HOME | DD

Description
Kumo held out the large flailing cat hanging by its back legs tied together with a length of wire. He handed it to the plump exasperated woman who grabbed the animal and pulled it to her chest hugging it. The cat named Tora fruitlessly tried to struggle away from the eccentric woman but was ultimately defeated by her surprisingly superior strength. Two days into his first week doing missions and he had already been sent to retrieve Tora three times. Two days and he and Nenshō both had completed seven D rank missions.
Tusnade sighed as the woman paid her leaving all the while coddling the defenseless cat. “Good work Kumo” she praised handing him his share of the payment, “it seems you’ve managed to make hunting that pathetic creature down to an art.”
The door opened and Nenshō walked in. “Don’t tell me you used Kumo to hunt that poor creature again?” he asked setting the envelope of cash down on her desk. “I’m almost ready to pay your to let the damn cat go.”
Tusnade sipped her tea and sighed, “It doesn’t work like that I’m afraid and what are you doing back here? I though Iruka sent you on a mission.”
“Calling it that is an insult to the word mission, and it was some simple roof work didn’t even need the hammer to put in the nails.”
“You’re supposed to be keeping a low profile.” she said through her teeth. “It’s bad enough I have to dodge questions about you two, but unnecessarily using your Kekkei Genkai for a simple chore is bound to raise some eyebrows.”
Nenshō scratched his head. “Yeah well the alterative would have taken too long and I sort of have a date if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t care if you have a wedding to get to.” Yelled Tusnade. “Your abilities are to be kept on the down low and used unless absolutely necessary. Not flaunted around just because you can’t manage your time.”
Nenshō sighed, “Sorry next time I’ll use the stupid hammer, but why are you giving us all of these lame D ranks I overheard two Jōnin in the hall talking about all the pages they had to cross off in their bingo book and apparently their having some issues replacing those pages.”
Nenshō pulled a cigarette from his pack and lit it. “Don’t tell me you forgot who crossed those fifteen pages out? And that’s nothing I believe Ibiki looked though the bingo book I had stolen from the hidden mist, I crossed out thirty six pages there.”
Tusnade gritted her teeth. “Kakashi failed to mention how arrogant you could be. The fact of the matter is your still a Genin and you’re not assigned to a team. Until we have a mission that requires you to be teamed up you’ll be working whatever I can give you. Also don’t assume that just because you can cross out a few pages in a bingo book you can impress me. You both are still on a very short leash.”
“I know” he said dismissively, “it’s kind of hard for me to forget considering you never fail to remind me. Can I go now? Like I said I have a date.”
“Fine you can go.” Tusnade surrendered. “But if you don’t keep that attitude of yours in check you can expect to find yourself doing nothing but D rank jobs.”
“Fine” he said as Kumo silently left leaving the two to argue. “I’ll try not to drive your patience just don’t expect me to stay content fixing roofs. Before being dragged here by Kakashi I was more than willing to take my chances out there.”
Tusnade looked at the papers on her desk, “That option has pasted, now that you’re a part of Konoha leaving isn’t really an option for you so you’ll have to endure these simple tasks like them or not. Now don’t you have some place to be?”
Nenshō turned and opened the door. “Oh yeah my date… if you can call it that. Don’t hesitate to think of me when you’re making a team for an A rank or higher.”
As soon as he exited the office Tusnade reached for her Sake bottle she needed a stiff drink.

…………………

Kumo clutched his side in pain, after finishing his mission he and Hinata met at the training grounds to practice his Taijutsu skills. He had been trying to learn the Hyūga’s gentle fist technique with limited success. She had been patient with him but it was evident he was terrible at hand to hand combat and close quarters fighting even with the advantage of his Byakugan.
His sense of smell was bombarded with the smell of the various flowers of the Yamanaka flower shop. He had waited a little more than a week for his order to arrive; the seeds he had plated in his apartment had already started to take root.
“Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. How may I help you?” a brown haired woman greeted him from behind the counter, a friendly smile on her face.
“Ino isn’t here?” he asked stepping up to the counter letting his grey hood down.
“Someone asking about me?” Ino said stepping out from the back room smiling.
“Oh hey Kumo” she greeted flashing him a smile, “I’m about to head out on a mission” she explained, “I’m afraid your order hasn’t arrived quite yet, you should give them a few more days.”
Kumo nodded and turned, walking out the door. Before he reached the end of the street Ino had caught up with him and matched his pace. “Sorry about your order” she said, “I should have warned you that orders can take longer than expected.”
“It’s fine” he said pulling his pipe from his jacket and lighting it with a match.
“I saw you chasseing Tora the other day, is Tusnade’s sending you on missions now?”
He nodded and drew it a breath of smoke letting it out in a grey cloud. “I’ve been running D ranks for the last two days.” He explained.
“Well catching Tora is almost considered a rite of passage around here; we’ve all done it a few times.”
Ino looked over and stared at the darkened glass of his eyes wondering how he was able to see though the tinted lenses.
“Can you see?” she blurted out much to her embarrassment.
He turned his head and despite not being able to see his eyes she knew she was looking at him.
“Of course I can see. Why wouldn’t I?” he said tipping the pipe over to empty the ashes.
“Well your goggles have a very dark tint to them.” She said looking away, “I’ve been trying to get a good look at your eyes through them but I can’t see anything, no matter how the light reflects against the glass.”
“I can see though the glass just fine” he said stuffing his hands into his jacket’s pockets, “Though I suggest you stop trying to get a glance at my eyes.”
“Why?” she asked as he moved to turn down the road in the opposite direction, “Why do you hide your face anyways?”
Kumo looked back at her stone faced. “It’s better for everyone if you don’t know.” He explained, walking off leaving her behind.

