The Red Crimson Bride

Chapter 11, I know I have been saying this everytime but please review. Even if they are critics

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"Oh man, I really have to quit this shitty job of helping people around. It kills me. All these years I had to help them so they could build houses and restore everything. And after all these years, they didn't fucking finish them! Idiots!" a young man with silver hair yelled out loud while he was walking down the street. The other villagers turned their heads at him only to sent death glares. He laughed sheepishly and started to run away so he won't get beat. He made around a corner until he reached a safe road and sighed in relief. "That was close." he said and massagged his back. "But caring around those construction materials, sure is tiring." he sighed and made a left around a corner towards his house.

He walked along the street in silence glaring at the people who were building houses or caring materials around. 'This will be a new beginning for the great village Kazegakure.' he thought for himself and smirked. 'The one you always hoped for.'

The silver-haired man waved at a few villagers who knew him or even helped some of them around. Even though it was a tiring job he always did it, he felt like doing it and somehow he even liked it. The villagers would thank him for his kindness and he would receive respect from them. They weren't like the ones he used to help years ago so he was grateful for that thing. He would just help with rising a piece of wood and everyone would thank him.

Taking another sigh, he arrived in front of a small house which he built it himself with his own hands and which was his house. He entered it and went straight to the kitchen. After his job he usually had a drink, it always made him feel better and relaxed. Also, you couldn't find sake like the one made in Wind Country. Just thinking about it, he smiled. It had been a tiring day and he had to receive a prize for it.

He went straight to the high cupboard where it was all his stash of sake and opened it. He searched it for a bottle but his hand didn't met anything. He searched it again more carefully but still...nothing.

"Where did I put them?" he asked out loud and turned around. "Did I put them elsewhe-" he stopped. "Oh, that's right, living room." he said and left the kitchen. He went towards the living room and when he saw the bottle on the table in front of the couch, a mile crossed his lips. 'There you were.' he thought and walked to it. Right when he was about to grab it, another hand appeared and took it from him. He stopped and turned his head to his right only to stare at a person who was sipping from a cup.

"Mmm, there's nothing compared with Wind Country made sake, right, Kohaku? the person said after finishing the drink. The silver-haired man stared with eyes wide open at the person not believing who it was. 'Red hair, blue-green eyes, the redness in cheeks. It's....her?' he asked himself then his surprised face turned to one of anger.

"What kind of a sick joke this is?" he yelled and eyed her with rage. "I don't know who the fuck you are or how in the fuck you got in my house, but leave now if you don't something bad happen to you." he said and pointed to the door. For his surprise the woman chuckled and got up on her feet. He stared at her smiling face as a deep feeling went through his body. 'Th-this huge ammount of chakra... coming from her....could it really be her? No! She's dead, she must be one of my buyers who try to find me."

"Kohaku, you really don't remember me?" she aked cheerfully.

"I don't know who you are and I don't know who are you fucking talking about. I don't know any Kohaku person." he said. "Leave now." he said. The woman laughed harder and approached him. He made a few steps back staring at her.

"Kohaku Fushida." she said and closed her eyes. "You still talk like that with anyone. I thought that I was the only exception." she she said smiling and her eyes faded to Ryakugan.

"It's really you?" he rose an eyebrow at her. She chuckled again making the redness in her cheeks more visible.

"What do you really think, Kohaku-kun?" she asked.

"I really think that you got taller and.... a new haircut?" he said and a smirk crossed his lips. She moved her gaze at her shoulder length hair and traced her fingers through it. Then she moved her gaze at him and made a few steps towards him. They stared at each other for a few seconds until a squeal was heard through the house.

"It's so good to see you!" she yelled and jumped at him to hug him. He laughed and hugged her too, patting her on her back. Then he stopped and puller her away.

"But I thought you were dead." he said. Naruki's Ryakugan faded back to blue-green and stared in his black ones.

"I survived somehow." she said and made a few steps back.

"Don't tell me. Itachi?" he asked clenching his fist. Naruki sighed and made a small nod.

"And the other nine." she said.

"I told you years ago that nothing good would come if you'd stay with him." he said.

"I know. I know. " she sighed then eyed him. "But you only told me to stay away because you were jealous." she said. He crossed his arms and shook his head.

"That's the second motive." he said. "And you can say now that I was right. Why don't you ever listen by the way?" he asked.

"Alright alright, can we forget the past now?" she asked sighning. "The future is more important now."

"You're right." he nodded. "So what's your true reason of coming here?" he asked.

