Sumiyaka, Leiko

[Leiko-hime]

Name:
Sumiyaka, Leiko

Age:
18

Gender:
Female

Village:
Sunagakure no Sato || No Alliance

Rank:
Chuunin || Nukenin

Clan:
The Sumiyaka Clan

Clothing or Armor:

B._ For starters one will find that Leiko’s garments have a distinct lack of brightness in them. In fact, she’s avidly against bright tones. Starting with her top, which is a simple black in color. The mentioned garment starts directly where her neck and shoulders meet, though a small v-neck is noticed with a simple silver zipper dangling in alignment with her chin. A thin strip of material extends toward her shoulder’s from the neck, and stops just as abruptly, leaving her perfectly sleeveless. Proceeding down the line of her arms to the elbow material once more starts up, on the surface each of her forearms bears a lightweight metallic guard (lacquered a dark wine-red/maroon color) that extends to the wrist, and wraps completely around the forearm though on the inside of the arm the metal stops just below the bend of her elbow. The guard has a seem up the inside and two clasps, one near the wrist, the other near the elbow. Inside the guard itself there is a soft black material to avoid the metal chaffing against her skin. The regular cloth material continues past where the guard ends at her wrist to cover her hands, ending between the first and second knuckle of each finger as well as at the base of the thumb. The material on the back of her hands is inlayed with several small plates of metal along with a single larger plate across the plain of the black which is embellished with the Hidden Sand emblem.

Back on her torso her top extends over the curve of her chest, tightly hugging to her skin before disappearing under the looser material of a thick sash. The wine-red colored sash appears to be made of a silk-type material, though the inside of it contains a thin layer of wire mesh as added protection for her midriff, even if it is minimal. It begins directly beneath her breasts and ends at the flare of her hips, as does her top. The sash is wrapped around several times, and tight against the plains of her back and stomach, and tied in such a way as to leave no trace of a knot, or bow.

Continuing from the cut off of her top is a pare of simply black shorts in a lightweight material extending down her thighs to cut off about an inch above her knee caps. Further down the stretch of her legs, and starting just below her knee her calves are wrapped in bandaging in the same wine-red coloration as her sash. This extends all the way down her calf, and even on a bit of her feet. She wears the traditional ninja sandals for footwear, however they’re in a black color rather than the usual blue.

Her weaponry pouch is located on the right side of her hips; in easy reach of her right hand, and her Hidden Sand Hitai-ate can be located tied around her left bicep.





A._ No longer deigning to wear as much coverage as she had in the past, whether to further augment her speed or because of a birth of a new recklessness (Or perhaps a lack of care to the damage of her person) she wears much lighter, and more open gear than before. Where before she wore a molded black hued top made of something akin to leather she now dons a loose kosode in the colors of black, cream-white, pale blue, pale green, or blood red; it really depends on her mood or her surroundings or need: The black and cream are only the more usual tones. The front of her kosode is always hanging loosely open, showing the fact that there’s nothing beneath other than maroon wrappings of the style of ninja’s encompassing her breasts, and down the plane of her stomach; it doesn’t serve to leave much to the mind, really. A thin maroon obi is tied around her waist, into which the hem of the kosode is entrapped creating a bunching of the overlarge fabric where the swell of her hips is located.

Her left arm is often encompassed by the well wrought metal of one of her preferred weapons: The gauntlet. In the past she had worn one on each fore arm, to fully utilize the Sumiyaka style of battle, but currently she sports a different style of them. The one on her left arm goes from hand to shoulder presenting a flexible mobile shield. There are tiny breaks in the metal near the elbow, and wrist, to allow for movement, and the small plates covering the area of her fingers between the first and second knuckle bear small, but excruciatingly sharp spines. The guard is pulled on like a sleeve (The underside of it being made of soft but durable maroon material that fits to her arm much like a glove), and is tightened down through a number of leather cinches and metal clasps. She doesn’t always wear the weapon, and will often keep the notable piece tucked into her satchel, and out of sight so that she is less detectable. Her right hand simply wears a reinforced maroon, fingerless glove. It’s heavy enough to suggest there is metal stitched into it, but it is otherwise unassuming.

The hem of her kosode meshes lightly with the material of her bottoms, a simple pair or shorts that cling to her thighs and around mid-thigh. These two are the generic black in color, and are neither tight enough to cling to her, nor loose enough to conceal much. These leave the long length of her toned legs open to view. For footwear she dons a pair of simple wooden geta, though they aren’t particularly tall, and instead simply serve as a way to further blend her into the civilians. She doesn’t wear anything that could noticeably mark her as a shinobi, and keeps her weapons concealed on her person for the most part. The only other adornment she wears is in her hair, a pair of wine red wooden chopsticks that she uses to keep her now shoulder length hair pinned up.

Physical Appearance:
Standing semi tall at around five foot seven inches (170cms), and weighing in at about 135 pounds (61.2kg), Leiko is by no means a meek little Kunoichi. Her facial features are nothing to really sneeze at, but they aren’t really that eye catching either. She has high cheek bones, and a generally rounded facial structure with slightly lazy looking eyes. Her nose is small, and slightly bent upward at the tip, what some would call a ‘button nose’. Near the end of the bridge of her nose is a small crease, almost as though she spent to much time pressing her nose up and backward, and it was left there. Her lips are slightly pouty, with the lower lip being thicker than the upper one, and if a smile can be coaxed out she’s got a bit of a dimple to either side. Her eyes are a simple shade of brown.

Leiko’s hair is a plain shade of brown, and cut short; about the same length all the way around. The ends of it dangling no further than her shoulder line. The strands curl in toward her neck, and follow the edges of her face. She almost constantly keeps her long bangs tucked behind her ears in a futile attempts to keep them out of her face. Leiko’s hands are long, and slender with similar fingers. What one could call an ‘artists’ hands. Her hands are very sturdy, and rarely ever shake unless under extreme exhaustion or stress, and sometimes not even then. Her skin color is a healthy coloration, and slightly tanned from her life in the blistering deserts of Wind Country.

Following downward the greater part of her body isn’t particularly remarkable. She isn’t really curvy, nor is she overly boyish. The muscles in her arms are strong, though not enough so that its obvious. She hasn’t built herself to the point of looking like she’s trained herself hard. The muscles in her legs are similarly built as the ones in her arms, though perhaps a bit more so due to the way that her family relies upon movement. All in all, while not particularly effeminate, she’s not really near the masculine either. Her body is simply well trained to the point of being supple, and flexible like a good ninja’s should be.

Personality:
B._ Leiko’s personality could be described succinctly with the word ‘Contrary.’ She just loves to be contrary toward everyone, and just about everything they say, just so she can irritate them. Due to this somewhat amusing nature she has what most people would think of as a bad attitude, and really, she does. She’s not the most social of people, and when she isn’t standing out by driving someone insane; she blends very well with the background. She acts almost sulky half of the time, for no particular reason than to be downright gloomy. Still, she has a sharp tongue and isn’t afraid to snap witticisms at anyone, and everyone. You talk to her, and your fair game as far as she’s concerned. This attitude has a lot to do with the way she fights as a shinobi. After all, if she can make a person mad they’ll make more mistakes.

Going along with her general bad attitude, she’s very fond of disparaging words. She particularly uses Moron, and Idiot as though they are affectionate terms, rather than insults; though she’ll use them as insults as well. When she isn’t being rude she’s often downright laid back. She’s really quite easy going among people she isn’t constantly insulting (read: close friends/loved ones). Some go as far as to say that if she were any calmer, she’d be comatose. When she’s laid back, and just enjoying life she’s an intelligent creature more fond of books and scrolls than anything else. She craves knowledge, and has a curious streak the size of Wind Country.