……………………………………..

Nenshō slashed at Tenten wish his Kwan Dao sending the kunoichi back. She folded back the corner of her large scroll and pulled several shuriken clutched between her fingers, she tossed them at him and pulled a of length of chain from the scroll. He spun the spear deflecting the shuriken sending a thrust at her as she swung the chain over her head at him.
She dodged the blow and wrapped the chain around the weapons shaft tangling it and wringing it from his grasp and tossing it into the wood. Nenshō drew a tanto from his hip and charged slashing at her.
The strap carrying her large scroll was split in two and fell away Nenshō kicked the scroll away and continued his assault.
Tenten rolled away from him and drew her own knife strapped to her calf and lunged forward slashing away. Nenshō parried her attacks and dodged her faints trying to keep up with her unusual finesse. She pushed him back and forced him into closer quarters trapping him in the thick brush. Nenshō ducked a slashed and kicked outward making her withdraw from her attack. He unleashed a flurry of slashed on her that she blocked expertly. He grabbed her wrist holding the tanto and thrust his knife forward only to have her twist out of the way and land his knife into the trunk of a tree. His metal manipulation made the steel move around the tree like clay. The cold tip of a kunai touched the back of his neck.
“Got you” breathed Tenten managing to grin.
Nenshō sighed in defeat and dropped the ruined knife raising his hands in mock surrender even though her weapons would be as effective as his knife was on the tree; he and Kumo had used this training tactic countless times.
Tenten laughed and removed the kunai the triumphant grin still plastered on her face as she sat on a log whipping the sweat from her face. Nenshō moved to join her trying to catch his breath.
“Not bad Red” she huffed, “Not many people can give me a run for my money, and I can’t really train with steel weapons against anyone else.”
Nenshō smirked, “I’m not really supposed to be using my Kekkei Genkai unless I have to.”
“Well what’s more important than training?” she asked leaning back on the log.
Nenshō caught her eyes and grinned, “My thoughts exactly.”
She leaned into him and brushed her lips with his, her arms moved across his shoulders and her hands played with his red hair. Nenshō gripped her waist and pulled her into him till she was almost in his lap. She broke the kiss as they heard someone approaching them they looked up to see a tall man in flak jacket and green jumpsuit grinning at them.
“Tenten my little pupil why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?”
Tenten blushed and shuffled off of his lap. “Uh… Nenshō I’d like you to meet my sensei Might Guy.”
Nenshō stood as Guy offered him his hand to shake. He clasped it and felt the man’s surprising strength crush his hand. The man’s white toothy grin stayed the same and Nenshō wondered if the man was intentionally trying to hurt him or was simply putting too much energy into this hand shake.
“Were you looking for me sensei?” she asked seeing Nenshō grit his teeth in pain making Guy release him.
“Yes I was, Lady Tusnade seems to have a mission for you Tenten and asked me to fetch you immediately, I figured being my student you could only be hard at work training.”
Tenten nodded to her sensei and smiled to Nenshō. “Sorry I have to go, I’ll see you when I get back ok.” She ran off towards the Hokage tower Nenshō waving her off.
“Training hard?” asked Guy watching him wipe the sweat from his brow.
“Yeah” answered Nenshō, “I’m about to call it a day.”
“You can’t hope to keep up with my student with an attitude like that” he proclaimed putting an arm around his shoulder making Nenshō cringe a little in discomfort.
“I can’t have one of my pupils dating a slacker, what do you say you join me for a little midafternoon marathon? Get to know each other a little better.”
Nenshō had already exhausted himself quite a bit sparring with Tenten but wanting to impress her teacher found himself saying. “Sure”
Might Guy pulled him by the hand and dragged him along until they had both broken out into a steady run. “That’s the spirit kid and after our little run how about I treat you to dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan” said Nenshō trying to keep up with him.
“Good then you can join me for my evening marathon.”
“Evening Marathon!?” Nenshō groaned feeling his calves burn.

