Meanwhile In Sunagakure…
Date: May 18th, 13 years aNb
Days since Team 11 left Mizumiyo Palace: 15
Time: 6:35 PM
Amaya Satou stood before the solid wooden doors of the Satou Clan's Executive Dining Suite, dressed in the finest silk kimono she owned. Although Suna was not a well-off village, the kunoichi's family was rather wealthy, thanks to – of all things – the near extermination of her Clan twenty years prior. Although it was nearly impossible for ninja to get life insurance beyond what the village provided, the spouses and children typically had no such problems, so when someone that left a message identifying themselves as Saki Inugami had decimated the Satou Clan about five years before Amaya's birth, the insurance payouts on the non-combatants had catapulted the Clan's remnants to the wealthiest in Suna and the second most politically powerful, just BARELY behind that of the Kazekage's family and had left Amaya's grandmother in charge.
'I still can't fucking believe that Urashima…' Amaya grimaced, her pride feeding into her paranoia as it had since Suzuki had dropped the bombshell by reminding her the significance of the white haired "diplomat's" name; only to be confirmed by Kari-sensei. 'No, his name is Sho Inugami! That HE is the offspring of that insane bitch! I can't believe how thoroughly he deceived me… There's no way the grandson of that Henryuuki freak would have genuinely interested in saving my life; he was probably just looking for an opening to finish his grandmother's goal to wipe the Satou out completely!'
"Well, time to face the music for letting my guard down…" She sighed as she pushed the door open. Inside the now open chamber were the five of the six most powerful women in the Satou clan; Amaya was the sixth based on age, but third based on line of succession.
Amaya called these women Grandmother, Mother, and Aunts.
At the head of the table sat Aya-baasan, head of the Clan and one of the few to have survived Inugami's assault on their home 20 years before. She wore a mask made of alabaster and gold designed to look as she had at 35, before the fire that killed so many others had left her permanently scarred. In public she would cover herself with layers of illusion, but in the family stronghold, she preferred a physical mask since the clanswomen were trained to see through most Genjutsu. To Aya's right was Amaya's own mother, Aimi, the Clan's second in command by being the eldest daughter, followed by Akiko, Kane and Emi's mother who commanded the Geisha unit – the espionage and distraction specialists the Clan was most renowned for, the two eldest at 36 and 34; they'd been around Amaya's age and off on a mission during the Decimation.
Continuing around the table, next was Aunt Ayumi, who commanded the Onna-bugeisha Force – the Clan's combat specialists – and both loved and loathed the assignment. The Onna-bugeisha, while an elite organization, was viewed as secondary clanswomen as they lacked skill with the Clan's Kekkei Genkai, Genjutsu, or had failed to increase the Clan's population by age 25. Ayumi, still childless at 27, was the last of Aya's children with her first husband – who had died during the Second Great Ninja War – and had perpetual middle child syndrome because she had been transferred to the Onna-bugeisha two years before. And it wasn't from a lack of trying; even amongst the Satou, Ayumi was considered a bit of a slut.
Aunt Azumi, Aya's youngest at 23, was between Ayumi and the empty chair to Grandmother's left. No one – not even Aya herself – knew the identity of Azumi-basan's father; only that she was the result of a random tryst that Aya had had following the death of her husband. Azumi was different than the rest of Aya's children – being more even-tempered and less reactive, a definite testament to nature over nurture – was in charge of the Clan's PR operations, a role she excelled at.
Aya-baasan's eyes lit up from under her mask when she saw Amaya, patting the empty chair to her left. Amaya was the apple of Aya's eye for two reasons: first, she was the eldest grandchild and, second, she had been born on Aya's 40th birthday, which had broken the clan head's funk about the matter the same moment as Aimi's water had.
As Amaya got a hug from her Grandmother, she noticed Akiko-basan giving her a look that – on a non-Satou – would have been taken as compassion, but raised her hackles as the teenage kunoichi saw it for what it was…
Pity.
'Fuck! Does she know about what happened in River Country? It was a little over two weeks ago… I ordered Amara and Asuna to say nothing about Urashima/Inugami to anyone, but Akiko is our ultimate supervisor; if she's seen our after-action reports and asked questions… Or, worse, she actually talked with Kane… FUCK!' An increasingly paranoid Amaya began to freak out.