On the other end of the spectrum she has a nasty temper, and has a tendency to lash out at people who don’t deserve it. She’ll feel guilty afterward, maybe even seek them out to apologize. Leiko tends to hold grudges to heart, the littlest thing, and she’ll remember it for a lifetime. She has a nasty habit of agonizing over things she’s done: wondering if she was overly stupid, or could have done better. Despite all her outward appearances, and habit of socially shoving people away Leiko is scared to death of being forgotten and alone. She loathes the idea, and yet can’t seem to figure out what she should do about it. Craving for close affection of friends and family, and never being able to get past her pride to ask for it.

She pushes herself fairly hard when it comes to training, and since she was a small girl her biggest desire was to be a good, strong leader for her clan. After her father’s meddling effectively shattered that dream, for the moment, she’s been working herself to death in an attempt to push herself to Jounin, and then ANBU level. She’s gotten a slightly bitter attitude where her family is concerned, mostly directed toward her father. To the rest of her family she is kind enough, and particularly loving to her little brother. She idolizes her Mother for being able to put up with her annoying father, as well as with Leiko herself. Leiko knows she can be difficult to deal with, after all.


A._ Cold, ruthless… Inhuman; she seems to lack every emotion. She is no longer the woman she used to be. Outside there seems to be a normal human woman, but inside, inside there is a vicious chasm: A void of nothingness. It was that in prior times Leiko was known to be a rather brash, and loud mouthed sort of girl. She was fond of insults, and was a very free spirit type. She’d never allowed someone to tell her what to do… Most of those things have changed. While Leiko remains the type of person that you can not command when she lacks respect for you, she will no longer vocalize her displeasure; Her frigid glares speak louder than any words. Instead of goading her opponents, or even random people off the street Leiko affects a very silent sort of persona. She’s that person who stalks through the masses in utter silence; the one who’s aura speaks of a trained killer and parts the sea of people before her. Despite this, what could be considered, noticeable factor she blends in extremely well. With her lack of verbal responses she haunts the background like a figment of the imagination.

She remains a highly intelligent person, with a constant thirst for knowledge. She loves scrolls and tomes just as she always did, and can often be spotted reading them when she gets the chance, one of the few moments she seems serene is when she’s lost in the vast knowledge of the written word. She has a rather impressive reservoir of knowledge stored inside of her mind, though most of it focuses on the workings of clans, particularly her own; though recently she’s started taking more interest in the workings of other clan: The powerful ones in particular. She knows a great deal about jutsu, and the workings of chakra though none of it really helps her any do to her unique genealogy. All in all Leiko is always on the look for something she doesn’t know yet, and if she finds that thing she will almost always pursue the knowledge of it. She prides herself on her lack of stupidity, and would much rather keep it that way.

As far as emotions go, she seems to have let of the greater part of hers. If asked she would never conclude herself to feel anything at all, which may indeed be true. Inside she feels nothing more than blank indifference; the very source of apathy. It is almost as though the ability to feel was ripped from her soul, and all that remains is an empty hole. On occasion an emotion will surface, though these emotions rarely range farther than utter most grief, and guilt. Her most common emotion seems to be one of intense melancholy.

Leiko was never a friendly person, but she still had companions in the form of her team, and a few others. She no longer actively searches to engage in social attitudes, and instead keeps herself held aloofly distant from other human beings. She’s had one to many encounters with the ability to strip a person of their skill by the taking of things that are important. In the end friendship, companionship… These things are quickly becoming foreign to the Sumiyaka, and indeed, should someone seek these things from her it would be a long rocky road. There are barriers thicker than ever around her now, and to crack or shatter them would take immense effort: Many would not deem it worth while, after all what remains inside these walls is but a broken woman.

At one time Leiko was not fond with the thought of taking lives, she did not care for the thought of being a hired assassin as many Shinobi were. While vocal in her threats of death and physical harm she never took them all the way to the extremes, she kept her hands as untainted as she could as a kunoichi. Now, however, she no longer harbors such reservations. Indeed at times she seems to revel in the death of her targets. She has truly become a completely different person.

[Leiko-hime]

Weapons:
Senbon: Her favorite type of armament, and the weapon that makes up most of her arsenal. Leiko much prefers theses thin, needle like weaponry when she isn’t using her clan’s taijutsu style of fighting. There are a good few dozen stowed away in her weaponry pouch.

Exploding Tags: After the senbon, and her Taijutsu these are her favorite weapons. Why? Because they make things explode, simple as that. She has around a dozen of them stored away.

Metal Gauntlets/Guards: Only equipped with a single armament of the Sumiyaka’s predominant equipment she can use it to its fullest, even without the double style that most use, leaving her other arm free up to use some of her other weaponry. This, does no, however, make the hand not equipped with a gauntlet any less lethal with a punch; simply not quite as bad as the other.

Adrenaline Shots: Like any Sumiyaka she carries exactly four of these shots of purified adrenaline at all times. Each is in its own ready use syringe with a small, clear plastic tip on the needle that can be removed.

Kodachi: A newly added piece of her arsenal. Shorter than a katana, but longer than the wakizashi this short blade is most often used for defensive style movements. It is still able to cut, like any blade, but it is more often used to defend against attacks. She wears in tuck diagonally through the back of her sash, over the small of her back. The hilt protrudes past her hip on the right side within easy reach of her hand. The sheath and hilt are of lacquered black wood, and hold a well cared for shine.

Chopstick Knives: These tiny extremely thin bladed knives are expertly made to look like a harmless pair of chopsticks which Leiko uses to keep her hair out of the way. In fact these chopsticks are thin, tough, lacquered wood cases around the thin knives inside. The top part is a small hilt. These are mostly used to catch a foe unawares, or to assassinate a target with minimal body damage.


Jutsu:
Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique)
Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Technique)
Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique)
Nawanuke no Jutsu (Rope Escape Technique)
Jibaku Fuda: Kassei (Exploding Tag: Activate)
Kakuremino no Jutsu (Cloak of Invisibility Technique)
Kinobori no Waza (Act of Tree Climbing)
Suimen Hokou no Waza (Act of Water Surface Walking)

In the style of her clan she only uses the most basic of Ninjutsu/Genjutsu.


Kekkei Genkai/Bloodlimit/Special Abilities:
In the style of her Clan Leiko posses the Kekkei Genkai that allows her to move at excessive speeds when she wants to. Other than this simple limit she possesses no overly amazing abilities.

Battle Style:
B._ In battle Leiko uses the specialized style of her clan called the Lucky Fist style. This style utilizes high speed, rapid movement and the intuition to attempt and guess the opponents movements beforehand. Basically, it relies on luck and ingenuity. Using short, swift bursts of her Sumiyaka speed Leiko will move in to attack the opponent, effectively ‘appearing’ near them to swing a kick or punch. She’ll also utilize senbon, or other weaponry to add more effect to her relatively low power hits.

As far as Genjutsu and Ninjutsu go in her fighting style, they are almost nonexistent though she may use some of the most basic skills when she needs to. She has the capacity to learn more difficult types of Jutsu, but with her chakra mostly going to maintaining the Sumiyaka speed blood limit she doesn’t really have the power needed to pull off multiple powerful jutsu. More than anything her battle style revolves around using her brain to strategically plan her every move.