"What do you mean? she asked blushing.

"Come on, I'm sure you didn't came just for a small talk and to see how was I going." Kohaku said. Seeing that she didn't say anything he continued. "And if the reason is what I think it is then you came here for nothing." he said and took a sit on the armchair which was behind him. Naruki frowned at his words and leaned forward to reach his eye-level.

"I need your help." she said.

"I can't help you. I'm not in that kind of business anymore. I retired." he said and moved his gaze away. Naruki let out a noise and straightened.

"At 27 you just can't say that you retired!" she yelled and stared at him like she was about to hurt him. He didn't say anything making her more angrier. But she told herself that if she was going to be like that, he won't help her. So taking a deep sigh she calmed herself and leaned again to reach his eye-level. "Look, I know you have your own reasons to quit that job. I'm sure of it. But now you really have to help me."

"You're begging me for help?" he asked and turned to look at her.

"No. I'm demanding you." she said. "Because it's your duty to help me. You made an oath."

"I made that oath because you told that you'd listen to my words but you didn't and beacause of that the oath doesn't exist anymore." he said. Naruki wide her eyes open then leaned her head down, tears threatening to fall.

"I-I'm very sorry about the past and about all those things said or done back then. I was only thinking about my existence as an assasin and only about missions. I was truly selfish and I never thought that even though I did those things there were people who still cared about me." she said and rose her head, tears already pouring down on her cheeks. "Bu now I'm a different person, a new one. And I want only one thing: revenge. Not only for me but for my family, Kazegakure and Amegakure. None of them deserved to die because of me. I want to make a good thing before I die and that is to make justice. I did only wrong things for whole my life and I firmly believe that this one is the right thing to do and I'm putting all my strength, will, power in it to make it worth all the waiting for." she said and her eyes faded red. "And for this I need your help."

Kohaku listened to her words carefully and watched her tears falling down her cheeks. She never saw her like that before so it was a new thing for him. He leaned closer and rose his hand in order to wipe the tears from her face. He made a small smile and approached closer until their faces were only inches apart.

"I never gave up on you." he said. " When you were thought dead, I knew that you were somewhere else still allive. Because you made that oath too." he smirked. Naruki's crying face went to a frowning one and stared at him with anger.

"I knew you were still the same old pervert." she said. "You can't be serious for one mintue in your whole life." she said and backed away but he caught her by the hands and held her in the same place. She sighed. "Will you help me or not?" she asked.

"Only if you'll say please." he said. Naruki rolled over her eyes made a fake smile.

"Please?" she said between her teeth.

"And a kiss." he added. Naruki twitched and punched him in the jaw when she saw that he was getting closer.

"You damn pervert! No wonder you don't have anybody close to you." she yelled and got on her feet.

"Well you are..." he was cut off as Naruki jumped on him and started to hit him again.

"Get your mind off of it!" she yelled still hitting him.

"Alright alright. I'll help you" he said while dodging the attacks with his bare hands. When she heard him she got off of him and made a few steps back smirking. "You didn't have to be that rough." he said massaging his jaw.

"You'll get better sooner or later." she said. He took a deep sigh and got up as well.

"Come." he said and started to walk. Naruki nodded and followed him behind.

After they left the living room they went up the stairs. When they reached a spot, he made a few hand signs and suddenly a door opened from the ceiling and staircase fell down. He went climbed those stairs too and grabbed her by the hand so she would climb them too. After she got up too, he motioned her to turn around. When she complied she let out a small noise at the sight.

In front of them were shelves with katanas, large or medium-size kunais, shuriken each sharper than it's predecessor, sword, bows, arrows. Sheaths with different kanji written on it or different colours shone in the light which came from the window. She saw also many scrolls, hilts, ninja gear, each different and containing highly rank equipment. Also there were ninja armors, some were light and not too defensive, some were heavy but very defensive, she could see clearly that each material had it's own disadvantages and advantages. She saw even medpacs or bottles filled with strange liquid, poison maybe or antidote.

"Do you still have the Yin-Yang?" Kohaku asked breaking Naruki's line of thought.

"Yes, she said and took her two weapons from around the waist and gave them to him. He took them out of the sheaths and stared at them, studying them.

"I found a new way to make a weapon more powerful. You'll be able to burst your wind chakra through them, making them more sharper and accurate with each blow." he said.

"I'll be very grateful if you'll do that." she smiled.

"See something you want?" he asked moving his gaze at the shelves behind her. She made a smirk and turned around to stare at the gear.

"Many." she said.