"WINE!" Aya shouted. One of the male servers in a loincloth, shibari rope bindings that creased his muscular form and a mindless grin on his face promptly approached with a bottle, pouring a tasting splash for the clan head. She nodded, getting a full glass, "And one for Amaya."
This caused a minor stir around the table; including Amaya herself! To be served second was an honor intended as part of a celebration, not the dressing down that the youngest Satou had been anticipating…
"Here you are, Princess." The server said, offering a crystal goblet filled with the crimson fluid to her reverently.
"Thank you, Daddy." Amaya said distractedly, taking the proffered glass from her father – spouses, boyfriends or miscellaneous lovers, basically only those exposed to Obsession by an Executive of the clan, were permitted to serve in this chamber as they could be trusted to also check the food for poisons and other additives – while doing her best to not look at him or her uncle (who was currently serving his wife.)
"A toast to my precious baby girl!" Aya said raucously, raising her glass as the others were served. "Who used Obsession for the first time AND cracked a major conspiracy in River Country, bringing us great honor and giving Azumi the first major success story of the year!"
Aunt Azumi gave the teen a grin as Amaya looked at her in surprise as the others toasted her. Azumi's hazel hair, the lightest color in the room after Aya-baasan's golden curls, swayed as she playfully bumped her niece's hip. "Great job by the way, Amaya-mei." She whispered to her. "We really needed it; we had too many Obsession-based PR disasters during the first quarter."
A furtive glance at Akiko-basan still showed that barely concealed look of pity, even as she raised a glass to her niece when she noticed her look.
'She knows… But she's going to let me tell Grandmother!' Amaya suddenly realized. 'She's hoping that hearing it from me will soften the blow that the Inugami are alive!'
"Tell me, my dear," Aya Satou practically cackled like a dirty old woman, "…Did you enjoy feeling that pathetic wretch lose his will to oppose yours after he thought he'd hit the jackpot?"
"Mother!" Aimi mock scolded the Clan head. "Why don't you just ask my daughter what position she selected for her first time while you're at it?"
Aya grinned salaciously. "Oh yes, do tell my dear! Cowgirl, right; to show them who is in charge?! I'll bet you even knew he was involved in the plot before you took him, didn't you?"
"I… I did, but uh…" Amaya stammered, blushing furiously, realizing her grandmother's confusion. It was a special moment when a Satou surrendered their virginity for the power that came from doing so. "I triggered Obsession manually, Grandmother; he was at least 60 and flabby… Eww…" The others giggled and Amaya suddenly knew how to break the news to Aya AND not get dressed down in the process! "I mean, it was fun controlling him and all, but it wasn't as satisfying as it would have been if I'd landed the fish I really wanted to break myself on… The one I wanted to bring back with me…"
"Oh ho?" Aya grinned. Over the years, the two had had numerous conversations on the matter. "You finally found someone you consider worthy of you?"
"Worthy?" Amaya made a derisive snort. "I might have thought that for a few moments at first, but now?" She shook her head. "No. He will be the ultimate revenge fuck for our Clan when I take him. The one I did take over got to stab him; I was a little jealous of that when I discovered my intended target's TRUE identity."
Akiko's look of pity shifted to one of impressed pride at the spin that Amaya had just unleashed.
Ayumi snorted derisively. "A flight of fancy to be sure. There's no one person out there that you're going to find in River Country of all places that could constitute revenge for the WHOLE clan!"
Aya scowled at her third daughter, silencing her, before she looked at her granddaughter appraisingly, chuckling as she decided to humor her granddaughter's boast. "My, my… My little 'Maya is going to sacrifice her body to get us revenge? Who would that be, pray tell..?" She asked as she took a drink.
"I'll tell you, but he's MINE, Grandmother. I found he exists and I WILL make him my slave or die trying!" She swore earnestly. "Will you give me your word, Grandmother? No one else from the family but me goes near him?"
Aya Satou practically glowed at Amaya; the teen had never shown this kind of passion before, but her tone made it clear she was still humoring her. "Hai, hai… No one but you, dear; you have my word. Now name this man that you claim will avenge our Clan."
Amaya paused for dramatic effect. "His name is Sho Inugami… And we believe that he's Saki Inugami's GRANDSON!"
Aya's wine goblet slipped from her fingers, shattering on the floor.
Everyone, save Akiko who already knew, was stunned by the revelation.