A._ The only difference between this style and her current one is the implementation of her kodachi, and the fact that she only wears a single gauntlet now.

Companions:
Akiyama, Hiiro: Hiiro was another of Leiko’s Academy friends, and also a member of her Genin team. He helped her learn the jutsu being extremely talented in that area while she helped him with his poor Taijutsu skills. Not as close as Haru, and Leiko, but still extremely close friends. He has a nature that is even more serious that Leiko’s, and is exceptionally polite about everything.

Umeko, Haru: B._ Haru is effectively Leiko’s best friend. They’ve known each other since their academy days. Haru, being a type of well-balanced fighter was able to learn a good deal as far as improving his Taijutsu and strategy went from the Sumiyaka. When they graduated the Academy they both ended up on the same Genin team. The happy-go-lucky sort, Haru is all about having fun unless he finds a need to be serious.

A._ He died from wounds gained while protecting Leiko’s younger brother in a raid on the Sumiyaka compound.

Usagiku, Yaki: A friend from Leiko’s academy days, and before.

Sumiyaka, Seiichi: B._ Leiko’s little brother who’s always trying to go with her where ever she goes. Whether to train, or on a mission. He idolizes her, even as he drives her up a wall.. and despite the death threats she gives him; she adores him to.

A._ Killed by a mad man out to hunt down the heirs. It was only thanks to their father that Seiichi was targeted, as Leiko is the rightful heir.

Sumiyaka, Shuji-sensei: Hiiro, Haru, and Leiko’s Jounin Sensei, also Leiko’s cousin a couple times removed. He was around 18/19 when Leiko and the lot graduated to Genin. Today he’s around 24. Easy-going and friendly, its hard not to like Shuji. He’s always got a random silly joke to spare, and a listening ear for his friends.

[Leiko-hime]

History:
One blistering afternoon during late March Mayako and Sei, the current leaders of Sunagakure’s Sumiyaka clan were blessed with their first child; a daughter they named Leiko. From the offset Leiko showed a few good qualities as far as intelligent went, lifting her head within days.

As she progressed from a baby into the toddler stage she effectively became a Daddies little girl. Sumiyaka Sei spoiled his daughter rotten, and let her get away with just about anything while Mayako was the one to with hold, and to scold the little girl. When Leiko’s Sumiyaka Blood limit began to show signs of developing around age five (a bit early, but fairly average) her father immediately began to train her into a regiment to develop the muscles, bones, tendons, and joints needed for their specialized type of Taijutsu.

Being the brat she’d become due to her father’s previous coddling Leiko had a tendency to scream, and do everything in her power to skiv off such harsh training, and more often than not she got away with it. Her father just couldn’t be strict with the girl. It wasn’t until shortly after Leiko’s sixth birthday that Mayako sought to remedy the error her husband had made. Sitting her daughter down Mayako had a talk with Leiko, and explained the importance of her station as heiress, and the training to that station.

Leiko being the spoiled child she was, saw this as something special. Something she wanted and would have. It was the awakening of her obsession with the leadership of her clan, and the very next day she went to training with a surprising amount of diligence. After her physical training Leiko would clean up before disappearing to the Sumiyaka’s personal library to read and learn everything she could about the way her clan worked. From day break, to nightfall the little girl would poor over her training.

After that moment when she was a six year old little girl, Leiko very rarely ventured outside of the compound, and was thus very socially stunted. One of the few friends she made during this time was in the form of little Usagiku Yaki, a girl who’s mother was friends with Sei and Mayako. When they visited Leiko would be told to put aside her efforts to keep the smallest guest occupied, and somehow Yaki was able to put up with Leiko’s behavioral problems and become friends with her.

It was more or less thanks to her mother, and a few other relatives that Leiko eventually lost her bratty attitude. After her father became increasingly busy with running the Clan Mayako took over her daughters training, and disciplined her behavior, guiding Leiko into a better path. By the age of eight Leiko’s outlook had changed, so no longer wanted to be the leader of her clan to simply have such a special station; Leiko wanted to be a good leader for the Sumiyaka clan, and she devoted herself two fold to her work. She would become strong, so she could lead her clan correctly.

At age nine Leiko entered the Ninja Academy in Sunagakure alongside the likes of Umeko Haru, and Akiyama Hiiro. She met Haru for the first time during the entrance exams, and later found him to be in her classes. Thanks to the boys generalized knowledge of all types of ninja arts they could exchange knowledge quite well. Hiiro added to their group of friends an advanced (for their age) knowledge of the workings of Chakra, and was able to help the other two conquer many of their shortcomings with his smarts.

As the three continued their years at the academy Leiko continued to work herself to death. Intent on her goals, and to serious and stubborn to realize what she was doing to herself. Haru took things into his own hands, being the most light hearted of their little group, and forcefully taught his two uptight friends the meaning of fun all over again. He did everything he could, dragging them out to any and every festival; and when there was nothing special going on he just made sure that each day they took a break from working to do something fun. It made they’re bond of friendship all the tighter, and probably saved Leiko from herself.

They all graduated the academy together at the age of 12, and were taken under the wing of their jounin sensei, who was actually a cousin of Leiko’s by the name of Shuji. Though a good deal of the other Genin had it in for the three for getting a rookie Jounin for a sensei, and one who was presumed to be fairly weak if only for his lack of flashy jutsus; they were happy since their little group remained together, and Shuji-sensei was a nice guy.

For Leiko it was only good that could come from being trained by a fellow Sumiyaka, he could continue to teach her all the things she needed to know about their clan fighting style. Effectively dubbed the Awkward Squad by their fellow genin they spent a year doing the usual menial missions, and training themselves. They were 13 when they entered their first Chuunin exam.

They made it through the first part of the exam with few mishaps, but it was the second part where they faltered. During a fight with another Genin team Haru was badly injured. He wanted to continue despite his injuries but Leiko and Hiiro would have none of it, and they forfeited right there, a chuunin coming to get them out of the test area. The day after their first Chuunin exam Leiko was in the hospital visiting Haru when the news came, her mother who had been pregnant had given birth. A little boy who would be named Seiichi. Leaving Haru with a promise to visit again soon Leiko rushed off to her family.

Things were quiet at that point, and everything seemed to be going well. Seiichi grew, and Leiko’s genin team trained even harder. Day after day they worked to perfect skill after skill. Two years later at the ages of fifteen they once more enrolled in the Chuunin exam; this time all three succeeded, and again something happened the following day. At a party that should have been to celebrate their accomplishments Sumiyaka Sei made an announcement, he would be naming the two-year old Seiichi the heir; not Leiko.

Shattered, and denied of what was rightfully hers Leiko and her father had their first big fall out, and the girl went into a bitterly depressed state for the weeks that followed. Haru once again came to the rescue, cheering her up with his quirky attitude, and giving her something else to strive for. It was her blood right after all. She was the rightful heir by the old ways, he reminded her. She would work to become strong, become an ANBU prove that she was strong, and the rightful heir.

Now, working to become a Jounin Leiko is a focused person, her goal to become a strong Shinobi and show her father up, and eventually to reclaim her rightful title.

A few months ago:
The Sumiyaka compound came under attack during a festival to honor the Kazekage for one thing or another. Leiko had been attending the festival with Umeko Haru, while Hiiro was on duty with their Sensei, Shuji. When word came, Haru just in off duty went ahead while Leiko followed. Normally she would have gone first, but her mother had talked her into dressing for the occasion. Upon her arrival at the compound it was to find her father unconscious in the dining room. Further in she found Haru’s mangled body. They were both taken to the Medical shinobi while she continued onward looking for her mother, and brother.

