Shiori Gaiden: Chapter 1

50 years earlier . . .

Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the ground. Startled, Shiori and her companions closed their eyes and raised their arms to shield themselves from the blast.

When it rains, it pours, thought Shiori despite the sunny weather. If she had control over the skies, she would have summoned a monsoon. It was the only thing missing from this scene. As the dust settled, Shiori and her two escorts stood motionless and tense. Dense forests closed in on every side. Miles away from the nearest village, they were beyond rescue from the four masked men that blocked their path. And worst of all, their leader was none other than her former suitor. Apparently he was taking the rejection worse than she’d thought.

“Shiori,” Danzō spoke in a chillingly emotionless tone, “we’ve orders from the Fire Daimyō to eliminate you.”

Shiori’s guards, Yamanaka Takuto and Hyūga Meroko, raised their kunai. “Danzō,” Takuto shouted, “you must be mistaken. To think the Fire Daimyō would order the assassination of his own sister is madness.”

Shiori wished she could believe that.

“We are currently escorting Shiori to her magistrate seat in Kitamachi under orders from the Fire Daimyō.”

Danzō and his henchmen remained unperturbed. “It is not my position to question the Fire Daimyō’s direct orders,” said Danzō, his eyes narrowing at Shiori.

Shiori felt the sharp censure hidden in his words. It had been her brother’s wish for her to marry Danzō, his favorite Leaf shinobi. But Shiori recognized the move for what it was, a ploy to keep her under the Daimyō’s thumb. Ever since Shiori’s father passed away, the two rarely agreed on matters of policy or administration. Or marriage. While she felt friendship towards Danzō, she could never yoke herself to him. But refusing Danzō’s offer had only incensed her brother, resulting in this magistrate assignment to boring, backwater Kitamachi. And as she’d feared all along, the assignment had been a front for her brother’s more sinister intentions. Boring Kitamachi was sounding better and better.

Takuto’s voice interrupted Shiori’s thoughts. “Shiori. We need to get you out of here.”

“Have you spoken with Meroko?” Shiori thought in response to the Yamanaka’s telepathic message.

“Yes. Meroko and I agree that as soon as Danzō or his men make a move, we should escape. Just follow me. Meroko will be our rear guard.”

“There are too many of them, and there’s no way we can outrun Danzō. I fear that you and Meroko will be overpowered if you guard me. And without my kekkei genkai, I’m less than useless.”

Shiori’s kekkei genkai was the root of all her problems. Her brother feared the strange ability that protected her from and allowed her to manipulate fire. She understood why he’d had her sealed. The daughter of a Fire Daimyō, a family which hadn’t produced a shinobi for centuries, is suddenly blessed with a fire and earth kekkei genkai. Who wouldn’t see that as some divinely inspired right to rule the Land of Fire? As long as she remained in the Leaf, she was a political threat.

“Don’t bother shielding me. If the Fire Daimyō’s orders are to have me killed, you should not interfere and risk his anger - or your life.”

“We’re with you to the end, Shiori.”

Danzō’s voice interrupted their telekinetic communication. “Yamanaka Takuto. Hyūga Meroko. Stand down and return to Konohagakure. You have no part in this.”

Meroko’s grip tightened around her kunai. “We’ve protected Shiori for this long. We will not abandon her now!”

“Then you betray your village and face Shiori’s same fate.” Danzō raised his arm. “Get them.”

“Let’s go!” Meroko ordered as two of Danzō’s men launched themselves in pursuit.

Grabbing Shiori’s arm, Takuto sprinted both towards the trees. Though Shiori had never received formal shinobi training, she had learned at least enough to run for her life. “Takuto! Where are we going?”

“Meroko and I think the best plan is to press on to Kitamachi!”

Shiori shook her head. “That won’t work. Kitamachi is a full day away, and Danzō will overtake us any second. We can’t shake him.”

Takuto knew she was right. “Any ideas?”

“I have one, but you won’t like it. If we travel west and cross the border into Amegakure,” she explained, “Danzō and his men will not follow. Danzō wouldn’t dare extend conflict there, not after the Leaf’s treaty with Amegakure.”

Takuto shook his head. “Out of the question. Amegakure has a strict border patrol, and if we encountered Rain shinobi, we’d be captured or worse.”

