A Wonderful Meal

Nasamea's parents had came home that day, finishing their busy lives. Her parents would come home, rest and eat and enjoy each others company and wait for their daughter to get back from her work as a shinobi. Then they would probably all sit down in front of the television and eat a family meal together and enjoy being together as a family under the warm air. They might enjoy the occasional bowl of ice cream and talk about each others days and hang around and do some chores before nightfall. But today would be different. When her parents arrived home before she did, they found a note written in executive print, signed by what seemed to be the CEO of a spa treatment company in the village streets. It was exceptionally expensive and top class, but the tickets that were inside of the door were already paid for and it was an all day, all night treatment and then some. How could her parents pass up the opportunity to fine dine on aged wine and steaks cooked right in front of you by chefs that made more than they did combined? They wouldn't. They bailed the first chance they got, because they knew they could trust Nasa with the house. Her parents left a spare key under the special place outside just in case, dropped their work stuff in the house and almost ran with giddy excitement to the spa.

Inside wasn't silent. There wasn't a criminal or evil intent lurking in sight. That is, if you missed Shinshou standing int he kitchen. He was cooking up something wonderfully delicious, something that most people would run for on a cool day such as this. His black suit jacket was on the sofa, laid over neatly in a light fold. He took off both of the custom alligator shoes, showing his expensive black socks. He still wore his black slacks and black undershirt, but had an apron on that said, 'kiss the chef' right in the center of it. In front of him, a medley of uncooked ingredients lay at his wait. There was the specially made dough, from stretch of course that fluffed and flaked when when cooked to a buttery golden brown. Home grown vegetables, string beans, peas, corns and carrots. Raw chicken breast, a lovely creme sauce which wasn't too fatty and some chicken stock and other seasonings and preparations which he was working with. However, to be the only one in the house, there wasn't an exact reason as to why he had doubles of everything. The homemade fruit juice had been chilled in two cups, there had been two plates, two forks and even two napkins. One would assume that he planned on having a guest over.

Where ever Nasa was, she would be on her way home. It was against her will of course, Shinshou had to see her. Shinshou ran a large underground group of criminals under the radar of the village. He wasn't the boss of all the crime, why would he subject himself to being the target of the police force? But he definitely was one of the more larger organized groups of crime. His group laid low, mastering control over petty crimes and even some hardcore ones dealing with drugs, prostitution and some cases of slavery. The goons he had all carried a picture of her, from head to toe. In pairs, they were sent out to find her, but one of those groups would definitely run into her at a local tea shop deep in Konoha. They wouldn't harm a hair on her head, or even look at her wrong, but they would trick her into thinking that her parents weren't safe with a well prepared story of how they were neighbors from the lower level apartments that had seen her folks get into an accident and ask that they find her. She would run home to help them, but instead run into a wonderful meal.

The past few days were becoming rather interesting the more time went on. She had departed from home sometime early in the morning to feast off some humans, watched the morning sun rise, and even did some clothes looking in town. Needless to say she was bored. The night before, after her run in with Shi during her star gazing session with Mitsu, she had told Mitsu to meet up with her later that day to discuss what she was, why she was it, and whatever else. She left home early to think of ways to best describe it and to basically get a break from life. The constant feeling of "where will Shi pop up next?" was driving her insane. She wanted to know where he was, what he was doing, why he started all this, and she didn't even know what all. The more she thought the longer the list grew and she was only making herself more worried and confused. So, she needed this break. Sadly though, she didn't find any interesting clothes to wear.

After her meeting with Mitsu and finishing the tea, Nasamea returned him his newly washed unfurry jacket and took her leave. She explained that she had to get back home and catch up on her chores since she'd been slack. It wasn't exactly true for she had been caught up for a long time now and even done extra, but she did want to go home and relax. Her parents didn't usually get home until later in the evening anyway so it gave her some quiet time. She was excited. She could just feel the silence surround her while her soul became at peace and -

"NASAMEA!"

She stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at a man running towards her. She blinked once in confusion before an angry expression casted over her. 'Great, some civilian. But how did he know my name? She doubted she was that popular. Unless she was known as 'the angry girl' or something.

"You're Nasamea right?"

He stopped and placed his hands on his kness, panting some. It were as though he just ran a mile or more. There was sweat on his brow and everything. She nodded, eyeing him with caution.

"Thank God I found you!!!" he shouted before straightening up, "you have to follow me! Please! It's urgent!"

"What's wrong?" she asked. Her voice was extremely calm compared to his shouting frantic tone.

"Your parents! The neighbors yelled for me to get you. They said to look for a genin girl with purple hair, that I couldn't miss her. That doesn't matter though. Your parents are in trouble! We really need to go!"

She looked at him with uncertainty, "but my parents are at work."

The man shook her his head, "what? No they aren't. Why the hell else would someone send me damnit!? This better not be some joke!"

Okay, now that man's face was turning red. There HAD to be something wrong. He seemed questionably serious before but now he was growing very pissed off, frantic, and unstable. She caved in.

"Lets go then. Explain to me whats wrong as we run."

"Run!?

"Yes, run"

Suddenly she took off at a steady pace. A loud groan was heard behind her before she heard man take off. Little did she know there was a grin on his face now, the angry expression faded. He caught up with her slow pace, causing her to speed up some as she did.

"They apparently," he coughed, were injured. Something about someone ambushing them. Luckily the neighbors showed up to help fend the attacker off. But they still left them injured. Your mother received a nasty bite wound apparently. There weren't any dogs or animals seen though."