What she found was her brother gone.

Leiko was escorted to Suna’s hospital where she awaited her mother. When Mayako arrived it was learned she’d been out delivering a missive to one of Leiko’s father’s friends at the mans behest.

Several shinobi teams were sent out to look for the missing Sumiyaka boy, and it was only three days later that they found his body, dead, bloodless… and with a note. Whoever it was that was stealing the heirs was displeased when he learned he could not get what he wanted from the boy. Two days later Umeko Haru died from his injuries.

A funeral was held for the both of them, and Leiko retreated to her home. Mayako was the one to discover her daughter gone the next day, leaving behind almost all of her equipment, and taking out a different set. A set used by one of the far gone Sumiyaka-hime, one who had wandered for several years before returning to Suna to continue the line and rule the clan.

Leiko herself traveled out of Wind Country as fast as she could.

[Leiko-hime]

RP Example:
B._ A sort of soft buttery glow was creeping across the floor of the stone room. It was a simple room, built from the same brown sandy colored stone as the rest of Suna was, with a great many bookshelves and a burgundy throw rug with depiction’s of stalking tigers. The European style bed tucked into a corner was covered in around seven pillows of varying colors, and a simple blanket of brown hue, with pink decorations in the form of flowers. This blanket was currently twisted around the body sprawled upon the bed. The bodies head was crammed beneath the main pillow, and an arm was slung out to one side with a death grip around another pillow. There were no creaks to tell of the presence approaching the sleeping figure, as there were no floor boards to creak, but all the same a single sleepy eye slipped open beneath the pillow.

Leiko peered at the small figure stalking toward her in the small space between her mattress, and the pillow over top her head. Deigning the person to be of no consequence she snuggled more fully into her nest of blankets and pillows as though attempting to burrow right into the comfortable mattress. The figure stopped, standing perfectly still as the body on the bed thrashed about, and then stilled again. Cramming his hands against his mouth five year old Seiichi did his best to stifle his boyish giggles as he watched his sister. Once more he began to creep ever closer to the bed.

Leiko had begun to doze off once more when everything happened in a split second. She heard the voice of her little brother give a yell before a weight landed on her back. Letting out an ‘Oomph!’ she gasped for breath, having had it all knocked out of her. Seiichi was howling with laughter from his perch on her, "I got you, Sis!" he squealed, immensely pleased with himself, well he was until he felt the person beneath him starting to sit up. With a yelp the five year old toppled onto the bed.

Leiko’s head turned slowly to glare over her shoulder, looking more pouty due to her current bed head. All the same Seiichi gave a squeak and scrambled toward the door. "I’ll murder you, you brat!" Leiko snarled, reaching for the first thing that her hand came in contact with, something made of glass it seemed. Without any hesitation she hurled the object after her fleeing sibling, listening to the sound of it shattering against the wall outside her doorway. Oh, sure, so she’d pulled her aim; she wouldn’t harm her brother, but she wouldn’t openly admit to not trying her best.

Sitting there on her bed looking sullen in the following silence, Leiko heaved a sigh. She had better get up now. There was a scandalized sound from beyond her door that left Leiko scowling all over again. Stomping over she poked her head around the wall to stare at one of the little servants that crept around the place. The girl had obviously come to clean up the shattered item. The petite servant girl placed her fists on her hips, and eyed the barely awake Sumiyaka. Leiko blinked back at her, confused by the sudden severity in the normally sweet girl, "What?" she asked flatly, voice slurring a bit from her tiredness.

Pursing her lips the other girl eyed Leiko up and down, taking in the brown hair sticking up in all directions and sleep wear, "Leiko -san, you do realize you broke your birthday present from Haru-san, don’t you?" she snapped.

Leiko’s stared for a moment, then her eyes widened as the facts settled into her slightly muddled brain, "WHAAAAT?!" The whole of the Sumiyaka compound probably heard that yell, despite the thick stone walls that made up the place. In the kitchen Mayako paused in pouring herself some tea to stare at a wall, and vaguely in the direction of her daughters voice. Seiichi who’d just begun to creep from behind his mother’s legs ducked back behind them again. Probably a good idea considering his elder sister came stomping into the kitchen. Pointing a finger at the little boy hiding behind their mother Leiko glared her best glare at him and started ranting, "You made me break Haru’s birthday present to me!" she cried, sounding aggravated. "If he wasn’t so nice he’d kill me!"

Seiichi sniffled, big blue eyes welling up with tears as he shuffled toward his sister from behind their mother. Sniffling, and looking for all the world like everything was miserable and nothing would ever be right again he stared up at Leiko, "I’m sorry." He whimpered. Then reaching into a pocket he pulled out a minute trinket in the form of a carved wooden steam engine set with shuriken designs. Holding it up to his sister he said, "You can have my favorite." He said softly.

Leiko’s face immediately softened and she crouched down in front of the five year old. Reaching out she closed his little hand around his toy and offered a small smile, "Nah, you keep it kiddo. Its all right. I forgive you."

Seiichi squealed in delight and hugged her around the head, happy that he was forgiven. It was at that moment that their father came walking into the kitchen his eyes flickering around the members of his family. Snorting slightly as he caught site of his eldest. "Have you no dignity?" he reprimanded sharply.

Leiko straightened up, and eyed her father down her nose before crossing her arms over her chest, "Have you no lube?" She asked in rejoinder. "The stick is getting painful considering your attitude." She might have been standing there in an oversized shirt, and a pair of shorts but that didn’t make her any nicer. Turning on her heel Leiko retreated back to her room to get ready for the day rather than fight with her father who was looking particularly dumbfounded at the moment. Sadly, it wouldn’t last.

[Leiko-hime]

A._ The air was quickly chilling toward so-called dangerous levels out over the desert of Wind Country, and normally all but those who had to be outside were tucked into the relative safety of their homes. Night was no time to be outside in a desert. This night, however, was special. Sunagakure was celebrating, and as such the masses were crowded into the dusty streets to crowd around vendors, and enjoy time with loved ones. The chill was kept at bay by sturdy metal urns filled with scentless oil and lit on fire in strategic places; as well as the body heat coming off the thousands of humans crowding every available space. Strings of colored lanterns laced back and forth between the buildings, or decorated the many stands where men and women called to the crowd, flashing wares and good smelling food stuff. The rising sound of laughter echoed over the low dull hum of hundreds of voices in conversation, and all of it was occasionally split by the squeal of an excited child.

On such a night the shadows were few and far between, but the ones that did exist were as dark as the sky pockets of space between the stars in the sky above. The sound of two voices rising in an excited cheer shattered the cool air, and the sound of small wooden geta clattering across Suna’s dusty street irrupted as a pair of young girls, no more than six or seven ran by toward the multitude of the crowd. A pair of idle brown eyes followed their progress until the duo was lost among the crowd, switching back to watch the slower passing of the children’s parents before angling back toward the ground. The owner of the eye’s twitched her fingers against the cold stone wall that she was leaning against, feeling all the ridges and textures of the workmanship pressing against her shoulders and back, she fingered a crack in the masonry for a moment before pulling her hand up to viciously shove a dangling strand of hair back to hook behind her ear. Here stood Sumiyaka Leiko, wearing a kimono for the first damn time since she was three… and feeling damn awkward about it to. She was a kunoichi for the sake of the god’s, she just didn’t do this sort of thing. She was supposed to go around fighting people, and killing them, and… stuff…

She blinked in surprise as a pair of scuffed ninja sandals invaded her nice view of the dirty street. Slowly she peeled her eyes away from their downward trajectory to meet with a pair of amused dark brown eyes, she blinked again. "Haru-ku-…" She clamped her mouth closed on the sentiment, and glared at the youth when he beamed at her, having caught her slipping. It really wasn’t her fault! She was just so out of sorts.

