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semperdormientes) wrote2015-03-03 11:43 am
semperdormientes) wrote2015-03-03 11:43 am
[Fanfic] Morbid Monday: Kankuro is an ass edition
A/N: I now need fluff after writing this. And I took a ridiculous number of liberties with ninja powers.
She has to ask the Kazekage to repeat himself. Her brother...he just...a cold chill wraps itself around her belly and she can feel it spreading outward as Kankuro explains her assignment again. She's almost sure there's a look of sad understanding on his face as he does, but she's barely paying attention to the words that pass his painted lips. Barely hearing as he assigns her what amounts to a suicide mission on the eve of her twins birthday.
She'd know the peace was more fragile than ever. Knew that negotiations weren't going well. She stares a moment at her brother as he falls silent again. A part of her longs to rage at him for giving her such an untenable task. Another wants to yell at him to say screw you to the council; who else would want her to carry out such a mission. They'd been searching for years to find a way to break the bond between siblings.
"What did they promise you?" The words slip passed her lips broken and cracking like her heart.
"My children and Tenten."
She knows by his tone, by the pleading in his brown eyes that he needs her to understand. That the choice wasn't easy for him, to ask his sister to tear her heart out so that he wouldn't have to tear out his own.That not giving in would have opened much worse doors than simply commanding Temari to murder her husband and children. She could handle massacring most of the Konoha Hyuuga they weren't what one would consider decent. The only ones she wasn't sure about were Hizashi and Hinata. They'd never done anything to truly wrong her husband and he spoke highly of them even now.
She waits for Neji to be asleep.
Rolls them over so she's atop him and lingers almost helplessly as she watches his peaceful face in the dim moonlight through the tiny window. She presses her lips to his; steals his breath away as a single tear rolls down her cheek. She can feel the jagged crack in her heart grow when he ultimately convulses and struggles to get air into his burning lungs. She squeezes her eyes closed tighter, she can't look at him can't see the betrayal in his eyes as the life fades from those white eyes. His hands finally lie still on the bed. She climbs out of bed, arranges the blankets around him so he appears to be only sleeping. Presses a kiss to expanse of pale skin on his forehead and then she straightens, turns sharply on her heel and nearly marches from the room. She's afraid, terrified that if she let's herself think beyond the action she'll crumble to pieces at his side of the bed. What's her happiness compared the continued prosperous development of Suna?
The children are harder.
She's been on a strict no children bypass for assassinations for so long that she forgot how it feels in those early moments. That strange peace between life and death, when the assassin seems to reside purely in limbo. The possibilities of their action or inaction laid out endlessly before them. The entire life of the target unveiling itself before their cold teal eyes-- and then she blinks and her hands shake as she reaches out to brush Hanami's hair out of her face. Her fingers slide effortlessly over her daughters cheek, wrap around her neck.
She's so young, so much life still left to live if she had the chance. She can feel Hanami's pulse beating strong under her fingers, and with a practices twist of her wrist and application of force and pressure the pulse disappears. The only sound of her baby's passing the strangled sob she can't supress.
Temari backs up, her back hitting the wall with light thump and she slides down it into a heap on the floor. She won't cry, she refuses to cry over the lives she has to take as a show of force for Suna. But she's weeping inside as she rests her forehead against her knees. For a long time Temari doesn't move from that spot. Doesn't have the stomach or the strength to kill what remains of her family. But eventually she does and she pushes herself back up along the same wall she'd slid down. Leans against it heavily as she gathers what's let of her frayed nerves as she heads for the kitchen.
Her boys would sleep awhile longer. She heats milk on the stove and sweetens it as she always has for their birthday. Adds a hint of bitter cocoa and when it's nearly done she adds the poison she selected to send them off peacefully. It would be quick and Kazuki and Kozuki wouldn't know it was there. Pouring each a glass, she slides into the rooms of her boys and wakes them as she has every year for as long as they can remember. They're this year, so close to graduating, possibly even ahead of their class with how much time they spend practicing and studying.