"WHAT?!" The head of the Satou Clan hissed venomously. "That WHORE has progeny?"
There were so many unknowns about the reasons behind the Decimation… Only one person had seen the intruder that had attacked the compound, but even they had been so severely affected by what they'd seen that Aya couldn't believe their testimony, which had included seeing a woman with four arms. The only reason why Aya even knew the name of who attacked them was the message she'd left charred on the sandstone of the Clan's main headquarters…
"Never mettle in the affairs of the Henryuuki again or I'll finish what I started; so I swear to all the Gods that have ever existed. -Saki Inugami."
It had taken Aya years to determine that this "Saki Inugami" was from Konoha, but she still didn't understand what the word Henryuuki meant, why she'd torched the Satou compound, or how she'd done it as all the evidence they'd found had suggested that Saki had been In Konoha at the time of the Decimation – although Aya had always assumed she'd used a Shadow Clone or something equivalent.
The clan head turned irately to her three oldest daughters, all of whom had responsibilities to gather information – Aimi from the politicians, Akiko and Ayumi from the ninja divisions they oversaw. "Why is this the first I'm hearing of this?!"
"Because there was no point in telling you, Mother." Akiko replied simply. All the female eyes in the room turned on her. "Obviously I didn't find out until I took over the Geisha Unit following the end of the Third War. The simple fact of the matter, Mother, is that neither Saki Inugami nor her son, Kurando, have set foot outside of Konoha in Amaya-mei's lifetime; meaning they were beyond our reach, so why tell you and leave you frustrated?"
"She has a point Mother." Azumi said, speaking up. "It never goes well for our approval ratings when you're holding an active grudge…"
A frosty scowl that would make a Yuki Onna's breath feel warm in comparison came from Aya. "FINE."
Akiko gestured back to Amaya. "I only learned of the grandson in Team Kari's after action report…" She waived a hand, causing the last known images of Saki and Kurando – both from nearly 20 years ago – along with a sketch of Sho from Kari to appear as a Genjutsu hologram. Aya had seen the image of Saki before; kept in her dark heart for the day she got her hands on the bitch and paid her back with penalties and interest!
Seething, Aya grabbed the half full bottle of wine and hurled it at the image of the bitch that had burned her and so many other Satou with those insane Henryuuki flames…
Aimi's hand whipped out to catch the bottle mid-spin and set it on the table. "Mother, I know you're angry, but don't waste good wine…"
"But we're telling you NOW because we have an opportunity, Mother…" Akiko continued. "One that plays well with the…" She paused, glancing at Amaya, who wasn't ranked high enough to be privy to the full details. "…opportunity the… gentleman from the Land of Rice Paddies presented to Lord Kazekage and his Council."
"Oh…" An almost orgasmic moan of anticipation escaped the old woman as she saw the truth in her daughter's words! Aya's icy blue eyes lit up as she looked briefly at Amaya. "Oh, my yes, Akiko-chan… How many of OUR units are eligible?"
"Including General Baki's Genin, we are permitted to send a total of 10 cells. We have 20 eligible clanswomen, including Amaya. Even if most of them get eliminated during the written test, they'd still have over a month to collect information about both the Village's enemies… And our own."
"You're talking about the Chuunin Exams…" Amaya breathed in realization. Team Kari had already been working for now Lord Kodansyo when the January Exams started, so this would be their first opportunity to participate… "It's Konoha's turn to host?!"
Akiko nodded. "And Lord Kazekage is in need of some additional information before he makes a decision regarding the gentleman's proposal... And why have mere sex when you can have a threesome?" She raised her sculpted eyebrows using the Clan's metaphor for taking advantage of a situation. "What do you think, Amaya-mei? Are you ready to lead our clanswomen into the heart of another Village to gather information? Prove to the Clan that you're the second in the line of succession by skill and not just by birth?"
Amaya felt her heartbeat pick up the pace; feeling the thrill of the hunt for the first time in her life. Images of Sho Inugami kneeling before her, the screams of his flame haired bitch as he turned away from her forever flashing to her mind.
"Oh, 'Maya wants…" Her voice acquiring a bit of a moan as she began to excite herself. "'Maya wants so very much…"
A cruel grin creased Aya's masked face as she gave her granddaughter a delighted hug. "This gift you've given me is more than enough for me to ignore how you manipulated me… Amazing work, baby girl. We will avenge ourselves against the one who nearly destroyed us by destroying HER loved ones!"