"I didn’t actually think you’d come, Leiko-Chan… And all dressed up to!" The black haired ninja grinned leaning in toward her, looking immensely pleased at the sight of her. Leiko’s caustic glare had no apparent effect on him, as always.

Snorting as her arms came up to cross defensively over her chest Leiko glared down her nose at her team mate, "Mama made me. Said something about me still being a girl…" she grumbled, her complaint half-hearted at best. With the constant battering from her ‘friends’ over the years she’d started becoming less and less offensive toward them. She could barely pull off her usual bravado with them, but that didn’t make her temper any less fiery.

Haru’s grin only widened, "Well the look does suit you, you being a princess and all." He joked light heatedly, moving to lean against the side of the building beside her, and laughing when she flushed at the compliment before glaring at him hard. "Besides, you are still a girl, Leiko-chan, even if you are a kunoichi." He winked at her then, causing Leiko to sputter at him in anger and surprise at such a comment.

Leiko sighed, but didn’t try to convince him otherwise… It wouldn’t work, and if she was blisteringly honest with herself it wasn’t all that bad to be dressed up for a change, and her mother had done well with her choice. That day when Leiko had returned home from training, blushing a fiery shade over the fact that Haru had actually managed the gall to ask her to meet him at the festival that night, and she’d sent him into a building before telling him he’d better show up or she’d rip his male bits off, her mother had squealed before running off: She’d come back with an armful of red fabric and thrust it into a confused Leiko’s grip. The next thing Leiko knew was Mayako was bustling her off to the baths, and then after the quickest bath she’d ever had she’d found herself trapped in her own room with her mother. The next thing Leiko knew was her mother had ‘attacked’ and dolled her up.

Leiko’d tried to protest, but her mother had told her that if her daughter had finally managed a date, she was going to look good for it. That, of course, hadn’t stopped Leiko from complaining through the entire thing but she hadn’t tried to stop her mother. Mother’s were notoriously scary creatures when they got some things into their heads. In the end Leiko had found herself dressed up in a crimson kimono embroidered with golden clouds and dunes, a black obi tied snugly around her waist. An elegant black and ivory comb, with a spray of small gold and red beads on copper wires had gone into her hair to pull it back from her face. She’d shortly been bustled off (trying desperately not to kill herself in the outfit; Kimonos weren’t particularly made for range of movement) and had found her way here. That was just before the sun had set, and it hadn’t been that long… but…

Sending a scathing look toward Haru she piped up, "Your late."

He snorted at her in amusement, "Not by much, and its not my fault Hiiro and Shuji-sensei were being slow… That reminds me, didn’t Hiiro want to ask Yaki-san here?" He asked leaning forward curiously to look in the kunoichi’s eyes.

A bitter tilt etched itself across Leiko’s face at the mention of the Usagiku, "Yeah, but you know how he is… Duty is important to Hiiro, and even if he likes her as much as it seems he wouldn’t let Suna down. He is very proud of his Shinobi status."

Haru frowned at the Sumiyaka, reaching out a hand to tug a lock of short brown hair, "Did something happen, Leiko-chan?"

The Sumiyaka sniffed haughtily, telling him just how hurt she was at the moment, but her snappish words didn’t leave him much room to ask about it. "Nothing of importance!" Leiko hated the feeling of rejection, and her friends… Those few cherished people close to her… Well, with the way Yaki had acted at Leiko’s news, it had hurt the Sumiyaka, but she wasn’t about to let anyone know about it! Ice would form in hell before she allowed them that satisfaction.

A small voice in the back of her head told her she shouldn’t lie to herself, or others, but Leiko smothered it viciously. She was to pissed about the incident to care right now.

Shaking his head slightly Haru grinned and reached out, grabbing the Sumiyaka’s hand and tugging her away from the wall, "Well, come on then! Lets have some fun!" The whole sudden change in attitude surprised a laugh from Leiko, Haru always was the optimistic one! She allowed him to drag her into the crowd, and couldn’t help the answering smile that came onto her lips.

A few hours later:
The pair had slid out of the crowd and found a bench to sit on. A small plate of dango, the sticks clean of the sticky treat lay to the side, and the two off duty ninja watched the people from afar. Haru stretched and leaned back against the wall, sliding down a bit to stretch his legs out in front of him, head turning slightly to watch the kunoichi. "It’s to bad Hiiro won’t be here for another hour or so. Maybe when he does show we can go force Yaki-san from her hidey hole."

Leiko quirked her lips in a small smile, her temper had deserted her in the enjoyment of the night and she found herself unable to reclaim her aggravation with the Usagiku. This wasn’t unusual, Leiko’s temper usually didn’t last long unless it turned into some sort of grudge. "That’d be nice, but I didn’t really mind it just being us."

Haru blinked in surprise. Leiko never was one to admit to such a thing, and that was as damned close as she’d ever gotten to admitting she enjoyed spending time with someone… Hell she’d just admitted she enjoyed spending time with not only Hiiro and Yaki, but with him. Grinning in a slightly loopy way Haru reached out to tug on the sleeve of the Sumiyaka’s kimono, "Why’s that, Leiko-chan?"

"It was nice… not being noticed for once. Tonight I could just be that pretty girl in the red kimono. They didn’t realize I was the Sumiyaka-hime. It was nice, not being a ninja for a little while." She turned to grin at the shinobi and laughed lightly, "Silly really, I chose this route after all, but it was still nice."

Haru flashed her a winning grin, "Then we’ll just have to do it more often!"

"Maybe." She agreed, her lips fighting against a grin of her own.

Haru’s face went a bit blank, a mischievous light entering his dark eyes a moment before he reached up and curled his hand around the back of the Sumiyaka’s neck, and tugged her down and toward him. He almost laughed as a sudden flush crept over the normally fiery Sumiyaka’s cheeks making her look so different from her normal demeanor. He quirked his head forward, pulling her a bit closer and… The sound of an explosion and the feeling of a concussive blast caused the pair to jerk away from each other, and stare wide eyed toward the sight of a glowing horizon, and a plume of dust and smoke.

It took about five seconds for the pressure in their ears caused by the blast to abate enough, and for the shock to drain away, for the sound of screams to register. Leiko was on her feet the next second, her face paling drastically as she recognized the direction it was coming from. She looked back at Haru who was watching her with narrowed eyes, "Something’s happening at home."

Standing up Haru joined her and the two hurried out onto the street, a passing Shinobi stopped, recognizing Haru as a shinobi since he was still in his gear. "Excuse me! Ah, Umeko-san! Someone is attacking the Sumiyaka compound, the Kazekage has sent orders for all Shinobi to report there and help protect the Civilians and drive off the attacking force." Haru nodded, and the man ran off to alert the other Shinobi.

Turning at the sound of an annoyed huff from the Sumiyaka he laughed, "Don’t worry Leiko-chan, I’m sure he just didn’t recognize you."

She snorted at his light attitude before tugging at her kimono impatiently, "There’s no way I can move that fast in this damn thing…" She snarled, anger spiking as well as the burning sensation of being useless.