Nasamea suddenly looked at him as though she had seen a ghost. The look of complete utter horror on her face and now pale skin was all her saw before she suddenly took off as fast as her legs could carry her. She heard her heart beat and felt the strain on her legs as her mind ran a thousand miles a minute. She gained tunnel vision as she ran, not noticing that the man was keeping up with her at a distance and that another one was now right beside him. She was running to fast and her head was elsewhere, she wasn't paying much of any attention at all now.


The moment she arrived she noticed that a few people were standing around her door talking. She didn't see the neighbors or other civilians but wasn't paying to much attention. She shoved two out of the way with a strong force, nearly knocking one off balance, before she twisted the door and shoved herself across the threshold.

"What happen-"

She set her sights right on Takumo, the man she believed started all of this. Suddenly, her facial expression went from horror to a confused and distant stare to flat out anger. Out of all the emotions shes expressed around anyone, this was by far the realest thing yet. She had a look of confusion and fear but now she was overcome with pure rage. Her eyes flared to gray as she snarled.

"What are you doing here...", she asked, her voice sounding as though she were about to kill him.

Her eyes were fixed on his chest as she waited. All she wanted to do was tear him to shreds. She hated Shi some but this man she hated more than anyone else. She wanted to rip him up and scatter his limbs everywhere before draining him of his blood. She was thinking like a monster but this was exactly what rage did to someone. She knew he was stronger and she knew she didn't have run to change so she wasnt sure what to do. She would just have to wait, watch, and listen.

Shinshou's head was dipped as his gloved hands reached in the oven and pulled out two personal pot pies, steaming and filling the air with the aroma. The crust had flaked up to a nice golden brown, and he moved the pan they were on to a the counter top and lightly buttered them with some spray butter. He took each pie and placed them quickly on separate plates, and grabbed the juice and poured a cup for him and Nasamea. "Oh, I just let myself in to welcome you home. Your parents didn't mind it, seeing that I'm Shihouin's father and they didn't seem to know much about the trouble you've been having with him lately. Welcome home Nasamea, don't look so frightened, I've cooked a meal for you." He motioned for her to go over to the sofa and sit down, where he was moving all the food and the drinks too.

The doors closed sharply the both of them, and the two goons that had tricked Nasa in to going home were both standing inside, blocking the exits to the doors. There seemingly normal civilian faces weren't so pretty now, they held grim and ugly looks as if they wanted to ravage her and do threatening things to her. They weren't that skilled, but if Nasa really wanted to get out, she would definitely have to kill at least one of them. That is if she was willing to kill. "Come on now young one, sit down and eat your pot pie before it gets cold. It's my special recipe, and I'd like you to taste it while I talk to you about something important." He paused and his cheery voice turned to one of suspense, filled with dark thoughts. "Something that's very important to Shihouin and your relationship with him..." He knew that would bait her into talking to him.

Shihouin's father? Her pupils narrowed at this, taking the shape of a cat's eye. She appeared to be angry but shocked again. Which left her expression appearing confused. The scent of the food passed up her noes and partially made her mouth water. She hated human food but she didn't mind some types of juice and pot pie. In fact she almost loved it. Problem was her parents rarely made it because they were always busy. They liked it as well though, just not as much as her. She could eat it all the time. Her stomach didn't always accept it though. Maybe that's why they never made it, the food always made her sick afterwards. Sad day.

Suddenly the door slammed behind her, causing her to jump and turn her head back to to see the two goons from before. A feeling off being trapped now set in as she glared at them and walked forward.They way they peered down at her made her want to transform right then and there. What would their faces look like then? Fear? Anger? Sorrow? She hoped the first. She wanted them to be afraid. She wanted to kill them. After walking forward she stood half way between the counter and doors now, her glare moving from the goons to Shihouin's dad, Takumo, again. She needed to keep her attention on the leader. By destroying the leader the goons may be to afraid to stick to their goals, whatever they may be, or break apart. That is, if they stupid. She wasn't sure about them. She didn't care either.

"Come on now young one, sit down and eat your pot pie before it gets cold. It's my special recipe, and I'd like you to taste it while I talk to you about something important."

She opened her mouth and raised a hand as if she were about to protest but he didn't give her the chance.

"Something that's very important to Shihouin and your relationship with him..."

This bitch.... If she wasn't so curious about what he had to say she would fight back. She would lay everything on him about Shi suddenly changing because of him suddenly showing up. About, well, everything. Her eyes continued to glare at him as she hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. She heard her footsteps in the white carpet as she crossed the room to the table and sat down across from him. She hated that feeling she tended to get when her enemy won. By obeying, she felt he thought he had won and now she was filled with more rage. She glared at the pot pie now, smelling it as it sat there before pushing it away. She wanted it, bad. But she couldn't trust him. So she wouldn't eat it.

Her attention turned back to him now as she waited for him to speak. The shielded glare never leaving her face.

He wondered why she hadn't said a word at all. Was she listening or not? Did she even care anymore? Sure Shihouin had put her through a lot, but all he got from her was mixed emotions and no particular response. She wanted to eat the pie, but at the same time, the fear of being poisoned or something horrible happening to her was covering her in a cloud of doubt and uncertainty. He could see it, he could see it well. He almost laughed her, but he contained himself and kept a straight face the entire time. After he took a bite out of the pie, he looked towards her and then took a swallow of the fresh juice he had made himself.