There's mischief in their eyes as she hads them the glasses and sings them happy birthday as they both drink the poison treat. Watches as they start to get woozy and the glasses fall from their numb fingers to shatter into shards over the stone floor. She can see their fear and the realization dawning on them that she poisoned them just as they realize that there is nothing they can do to stop it. And then she does sob as her boys take their final breaths slumped over in their beds. She rearranges them just like with Neji. Crosses the room paying no mind to the glass cutting into her bare feet.
She lays them down and closes their eyes with a sweep of her hand. Tucks them in like they're sleeping and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. She doesn't bother sending Kankuro a message that the first part is done. She was watched the whole time, it would be the wise move to do. Ensure she did as ordered instead of trying to sneak her family out of the village and back to Konoha. She takes one last look down the silent hall and then she flees from the Kazekage residence and through the village streets. Knocks the guard at the transport seal unconscious and steals away to Konoha.
There she is met with surprise and distrust.
The Hokage questioning her before releasing her into the custody of her only family after she tells her tale of woe. Tells him the truth that an assassin came and killed her family as they slept. She escaped only because of a yearly ritual with her sons as she watched in horror as her boys slowly died from ingesting some sort of poison.
Hinata is kind to her, welcoming her into the compound with little question against her tale. For five days Temari let's herself grieve. Afraid to sleep for the nightmares she's sure will come.
When she finally makes her move, she's a terror through the compound killing indiscriminately and without the kindness she had with her family. She takes joy in finally slitting the throats of the very men and women that had made Neji suffer for so many years with that cursed seal on his forehead. Pays no mind to the slick feel of blood coating her hands as she summons Kamatari and rains razor sharp winds on members of the branch house.
She's slow in killing Hizashi, a mumbled apology as she wraps him in a vortex of wind and fire and suffocates him much like she had his son. Hiashi isn't as lucky as she dives at him from across the courtyard dodging blows that would have otherwise been crippling to her goal. She's had years to learn the style, to learn how to dance around those deadly jabs and open palms. She won't escape them all, she knows that better than anyone, but she can limit the exact amount of damage done as much as possible. Make her job at least somewhat managable as she gets in close enough to lay an explosive tag on his chest with the shortest fuse possible.
The blast sends her flying, her ears ringing as she finds her niece and nephew standing side by side ready to fight their aunt to protect their home. Her smile is all teeth as she nearly flies across the grass. There's parts of their grandfather dripping still from her clothes and she can't take it gentle with their deaths. Can't give them a peaceful end like their cousins. The girl drops first her head twisted at an in human angle her bright mismatched eyes still wide with terror as the body crumples underneath her. The boy backs away slowly and Temari plucks a stray kunai from the field of bodies she's left in her wake. Spins it deftly around her fingers and sends it flying.
He starts to whirl, but he hasn't quite mastered the Kaiten like his uncle had. Hasn't quite gotten the understanding that he needs to expel his chakra simultaneously as he spins. The kunai slides over the leading edge of the rising wall of chakra to find a home right in his single dark eye. And as he falls she sees both Hinata and Shisui on the other side. Faces set in grim lines. There are tears in Hinata's eyes and Temari is struck suddenly by the memory that there had been complications in the birth of their daughter. Ones that had left them unable to have more children and Temari finds herself experiencing a terrible sort of glee to know she's wiped out the Hyuuga's entire ruling body.
The clan wouldn't end this night, but it might implode on itself in the power vaccuum she created. That would serve Suna well. Her eyes shine with a sort of joyous maddness as she rushes the couple. Kamatari falling just as she leaps into the air. She has nothing left to use, she could kill Hinata or her husband. It doesn't matter which the other will finish her off and she welcomes that end as her wind wrapped hand explodes through her sister-in-law's chest as a kunai slits her throat and a chakra shrouded fist sends her other arm flying from her body.
She can taste blood on her tongue and makes a gurgling laughing sound as she collapses on Hyuuga's last princess. Hanabi dead somewhere in the courtyard. She'd lost track of where all the bodies lay.
