hazy as the door to the changing room swung open and Nakahito Haruno's dashing form appeared. His red jacket was open down to his navel, revealing his mesh shirt that accentuated his muscular chest, showing the curved rectangles of his well developed pecs. His trousers were tighter than she remembered them being and the first traces of red filled her face as she contemplated the nature of their contents.
"Kanna..!" Haruno called, his voice sounding as distant as his body was close as he strode into the suddenly small-feeling space.
"Awp!" A stunned Kanna gasped as she tried to cover her new underwear with her hands as she backed away, only to be stopped short by a wall she could have sworn was supposed to be two meters behind her. "N-N-Nakahito! What are you DOING?!"
While he was younger than her, Nakahito already had a good three inches and 50 pounds of pure muscle on him. His amorous seafoam green eyes screamed his desire and intentions – mirroring her own. "Kanna..?"
Despite herself, Kanna wa Akago changed her hands from concealing herself to reaching out to finish opening his jacket and pulling up his mesh shirt to reveal the rounded squares of his abs. Her hands were shaking as she caressed his warm skin and began to slide down into the waistband of his pants.
"Hey, Kanna? Are you still up?!"
~•~
Date: June 7th
Time: 11:19 PM
Kanna wa Akago jerked up so abruptly she fell off the narrow section of the bed she was sharing with her ill sister. Her nightgown was soaked with sweat and she felt a gnawing ache in her body that had nothing to do with her sudden fall.
"Damn it!" She moaned; suddenly frustrated and horny as she realized she'd fallen asleep during her reminiscing about their last date. "Right when we were getting to the GOOD part!"
In reality, she'd tried on the underwear and changed back into her clothes without incident, tucking the purchase into the privacy bag they still sat in; she didn't want to give the Palace staff more to gossip about, after all. Nakahito had emerged about twenty minutes after all that, reporting that their host had nodded off after finishing the entire bottle of alcohol while sharing stories of miraculous sounding technologies that would be amazing to see, but had weak points too easily exploited by ninjutsu to be of practical use on the ninja continent.
"Goddess, I want his hands on me SO MUCH right now… I swear I'm going crazy!"
"Kanna?!" Nakahito's voice rang in her ear.
The regional princess's dark eyes widened in horror as she realized that the dream Nakahito's voice had been the REAL ninja over the radio in her ear!
'Oh, Goddess! I can't believe I said that out loud where 'Hito could hear it..!' Kanna wa Akago realized in embarrassment, wishing she could just die from the shame of her lewdness.
"Kanna, if you can hear me, you have to touch the mike on your throat to transmit. I can't hear you unless you do."
'Thank you, Undine Kawa!' She breathed a sigh of relief – from the embarrassment, at least – as she remembered that HAD been part of the provided instructions. This realization tempered, but hardly nullified the fact that she was still hornier than a three headed bull... And Nakahito's voice, full of affection and desire, was the red flag that egged that beast to action.
She touched the required button. "'Hito? What… What time is it?"
There was a brief pause. "Uhhh… about twenty past 11 by my watch. We just got back from the City. How's Kagura doing? Her fever break yet?"
Kanna climbed her way back onto the bed to check, finding her sister still warm, but better than she had been. "Not quite yet… Maybe tomorrow." She paused as she grabbed with bag full of meltwater and pressed it to her own flesh trying to alleviate the warmth in her cheeks caused by her inappropriate thoughts as she sank back to the floor. With Kagura-chan basically being a radiator at the moment, the coolness of the tatami mats actually helped. "How was the Play?"
"Well, the royal couple seemed to enjoy it; as did Kimi and Miho-sensei. Inugami and I… We couldn't really get into it." There was a wistful tone to his voice that sent a shivering ache through the young woman.
"Oh? Why not? They've been running this show for years."
"Well, at definitely for me and undoubtedly for Sho, it wasn't so much the play as much as the fact that we were there without our Mizukas…"
If Nakahito's words could have made Kanna's cheeks any warmer, the water in the bag would have started boiling. "I've missed you this week, too, 'Hito…" The princess moaned, giving up on the bag of water and hugging herself; trying to mentally substitute his hands for hers. "So what happened after? If it's nearly midnight, you must have done something for the last night of the Festival."
"Well, it took us a bit to get there because the Play was in a different part of Kawa City than we visited, but I took the others to Wakaki's so they could try their Dynastic Heroes bites. Sho and I got into a pepper eating contest, which I actually managed to win, so he gets to carry my bags back to Konoha when the judge realizes wa Jubei is gone for good. And I introduced Sho to Vorona-san."
"Really? How did it go?"