Blowing a breath out heavily Haru reached into his satchel and pulled out a kunai, "Here, I’ll go ahead and hold the fort until you get there, Leiko-chan. You can step back over there and ruin your pretty kimono and then catch up."

She laughed at him, but grabbed the kunai all the same before doing something highly unlike herself: She launched herself forward, arms going around Haru’s neck as she hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Haru-kun. Go protect my family, their princess will be there soon enough!" She turned to duck back into the alcove they had been lounging in, only for Haru to grab her wrist.

Tugging lightly the dark haired youth pulled her back to him, and winked at her "Will do, Sumiyaka-hime." He chirped, before grabbing a handful of her hair lightly and pulling the Sumiyaka into an all to brief kiss; a second later he leapt up above the crowd, sticking to the side of a building with his chakra before propelling himself onto the rooftops.

Leiko stood there for several seconds, feeling herself in a slight surprised daze. Shaking herself out of it she ducked back into the shadowed alcove, and expertly cut away the bottom of her kimono, leaving the frayed length to reach no further down than her knees. Kicking off the thin pair of geta she’d been wearing she bundled them with the ruined fabric, and dropped them on the bench before leaping upward and attaining the rooftops in much the same way as Haru had.

A few minutes later:
Leiko landed lightly on the road once more, she was within a final short jog of the complex now. The air was heavy with the smell of smoke, explosives, and the under current of blood. She could see several dead bodies half illuminated through the shadows, and recognized them as the members of her clan who usually stood watch on the compound walls. They’d been quietly murdered, and dropped like useless trash to the outside, landing among the sand that accumulated against the base of the walls. Anger flared in her that someone would dare treat her people in such a manner, but she shoved it down. Rounding a the corner of the compound, she brought the borrowed kunai up at the sight of an unknown figure ahead of her. She recognized the gear as that of a mercenary, and for a change she did not hesitate at the thought that she may kill another person...

She simply leapt forward and brought the kunai slashing across the back of the man’s neck, slicing cleanly and deep enough to ruin his brain stem; the man was dead before he hit the ground. The whistle of a shuriken tore through the air, and she jerked to the side, feeling it slice through the thin material of her ruined kimono a few inches above her left breast, warm blood seeped to the surface to darken the red color of her clothing. A fury of animalistic proportions roared to life within her, and she bared her teeth at the two new enemies. She recognized it, faintly. She felt like she was cornered, without her usual gear, or even the base gear of a shinobi on hand… and her people were suffering: She felt useless. Irrationally her pride soared and fueled her anger even further.

How dare they make her feel this way! She was the princess of her people!

One of the men hurled another handful of shuriken at her, and this time she was prepared. The Sumiyaka leapt upward, her chakra speeding up within her system in answer to her adrenaline, filling her body with it until she simply seemed to disappear. The world blurred and went black around her as she lunged sightlessly. Pain ricocheted up her arm as her left fist connected hard with the right side of the mans head, his jaw shattering under the force. Her own flesh was swiftly discoloring with a bruise, the bone and muscle unprotected without the usual metal covering. She saw a flash of the world, saw the wide surprised look on the other mans face before it all went dark again, and she brought her right hand around and… Imbedded the kunai into the second man’s temple. Blood squelched sickeningly from the wound to spatter a dainty arc across the bridge of the Sumiyaka’s nose, and the height of her cheeks. She heard the sound of a footstep behind her, and jerked hard pulling the kunai from the mans skull; it was followed by another thicker spray of blood that caught her side as she turned fast bringing the kunai upward to tear through the neck of the man whose jaw she had ruined.

More blood gushed as the kunai stuck against his collarbone from the awkward angle. It rolled down her arm soaking the long sleeve of her kimono and making her skin feel wet and slick. She twisted the kunai and jerked it upward to finish tearing his throat open; her face a blank mask as he thumped into the solid ground.

The Sumiyaka whipped around at the sound of approaching feet kunai poised to defend herself when she caught sight of a familiar face, "Shuji!" She barked. The jounin skidded to a halt, staring at her with a surprised look. She realized then, that she must look a sight with three dead bodies at her feet, her kimono tattered and blood stained, and the spatter congealing across her face. Her lips twitched into a slight smirk as she held her bruised left hand out toward the older Sumiyaka, "You wouldn’t happen to have some cord, would you?" The jounin nodded dumbly before pulling it out of his pouch and handing the bundle of cord toward her. She cut it into three sections with the kunai, before placing the hilt of the bloody blade between her teeth and neatly using the shorter parts of the cord to tie back her sleeves: The rest she tucked into her obi in case she needed it. Another short pause and she glanced at the three Sumiyaka who were still staring at her in surprise, and a bit of hesitance she mentally snorted; she was a fully trained shinobi after all! "You three go back that way, there were some bodies laying back there. See if anyone needs help before, then go over the back wall and start cleaning house from there. Don’t let these fools escape alive." She snarled before she whirled on her heel and headed toward the main gates again, just barely hearing the sound of three simultaneous ‘Yes, Sumiyaka-hime!’s

Slowing as she reached the gates into the complex she crept toward them, peering around the corner of the massive wooden doors to see several Suna-nin blocking the way. Giving a mild snort she rounded the gate and stalked toward them: Leiko didn’t even pause as the one in charge called out to her, instead she picked up her pace again; running into the compound. There was some instinct screaming for her to hurry.

She raced to the entrance into the grand dining hall where Sumiyaka often congregated for a shared meal. Slamming the door open she stared around the room, taking in the sight of several injured or dead, including her father laying on the floor. She stared at her father for a second before darting past the bodies, and deeper into the labyrinth of halls that branched out from the central building into the different sectors of the complex.

A sudden terrified shriek cut through the air and above the sound of bellowed orders, and the clatter of fighting, and Leiko’s heart stuttered to a stop as the sound registered on that deeply personal level. The Sumiyaka’s head lifted her brown eyes wide in a death pale face, and she heard herself scream as if from outside of her own body, "SEIICHI!!" Something was happening to her little brother, and she had to protect him! She stumbled forward before she regained her equilibrium and took off at a quick run down the winding halls toward her little brother's room.

A shout sounded ahead of her, and her eyes narrowed angrily at the sight of a pair of unknown men blocking her way. Leiko bared her teeth in a feral manner at them, and she whipped her right hand up, throwing the kunai she still clutched at the man viciously satisfaction blooming in her chest as it impaled into the mans throat, toppling him back with a choked gurgle. With an infuriated snarl Leiko grabbed the cord from her obi and leapt forward, propelling herself with Sumiyaka speed at the other man. The cord went around his neck and he was slammed backward onto his back, the Sumiyaka landed straddling his chest, leaning over him as she viciously pulled the cord back. He began to struggle and claw at it as it tightened around his neck, Leiko glared at him snarling out her words despite the uselessness of the fact, "Your in my fucking way, asshole!"

Tighter and tighter she pulled until he stopped struggling, either unconscious or dead: She didn’t stick around to find out. Instead she regained her feet and darted along the hall, throwing herself forward to slam open the door to Seiichi’s room just as another explosion rocked the compound. She found herself thrown backwards into the hard stone of the wall across the hallway, her head smacking painfully against it… and she slid down… watching with wavering vision as everything went black…


The world swam back into focus, and her head throbbed with a vengeance. Everything was eerily quiet, but from far off she could hear the sound of voices; she’d have placed them in the large dining hall. As the memory of what she had been doing came back she shoved herself up from the floor sharply, only to sag back into the wall as a wave of nausea swept through her, and she narrowed her eyes in an attempt to command the world to stop swimming woozily. Pushing off the wall Leiko stumbled forward past the broken door and into the desolation of what had been her little brother’s room.

