A Shard Among Leaves: Deposition Made Simple (Patreon)

[Deposition Made Simple]

​As a rule, ninja tended to be more stealthy and aware than their non-chakra-using counterparts.

​Even so, Hirari found it quite intriguing that she could simply walk past a pair of possible enemy combatants with nothing more than a friendly nod and showing of half-bared teeth. Humans were exceedingly trusting, even when they were being paid not to be.

​To Gato’s credit, his personal guard were more circumspect. They were not very skilled when it came to combat, though. It wasn’t very hard to deal with all of them without alerting the greater part of the base.

​Hirari wiped her kunai free of blood and stepped over the four lifeless bodies that were spilling even more onto the wood below. The smell of iron was cloying until she returned her scarf to its proper position above her mouth and nose, breathing deeply through the specially designed fabric.

​Gato was not alone when she reached him. Nor was he awake. Hirari found him in what she assumed were his personal chambers, sleeping soundly on his bed. He was turned on his side, one arm was wrapped around a naked woman with large breasts. She was awake as Hirari entered. She was also bound to the bed and seemed rather distressed, which was not entirely unexpected.

​Hirari disregarded her for the moment, focusing on her target. Gato was a stubby little man with poorly-groomed hair and a rat-like face that seemed no handsomer in his slumber. Hirari stepped up to the bed, her kunai slipping soundlessly from her sleeve as she approached.

​The woman squealed through her gag as Hirari slid the kunai to the hilt in the base of Gato’s skull, severing his brain stem. He would not die instantly, but he would not wake up again.

​Her mission complete, Hirari turned her attention to the woman. She was clearly under duress and more than that, not a threat. Reaching up, Hirari undid the gag on her face, heedless of her flinch.

​“Who are you?” The woman stared at her with fearful eyes. Her dilated pupils suggested she was moments away from a panic attack. Unfortunately, Hirari was not versed enough in human psychology to try and prevent it.

​“I will not kill you,” she said instead.

​That did not produce the desired effect. If anything, the woman’s panic only seemed to increase. Hirari searched for the right combination of words to reassure her, but came up short. She’d already told the woman she wasn’t in danger and Gato was dead, there was no more need for panic.

​“I am going to leave now,” Hirari said after a long moment of silence. She reached down and pulled her kunai free from Gato’s skull with a wet sound and used it to cut the woman’s bindings. She then set it on the bed. “You may use this to defend yourself.”

​The woman stared at the kunai and then looked back to Hirari. Her hands trembled as she reached for it, fingers closing around the stained handle awkwardly. For some reason, she seemed even more terrified.

​“Please don’t leave me here.”

​Hirari paused with one foot already angled to the door. The woman was crying. Why? “I have already neutralized the guards between this room and the exit. You are capable of leaving under your own power.”

​The woman’s hair flew as she shook her head. “They’ll catch me, and I don’t know where to go. I don’t even know where I am! He brought me here days ago on a boat.”

​Now that Hirari looked at her, the woman didn’t seem to bear any of the usual characteristics of a person who had been reared in the area. Her skin was sunny rather than the pallid shade of most from the Land of Water and nearby nations, and her hair was an unusualy vibrant shade of red. That was probably what caught Gato’s attention in the first place.

​Hirari’s brow furrowed beneath her goggles. She should continue the mission, but an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach gave her pause.

​“…Fine.” The word came out before she’d fully committed to the decision, which was irritating. “I will take you with me. Can you walk?”

​The woman nodded frantically, already swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She was trembling so badly that her knees nearly buckled the moment she put weight on them, but she caught herself on the bedpost and steadied.

​She flinched as Hirari draped Gato’s bloody bedsheet over her back.

​“It is cold and wet outside. Keep this on and follow me. Do not speak unless I tell you to.”

​Hirari was already halfway out the door as the woman caught up to her. She gagged at the sight of the bodies, stepping lightly around the pooling blood.

​Gato kept his office just outside his room and his files were of special interest to Hirari. Specifically, anything pertaining to his business and the property he owned. Konoha would benefit greatly from a foothold in Wave, and though Gato’s methods left much to be desired,  it couldn’t be denied that he’d managed that.

​And now that he was dead, he wouldn’t be able to complain about his resources being out to greater use.

​Hirari had mapped out every single inch of the compound only moments after she’d entered so finding the office wasn’t difficult. She paused at the threshold of the room for just a moment, hand resting on the knob.

​The woman shuffled behind her. “What? Aren’t we leaving?”