"I'm not really sure… I mean they started speaking in rapid fire Roshsyan and I THOUGHT I heard the names Alexei – that boy that looked like a younger Sho – and Anastasia in there, after which Vorona hugged Sho with tears in his eyes like he was long lost family and the two of them disappeared into the store. I suspect they're still talking because he isn't back yet." Haruno paused for a moment. "I have a feeling that old man wasn't just excited about talking to someone in Roshsyan… It might be crazy, but I think that youngest princess – the one that disappeared – is Sho's mom. I can't say for certain because I've never met her, but I swear that picture of Anastasia looked like a carbon copy of Karin."
"Karin is Sho's younger sister, right?"
There was puzzlement in Haruno's voice. "He talked about his family to you?"
Kanna giggled. "Not in the slightest. But I recognize the signs of an overprotective big brother when I see one." There was silence on the line for a long minute. "'Hito? Are you still there? You're being really quiet all of a sudden…"
The regional princess could practically hear the wince in the ninja's voice. "Yeah, I'm here; I was just trying to think of what to talk about next… I mean I can imagine what your week has been like, so I had a feeling you wouldn't want to talk about it. And the only other thing I can think about at the moment is how much I'd like to be back at the bottom of Kawamizu Hill looking up…" He paused, clearly taking a moment to choose his words carefully. "…at-at… the stars with you."
The tone of his voice made it clear that looking at the stars were the LAST thing actually on his mind.
Although, to be fair, it was last thing on Kanna's mind as well.
A giggle escaped her. "The stars, huh..? REEEEEALLY..?"
The blush was audible in his voice. "Well… We can't talk about what the stories Raiden or I got ahold of suggest two people dating would talk about."
Now Kanna began to blush as well; there was no doubt in her mind as to the nature of those stories. She swallowed dryly. "And why not, 'Hito..?"
"Well, for starters it would be inappropriate for me to talk to a highborn lady like that and…" He paused just long enough for the white haired young woman's heart to start pounding in her chest. "…you mean far more to me than a cheap thrill or one of those smut fantasies that Lord Jiraiya writes about." She could practically hear him pacing in that room he was sharing with Inugami-sensei. "I mean, sure, romance leads to all that EVENTUALLY, but I don't…" His voice trailed off as he hit another logical snare in his own thought process.
But after a few seconds he finished the thought. "I love you, Kanna wa Akago, and I want to go slow and do this right; I want this to be a marathon that lasts the rest of our lives, not a sprint that is over almost as soon as it begins!"
Kanna silently lay there on the floor, copious tears flowing from her eyes as she contemplated how lucky it was that she had found someone who treasured HER as much as Nakahito Haruno did… She had always secretly hoped for it – any self-respecting woman did – but she'd never expected to get it, given Daimyo Akago's view on women in general and his daughters in particular.
And, in private, away from the prying eyes of society, she would be damned if she would waste even one second of it!
"No one can hear us on this thing, right, 'Hito?" The princess asked, feeling a massive amount of trepidation… With this, she was going all-in with her feelings and damn the consequences!
There was a brief pause as the ninja thought about it for a moment. "Well, we gave the Imperial Guard the encryption for channel 10 for when Kimi was pretending to be Reiyuriko-hime, but the other nine should be private. Kimiko barely managed to drag herself into the Palace, Sho's transmitter is probably in his gear bag, and you have Miho-sensei's, so I'd say that if we talk quietly enough we'd have complete privacy. Why?"
"Well, since no one's listening… I'm giving you permission; talk to me as if I were just another girl from your Village."
There was a long pause as the brain of the young man on the other end slowly puzzled out what she was saying. "K… Kanna..?!" He gasped in shocked disbelief.
"'There is no Kanna here, Okami-sama…' I gently correct you." The princess replied, her voice sounding different as she began to put in an act, complete with a faked accent that made her sound like someone fresh from a more rural area when she spoke in character. "I bow, my cleavage, visible in my maid uniform, popping up slightly from the motion. 'I am Usagi-chan, a simple Palace servant, assigned to serve you however you see fit…'"
Haruno's silence was almost deafening to Kanna; her heart raced as she considered the nature of the names she'd chosen for this moment when she finally pushed firmly against the boundaries that have been assigned to her since her birth. A wolf and a rabbit, predator and prey, though unlike their animal counterparts, Kanna WANTED to be caught, to be consumed by Nakahito's passion and desire for her.
Kanna knew on a fundamental level that she wouldn't be able to take it this far in person – not yet, at least – but maybe in that three month window between his 14th birthday in September and her 18th in December..? She would invite him down to the 3rd District manor house and they'd be able take over the guest house for complete privacy… Surely the designer could make her a copy of that elegant nightie that fit her in that much time!
Finally Nakahito cleared his throat. "I lean back against my zaisu, smiling at the display of your assets. 'Is that so? And precisely what do you have in mind, Usagi-chan..?'"
The ache in wa Akago's core grew more intense as she took a deep breath to steady her nerves before replying…