Description
Kumo held out the large flailing cat hanging by its back legs tied together with a length of wire. He handed it to the plump exasperated woman who grabbed the animal and pulled it to her chest hugging it. The cat named Tora fruitlessly tried to struggle away from the eccentric woman but was ultimately defeated by her surprisingly superior strength. Two days into his first week doing missions and he had already been sent to retrieve Tora three times. Two days and he and Nenshō both had completed seven D rank missions.
Tusnade sighed as the woman paid her leaving all the while coddling the defenseless cat. “Good work Kumo” she praised handing him his share of the payment, “it seems you’ve managed to make hunting that pathetic creature down to an art.”
The door opened and Nenshō walked in. “Don’t tell me you used Kumo to hunt that poor creature again?” he asked setting the envelope of cash down on her desk. “I’m almost ready to pay your to let the damn cat go.”
Tusnade sipped her tea and sighed, “It doesn’t work like that I’m afraid and what are you doing back here? I though Iruka sent you on a mission.”
“Calling it that is an insult to the word mission, and it was some simple roof work didn’t even need the hammer to put in the nails.”
“You’re supposed to be keeping a low profile.” she said through her teeth. “It’s bad enough I have to dodge questions about you two, but unnecessarily using your Kekkei Genkai for a simple chore is bound to raise some eyebrows.”
Nenshō scratched his head. “Yeah well the alterative would have taken too long and I sort of have a date if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t care if you have a wedding to get to.” Yelled Tusnade. “Your abilities are to be kept on the down low and used unless absolutely necessary. Not flaunted around just because you can’t manage your time.”
Nenshō sighed, “Sorry next time I’ll use the stupid hammer, but why are you giving us all of these lame D ranks I overheard two Jōnin in the hall talking about all the pages they had to cross off in their bingo book and apparently their having some issues replacing those pages.”
Nenshō pulled a cigarette from his pack and lit it. “Don’t tell me you forgot who crossed those fifteen pages out? And that’s nothing I believe Ibiki looked though the bingo book I had stolen from the hidden mist, I crossed out thirty six pages there.”
Tusnade gritted her teeth. “Kakashi failed to mention how arrogant you could be. The fact of the matter is your still a Genin and you’re not assigned to a team. Until we have a mission that requires you to be teamed up you’ll be working whatever I can give you. Also don’t assume that just because you can cross out a few pages in a bingo book you can impress me. You both are still on a very short leash.”
“I know” he said dismissively, “it’s kind of hard for me to forget considering you never fail to remind me. Can I go now? Like I said I have a date.”
“Fine you can go.” Tusnade surrendered. “But if you don’t keep that attitude of yours in check you can expect to find yourself doing nothing but D rank jobs.”
“Fine” he said as Kumo silently left leaving the two to argue. “I’ll try not to drive your patience just don’t expect me to stay content fixing roofs. Before being dragged here by Kakashi I was more than willing to take my chances out there.”
Tusnade looked at the papers on her desk, “That option has pasted, now that you’re a part of Konoha leaving isn’t really an option for you so you’ll have to endure these simple tasks like them or not. Now don’t you have some place to be?”
Nenshō turned and opened the door. “Oh yeah my date… if you can call it that. Don’t hesitate to think of me when you’re making a team for an A rank or higher.”
As soon as he exited the office Tusnade reached for her Sake bottle she needed a stiff drink.

…………………

Kumo clutched his side in pain, after finishing his mission he and Hinata met at the training grounds to practice his Taijutsu skills. He had been trying to learn the Hyūga’s gentle fist technique with limited success. She had been patient with him but it was evident he was terrible at hand to hand combat and close quarters fighting even with the advantage of his Byakugan.
His sense of smell was bombarded with the smell of the various flowers of the Yamanaka flower shop. He had waited a little more than a week for his order to arrive; the seeds he had plated in his apartment had already started to take root.
“Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. How may I help you?” a brown haired woman greeted him from behind the counter, a friendly smile on her face.
“Ino isn’t here?” he asked stepping up to the counter letting his grey hood down.
“Someone asking about me?” Ino said stepping out from the back room smiling.
“Oh hey Kumo” she greeted flashing him a smile, “I’m about to head out on a mission” she explained, “I’m afraid your order hasn’t arrived quite yet, you should give them a few more days.”
Kumo nodded and turned, walking out the door. Before he reached the end of the street Ino had caught up with him and matched his pace. “Sorry about your order” she said, “I should have warned you that orders can take longer than expected.”
“It’s fine” he said pulling his pipe from his jacket and lighting it with a match.
“I saw you chasseing Tora the other day, is Tusnade’s sending you on missions now?”
He nodded and drew it a breath of smoke letting it out in a grey cloud. “I’ve been running D ranks for the last two days.” He explained.
“Well catching Tora is almost considered a rite of passage around here; we’ve all done it a few times.”
Ino looked over and stared at the darkened glass of his eyes wondering how he was able to see though the tinted lenses.
“Can you see?” she blurted out much to her embarrassment.
He turned his head and despite not being able to see his eyes she knew she was looking at him.
“Of course I can see. Why wouldn’t I?” he said tipping the pipe over to empty the ashes.
“Well your goggles have a very dark tint to them.” She said looking away, “I’ve been trying to get a good look at your eyes through them but I can’t see anything, no matter how the light reflects against the glass.”
“I can see though the glass just fine” he said stuffing his hands into his jacket’s pockets, “Though I suggest you stop trying to get a glance at my eyes.”
“Why?” she asked as he moved to turn down the road in the opposite direction, “Why do you hide your face anyways?”
Kumo looked back at her stone faced. “It’s better for everyone if you don’t know.” He explained, walking off leaving her behind.