"Actually, Grandmother… I had another plan in mind for Ura…" She coughed, catching herself. "Inugami… Instead of just destroying him, what if…" She leaned in and whispered in her ear.
Aya Satou began to cackle softly, utterly impressed. "Amaya..! You HAVE learned your lessons well, haven't you? I'll have to clear it with the Kazekage, but I LOVE the cut of your kimono. I've never been prouder of you!" She turns her head, shouting for more wine. "My daughters… We have a LOT of planning to do in the next month and a half!"
* * *
A First Date…
Date: May 17th, 13 years aNb
Days since Team 11 left Mizumiyo Palace: 14
Time: 1:35 PM
Nakahito was leaning against the wall opposite the door leading to the isolation chamber that had been Kanna's home/prison for the past week. According to his cross-dressing freak of a teammate, however, the regional princess was finally in the clear from whatever it was that had saved Kanna's life and was going to be discharged after noon… Which is why Haruno had been standing here for the last hour and a half since his morning training with Miho-sensei had finished.
'He probably knows I'm out here waiting to see Kanna and is keeping me waiting just because he can…' The fire specialist thought glumly to himself, trying – and failing – to exercise some patience.
There was the sound of a bolt being unlocked and Haruno straightened up. As the door swung outwards, the first thing he saw was Sho Inugami, his face still an unexplained mess of fractal lines, though the damage was repairing itself in the abnormally fast way the medic-nin had demonstrated in the past.
"Hey, Sho, did you hear there's a shop not far from the Palace gates that's offering buy one, get one on WOMEN'S lingerie sets?" Nakahito asked the medic, still perturbed about the other's prank on him from two nights ago.
Inugami grinned, a slight wince to his features as he did so, rolling with the attempted dig with unusually good grace. "Good to know, Haruno, though I don't think Motoko-sa and I have been dating long enough for it to be appropriate for me to buy such things for her quite yet…"
"Nakahito's here?" Kanna's dulcet voice asked in surprise. "I hope he wasn't waiting too long…" Kanna wa Akago stepped through the doorway, dressed in clothes appropriate to her high station. As she saw the red clad ninja, a faint flush crossed her features. "Even with Inugami-sensei's help, it took nearly an hour to get into this dress…"
"You look amazing, Kanna-hime," Nakahito said with a genuine smile at the sight of the white haired woman. "I would have happily waited ten times as long…"
Behind the princess, Sho mouthed the words 'And probably would have fallen asleep or of boredom…'
The medic's comment, clearly intended to jab at Nakahito's pride without the princess being aware, made Haruno bite his own tongue in frustration.
The medic looked at the princess. "Okay, Princess Kanna, what are the three rules; one more time."
"Now you're just being a worrywart, Inugami-sensei!" Kanna said with a slightly annoyed tone to her voice, but the medic crossed his arms, a serious look to his face. "Oh, fine… 1. I should avoid strenuous activity for another week. 2. If ANYTHING starts to tingle or feel unusual, I have to activate the beacon you gave me. 3. I can ignore rule 2 if it's because of…" She paused, looking at Nakahito for a brief instant and flushing a little more. "I've got it, I promise."
"Then, with any luck I won't be seeing you in any kind of medical capacity for a few months." Sho said with a slight bow. "Stay healthy, Princess."
Kanna nodded as Inugami closed the door behind him. "Thank you again for my life, Sensei." She turned to Nakahito and smiled with happy uncertainty, at a loss for what happened next.
Fortunately, Nakahito already had a few notions… "So... Now that it's finally safe for you to be out and about, wanna do a hot pot date together?"
Kanna's face twisted slightly in confusion. "Hot... pot? What is that?"
Nakahito froze in his tracks. "You've never done..." He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. "Of course you haven't... Probably too low brow for your asshole Dad to subject himself to... How do I..? Hmm…" The Genin thought long and hard for a moment. "So it's kind of like getting ramen."
"Raw men?" The princess asked, her facial features expressing further confusion.
'Oh, hell… Do we really come from worlds THAT far apart..?' Haruno asked himself; wondering if he was just embarrassing himself…
"Jeez, I guess that's too 'common,' too... Uhh..." 'Hito stalled, scratching the back of his head.