​Hirari glanced at her, then at he door. “In a moment. Stay out here. I can’t afford distractions right now.”

​“But---”

​Hirari swung the door open and stepped through. It was dark inside, the only light coming from a window nearby. A desk sat in front of it, framed by bookshelves filled with untouched literature. Paintings lined the wall, grotesquely opulent to draw eyes away from the wealth hidden in the quiet corners of the room.

​The door swung shut behind Hirari as she stepped inside. She made it less than three feet before another presence joined her and stopped her in her tracks.

​Chilly air washed over the back of the chunin’s neck. Hirari turned her head a fraction to the left, just as a thin needle pressed against the soft flesh beneath her jaw.

​White porcelain filled her vision as a masked face leaned into her field of view. White and red dominated its surface, a blank canvas with skitter eyes. Four wavy lines were carved into the forehead. 

Kiri. This was one of the ninja that  had given Kakashi so much trouble

​“Please do not move,” the masked ninja said in a gentle tone “I will not hesitate to kill you if you do.”

​The threat was no bluff. The needle was pressed tightly just above her carotid artery. The slightest pressure would spell death in minutes.

​“You’re good at hiding,” Hirari said. The nin’s shoulders tightened a fraction at the sound of her voice. Hirari’s eyes glanced to the corner of the room. “You gave yourself away too soon, though.”

​Hirari’s skin burst apart into a buzzing swarm of insects. The ninja leapt backwards towards the door and the swarm followed, buzzing as fangs and stingers sought skin.

​The nin formed a seal. The air grew figid and heavy as the temperature sank into the depths. Ice crystals formed in the humid air, dropping to the floor alongside thousands of insects that had formed Hirari’s clones.

​The masked nin scanned the room, breath fogging in front of their mask. They suddenly glanced up and then threw themselves to the side just as a small boot passed through the space their skull had once occupied.

​They retreated across the floor and Hirari turned to regard them, mildly impressed and more than a bit wary. They’d noticed her at the very last moment and still managed to throw themselves out of the way.

​They are faster than most Jonin. Hirari reached behind her, sliding a portion of her box open. I’ll have to compensate.

​The nin tensed as she raised a hand, fingers cupped in a beckoning motion. A thin stream of kikaichu slid down her arm and took flight, buzzing through the air in much smaller numbers than the ones she’d used before. These ones were different. Fatter, and far more biologically active.

​Just as before, the masked nin formed a seal. The floor cracked as the temperature dropped, crystals of ice flowing outwards from their boots as a rush of cold air moved to meet Hirari’s bugs.

​In response, Hirari’s kikaichu began to glow. Fire chakra stirred inside of their bodies, casting their bodies in a din of fiery bioluminescence that saw them through the fridged storm. The masked nin reeled and jumped away, but Hirari herself was there to meet them in the air.

Aburame's hand shot out, fingers extended, seeking just a moment of contact. The nin wouldn’t be able to dodge in the air at their speed, so there was no way she could miss.

​Barring outside interference.

​Hirari jerked her hand back as a mass of solid steel sheared through the air between them. It slammed into the nearby wall, carving through the wood just as easily as it would have carved through her arm as Hirari dropped to the floor alongside her opponent, slowly turning her head toward the second chakra signature in the room.

​A tall, shirtless man met her eyes without flinching. He slowly reached up to grab Kubikiribocho’s handle. “You’re a scary kid.”

​Hirari tilted her head as he tore the sword from the wall with the barest effort, resting the massive blade on his shoulder as chunks of wood and plaster rained from the wound the weapon had left in the wall. “I didn’t feel a drop of killing intent in that strike.”

​Hirari straightened from her crouch, regarding her new foe placidly. “I was intent to kill. It is possible that your senses need improving.”

​The man chuckled, shaking his head but never taking his eyes off of he. “Not likely.”

​The masked nin stepped forward. “Zabuza-sama, she---”

​“Shut up, Haku.” Haku flinched at the sound of their comrade’s voice. Zabuza didn’t turn as he said, “You almost died, just now. I thought I told you not to stop being so soft.”

​Hirari catalogued the threat before her. Two opponents of Jonin-level capability, one of whom had intercepted her strike at a speed that rivaled her own perception. The other had already demonstrated the ability to neutralize her kikaichu en masse through elemental manipulation.

​Hirari’s kikaichu lingered near the back of the room and could be called upon at a moment, but their numbers were limited and the possibility of one of these two having the ability to neutralize them through other means was quite high. They were in a predominantly wet country, after all.