In the morning, when the death toll is announced to the Hokage it is accompanied by a demand for vengence. A single missive is sent to Suna demanding the return of Neji Hyuuga and his children to Konoha after this blatant act of war.
They receive no reply.
She has to ask the Kazekage to repeat himself. Her brother...he just...a cold chill wraps itself around her belly and she can feel it spreading outward as Kankuro explains her assignment again. She's almost sure there's a look of sad understanding on his face as he does, but she's barely paying attention to the words that pass his painted lips. Barely hearing as he assigns her what amounts to a suicide mission on the eve of her twins birthday.
She'd know the peace was more fragile than ever. Knew that negotiations weren't going well. She stares a moment at her brother as he falls silent again. A part of her longs to rage at him for giving her such an untenable task. Another wants to yell at him to say screw you to the council; who else would want her to carry out such a mission. They'd been searching for years to find a way to break the bond between siblings.
"What did they promise you?" The words slip passed her lips broken and cracking like her heart.
"My children and Tenten."
She knows by his tone, by the pleading in his brown eyes that he needs her to understand. That the choice wasn't easy for him, to ask his sister to tear her heart out so that he wouldn't have to tear out his own.That not giving in would have opened much worse doors than simply commanding Temari to murder her husband and children. She could handle massacring most of the Konoha Hyuuga they weren't what one would consider decent. The only ones she wasn't sure about were Hizashi and Hinata. They'd never done anything to truly wrong her husband and he spoke highly of them even now.
She waits for Neji to be asleep.
Rolls them over so she's atop him and lingers almost helplessly as she watches his peaceful face in the dim moonlight through the tiny window. She presses her lips to his; steals his breath away as a single tear rolls down her cheek. She can feel the jagged crack in her heart grow when he ultimately convulses and struggles to get air into his burning lungs. She squeezes her eyes closed tighter, she can't look at him can't see the betrayal in his eyes as the life fades from those white eyes. His hands finally lie still on the bed. She climbs out of bed, arranges the blankets around him so he appears to be only sleeping. Presses a kiss to expanse of pale skin on his forehead and then she straightens, turns sharply on her heel and nearly marches from the room. She's afraid, terrified that if she let's herself think beyond the action she'll crumble to pieces at his side of the bed. What's her happiness compared the continued prosperous development of Suna?
The children are harder.
She's been on a strict no children bypass for assassinations for so long that she forgot how it feels in those early moments. That strange peace between life and death, when the assassin seems to reside purely in limbo. The possibilities of their action or inaction laid out endlessly before them. The entire life of the target unveiling itself before their cold teal eyes-- and then she blinks and her hands shake as she reaches out to brush Hanami's hair out of her face. Her fingers slide effortlessly over her daughters cheek, wrap around her neck.
She's so young, so much life still left to live if she had the chance. She can feel Hanami's pulse beating strong under her fingers, and with a practices twist of her wrist and application of force and pressure the pulse disappears. The only sound of her baby's passing the strangled sob she can't supress.
Temari backs up, her back hitting the wall with light thump and she slides down it into a heap on the floor. She won't cry, she refuses to cry over the lives she has to take as a show of force for Suna. But she's weeping inside as she rests her forehead against her knees. For a long time Temari doesn't move from that spot. Doesn't have the stomach or the strength to kill what remains of her family. But eventually she does and she pushes herself back up along the same wall she'd slid down. Leans against it heavily as she gathers what's let of her frayed nerves as she heads for the kitchen.
Her boys would sleep awhile longer. She heats milk on the stove and sweetens it as she always has for their birthday. Adds a hint of bitter cocoa and when it's nearly done she adds the poison she selected to send them off peacefully. It would be quick and Kazuki and Kozuki wouldn't know it was there. Pouring each a glass, she slides into the rooms of her boys and wakes them as she has every year for as long as they can remember. They're this year, so close to graduating, possibly even ahead of their class with how much time they spend practicing and studying.
