Behind Paper Fans and Tea Ceremonies

Behind the Mask

It had been uncomfortable at first, to be desired so, but she'd learned to turn it into another skill of hers. Why not take advantage of what has been presented to you?

There was one tiny flaw in her theory – she was pretty sure Sasuke knew she was married.

'But then again, it doesn't stop scores of people of wanting what they shouldn't, does it?'

Thus, she'd taken the first step. At the earliest presented opportunity, she'd introduced herself. Smiled, acted charmingly, sweet and innocent. But Sasuke's expression had remained a polite mask.

'He's shinobi, of course they learn to suppress their emotions, keep a blank face, follow orders like a simple-minded soldier.'  Naruto huffed.

It was one of the reasons she never understood the appeal of belonging to a Hidden Village.

"But no matter, Sasuke-san," Naruto grinned, "I'll figure out what's going on in your head soon enough. I don't need you tailing me around when I have important things to do. And if wrapping you around my little finger will do that job, well, I'm all for it."

***

Sasuke kept to his post with religious intensity for the next couple of days. He needed time to process all that he'd witnessed, learned.

First there was Naruto, the maid. Was she a spy as he'd first assumed? Or was she working for the Daimyo? The conversation earlier with the Nobleman's son seemed to suggest she'd been called here to help – and that was another thing. Called to help? That suggested an arsenal of skills, an arsenal he had yet to discover.

Then there was Sai, the gardener. Who was not a simple gardener either. As a shinobi from Konoha – for there was no doubt he was the mysterious ninja who'd come with the Hokage – he should have technically joined the Daimyo's guard. However, he seemed to be working undercover. It suggested that something was afoot, just like he had suspected. And the Hokage was aware of it.

"My name is Sai."

Sasuke gave a terse smile, "You appear to be new. When did you join?"

"Oh, not very long! But I am very good and the maintenance staff needed some help in the gardens."

The conversation had barely gone further than that. Sasuke had gotten nothing from him. Sai seemed like a blank individual; every time a question was asked of him, he would have a reasonable answer ready, but nothing else. Polite, cold, distant.

Something was going on, however and there were too many unknowns at this point. He couldn't trust anyone – not even Sai, who seemed to be the Hokage's plant in the Daimyo's court.

"Block! Step back, step back! Be nimble on your feet, Junichiro-sama!"

Sasuke blamed this on the weeks of playing stalker, because the courtyard was noisy, and yet Naruto's voice pierced through it all to reach his ears. Before he could think of ignoring it and going back to his quarters for some well deserved rest, his feet were carrying him towards it.

There she was. Instead of her usual yukata – the standard maid uniform – she was clad in a short green tunic and black pants that come up to her calves. She was also wearing sandals, not slippers. The expression on her face was one of concentration, eyes sharp as they tracked her charge and words both reprimanding and encouraging as she corrected him. For the first time, Sasuke could look at her and see something other than a "maid". Naruto looked like an experienced fighter, movements fast and precise.

'There is no sign of her fumbling, scared expression that I'd seen back then, during that mission.' Sasuke leaned back against the trunk of a tree, chakra coating the soles of her feet when he remembered, 'But wait...that time, she had not molded chakra. In fact, so far, I have never seen her do so. Even the most seasoned spies fall back to instinctual responses upon given a sudden stimulus – or we would never be able to extract information from a trained shinobi. Even Sai slipped up, using chakra in however small amounts...'

But not her. Not Naruto. When the carriage had lurched, they had all remained still, seated in their positions. Naruto had not. Had it been truly because she was incapable of using chakra, or had she foreseen such a chance and acted on it to help her escape?

Sasuke shook his head, 'Don't get carried away! Even she couldn't have anticipated that. I need to stop assuming things about her... Even she has her limits, her moments when she slips up. That was one of them. It is not enough to say with certainty, but it definitely brings up doubts – can she mold chakra?'

And if Naruto couldn't... then was Sasuke wrong? Was Naruto not a ninja – were her actions only a product of his overactive imaginations?

"That is not how Kawata-sensei taught me!" Junichiro's complaint brought Sasuke out of his thoughts.

"In a fight, you cannot put all those niceties in use, Junichiro-sama!" Naruto laughed, "You must act fast and use dirty tricks to win!" The boy frowned, clearly doubting her words. Naruto tacked on, not giving him time to retort, "Be victorious in your battles, Junichiro-sama, for the winners are the ones capable of mercy."

"Eh? I don't get it..."

Sasuke, quite honestly, didn't get it either. The winners were capable of mercy? To win in a fight, you must be merciless. You cannot hesitate. You strike first and lower your shield last.

'From her words, she doesn't sound like a maid at all. More like a –'

Sasuke's musings and the sword-fighting lesson, both were brought to an abrupt end then. The sound of a bugle pierced the air and Sasuke was immediately brought to attention. He recognised what it was – it had been decided upon weeks ago.

It was the signal.

Kaori-sama was giving birth.