The explosion that had sent her into the wall had decimated the far wall, leaving it open. Cold desert air was whistling inside, and she could see the back wall of the compound from where she stood. She took another step forward, getting ready to step out into the open area beyond the hole when the sound of a feeble cough caught her attention. Whipping around she clenched her hands into fists in the off chance that it was an enemy that could still move, what she saw when she turned forced the air from her lungs and she seemed to forget how to fill them again. Haru lay there, up against the wall battered, bloody, and broken. The Sumiyaka darted forward, dropping to her knees beside him… And she realized she couldn’t tell where one wound ended and the other began. Her bloodstained hands shook as she sought out his pulse among the stickiness of his slowly oozing blood: She found it, fluttering weakly in his neck.

She found herself suddenly breathing quickly with the feeling of fear gripping tightly at her throat. Her mouth open as she panted for breath, and she realized vaguely that things were blurry, and that she was crying… and she hated crying and never did it but she just could help herself. The sound of soft voices reached her through her hazy mind, and with a start she realized someone was close by. Tilting her head back she screamed in a voice hoarse with fear and frustration, "Hey, you stupid fuckers! He’s hurt, get your asses in here!" There was the sudden sound of running footsteps, and she gave a weak sob of relief, and hoped they weren’t enemies, which she realized she should have thought of before.

Seconds later she was jerked out of the way by someone as three med-nin surrounded Haru’s mangled body, and she just sat there limply watching with a sort of lethargic horror as they carefully lifted him up, and carried him off. It was only when a hazy face filled her tear blurred vision that she snapped out of her shocky daze. Someone was talking to her, but she wasn’t really listening… Because there was a roar in her ears, and she suddenly felt the white chill of a rage so intense she thought it would shatter her into a million pieces.

The words didn’t register, they sounded faded out, quiet and staticy, like they came from an old radio, "Sumiyaka-sama, please, can you hear me?!"

Then Leiko was climbing to her feet, ignoring the pleading voice that asked her to stay still, warning her that she seemed to be injured. The Sumiyaka didn’t care, she could be half dead for all she cared all she knew right then was that someone had to pay, and that Seiichi was missing. Those sons of a bitches had taken her little brother, and she wasn’t going to let them get away with it. She turned away from the people that were staring at her, and jogged through the debris toward the back wall where she could see another hole had been blasted, and she stepped around a large piece of rubble, staring with blank eyes out into the desert… and realized they’d be long gone by now.

Leiko swayed slightly until she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She turned her head to see Yaki coming toward her, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips her eyes going hard as she turned to stare icily at the desert again. Slowly she spoke, her voice little more than a croak, but the rage in it was clear, "He’s gone, Usa-chan. He’s gone and they took him." More footsteps, and she found her legs unable to support her anymore, and slid down to the ground on her knees, though her hard stare never wavered from the horizon even as Shuji came to her side, calling her name… She couldn’t bring herself to respond, despite the acrid stench of blood filling her nose, and the feel of it drying on her skin. In the back of her mind some sad little voice was whispering the underlying smells in a mantra; Sulfur, burned flesh, burned hair, that strange smell that comes from scorched rock, and ever so faintly some sweet scent of a desert flower.

[/size]

[Leiko-hime]

The next day:
The first thing she noticed when her eyes fluttered open was that she wasn’t at home in her own bed. Normally Leiko did not sleep on her back, so the sight of the ceiling was a rather confusing one. The fact that it was a blistering white was even odder, and then everything flooded back into her head, and she winced at the memory… and the throbbing of her skull. Groaning the Sumiyaka forced herself to sit up, blinking foggily at the sight of her mother curled up in an uncomfortable looking chair beside her bed. More memories flooded back into her head, and she leaned forward sucking in a slow deep breath as she fought down the urge to vomit.



She felt so numb as Shuji practically dragged her to the hospital, and all she could do was follow the instructions that the medics tossed to her. She had no will to fight them as they set about checking her for injury. The only thing that brought her from her stupor was when the med-nin were knocked aside, and she was enveloped in a pair of arms that belonged to someone shorter than herself. The scent that filled her nose had broken through whatever was numbing her, and the proud Sumiyaka had broken down into ragged sobs as she clung to her mother. Mayako had simply held her daughter while Shuji shooed the team of medics out of the room to give the pair some time alone.

Hiccuping Leiko looked up at her mother with red eyes, "I… I tried to make it in time, Mama.. I really did." She whispered, feeling like a five year old.

"I know, sweety, its not your fault." The former Sumiyaka-hime answered, rocking her daughter as they both slid bonelessly to the floor.

"What happened to dad? I remember seeing him, but I didn’t stop to check…"

"He’s in a coma, they said he overused his Sumiyaka speed fighting… He probably won’t wake up again."

[/I]

"To much momentum…"

"[/I]You know your dad wasn’t built for it anymore."

"I know. Where were you?"

"I was visiting a friend with a missive from your father across town."[/I]

"Stupid fool."

"[/I]Hush."

"I’m sorry…I’m so, so sorry."



"Leiko-san," A soft voice called her out of the memory, and she looked up to see the red headed figure of her other team mate approaching. "how are you feeling?" He asked softly, sitting down on the edge of the foot of her bed.

Blinking wearily at him she allowed herself to sag back into her pillows, "Horrible…" She whispered tonelessly. The Akiyama just nodded silently as was his way, he would not try to make her feel otherwise. "I need to get up… and find Seiichi" She murmured more to herself than to Hiiro, but he still heard her.

"Kazekage-sama has sent out a rescue force, you need to rest Leiko-san."

She snorted softly, "You’re always the logical one." She complained in a half hearted manner.

"Of course."

"How’s Haru?"

"Serious condition, but they are doing everything they can for him."

She nodded weakly and succumbed to sleep once more.


Two days later:
She’d been released from the hospital late the prior day, and her mother had immediately dragged her back to the compound. Mayako didn’t want her daughter out of her sight in fear that she would attempt to go after her brother. Leiko probably would have, but she acquiesced to her mother and stayed to help fix the complex. There were dead to be buried, injured to heal, and damages to deal with after all… and these were her people. She was in the middle of helping a small girl carrying a bucket of water to the group that was helping repair the damage around the front gate when she noticed her mother talking with a group of shinobi. Setting the bucket down she quickly strode over to her mothers side. Stoutly she jutted her chin out and crossed her arms, waiting to hear whatever news the man might have.

The man, who she believed to be of Jounin rank, cast her a wary look but when Mayako didn’t say anything he turned back to her and gave a heavy sigh, "I’ve got some good and bad news I’m afraid." He said quietly glancing around at people working around them.

Mayako sighed and nodded before waving slightly, "Come on, we’ll talk somewhere privately." She smiled weakly at Leiko before she walked off and into the main building.

A short walk later found them ensconced in a quiet study that was only used by Leiko and her mother sitting at the low table in the center. Leiko kneeled in her place as the active Sumiyaka-hime, and her mother to her side. The shinobi blinked once before taking a seat across the table from Leiko.