"You should at least say something, don't sit there the entire time and look at me." He smiled. "Anyways, it's not going to poison you if you eat or not. I could have poisoned you the moment you came into the room through the air conditioner, or had these goons do it in your sleep. If I wanted to cause harm to you, I would have had you come to my house were traps are set on every tile brick and around every corner, yet you see me here in your own home. You know where everything is, you have the advantage here. So eat child."

He took another bite and then started talking about what she really wanted to hear. "Shihouin's going through a bit of turbulence emotionally if you will. It's not that he's unstable, the boy is perfectly stable mentally, but he doesn't know what he wants to do with you. I don't personally mean to objectify you like that, but it's the truth. You're the only thing standing in his way for power, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill you within seconds, but for some reason that day he didn't. That doesn't matter, because after I told him my plans were off, he didn't change. It's like the boy doesn't care about you anymore, and I find that troubling. He always cared about you, from the day he met you, but now when he has the chance to turn back to you he doesn't want you there. To him, you're better off dead." He took a sip of the juice and continued. "He's Chuunin now, and he's only going to get stronger and stronger, probably become strong enough to take out a few Jounin. I need you to do me a favor and make me a promise. I need you kill him. Can you do that?"

"So eat child."

Everything he had said up to this point was rather valid. He could have taken her out the moment she entered the room or even sent assassins to kill her off. This all seemed to easy going though. If he killed her through assassination whether it be via sleep or in town, theres the chance someone would notice or be around. Putting poison in the AC, her parents could be killed from it as well and why would he include more than he had to? It was all to casual for her. Putting something in her food or drink, whether it be poison or even a date rape drug to knock her out, was something that tended to be predictable yet unpredictable. Had she consumed the whole drink, evaporation would remove any evidence left. Devouring the food would eliminate majority of the evidence or all of it depending on what was in it. She wasn't convinced.

So, being a pain in the butt, she simply pressed lightly against the food to push it a bit further from her while she continued to glare at him. Her plot was this. The more silent she was, the more he had room to talk, and finally the more she could study him. That and maybe he would slip and tell her something he didn't mean to. It wasn't a very good plan but it was better than bombarding him with a bunch of questions; this would come later. For all she knew, he would just feed her anything she wanted to hear. If he wasn't now that is. All and all, she waited for when the time was right to speak. For now he would just get a solid brick wall with a glare painted on its face. This much was certain.

"Shihouin's going through a bit of turbulence emotionally if you will. It's not that he's unstable, the boy is perfectly stable mentally, but he doesn't know what he wants-"

As he continued, she listened, but overall she grew a sense of anger beginning to grow and expand within her being. The inner fire she felt and used when training her fire jutsu was being fueled and it wouldn't be long before the out burst or rage sparked into a blaze. Watching her face, he would see her eyes turn a solid grey as her pupils sharpened more. She would gain the eyes of a beast waiting to unleash and attack anything it saw in front of it. Chakra shaped around her teeth as they began to sharpen, as well as her finger nails. Her hands were placed casually clasped on her black shorts beneath the white clothed table. The smell of the food became bittersweet, she no longer wanted it. She wasn't hungry, she didn't want to feast on someone's blood, she just wanted the man dead again. She barely wanted to let him finish but she needed to hear all he had to say before deciding what she should do. To bad she didn't wish to accept it though.

As he took a sip of his juice and began to talk once more, he asked her to promise him something she felt she would never accept. She quickly picked up her own juice, stood up, and threw it at him; not caring whether it spilled all over him or the floor. She preferably wanted him to be soaked but she had a feeling he would dodge, which only piss her off more.

"How the hell do you even manage to call yourself a father!? If it wasn't for you maybe he wouldn't have been so brainwashed in the first place! Maybe then he wouldn't be consumed by thoughts of trying to murder someone who actually cares about. Stop meddling in the affairs of others. Especially your own damn sons!"

She snarled then, not able to contain it anymore as the breath caused her whole chest to rumble. It were as though the real original form were standing before him. Minus the fact it was concealed within this small human girl form at the moment. She began to fidget some and found herself stepping away from the chair and pacing a bit. She continued to watch him as much as she could, the glare still across her face as she watched him. If her eye had the power to destroy someone, this man would have never existed. Her fists clenched, she wasn't done yet. Stopping, she turned back to him and started to yell yet again.

"How exactly am I even standing in his way? I haven't even been around him! If he wants this so called power so bad then why is he wasting his time trying to kill me? Why isn't he out training and trying to achieve it!"

She hoped everything stung him like a knife to the heart. Maybe then he could feel what she had. Thats what she wanted, him to feel her pain. No, that wasn't enough. It wasn't Shi she hated, it was this man. His supposable father. She stopped pacing and her eyes continued to burn with a force. All she wanted to do was turn and murder this man. What was his deal? What did he want with her and Shi? Why was he here wasting his time on her? It was driving her insane.

The juice soaked Shinshou entirely and it was obvious he didn’t expect it. His mouth open and his body shook a bit from the cold shock of the fruit flavors, and the deep color spilled all over his very expensive shirt. He looked at her under wet hair and face, staring at her as she stood up boisterously and started to shout. Instead of getting agitated, he calmly reached to his pocket and withdrew a silk handkerchief, opened it up and dabbed his face clean of the cold juice. He sighed deeply, almost as if he knew that she would give him this sort of horrible reaction. Anger didn’t describe the way her thundering voice came across to him, but perhaps it had been one of the better descriptions.