……………………………………..

Nenshō slashed at Tenten wish his Kwan Dao sending the kunoichi back. She folded back the corner of her large scroll and pulled several shuriken clutched between her fingers, she tossed them at him and pulled a of length of chain from the scroll. He spun the spear deflecting the shuriken sending a thrust at her as she swung the chain over her head at him.
She dodged the blow and wrapped the chain around the weapons shaft tangling it and wringing it from his grasp and tossing it into the wood. Nenshō drew a tanto from his hip and charged slashing at her.
The strap carrying her large scroll was split in two and fell away Nenshō kicked the scroll away and continued his assault.
Tenten rolled away from him and drew her own knife strapped to her calf and lunged forward slashing away. Nenshō parried her attacks and dodged her faints trying to keep up with her unusual finesse. She pushed him back and forced him into closer quarters trapping him in the thick brush. Nenshō ducked a slashed and kicked outward making her withdraw from her attack. He unleashed a flurry of slashed on her that she blocked expertly. He grabbed her wrist holding the tanto and thrust his knife forward only to have her twist out of the way and land his knife into the trunk of a tree. His metal manipulation made the steel move around the tree like clay. The cold tip of a kunai touched the back of his neck.
“Got you” breathed Tenten managing to grin.
Nenshō sighed in defeat and dropped the ruined knife raising his hands in mock surrender even though her weapons would be as effective as his knife was on the tree; he and Kumo had used this training tactic countless times.
Tenten laughed and removed the kunai the triumphant grin still plastered on her face as she sat on a log whipping the sweat from her face. Nenshō moved to join her trying to catch his breath.
“Not bad Red” she huffed, “Not many people can give me a run for my money, and I can’t really train with steel weapons against anyone else.”
Nenshō smirked, “I’m not really supposed to be using my Kekkei Genkai unless I have to.”
“Well what’s more important than training?” she asked leaning back on the log.
Nenshō caught her eyes and grinned, “My thoughts exactly.”
She leaned into him and brushed her lips with his, her arms moved across his shoulders and her hands played with his red hair. Nenshō gripped her waist and pulled her into him till she was almost in his lap. She broke the kiss as they heard someone approaching them they looked up to see a tall man in flak jacket and green jumpsuit grinning at them.
“Tenten my little pupil why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?”
Tenten blushed and shuffled off of his lap. “Uh… Nenshō I’d like you to meet my sensei Might Guy.”
Nenshō stood as Guy offered him his hand to shake. He clasped it and felt the man’s surprising strength crush his hand. The man’s white toothy grin stayed the same and Nenshō wondered if the man was intentionally trying to hurt him or was simply putting too much energy into this hand shake.
“Were you looking for me sensei?” she asked seeing Nenshō grit his teeth in pain making Guy release him.
“Yes I was, Lady Tusnade seems to have a mission for you Tenten and asked me to fetch you immediately, I figured being my student you could only be hard at work training.”
Tenten nodded to her sensei and smiled to Nenshō. “Sorry I have to go, I’ll see you when I get back ok.” She ran off towards the Hokage tower Nenshō waving her off.
“Training hard?” asked Guy watching him wipe the sweat from his brow.
“Yeah” answered Nenshō, “I’m about to call it a day.”
“You can’t hope to keep up with my student with an attitude like that” he proclaimed putting an arm around his shoulder making Nenshō cringe a little in discomfort.
“I can’t have one of my pupils dating a slacker, what do you say you join me for a little midafternoon marathon? Get to know each other a little better.”
Nenshō had already exhausted himself quite a bit sparring with Tenten but wanting to impress her teacher found himself saying. “Sure”
Might Guy pulled him by the hand and dragged him along until they had both broken out into a steady run. “That’s the spirit kid and after our little run how about I treat you to dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan” said Nenshō trying to keep up with him.
“Good then you can join me for my evening marathon.”
“Evening Marathon!?” Nenshō groaned feeling his calves burn.