​There were other options, of course, but the young Aburame quickly decided that the probability of victory in a prolonged engagement was unfavorable. She could kill either if they were alone, but together they posed a threat far larger than she’d come prepared for.

​“Sizing us up, aren’t you?” Zabuza’s grip on the massive sword’s handle was casual, but his weight was distributed in a way that told Hirari he could move in any direction at a moment’s notice. “Come to a conclusion yet?”

​Hirari glanced at his partner and then back to him. “I believe that a battle between us would be pointless. It would be smart to cease hostilities here.”

​Zabuza chuckled, seeming amused at the audacity. “Are you scared now that it's two on one, kid? Realized you’ve bit off more than you could chew taking this place all on your own?”

​“I could kill either of you rather quickly,” Hirari responded bluntly. “But I’d likely die shortly thereafter. That outcome suits none of us, so I propose a ceasefire pending negotiations.”

​Zabuza stared at her for a long moment, before he chuckled.

​“Negotiations? You’ve got guts, kid. I’ll give you that much.” He shifted his weight, his blade catching the moonlight streaming through the window. “Talk fast and tell me what you’re gonna give me to make up for losing my payday.”

​So they weren’t overly attached to their employer. That was good.

​“Gato’s personal safe is located in his bedroom, behind the headboard,” Hirari said without preamble. “I have no use for its contents. You are welcome to whatever currency or valuables it contains, as long as you leave after.”

​Zabuza’s eyes narrowed beneath his bandages. “You expect me to believe you just walked in here, killed our meal ticket, and now you’re offering us his money out of the goodness of your heart?”

​“I have no need for the currency.” Hirari replied. “My operational expenses are covered by my village. Though I’d ask that you leave the documentation, assuming there is any to be found.”

​Zabuza stared at her, searching, searching for some sign of deception or trickery with a keen eye. The girl simply stood there, hands at her sides, but not quite relaxed.

​“You’re not going to follow us?”

​Hirari was confused by the question. “That would completely erase the point of this endeavor.”

​Zabuza let a sharp exhale of breath through his nose. “And you’re not going to report our location to your village?”

​Hirari paused, considering. “I will not actively conceal your presence, but I will not go out of my way to report it. Konoha’s interest in Wave ends with Gato’s death, so what you do beyond that is not my concern unless you make it my concern.”

​Zabuza held her gaze for a long moment, clearly considering. After a moment, the Demon of the Mist turned. “Haku.”

​“Yes, Zabuza-sama?”

​“Grab the money.”

​“Hai.” Haku nodded and walked past Hirari without a glance. Zabuza lingered, staring at Hirari with an inscrutable expression.

​Zabuza lingered, staring at Hirari with an inscrutable expression. “You’re a weird kid.”

​Hirari considered this. “I have been told that I am unsettling on multiple occasions. I am uncertain whether that qualifies as ‘wierd.’”

​Zabuza snorted, something that might have been a laugh buried in the sound. He sheathed Kubikiribocho, walking past her. “You woulda done well in Kiri.”

​Then, he followed after his companion, his bare feet silent on the wooden floor. Hirari watched him go, tracking his chakra signature down the hall, and did not move until they were well and truly gone.

​Only then did she exhale, her heart beating uncomfortably fast in her chest.

​Silence reigned as Hirari finished her report. In the middle of Tsunami’s kitchen, seven pairs of eyes stared at her, six disbelieving, one, tired.

​The woman Hirari had rescued huddled beside Tsunami with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She’d been clothed in some of the woman’s old garments, though they didn’t fit her very well.

​Kakashi’s single eye was on Hirari with an expression that was difficult to read. Hirari assumed he was impressed with her quick thinking.

​“Wait a second!” Hirari turned to Naruto as he nearly knocked his cup over in a bid to lean forward. “You did all that by yourself while your clone was kicking our butts? That’s crazy!”

​“It was a rather simple mission, aside from the missing nin,” Hirari commented. “Assassination and retrieval. Out of the three I’ve done, this one took the longest if you don’t account for travel time.”

​“That’s so cool! Ah, but wait!” Naruto’s face suddenly scrunched up, and he groaned. “Aww man, you got rid of those tough guys too, though! Now the mission is gonna be boring!”

​Sakura and Sasuke exchanged glances, before the former reached over and smacked him on the back of the head hard enough for it to echoed in an opposite room.

​“Ow!”

​“Grow a brain, Naruto.” Sakura grumbled. “She did a good thing. People were starving here because of Gato and now they don’t have too, idiot!”