What she didn't seem to understand was that she had been dragged into this helplessly by love, like girl dragging her favorite doll into a sanbox only to eventually lose it. Her feelings and emotions had only been registered by Shihouin, and for that time his aptitude for her love had been cut short, very short by his father. Shinshou held a deep lack of emotional feelings, he lived in an area were morally gray was comfortable and peaceful, in between vibrant moral right, and the blind darkness of apathy. He held normal feelings a show, putting them on like a change of clothes. His son was his concern, but not the way a normal parent might be concerned about them. Concern for him was wondering when he would learn to murder as he did, murder people without second thought, as if they were only cattle and he was the owner of a slaughterhouse. What this girl didn't understand was that she had been dragged into this helplessly by love, led into this like a stray dog walking up to a fresh bowl of meat, unaware that owner was feeding them meat from murder.

In his mind, of course she couldn't penetrate to his thoughts, he was testing her. Her current power level was enough to drive Shihouin into a corner, but Shihouin carried the pride of a lion and would do more than just bite back. If need be, if threatened enough, Shihouin would kill if he had to. He understood his son more than she thought he did, and even though he sat in the murky waters of morally gray, he had an ounce of care for him. After all, he had carried him in his sac, transplanted him into another womb, only to develop him. Shihouin had been bred from good blood, as if he were a pedigree of the clan, furnished in an ovary which had always been tested and prodded at to ensure proper development. Shihouin's life had been planned before birth, and everything up until then was still going his way.

Her agitation covered her entire body in tiny fits. It was as if ants were moving across her body, the way her veins and hands clenched tight and relaxed, only then to clench back harder more than they did before. Infuriated with rage she snarled at him, as if she were a feral child, raised by beasts and brought up by savages. Fury began to set in, she was losing it when she talked again. Shinshou calmly looked at her, and cleared his throat in attempt to try to catch her attention and thwart her from her rage. He talked with a cold, tone this time. That one she would remember from when they first met. Like his voice was stuck to the insides of his throat, like wet rotten mold or things best left untouched.

"To kill, is to understand things beyond our moral comprehension. Society, the society we live in abhors killing and murder, but are ready to fun the Leaf ninja with money, food, and even other things to kill for them. How then, does that make any sense at all? Is society so selfish that they will not stand for killing within their own doors but allow for members of itself to go out and kill? This realization comes with age, but can be quickened through murder. Cast everything you think you know about Shihouin aside and ask yourself. Why did he not try to kill me?"

Shinshou stood up from his spot calmly, as to not send her into one of her fits again or give her any excuse to attack him. He reached his hands up to his neck, his thick fingers and short nails fumbled around for the gold buttons on his shirt. One by one, and quicker each time he began to unbutton them until his hairy chest began to protrude, and an old, but muscular frame began to show. He went down about halfway. He pointed one of his fingers to a spot right over his heart, and if she looked through his hair she would be able to see a row of stitches. It ws about two inches long and deep black to hide it.

"The year was 0607, about thirty years ago from this date. I was in ANBU and I was assigned on a private mission to infiltrate and kill a group of S Ranks planning a possible attack on the village. Deep within the comforts of ANBU and secure with morally gray, I had no intel. I were told it was a group of S Ranks, but I had no what or why. I was just given faces and told to attack. My mission almost failed, but one of them left me with a permanent scar and a flaw in my body as a last ditch effort to kill me." He began to button his shirt up, wrestling with the buttons as he did it. "Even though Shihouin grew up thinking that I was his uncle, he has always known that I have had a weak point there, a scar there. I shared it with him to be the ideal uncle he needed since his parents were forcing him down a life of mundane experiences. From a child, he has always known. Always, that I have a hole in my chest, a hole leading directly to my heart. Look at where he stabbed you, we share something in common. He stabbed you in the same exact spot. Luckily, you hold regenerative abilities, but emotionally the question why will always remain there. Every time you think why, you feel a sinking feeling in this same spot, don't you?" He finished with his damp shirt and sat back down, crossing his legs calmly as he waited for her response.

She was losing touch with reality and sinking into a realm where she saw nothing but red. The color of the food she needs to survive. The color of passion but also of hatred and anger. It resembled fire, the undying will. One simple color matched many things but the reason she was seeing this was rather obvious. Her body quaked and fidgeted some as she sank within an inner part of her mind, feeling the internal flames reaching her surface and driving her to think like something she wasn't. It were as though the flames, her flames, were casting a will upon her that made her who she was not. She didn't want to be a monster. If she murdered, she wanted to do so with a purpose. Not because of hatred. She felt that this man corrupted Shi but in a different sense, had corrupted her. Or had she allowed her own self to feel this turmoil.

The feeling of regret began to create an aura around her as she began to hear the man speak. His words rumbled through her much like her snarl had. She felt the thoughts of her and Shi pulse but fade to black while new ones sprang forth. Memories of her past pulsed as she recalled the blood streaking the white carpet of her abode. She heard her mothers snarls and cries as she tried defending her broken father. She remembered her father coming to her and telling her to run before she saw him be slaughtered as she ran away like a dog between its legs. These vivid imagine shined within her mind while her distant eyes rested on the man. She calmer externally but was becoming rather frazzled inside. Overall though she wasn't out to kill him anymore, or at least not for now, but this was because she made herself so internally confused that she was unsure what to do. So she just listened to what all he had to say.