She giggled, bumping him gently in the ribs with her elbow. "That time I was kidding. So it's a kind of soup?"
Haruno unclenched a little. "Well, it's closer to a stew by the time it's done, but yeah. You get a pot with a stock of your choosing or, if we want to get really crazy, one with dividers so you can heat multiple ones at once and you add the vegetables, meat and noodles and just generally chat while it cooks."
The snow haired princess blinked. "So you cook your own food?" The ninja nodded. "That sounds like it could be fun… Yes, I'd love to hot pot with you!"
Her zeal for such a common thing made Haruno smile slightly. "Great! I'll raid the kitchens and see what they've got that I can use... We'll meet in the Imperial family's garden at, say, dusk? We can chat and cook while we look at the stars."
Kanna nodded. "It sounds good to me… What kind of raiment is appropriate for a hot pot?"
"Clothes? I'd say casual, but I have a feeling that's not going to mean much to you... Nothing fancier than a yukata or a simple dress, but nothing too delicate since we'll be sitting on a blanket. What kind of protein do you prefer? I'll figure out the best stock to accompany it."
"I get to pick?" The Princess asked in surprise. Most of the time such choices were already made for her by the chef. "Ah... Beef? Yes, beef would be nice."
"Then that's what we'll cook… Do you prefer roast style or beef belly?"
"I do prefer tender cuts in soups, so let's go with the belly meat."
"Great! Now, is there anything you're allergic to or just don't care for?" She shook her head, eliciting a smile. "Awesome. I'll meet you in the gardens at dusk, then?"
She nodded giving him a gentle smile. "I'm looking forward to it."
"Me, too, Princess; me, too."
~•~
A few hours later, Nakahito was doing a final inspection of the catering rig that he'd borrowed from the kitchens as the sun began to dip below the edge of the Blue Wall. The kitchen staff had been very accommodating, helping Haruno prepare everything from scratch as opposed to the store-bought stocks he was used to. The head chef had actually taken several hours of his time to give Nakahito a crash course in elevating the simple art of the hot pot into something closer to what Kanna was accustomed to, giving the thirteen year old pointers that he'd be able to use in all his future cooking efforts.
Haruno lit a few free-standing torches that would provide mood lighting as well as keep the insects away from them.
"Nakahito-san?" Kanna's voice echoed in the silence of the garden.
Haruno felt his heart pump a little harder as the princess came into view. She wore a mostly-white yukata with some orange designs that provided a little warmth to her naturally cool-looking features. As she got closer, he saw that she was wearing the carp charm he'd crafted for her, resting at the beginning of her modestly covered cleavage.
"Wow…" The ninja breathed, at a loss for words, feeling underdressed in comparison. He reached for something out of view and revealed a bouquet of pale pink roses. "Ah, for you…" Haruno stammered, clearly tongue-tied.
Kanna's flush of surprise turned her skin the same delicate shade as the flowers. "They're beautiful; thank you, Nakahito-san…"
"I had this whole bit in my head, you know, what I was going to say and all, but I can't remember a single thing…"
The princess breathed in the delicate scent of the roses, smiling at the ninja. "Nakahito-san, I have lived my entire life up to this point with men that can't clear their throats without thousand word sonnets. You do not need to push yourself out of your comfort zone out of some belief that you need to be more than who you are to be worthy of spending time with me…" She hesitantly reached out to touch his hand for a brief second before her training kicked back in. "I want to spend the time I've been gifted with you BECAUSE of who you are."
Haruno felt his heart beat faster than it ever had before. "I'll try my best to remember that, Kanna-hime…" He gestured to the array of cut meats and vegetables, arrayed in a fashion that the chef had recommended to help him keep track of how much time they needed to cook in the stock in order to properly soften with becoming overly mushy. "Since this is your first hot pot, you pick what you want your final meal to have in it and we'll add them into the stock at the right intervals so that everything finishes at roughly the same time."
Kanna's eyes went a little wide at the numerous options. "I've… never had this kind of freedom before, Nakahito-san… There was always a set menu of options for me to pick from; what if I make the wrong choice?"
"That's the beautiful thing, Kanna-hime; if you don't like what you come up with the first time, then you try something different for the second bowl."
"Sec… Oh, so a hot pot can be multiple courses?" The dark eyes of the snow haired woman widened in realization.
"Yes, ma'am," Haruno grinned. "I've got enough stock prepared that we could easily do three courses if you want."