There's mischief in their eyes as she hads them the glasses and sings them happy birthday as they both drink the poison treat. Watches as they start to get woozy and the glasses fall from their numb fingers to shatter into shards over the stone floor. She can see their fear and the realization dawning on them that she poisoned them just as they realize that there is nothing they can do to stop it. And then she does sob as her boys take their final breaths slumped over in their beds. She rearranges them just like with Neji. Crosses the room paying no mind to the glass cutting into her bare feet.
She lays them down and closes their eyes with a sweep of her hand. Tucks them in like they're sleeping and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. She doesn't bother sending Kankuro a message that the first part is done. She was watched the whole time, it would be the wise move to do. Ensure she did as ordered instead of trying to sneak her family out of the village and back to Konoha. She takes one last look down the silent hall and then she flees from the Kazekage residence and through the village streets. Knocks the guard at the transport seal unconscious and steals away to Konoha.
There she is met with surprise and distrust.
The Hokage questioning her before releasing her into the custody of her only family after she tells her tale of woe. Tells him the truth that an assassin came and killed her family as they slept. She escaped only because of a yearly ritual with her sons as she watched in horror as her boys slowly died from ingesting some sort of poison.
Hinata is kind to her, welcoming her into the compound with little question against her tale. For five days Temari let's herself grieve. Afraid to sleep for the nightmares she's sure will come.
When she finally makes her move, she's a terror through the compound killing indiscriminately and without the kindness she had with her family. She takes joy in finally slitting the throats of the very men and women that had made Neji suffer for so many years with that cursed seal on his forehead. Pays no mind to the slick feel of blood coating her hands as she summons Kamatari and rains razor sharp winds on members of the branch house.
She's slow in killing Hizashi, a mumbled apology as she wraps him in a vortex of wind and fire and suffocates him much like she had his son. Hiashi isn't as lucky as she dives at him from across the courtyard dodging blows that would have otherwise been crippling to her goal. She's had years to learn the style, to learn how to dance around those deadly jabs and open palms. She won't escape them all, she knows that better than anyone, but she can limit the exact amount of damage done as much as possible. Make her job at least somewhat managable as she gets in close enough to lay an explosive tag on his chest with the shortest fuse possible.
The blast sends her flying, her ears ringing as she finds her niece and nephew standing side by side ready to fight their aunt to protect their home. Her smile is all teeth as she nearly flies across the grass. There's parts of their grandfather dripping still from her clothes and she can't take it gentle with their deaths. Can't give them a peaceful end like their cousins. The girl drops first her head twisted at an in human angle her bright mismatched eyes still wide with terror as the body crumples underneath her. The boy backs away slowly and Temari plucks a stray kunai from the field of bodies she's left in her wake. Spins it deftly around her fingers and sends it flying.
He starts to whirl, but he hasn't quite mastered the Kaiten like his uncle had. Hasn't quite gotten the understanding that he needs to expel his chakra simultaneously as he spins. The kunai slides over the leading edge of the rising wall of chakra to find a home right in his single dark eye. And as he falls she sees both Hinata and Shisui on the other side. Faces set in grim lines. There are tears in Hinata's eyes and Temari is struck suddenly by the memory that there had been complications in the birth of their daughter. Ones that had left them unable to have more children and Temari finds herself experiencing a terrible sort of glee to know she's wiped out the Hyuuga's entire ruling body.
The clan wouldn't end this night, but it might implode on itself in the power vaccuum she created. That would serve Suna well. Her eyes shine with a sort of joyous maddness as she rushes the couple. Kamatari falling just as she leaps into the air. She has nothing left to use, she could kill Hinata or her husband. It doesn't matter which the other will finish her off and she welcomes that end as her wind wrapped hand explodes through her sister-in-law's chest as a kunai slits her throat and a chakra shrouded fist sends her other arm flying from her body.
She can taste blood on her tongue and makes a gurgling laughing sound as she collapses on Hyuuga's last princess. Hanabi dead somewhere in the courtyard. She'd lost track of where all the bodies lay.
In the morning, when the death toll is announced to the Hokage it is accompanied by a demand for vengence. A single missive is sent to Suna demanding the return of Neji Hyuuga and his children to Konoha after this blatant act of war.
They receive no reply.