His logical thinking made sense and gave her a sense, giving her a sense of distraught as she began to think with the mind set of her enemies actions. In her eyes, a woman murdered her family for the fact of territory and power. Although this was true, that same woman had a large clan who needed food, shelter, and more. Wouldn't any leader wish to provide its followers with everything they could? The womans actions made sense, but couldn't things be worked out peacefully? Maybe peacefully wasn't the way the clan went since it was two different sides. It would become difficult for the followers to choose between two Kisaki due to their scents. It overpowered them sometimes. Things... made more sense.

Now she was calm but the truth made her sit down. She crossed to the white couch and sat with her head in her hands as she listened. To much at once but she needed him to continue. She needed to know what else he had to offer. When it came to Shi, she knew there was something up considering he had not killed her. He had multiple chances but here she was. This didn't make sense and in a way this drove her anger more towards the man. She felt he pushed Shi but that Shi didn't want to do it. That the man was feeding her lies. She just listened. She saw the scar and was ready for his story behind it, her head resting back in her hands.

"Every time you think why, you feel a sinking feeling in this same spot, don't you?"

She hesitated to respond for a moment but soon enough her nod came. She did.
Nasamea lifted her head to him and peered at the table before him.

"But we are nothing alike......" she said, pausing for a moment to gather her thoughts, "you have far more experience than I.

This was something she would never ever admit to a single soul no matter who it was unless they were that close to her. Although he wasn't her father, uncle, grandpa, or bestest friend; she still let him know anyway. It was a representation for how low she felt at this moment. She was now a tamed creature locked in a imaginary cage. One day she would arise again but for now she was all about listening and making her thoughts run together to make sense. So much to think about and yet she still felt as though she were lost. Things just weren't adding up. It were as thought no matter how much information she was fed she couldn't solve the puzzle and was left baffled. She needed him to keep talking. She actually had something to say now. But.. she couldn't bring herself to ask.

She gazed up at him now, taking a very high risk as she made direct eye contact. She searched for his feelings and saw emptiness. But more so, she wanted him to see her confusion and pleading. She wanted to ask why she was attacked in the same place he had. Why Shi was doing now. She wanted to ask numerous things but didn't know how to.

So she summoned more courage.

"Why are you telling me all of this...."

Her question came in the form of a near whisper but she was still troubled. Eventually something would quell her thoughts and release her anxiety and distress but for now, she would need more information first.

She was finally able to understand that she wasn't alone in this dark room of confusion. That, the swirling thoughts full of ambiguity had not left her entirely alone, and that the person she grew to dislike was in the same darkness with her. Where confusion and mystery lurked hand in hand, there was also someone else who had been going through the same thing, hidden by the very blackness of the situation, right there in front of her. He wasn't the type that she might normally associate Nasa with, but it didn't matter. She understood now, and now they could at least walk the dark path somewhat together.

He sat down in a collected position, and looked at her as her world began to slowly spin off it's axis. Swooping around and around, losing more and more balance as it continued on. These feelings that washed around in her head were beginning to become muddled. Something as clear and bright as love, had now become dark and dank like stagnant mud. Doubt began to come in, migrating its way like a flock of scavenger birds to her head, picking at anything they could get from her thoughts, eating it without remorse or care for her own sanity. Feasting on her as if she was a dog cast to the side of the road, not dead, but dying. He almost thought that she would faint from all of it, but she held steady and the fury and rage began to subside, and she once again resumed the look of a lady, not a beast.

"Experience doesn't matter when your body has aged past it's time. Doctors say they don't know much time I have left. Shihouin was cultivated from my cells, it wasn't a normal birth. My Mangekyou Sharingan was different. It wasn't one that granted powers, of course I gained from it, but not only with blindness, came aging, sickness and poison eating away at my innards. We had to cultivate the proper child so that this horrible trait would not affect the generation of the Uchiha to come. You have dabbled in pond that contains piranha, Nasamea, and Shihouin is definitely not the fisher. He-" He was going to continue to say something but they were interrupted.

The door burst open and a cloaked man walked in rapidly, carrying a familiar weight and height around him. Due to Nasa's position when she moved to get up, the only person he would see was Shinshou. And so without checking his corners or anything, assuming nothing of anyone else, he removed his hood from his cloak and looked directly at his father. "What are you doing here in her house? You're supposed to be back at home, finding me stuff to train with. You made a promise to help me out, dad." He didn't know she was there at all, even though he was a shinobi and had the ability to sense what was around him, he had been extremely tired from his work out and the stench that covered him told it's tale.

She could reach into her pocket, and that had that would reach into her pocket would be the hand of fate. Holding a sharp kunai to an unsuspecting back. Would she do it?

She was listening intently before suddenly he stopped. Before she could react the door burst open and a draft of air spilled its way into the room. Her pupils narrowed slightly at the scent that came with it before she stiffened. Her eyes were locked onto Takumo as she listened for the person entering. She wanted to hear the being speak, But once he had, reality hit her like a ton of bricks.

"What are you doing here in her house? You're supposed to be back at home, finding me stuff to train with. You made a promise to help me out, dad."

Shihouin....

This was the last person she expected to come to her door. Especially at a time like this. Now things were rough. On her path before her was now a rickety bridge that, depending on how she crossed, could send her tumbling to her death or at least grasp a rope to climb to the other side. If she was lucky, she could find a way to avoid disaster all together. But the percent of this happening was very low.