Kanna smiled with a bit of excitement. "Let's see what we've got to work with then…"
~•~
"This evening was so much more than what I was expecting, Haruno-san; thank you…" Kanna said, holding the bouquet of pale pink roses that Nakahito had surprised her with as they walked through the Palace to where the princess and her family were staying. "So tell me, how does a 'date,' was it?" The Genin nodded. "How does a date normally end?"
"Well, provided it went well, sometimes they end with a simple goodnight, but if the mood is right, then a kiss is appropriate… But I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you into anything!" His features turned nearly as red as his clothes.
Princess Kanna flushed slightly. She looked at his lips almost longingly, but then she suddenly flinched as if an authoritative voice only she could hear had yelled at her. "Perhaps on a future date, Haruno-san... I must admit that I am intrigued as to how the courting process works among those not of the Kuge. So for a second date... Is it customary to schedule it now or on another occasion?"
"If you want to schedule one now, we can, Princess."
"But is that customary?" Kanna asked insistently. "I find that I am liking the freedom from being under Father's thumb, but I do not wish for my elation over the situation to cause a social misstep."
"Kanna-hime, it's totally your choice… If you want, we can, but if not, we don't have to."
"But what do the RULES say?" Kanna wa Akago asked, clearly confused and becoming upset.
Haruno's eyes lit up as he finally realized the older young woman's problem. "There are no rules to dating, Kanna-hime… You listen your heart and go off of that."
"No rules? Heart?" The white haired woman said in confusion. "Isn't that rather chaotic and messy?"
"It can be, yes… But it can also be adventurous and fun, too."
"Fun... I DO like the sound of that..." A wan smile crossed her lips as the armed guards of the 3rd District's Daimyo's protection detail came into view. "My life has always been about duty and honor; fun was always treated as an afterthought…" Her dark eyes lit up with a notion. "If I weren't a princess, what would we do for a second date?"
Nakahito frowned to himself in thought. "Well, there's almost always something interesting going on in Konoha, whether it's a cultural festival or just a new shop opening up, so I'd say seeing something along those lines. Kawa City is really ten times bigger though, so I imagine wandering around could be interesting."
"Oh, the Festival of Waters!" Kanna breathed in sudden realization.
"The what?"
Kanna became more animated. "It's a celebration of the tale of Mizuzaki and Mizuho, the first Lord Daimyo and his Queen. It's the first week of June and, given that Reiyuriko-hime and Kodansyo-hiko are married because of the Blue Wall Challenge, this year's festival is going to be special to say the least…"
Nakahito was quiet for a second. June 1st was the first day of Akechi wa Jubei's trial. The lawyer Sho had surrendered his bounty on that dead Rain ninja for had said the traitor didn't have a leg to stand on and it shouldn't take more than a day or two, but Team 13 would have to attend the whole boring thing since there was no easy to know when they'd be called to give testimony…
The ninja grinned as they reached the end of the hall where the guards stood silently holding their spears at the ready. "Sounds like we have our next date, then, Kanna-hime. I'll arrange for a carr…" He frowned to himself; would suggesting a carriage after what happened to her be a good idea? "Do you ride?"
Kanna's smile widened. "No, but I've always wanted to! Father thought equestrianism was beneath him."
"Okay, them! I'll talk to Fukamichu about getting us some saddle time and we'll take a ride down to the Festival as our second date." He paused. "I'm, ah, not sure how to end a date without at least a kiss on the hand, Princess, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable or do something inappropriate."
Kanna blushed slightly, but she held out her right hand silently. Feeling his heart begin to pound, he gently took the proffered hand on his own, feeling her racing pulse through his fingers.
'She's as nervous and excited as I am!' He realized with a start.
"I really enjoyed this evening, Kanna-hime… I'll be counting down the days to our next date." The ninja said bowing to her hand.
As his warm breath washed across her skin, a shiver ran through her. He stopped short and instead stroked the back of her palm with his thumb. "Until I see you next…" He said with his manliest grin of confidence. "Sleep well, Princess."
"I don't know how well I'm going to sleep since I'll be thinking of…" Kanna's features flushed deeply and she couldn't finish her sentence. Instead she bowed her head abruptly and dashed off.
'I will be, too, Kanna…' He thought to himself as he nodded to the guards and walked off. 'I will be, too…'
* * *