The Tale Of Flowering Fortunes

Murasaki was amazed how slowly the next few days crawled past her. The shock the Village had received when her team died was starting to wear off and people were staring at her less and less than before.

Kakashi kept popping up wherever she went, almost as if he sensed her impending departure.

If he did, though, he disguised it well, but set up a date for the night before she left anyway.

Naruto was almost constantly in trouble, though Murasaki followed him almost constantly, just to check up on him. His main problem was that people would look right through him, so he would act out to get their attention. Murasaki smiled sadly as she watched the blond, who, unbeknownst to him, had acquired an adorable little stalker; the beautiful young Hyuuga heiress, Hinata.

At least he had someone watching over him...paying attention, even if he wasn't.

The last night neared and Murasaki found herself growing a more than a little scared. She had gotten her affairs in order with the hokage, she would return periodically to check up on things and to support her ties to the village, but that was it, until she was to be called back.

They even sealed it by marking her right arm with the spiral tattoo of an ANBU.

From that moment on, it made her realize how dangerous her particular mission was, no matter how many times she'd read it in the files.

When the big night finally came, she was sitting cross legged on her bed, the tattoo still stinging slightly, looking at a few of the items she had ‘accidentally' brought with her from the shrine. Among them was a pair of small, brass bells that were typically used to deter demons and call on the spirits for protection.

Murasaki smiled, lifting them up and examining them on their bright red ribbon. She remembered a story that her father had told him about when he first became a gennin, involving a pair of bells.

She smiled, their soft timbre cutting the silence. She slipped them in her pocket as Kakashi knocked on her door. At least...they might make a good parting gift...

He surprised her at the door with a large chrysanthemum.

"I...ah, wasn't sure if I got it right the first time...I knew red was the color of life...and the chrysanthemum...a thousand years..." He said, shoving one hand in his pocket and offering her his arm.

Murasaki smiled up at him. "Yes...a thousand years of life...I got that when I saw the first one...thank you..." She said, slipping her arm through his.

They went to the memorial stone, where there was nothing but silence, and had a small, simple picnic, watching the sun as it set. She smiled to herself as she stared down into her tea.

He was so romantic...the night was so peaceful and sad...

Kakashi leaned back on his elbows, staring up at the sky before glancing at her.

"You don't have to be so formal all the time...miss manners..." He teased. Murasaki blushed, setting her tea down and shifting so she was cross legged.

"I know you're leaving tomorrow..." He said after a few minutes of listening to the night birds singing. Murasaki was silent, returning her attention to her tea. "Don't try to hide it...Sarutobi told me you were...he just wouldn't say where to or how long...you don't have to tell me...I understand..." He said quietly. "I just wanted to spend one last night..."

Murasaki shivered, sitting on her knees once again and edging towards him.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered, blinking down at her tea.

He smiled up at her. "Hey, don't be...It was fun, the little bit we were together, finally getting along..." He said with a sad laugh. Murasaki sighed, reaching out and absently stroking He smiled, closing his eyes and shifting so that his head was in her lap.

"I actually feel safer when you're here..." He said after a long silence. "Like...I don't have to worry as much...I have to admit...your father hiding you in that geisha house until the war was over was pretty clever...but it made it harder for me..." He said quietly. "I didn't mean any offence by that...just so you know..."

Murasaki blinked down at him in surprise. She had no idea that's what went on.

"None taken...I guess..." She said with a half smile, still playing with his hair.

He sat up.

"I should get you home...you have to be out of here early tomorrow..."

Murasaki nodded with a sad sigh. "Yeah, before the sane people get up..." she added with a sarcastic laugh.

He chuckled, helping her up.

"Come on, Murasaki..." He said offering her his hand and dropping honorifics. She smiled and took it. It was warm and calloused, and brought her just the comfort she needed at the moment.

He walked her home, pausing on the porch and looking around almost suspiciously as Murasaki reached in her pocket, her hand closing around the small brass bells.

"I have something for you...It's nothing much..." she said, pulling her fist out of her pocket as he blinked down at her in surprise. She handed him the bells.

"They're...from the shrine...I know that your clan had issues with Shinto...I just..."

"I love them...I'll keep them forever..." He said, smiling down at them as he shook them slightly. "These are for what...protection, right? Or is it summoning spirits?"

Murasaki smiled at his obvious effort. At least he was trying. "Traditionally...they're for protection...but those are to remember me by..." She said, staring sadly at her feet. He jingled them slightly before tucking them into his belt.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it...And keep them closed...please..."

Murasaki obeyed, and moment's later she felt him tilt her head softly upwards, kissing her gently. She put her arms around his neck, leaning into the kiss. It was sweet and innocent, but full of so much promise. He put his arms around her waist before burying his face in her neck.

"I'm going to miss you..." He said softly, pulling away. Murasaki waited respectfully for him to pull his mask up before opening her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you too...but...I'll be coming back every once in a while...so...maybe..."

He nodded. "Yeah...I don't want to lose track of you..." He said quietly. "I'll let you go...goodbye, Murasaki..." He said, touching the red line on her right cheek. Murasaki closed her eyes.

"'Bye, Kakashi..." She whispered. When she opened the, he was gone. She sighed and went back into her apartment, the feeling of his kiss still clinging to her lips.



ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo



She awoke well before dawn the next day, Jiraiya already up and getting things ready.

"So how did things go last night?" He asked as she came out wearing the clothes of a miko.

Murasaki sighed quietly, fidgeting with the ties of the red hakama. "You know...it's weird...we were right there the entire time...but it wasn't until now of all times that we realized what might have been..."

"You talk like one of you is going to die..." Jiraiya said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. She took off her head band, folding it gently and handing it to him.

"You never know...when it comes to Shinobi and Kunoichi...someone might not come back..." She said quietly. Jiraiya sighed.

"Of the many words I hoped you would never say, those were in my top ten..." He said, putting his arm around her and kissing her forehead where her headband used sit.

"You should get going now...before everyone gets up...the black-ops at the gate know you're leaving...I'll take care of the files...Good luck, sweetheart." He said as he let go and watched her slide her wooden geta sandals on and head out the door. She draped the straw cloak around her shoulders, the umbrella hat in hand.

The morning was cold and grey as she tied the red strings of the hat on, looking back at the village with a sad smile.

"Hey, miko-san!"

She heard a boy's voice call. She turned around and saw Naruto, looking like he had yet to go to bed that night. His hands were covered in red and blue paint.

"Hey! Some guy told me to give you this!" He said, shoving a red chrysanthemum and a note into her hands. Murasaki blinked and smiled.

"Why thank you, ototou..." She said, ruffling his hair with a sad smile. He looked up at her, almost hopefully, before turning the other way and running off through the streets. Murasaki sighed, watching him go and letting her fingers play across the crimson petals before tuning and looking around before heading off down the road.

Once she was to the intersection about five miles away, she unfolded the note and read. It simply said that he loved her.

It was all she could do to keep from turning and heading back to the village, torn between scolding him for saying that too soon and going back to tell him the same. She sighed and tucked the note in the front of her kimono just as a wagon came up the road.

The farmer offered her a ride as far as the border of water country, and she took it, of course. She dwelled silently on the note, turning it over in her head, trying to decide if he had taken it too far, or made it better or worse.