"Upgrading the Yin-Yang will take me two weeks, you can stay in Kazegakure if you waant, train, help people around, not hitting me, everything you like.

"Yin-Yang is really your craftship?" she asked still gazing at the shelves.

"Hai, Itachi ordered them about five years ago. It was strange, no one requested specifically what colour or logo the weapon must have, but he did. He really wanted the black-white symbol. I didn't knew back then why he wanted them so much but after I saw you with them it made everything clear." he said in a low voice. "These had to be my masterpiece, I worked so much at them, they had to be perfect."

"Why did you really quit being a dealer? Everyone knew about the weapons you made and the ones you were selling. You earned a lot of money." she asked and turned to him.

"Well... this kind of question I cannot answer." he smirked. She sighed and turned around again.

"What about the book? Do you have it? she asked.
"Yes, it's in that box over there." he said and Naruki moved her gaze at the box. It was small, black and had a circle symbol on it. Only a Hirayama member can open it and since you are one..."

"Kohaku?" she said and turned to him.

"Nani?" he asked rising an eyebrow.

"Arigatou. For everything." she said and leaned her head down. Kohaku made a smirk and sheathed the two weapons which he was holding.

"Don't mention it. It's what friends always do." he said and made a smile. She rose her head and stared at him.

"Yeah. Friends."

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During those two weeks, Naruki trained herself daily and non-stop. She opened the box easily and took the book from it to learn. It was a Book of Techinque which would help her maintain her jutsus longer or make them stronger and efficient. While her katanas were being upgraded she used other ones in order to train her sword skills. Also she bought or went outside the village to get some plants which, she was sure, that would help her.

Not being in the Bingo Book anymore, she wasn't a danger for the villagers not to mention that they didn't recognise her either as the red-head woman who killed many people. She was happy for that too, she could walk around the town like an average person. In her spare time she helped people around with the construction. Kohaku was right, the village would be the one she always knew as her true home.

The village was set among high hills, but on a certain hill was a special location. The Hirayama Compound. She could see clearly even fromt he center of the village the houses which were built up there. So many memories she had there with her family and true happiness she felt there. Why did everything had to collapse so early?

She felt that she was about to cry and restraining herself she turned her head away. Suddenly, she felt a pressure on her shoulder so she looked over it.

"Sad, isn't it? One of the greatest families of this villages lived there and all of them died in just one year." an old woman said. Naruki stared at her face confused. Why did she had a strange feeling about her?

"Yes it is." she said wiping the tears which escaped her eyes.

"What's more sad is that we don't have a leader. The will of Hirayama said that the successor of the previous Kage had to be a certain woman." she said and eyed her.

"So this means that Kazegakure won't have a leader except her?" she asked frowning.

"That's right." she said and made a smile.

"She doesn't want to be the leader?" Naruki asked.

"No." she said shooking her head. " It's not like she doesn't want to. She's just... lost." she smiled.

"Lost?" Naruki asked chuckling. "Where? In world?"

"No. In her heart. She lost herself because she took another path, a path of sin." Naruki wide her eyes open at her words. "But she returned to the right path. But because of the heart she wanted to create she lost her way again." she said smiling.

"Who is this woman?" Naruki asked.

"The woman?" the old lady asked. "I don't know her personally." she smiled.

"Are you sure? You talked like you knew her." Naruki rose an eyebrow.

"Yes. I have never seen her before." she said and turned around. "See you later, miss." she said and waved. Naruki stared at her for a few moments then after the oldy lady walked away, she started to run after her.

"Wait. What's your name?" she asked, but she didn't receive an answer as the old woman disappeared. 'Such a strange a woman.' she thought. 'Who was she?'.

"Oi, there you were!" a voice said and Naruki turned around.

"Oh, Kohaku-kun." she said and watched him while he was panting. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah. I just ran my way here. You are really hard to find." he said. Naruki chuckled and patted him on his shoulder. "They are ready." he said after straightening up. Naruki stopped her laughter and became serious. She tightened her grip around the basket with plants which she was holding.

"Yosh. Let's go." she said and walked away.

Kohaku stared at her back still panting and made a smirk. 'I lied when I told you that back then those were my masterpiece. These ones are.' he thought and started to walk after her.