She had a few options already. Stand, show herself, and speak; since it appeared that he didn't even know she was there. She could draw a tool and come at him full force, sending him to the ground before he hopefully had a chance to react. She could try to wait until he went away. She could attack the man and Shi at the same time. There was quite a bit. She was uncertain.

Simply standing and speaking to him would give him time to react by attacking. But this may also be a way to make him think that she was in cahoots with his father about everything. That may put her in a huge terrible position if Shi really did still care. Why didn't he kill her after all? He had a ton of time to attack and kill her; especially when she was off guard. In her mind, it made sense that Shi was using his father for training and growing. Shi was always about that anyway. And in her mind, once Shi was done with learning maybe then he would come back. But for now he had a lot to do. Or was this just her excuse for being blinded by love? But.. why....then... huh.

Nothing was making sense. She couldn't be seen with his father here. That much she felt was certain. She had a plan.

Drawing three kunai from her pocket as silently as possible, she waited for the right moment to make her move. His back would be to her when she came up from behind him. When the time was right she would.... SPRING.

Nasamea leaped as quietly as possible, tossing two kunai in the direction of Shi's father before she position a kunai at him to where if he turned around it would be to his neck. One move and he would be cut. She doubted he would let this happen and if the chance were to come, she would direct it to where she wouldn't kill him but simply make it appear as though she had him. He did have the pride of a lion though and the chances of attacking her were high. This was bad, but she would be ready. She needed to just be careful not to destroy her home and vice versa. At least her parents weren't here. If he didn't attack then she would wrap her arm around his stomach and the other would hold the kunai to his neck.

She didn't know if this was the right choice but it felt as though maybe she possibly made the right decision. She didn't want to appear to have any association between her and his father. She wanted to make it seem as though these two were in her house and she just happened to show up when Shi got there. She wanted it to appear as though she believed they were setting her up for an ambush. She could just deny anything his father said. Maybe then they could even meet again and he could explain more to her. She wanted to hear what else he had to say about Shi because right now the only thing she could get out of Shi would be fire and harsh words. It was agitating yet despite all of this, she felt very calm inside. Her outside was the only thing that showed anger and hatred right now. It appeared to be solid. His father would hopefully know it wasn't. But Shi, would he?

"What the hell are you both doing in my house!?"

She really hoped this went well. The other side of the bridge was covered in to much mist. She hoped it would be full of life and better where she was now, not a dead zone full of skulls and thorns. She needed answers. She needed a lot of things. Especially the reason to not feel partially afraid as she did now. More so, to end the confusion. The unknown wasn't looking very appealing in her eyes at the time. But she hoped something would chance that.

First, she would see how Shi reacted to this and would listen for whatever else Mr. Scar Heart had to say over there.

She just hoped that she did the right thing....

A cold smooth blade pressed up against his neck, threatening his jugular and his life in one feeling. Most of all, he could feel and even smell a familiar person behind him, her voice as well, Nasamea. Shihouin tried to recollect, digging through the many memories and experiencing the pain he had put her through. Things weren't going right, they weren't going well. He was here, not to work with his father but to mes s up his entire plans. His father had assumed that his son would be with him through thick and thin, until the end, but that was the last thing running around in his mind. His plans were totally opposite his fathers, as if they were night and day, land and sky, and just like his kindred from hundreds of years ago, he was out for his own.

Shinshou was one of the best liars in the business. By day, he worked as a criminal and by night he worked as a criminal. His job was to keep crime running like a fine machine in the village, and he was none other than the driver. Shihouin looked at him with cold beady eyes, and his three tomoe unraveled in head, staring directly into his fathers eyes as if he didn't need to blink. The two kunai sent at him were dodged, but barely. Nasa had not killed him even though she had the chance, not just Shihouin but Shinshou as well. She had been patient even up until this much with him. Something he realized he could never forget. He reached up slowly, grasping his fingers around her hand. "You hold this kunai at my neck, yet the space in between my life and your blade must be love." He reached his hand up and around his head, to the handle of his blade and slowly pulled out the ninjato. The sound of the blade unsheathing seemed to take a multitude of minutes, echoing across the apartment like an concert hall.

"I'm tired of listening to you. You promised me power if I set aside love and kill the one I love the most. I tried, and I failed... by your standards. I realize now that you'd do nothing but lie to me constantly, just like you have lied to her over and over again. I'm not gonna put up with it one more second. You keep lying and lying, but forgiveness gonna be enough." He put the blade forward and walked, towards his father, trusting that she would not pull her own blade back.

The kunai held to his neck was hesitantly ready to kill. She had a chance, she could take him out now. She could take them both. She could change, she could have used a fire jutsu, maybe a better planned assault with wire; the one tag was closed. Should she have let it not set off? She knew he would dodge. It was just a matter of him not and catching it. He wasn't that stupid. Shi was right before her. She could feel his breath on her hand. She was so close to his jugular. One swipe and it was over. But why? Why did she stop? Was this really love or her needing answers? Maybe a bit of both. She couldn't do it. She could, but she couldn't. This paradox was about to get worse when it came to the moment of truth.

Her heartbeat ran a mile a minute as she stared at his with multiple feelings. Through the hate filled outer coating was an internal fear. What if she made the wrong choice? It was the moment that truly counted. What to do.. what to do? She was beginning to turn a bit pale.

"You hold this kunai at my neck, yet the space in between my life and your blade must be love."