Looking down the jounin fidgeted for a moment before speaking in a tone Leiko supposed was meant to be soothing, "We tracked them for several days until they passed the border into Fire country, then we had to stop and send a smaller force a head, we didn’t need Konoha thinking we were invading, we are on very good terms with them after all, but still… We retained radio contact so that we could back the main team up as fast as humanly possible while we sent an emissary to Konoha to grant border clearance. It was only this morning that we got word from the forward team that they’d found him." Leiko lifted her head from where she’d been studying the grain of the table in an attempt to keep from harming the bastard, but here she glanced up at her mother seeing the small spark of hope enter the woman’s eyes was almost heart-breaking. Leiko had a feeling that she knew what was coming next… "But I’m afraid we were to late… He was already dead when they arrived. We’ve brought the body back, but… We all offer you our condolences." He finished weakly trying to give them a smile, as if that would make it better.

Leiko’s eyes narrowed as her mother broke down into wrenching sobs beside her. In the very back of her mind a quiet nasty voice spoke up to inform her that now both things in her way of her title were gone, and for that single moment in time Leiko felt nothing but terrible self-loathing for herself. She choked on her own saliva, her hand rising to her mouth at the feeling and taste of bile rising to the back of her throat. She swallowed thickly fighting to keep from vomiting in disgust with herself. Seiichi was her brother, and she loved him dearly… That such a thought could occur even in her own mind…

The jounin, however, seemed to get some sort of sick confirmation in her gagging as though he thought previous ideas had been confirmed, and Leiko had a twisted idea of what he thought. He thought her a simple, weak, kunoichi. Her hands fell away to the top of the table slowly clenching until pain shot up her arm from the bruised knuckles of her left hand, and she narrowed her eyes in a frigid glare, "Get out, you fool." He seemed to do a double take at her tone, a frigid monotone that she was not known for possessing. Leiko knew she was known for her snarled demands full of passion and temper, but all she felt was cold right now. It was a feeling that was quickly encompassing her system, and as the man left she shivered at the thought before attempting to comfort her mother.




Two days later:
She’d finally managed to slip off, her mother having passed out from emotional and physical exhaustion, and she’d left Shuji in charge of things at the compound. That said time now found her at the hospital, she wanted to visit Haru, and she hoped to hell that he was awake. She hated to admit it, but she really needed him right now. He was always the one who could make her be happy again, and right now… Right now she needed his optimistic attitude like someone needed water. She was drowning in her own grief, and guilt, and that vile taste of self-loathing still coated her tongue. She was striding down the hall toward the room she knew him to be in when she paused, for coming toward her was Hiiro, but something was off…

She stood there, watching him as he walked passed her, and it was only after he’d gone that she realized what was wrong. His eyes had looked haunted. Frowning she swallowed hard to drown the strange feeling of fear that was irrationally bubbling up inside of her. She strode forward at a faster pace, and she was almost at the door into Haru’s room when it opened, and a nurse stepped out and looked up to see her. The melancholy look on the woman’s face sent a lance of pain through Leiko’s heart, and before she could think she’d blurted out the words, "I want to see Haru."

The sadness in the nurses eyes deepened, and she smiled softly and Leiko realized somewhere that it was another one of those ‘comforting’ smiles that didn’t really comfort anyone, and just made the smiling person seem like a bastard. "I’m sorry Sumiyaka-san, that won’t be possible."

"What? Why?" Denial![/b] Something in her screamed. You know why!

"I’m afraid Umeko-san passed on in his sleep sometime last night. I am truly sorry for your loss." With that the nurse bowed to her and walked away, and Leiko stared after her wondering how she could be so damned clinical about something like that.

And then it hit her like that proverbial ton of bricks… That Haru was gone.

She felt like someone had punched her in the stomach, hard. Leiko sagged slightly her hand flying out to brace against the wall, and somewhere in her she realized that this death was hitting her harder than Seiichi’s and she wondered if that was normal, but then that part of her seemed to die. It felt like someone had torn a piece of her out of her, just left a gaping hole inside of her. She went cold just then, colder than before, and the world just stopped mattering, because Haru was gone.

"Oh, god…" The words choked from her throat feeling heavy and clunky, and she hated the sound of it. Hated how weak she felt just then as she sagged against the wall. She couldn’t see because there were more tears flowing down her cheeks. She seemed to be crying a lot lately.

Shoving away from the wall Leiko staggered from the hospital, and made for the desert. She just wanted to be alone just then, because she knew that the world would never be right again.



The next day:
She hadn’t returned to Suna until now, and she knew she was covered in the grime of the desert as she stood there in the shadows watching them inter her brother and Haru, whatever he was to her. She had just started to figure it out, and he was gone, but she knew whatever he was it killed her that he’d been taken away. She could see Yaki standing distantly in the crowd of people, mostly Sumiyaka. Her eyes zeroed in on the kunoichi for a moment before she looked back toward the graves. It was then, as she watched people laying offerings about the stones that memorialized them that Leiko realized what she had to do: She’d kill them all.

Then people were leaving, and the sun was starting to set meaning the cold of a desert night was going to come on again. Leiko licked her lips her eyes watching as people left until only the Usagiku was still there, and that was when she came out of the shadows. Her eyes flick over the memorials but she didn’t approach them instead she strode toward Yaki. She walked passed the other kunoichi, and there she paused her head tilting back slightly to look toward the darkening sky and she spoke in a dead tone of voice, "When you get right down to it, life is like a story. A really long story, and each of us? We’re the chapters. You never know when you’ll turn the page only to find your chapters at an end. The end of a legacy…" And then she was walking away to, because she had to get ready to leave and damn them all if they thought they could stop her.

She didn’t know if Yaki would understand the message in those cryptic words of hers, and she didn’t truly care; she was leaving anyway because they all had to die.

It was only a short quick walk to the Sumiyaka complex where they were holding a quiet dinner in remembrance of Seiichi, and possibly even Haru so it was quite easy for her to slip silently into her room. Standing there the Sumiyaka took in the room staring at all the things she remembered, and pondering the memories. Slowly, methodically she stripped out of her usual garb and dropped it uselessly to the floor, the last piece she removed was the Suna Hitai-ate wrapped around her bicep, and as she stared at it a vicious thought entered her head. Reaching down she fished a kunai from her satchel and pressed the tip into the cool metal before dragging it across the Suna symbol at the center: Leaving behind a long deep scratch. The screech of metal on metal still ringing in her ears Leiko dropped the Hitai-ate so that it fell prettily across her bed.

Kneeling down she fished out her senbon and exploding tags and placed them in a different satchel, one made for traveling. Sneaking pretty much nude from her room she slipped down the dark silent halls to the rooms in which the Sumiyaka-hime equipment was kept, and picked out a new selection as well as different clothing from it all. Dressing slowly she tilted her head to eye her reflection in a body length mirror. Nodding once to herself, she slipped into a pair of simple geta and turned on her heel.

The Sumiyaka-hime was gone a moment later.


That morning:
Sumiyaka Mayako walked quietly to her daughters room hoping that Leiko had returned by now. Lifting her hand she moved to knock on the door only for it to open silently revealing it hadn’t been fully closed. Looking inside curiously a gasp fell from the woman’s lips at the sight she beheld. Stepping forward quickly she reached out to grab the abandoned hitai-ate from the bed, and recoiled as though burned as she saw the scratch etched into it. Mayako had been a kunoichi at one time, and knew perfectly well what that symbolized.

Not for the first time a scream rent the air from the Sumiyaka complex: One of a mother’s anguish. Staggering into the dining hall Sumiyaka Mayako laid the scarred hitai-ate on the center of the large dining table before she slid down her rest on her knees silent sobs shaking her.

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[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

accepted. Welcome back Rie!

[Leiko-hime]

What you really mean is: I AM NEVAR READING THAT AGAIN!!!!!! >D