​Naruto opened his mouth to retort, thought about it, and deflated. His arms loosened and he rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away. “I mean… yeah, I guess. I didn’t think about it like that.”

​“What a surprise,” Sasuke murmured from his corner, though there was no real heat behind it. He was staring at Hirari with an unreadable expression, wariness peeking out from behind onyx eyes.

​Tsunami was trembling. She sat at the head of the table, eyes wet and wide as she covered her mouth with both hands, staring at Hirari.

​“He’s… really gone?” She whispered in a fragile tone. “Gato’s dead? We’re… free?”

​She sounded as if she couldn’t believe it, and Hirari quickly parsed that her queries were a trauma response and thus, did not require an answer.

​A laugh came from the opposite side of the table, staring as a short bark and quickly building to something more. Tazuna leaned over, one hand on his stomach as he chortled.

​“The bastard got what he deserved!” He wheezed, wiping at his eyes with the back of a calloused hand. “Though going out in his sleep was too good for a piece of shit like him. Would’ve preferred to see the look on his face.”

​He straightened up, still grinning ear to ear as he pushed his chair back. “Bah! Forget it! The man’s dead and we’re free! That’s what matters! Honey, break out the sake! We’re celebrating tonight!” He turned to Hirari, grinning broadly. “What about you, kid? You like yours warm or chilled?”

​“Dad!” Tsunami admonished through her tears, but the smile on her face indicated she wasn’t truly angry at him.

​“Drinking alcohol would cause an adverse reaction with the kikaichu living inside of my body,” Hirari said flatly. “The fermented sugars would destabilize their digestive processes and trigger a mass defensive response. Everyone in this room would be dead or dying within minutes.”

​The following silence was almost staggering as everyone except Kakashi stared at her in horror.

​“…That was a joke.” She amended after a moment. “The kikaichu would not kill anyone. I would simply become very ill for the rest of the afternoon.”

​The silence reigned for a moment longer before Tazuna let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head. “Heh… you really had me going there for a second, kid! That was a pretty good joke!”

​“Yeah, she’s good at that,” Kakashi said flatly.

​Hirari turned her attention to Tsunami, who had returned from the kitchen with a bottle and several cups. “If it is not too much trouble, I would like some water. Today’s activities have left me quite… parched.”

​Tsunami’s smile was soft. “Of course, dear. Whatever you like.”

​The celebration was subdued, at least by the standards Hirari had observed in her brief experience with human social gatherings. By Aburame standards, it was rather loud.

​Tazuna drank deeply and loudly, refilling his cup whenever it approached half-empty as he had a prolonged and extremely loud conversation with Naruto. Tsunami fluttered between the kitchen and the table, quietly speaking to her son when he joined the festivities.

​Hirari spotted them embracing at one point, and didn’t see the boy for the rest of the night.

​Throughout the celebration, Hirari noticed how Tazuna kept glancing towards the door, as if the man expected Gato’s men to come knocking any minute.

​They didn’t, of course. Hirari had been thorough, in the end

​The rescued woman—whose name, Hirari had learned, was Tsukiko—sat beside Sakura and said very little. She held her cup of water with both hands and stared into it as she took slow sips. Every so often, her eyes would drift to Hirari and she would smile.

​Kakashi leaned against the wall near the door, arms crossed. He met her eyes and jerked his head, indicating she should follow.

​“So,” he said as they stepped outside. “You freed a country from a despot. Pretty big accomplishment for someone your age.”

​“You could have accomplished the same, had you soared a moment to think about it.” Hirari replied.

​Kakashi shrugged. “Maybe. But you’re the one who did it.”

​He said it like it was something important, but Hirari failed to see the significance. When she said as much, he just chuckled and said, “You’ll figure it out.”

​Hirari eyed him, confusion reigning in her mind, but his expression gave nothing away. He turned to look at the lake, his tone becoming thoughtful. “Though, you’re definitely getting an earful from Hokage-same when we get back. I doubt he imagined you’d think of something like this when he sent you to help us out.”

​The man was speaking in riddles and Hirari was quickly becoming annoyed. She’d completed her mission in record time and avoided a fatal confrontation with two dangerous nin without spilling a drop of blood. When other nations heard of this, Konoha’s legend would doubtlessly grow.

​If anything, she was due a promotion. Especially when Hokage-sama learned of her plan to humanely continue Gato’s operations, securing funding for the village for years to come.

All it would take was a little bit of paperwork.