She froze a bit from that. He sounded different. He was spatting words of hate anymore. He actually sounded... normal. Was this really Shi or was he tricking her? Who was lying? Who was telling the truth? Were either of them? This felt like a bad position in her mind. In fact they were in her house! Her parents were going to kill her. Especially if there was any damage. Why the hell did they have to get all white furniture and decent appliances?! It was bad enough she had to clean up juice but that could be explained. Blood? Uhhh not so much....
Her hand began to lightly quiver, causing the kunai to do so as well.
Was she ready for ANBU after all? Her mind told her no. Her heart, don't ask that right now. Her gut, errrr that was sort of in a mix. She was surprised she had not hurled yet. She needed to calm down, and fast. She needed to think as clearly as she just had. It just wasn't working.

"I'm tired of listening to you. You promised me power if I set aside love and kill the one I love the most. I tried, and I failed... by your standards. I realize now that you'd do nothing but lie to me constantly, just like you have lied to her over and over again. I'm not gonna put up with it one more second. You keep lying and lying, but forgiveness gonna be enough."

What?

Her eyes finally turned to his father as she allowed the kunai to slightly slip away from his neck a tad. It was still there but a bit father. She quickly readjusted and drew closer, ready to grab him if she needed to in case he whirled around and hit her. She wouldn't let that. Definitely not. But what if his sharingan was on.

'Eeeppp...' she thought, her eyes revealing how frazzled and confused she was.
What if she walked into a trap? What if, what if, what if...

Shi began to move forward and despite it all, she let her hand drop. At first she followed him forward a bit before she took the kunai away while taking out another. She backed away as cautiously as possible, ready for him to make any sudden movements as she continued to back up. When she stopped she stood at least, well, 2 meters away. If he continued, maybe 3. She stared at the two of them with the kunai gripped in her hands.

What else did Takumo mean? What was up with Shi? What was up with basically everything? She began to stop thinking. She was done with thinking and was more prone to doing. If her life was threatened she was ready to make some escape or even attempt to murder. Her eyes blazed red as she gave them both hard glares.... and waited.....

It was a slow walk, almost like he was drudging through mud and both of his laces were tied about his feet. Shinshou knew it was over at this point, the goons at the door were being controlled, they weren't too bright had he had used that to his advantage to keep them loyal. Against a developing Sharingan, that loyalty would easily shift like tall blades of grass in the wind, and without warning, would eventually turn on him and cut him if the wind blew a certain way. The fan that strengthened the flames of the Uchiha would now push one way with more strength, and blow out another one from it's history books. For some reason, he didn't fight it at all, and before he knew it a cold feeling began to sink into his neck, and warmth ran all down the side of it. Why couldn't he move? Why couldn't he fight to save his life? Those eyes continued to spiral in Shihouin's eyes, and everything began to seem so slow and cold.

Shihouin let the blade stay in him as his body as he slumped lifelessly to the floor, falling into deaths cold grasp. He eyed his own fathers dead cadaver for a second, thinking what ifs and scenario's that were too late to be acted upon. He turned around and stared directly into her eyes, with his black eyes showing that he wasn't attempting to threaten her anymore, and that things would be fine now. He walked up to her, knowing that she had been thrown into a world of uncertainty. With each step, he came closer until he held the both of her hands and reached his arms around to hug her, resting his chin on her neck for a second. With this love in between them, the only thing that could mend it forever was trust, but in order for her to be able to trust him again, he had a lot of things he had to explain.

They moved over to the sofa, and Shihouin sat down with her in his lap. "Everything is so confusing, I know it's hard to understand, but just listen and hear me out. I'll start from the very beginning." He took a deep breath. "When he first met you at the weapons shop, he had planned for me to kill you just then, and I tried to fake your death so he would leave us a lone, and I wanted you to stay away from him. That's why I stabbed you and went through every effort to make you hate me, so you would stay away from him. He controls crime, and he controls a lot of people. You might think I should have just told you, so we could both take him down and we could ignore this... But the empire he controls is large, and I don't doubt for one second that he isn't controlling thousands of people, thousands willing to jump in front of him to save his life so he can continue doing what he does. For one second in my life, I felt that if I had the correct power, and if went with him that I could, I could probably maybe kill him, end this and gain power in the first place. I'm not gonna lie, I thought about it..." He gulped a bit. "It did cross my mind, but I didn't decide to kill you and I sure as hell never followed all the way through with it. See what you have to realize about him was that he was not as weak as he made himself out to be. His vendetta all along as been not for me or you to kill, but for me to get power. If that consists of someone dying, then so be it. Think about all the lies he has told and everything he has said to you. Doesn't it all seem so convenient? You know what...."

Shihouin got up, switched places with her calmly and looked at her. "I've lost your trust, and it's hard to understand and explain everything. I can't, I can't function like this. I'm confused, and I don't know exactly what is going on too much either. I just know that killing him made my life a bit easier, but I have this feeling that I've only made things worse. I was lucky that I could kill him by controlling him with Sharingan, but I don't know if this is the end of this. Either way, you spared me because you love me, and I've shown you nothing but hate. I'm going to give you some time for yourself to find it in your heart as to whether you want to be with me right now. I need to clear my head. You know where you can find me." He dug around in his pocket and an odd ball grew too bright for anyone to look directly into it, and soon after he was gone.