After they arived at Kohaku's house they went straight towards the attic. She put the basket on the floor and turned to look at Kohaku who was holding the two weapons. He made a few steps towrds her and lend them. Naruki stared at the shining black-white sheaths and took the two blades out of them. She wide her eyes open at the sight of the weapons which she was holding. She could sense how her chakra responded to the blades. She swifted them, cutting the air as they let out a sound. The left was black and right was white, the blades were sharper and the hilts were made of another material which she had never seen at a sword before. She saw that both hilts had Kohaku's symbol meaning that he made them and also a kanji. She made a smirk and rose her gaze to look at him.

"Red?" she asked and rose her right hand. "Crimson?" she said and rose her left hand. Kohaku made a smirk and approached her.

"Bride." he said and pointed at her. She made a small nod and sheathed the weapons.

"I'm leaving tonight." she said while putting the swords around her waist and rising the basket. His smile broke.

"So soon?" he asked.

"Yeah, you know that I don't stay at one place for a longer period." she said and made a small smile then turned around. "I'm going to prepare myself." she said and went towards the shelves with the gear.

"You can take everything you consider that it will help you." he said and made a few steps.

"Hai." she said and felt his hand on her shoulder. He leaned forward until his face was at her ear.

"Be careful with the chakra control. You have a huge ammount of chakra, I tried to make the blades support your chakra but they will succeed only 3/4. If you'll put all your chakra in them, the seal will broke and you can imagine what will happen then." he whispered and tightened his grip." And be careful with the other seal, as well..."

"I know." she murmured. "I wouldn't forget about it even if I want to."

"Do you need anything else?" he asked and let go of her shoulder.

"Information about them, location, missions, their whereabouts and where is the new base." she said.

"I'll see what I can gather by tonight." he said and turned to leave. "I'll let you prepare yourself." he said and left.

Naruki stayed a few seconds then taking a deep sigh she took a place at a table and emptyed the basket.

"Antidotes for all the poisons Sasori uses." she said and started to prepare the plants.

She used all her knowledge about poison and anitidotes. When she joined Akatsuki, leader ordered that she would receive training from each member. She could still remember their brutal, hard and sometimes fatal training, but if it wouldn't have been like that then now she would have already been dead. Their training increased her will power, strength, chakra control and also intelligence. She would find a strategy everytime no matter the situation.

Preparing the medicines it took her about three hours and after she finished she poured each one in small bottles then attached them to an arm band. She rose from the table and went directly to the shelves in search of an armor. There were many kinds of it, different colours, materials but only one caught her attention. She smirked as she approached a black-white one.

It was like her previous Akatsuki clothing but it didn't matter to her. It had black pants, a fishnet, long black shirt and a white chest armor. Still smiling she took the clothes and changed herself into them. She also put on arm guards and the shin guards in feet which she already had. It was tight but she could still move freely. After that she placed her katanas around her waist and the arm band filled with antidotes. She took two pouches and filled them with many scrolls, shuriken, kunais, wires, exploding notes, grenades, needles, soldier pills then attached them to her right leg and at her back.

"I guess that's all." she said loud and turned to leave. She made a few steps then stopped. "Maybe I should take them with me too." she said than turned around. She took some notes which held for "Supress" and put them in her pouch. She took also the black book which she studied these two weeks and a black cloak. "All set." she murmured and left the attic.

When she arrived downstairs she saw thorugh the windows that it was already night. 'Time flies.' she thought then went to the living room.

"Kohaku?" she called.

"Here." he said and Naruki turned to see that he was sitting in his armchair sipping from his cup. "Ready?" he asked then got up.

"Yeah." she said and watched him as he made steps towards her.

"I have one more thing." he said and took something from his pocket. She stared at it with eyes wide open and took it.

"M-My headband?" she asked.

"Hai, I removed the scratch. It was difficult but I succeeded." he said smiling. "And also these." he said and his smile broke. He took papers from his pocket also and gave them to her. "These are all I could gather. Not very good news also." he murmured. She let a deep sigh and took the papers and put them in her pouch. She rose her hands and tied the headband around her forehead.

"I will make them good." she said and let her hands down.

They stared at each other for a few seconds in silence until Kohaku amde a few steps and hugged her tight. She huggd him back and tried to hold back her tears.

"Stay allive." he said after they broke apart. She made a small smile and leaned her head on her right.

"You know that I always do that." she said and rose her hand. "Just believe that."

"I always believed but this time is different." he said and shook hands with her. She shook her head.

"It had been the same everytime. Each time I came to you I always left saying that I have to go to them." she said smiling.

"And I couldn't stop you." he said.

"This will be the last time when I'll say that I have to go to them." she said and winked.

"Promise?"

"Promise, that's my word as shinobi of Kazegakure." she said and left.