Nasamea watched with an intensity that soon turned to her gaping. Shihouin took a blade to his father yet the man never moved. She stared and found herself stiffened.
'What? He just...Shi? But?'
She was still confused. She was frozen in place. As the blood dripped from his father's neck she simply stood and watched. The kunai were still gripped in her hands but one swift push would send them out in no time. Was this the right thing? His body fell limp and hit the ground. She thought she had seen the Sharingan in his eyes but now she was uncertain. This sharingan. This bloodline. It was as though it were more monstrous then her own clan. She didn't whether to use the moment to flee or see what happened next. She wanted information. She just wasn't sure. Nothing was making much sense right now. Until he turned around...

She expected to see the Sharingan but to her surprise his eyes were black. Believe it or not, she was actually looking into his onyx hues without much thought. He had the perfect moment to send her to the floor like he had his father. He took a step towards her, she took a step back. She stiffened and held her ground, her red hues slipping as they transformed back to gray before fading to her "natural" amber. It was a small bit a chakra to make a slight genjutsu but big woop. She just did that to seem more threatening. But now it was unnecessary.

Time went slow as he approached but she let him. Soon he grasped her hands, causing her to drop the kunai and take another step back from him. She winced and looked away with a slight whimper of defeat before she found herself in something she thought would never come again. Was this a screwed up genjutsu placed by his father? She thought he never used the sharingan but maybe he used a gen to hide his own eyes. She was tense now, even in the grasp. Maybe Shi saw her after all and was tricking her. Maybe she was about to die. Maybe-

His chin rested on her neck and instantly, she relaxed. It was one place she would never let anyone touch unless she fully trusted them. There were to many weak points there. To many vitals that could be cut. She could die with a few simple attacks or whatever. just as vulnerable as she was though so was he. So this had to be real...right? She wasn't sure anymore. Shi was strong, he could manifest a genjutsu like this. Maybe he would care enough to give her a moment of easement and happiness before ending her life. Yeah, that seemed right. But was it? AGH she didn't know. She simply let it carry out.

He moved her over the sofa, causing her to be uneasy but she went along and soon she was even sitting on his lap. Without thought, she rested her forehead in the crease of his neck as she looked down at his chest before she closed her eyes. If she was about to die, there was nothing she could do. So instead she allowed this to be her last few moments of possible peace as she accepted the situation. She rested and relaxed. It was an uneasy calm but whatever.

"Everything is so confusing, I know it's hard to understand, but just listen and hear me out. I'll start from the very beginning."

She listened.

"Think about all the lies he has told and everything he has said to you. Doesn't it all seem so convenient? You know what...."

It did. That was why she didn't want to believe his father. She thought his father was trying to use her. It made sense that Shi still cared because he WOULD have killed her. That much was true. Right? Or did he have more? She felt a strong uncertainty that Shi would soon see. When he set her to the side and stood, she looked up at him with the near same pleading eyes she had given his father. Except this time the eyes lacked hate and were filled with sorrow instead. She wanted answers. Maybe his father gave her some after all. What this all a part of Shi's grand plan? Maybe his father's? And what did his father mean about the piranha and Shi not being a fisher. What was he then? Should she just disregard that comment?

Her hand twitched.

"I'm going to give you some time for yourself to find it in your heart as to whether you want to be with me right now. I need to clear my head. You know where you can find me."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out an odd ball. Her hand twitched again as she stared at him, wanting to grab him. He needed time though. She needed tine. After he disappeared she could only wonder if HE was telling the truth. It didn't seem to be right because his father DID have goons after all. They didn't look to nice either. But why would his father let Shi kill him? She was given the impression that his work was done. Almost all leaders never seemed to want to die unless they felt their work was done.

Once Shi disappeared she remained on the couch as though she were a statue. The blood filling her nostrils didn't seem appetizing at all. In fact it smelled revolting. She had no idea how she would clean the mess up, including the blood. Shi left her with a dead body after all. She could change and eat it but...eh...that was disgraceful; even for a possible evil person. So... why did he let Shi kill him? Mission complete right? What was his mission? She thought harder. It appeared that the man wanted Shi to grow in power. That he wanted them both to separate right? His whole life was apparently planned... it made some sense but... how? Why would someone do this?

Her eyes shifted to the door now as her ears tuned into the world around her. It were as though she just snapped back into reality. She felt as though she were so close to figuring it all out but at the same time she was still... confused. She hate this feeling. It was the worst feeling in the world. She went to her and laid down. She needed to think.

Taking a place on her bed she laid down with her hands behind her head. She closed her eyes and thought. Her ears still listening for anything.

If she were stuck in a pond of piranha... and he wasn't the fisher... did that mean that he wouldn't help her? Isn't that a good thing? It's better to learn on your own on her opinion. She thought maybe that was what he meant but at the same time she felt there was more to it. There had to be more to this than she saw!

Rising from her bed, her feet hit the carpet and she stared at them. She looked as though she were in a daze. After about ten minutes though, she finally stood up and exited her room. The wooden door shit behind her. At first the house was still. Then suddenly the sound of a poof followed by a squeak was heard through the house. Then, the front door shut and locked as she made her way to the weapon shop.

She feared that she would walk into a trap. She feared that she would lose her life today. She feared a lot of things at this point; that she was risking to much for answers. Was this what love did? She heard it made people do stupid things, was this stupid? She didn't know but one thing was for sure, she was about to find out.

Trust.... She could have grabbed him and not let him go. But she didn't. Truth was, letting him go truly was a true act of trust. Especially considering she could walk straight into a trap.... And lose her life....