“We wouldn’t have to travel through Amegakure for long. And as long as we stick close to the border, we can easily slip back into Konohagakure.”

Takuto looked unconvinced. “Alright. We’ll try this your way. But we’ll stick as close to the border as possible and retreat to Konoha at the first sign of trouble. If Ame finds us, it will be a diplomatic disaster.”

“Takuto!” shouted Meroko from behind, “Danzō and one of his men have disappeared on either side! I think they’re planning to outrun and block us!”

“How about the other two?”

“I believe they’re heading straight for us, though they may be waiting for the two others to stop us, dividing our attention from both the front and the rear.”

Takuto cursed under his breath. “Then we’ll keep Shiori between us. Let’s switch places. I’ll fend off the wingmen while you break through the shinobi barrier. Our immediate goal is to pass through the Amegakure border.”

Meroko’s eyes widened in surprise, but said nothing. As soon as the two shinobi switched places, Danzō and one of his men appeared on either side. “They’ve caught up to us!”

“Let’s finish them quickly Meroko! Shiori, once Meroko and I have these two distracted, run ahead and continue towards the border.”

As the two shinobi closed in, it became clear their initial target was Meroko. “Ninja art, Jukenpo!” shouted Meroko as she dealt a series of blows to Danzō’s chakra paths. Suddenly, the second shinobi appeared from above. Before he could land to a hit to Meroko, the masked shinobi froze in midair.

“I can’t let you have them both Meroko!” Takuto smiled.  “Where’s the chivalry in that? Shintenshin no Jutsu!” The shinobi’s eyes widened as Takuto supplanted his subconscious. “This one’s stalled for now!” Takuto’s words slipped from the mouth of Danzō’s henchman. “Shiori, keep running!”

Meroko’s opponent jumped back to distance himself and block Shiori. In response, the Takuto-controlled shinobi countered him with clashing kunai.

“Shintenshin no Jutsu,” Danzō mused, “a poor choice for this fight.”

Suddenly, Meroko’s opponent vanished, only to reappear next to Takuto’s limp body. So fast! Even after I’ve disabled so many of his chakra pathways!

“I’ve fought beside the Yamanakas in battle. Your body is defenseless as long as this technique is active, leaving it susceptible to attack,” Danzō observed, unsheathing his blade to strike. Takuto withdrew from his opponent, but not fast enough to miss Danzō’s blade graze his chest.

Taking advantage of the Takuto’s withdrawal, Meroko gave the shinobi a killer blow to the heart with her gentle fist. “Hold on Takuto!”

Before Meroko reached Takuto, another henchman took off in pursuit of Shiori. “Meroko,” gasped Takuto as he clutched his chest and struggled to stand, “follow Shiori!”

“Too late.” The third shinobi suddenly appeared behind Meroko, poised to strike with his tanto. Meroko jumped back to dodge the impact as Danzō raced past the action.

“Takuto!” shouted Meroko as her opponent attacked again with his tanto, “Danzō’s headed toward Shiori!”

“I guess it’s up to me after all,” Takuto growled between clenched teeth, flinching from the pain as he sped past the blood-curdling screech of metal against metal.

_____

The tree line separating Konohagakure from the Amegakure plain was in sight. Shiori ran towards it faster than she ever dreamt possible. Every step she resisted the urge to turn back to check on her friends. Steeling her heart, she pressed on. It was not until sunny rays of freedom shined through the tree trunks that Shiori spotted the solitary figure blocking her way with a raised kunai. Shiori stopped, realizing escape was impossible.

“Shiori, it’s over,” spoke a second figure behind her. Sighing in defeat, Shiori turned to face her pursuer. This was the end.

Danzō’s unreadable eyes locked with Shiori’s as he approached. It was the one feature that had always unnerved her the most. “Things didn’t have to end this way, Shiori,” said Danzō softly, raising a steel kunai to her throat.

A small wave of guilt rippled through her. Danzō, despite his role now, had been her friend. She assumed that he proposed at the urging of her brother, but never considered that it might actually been his wish as well.  “I’m sorry, Danzō,” Shiori whispered. “If it does have to end this way, please, spare my friends if it’s not too late.”

Danzō’s eyes suddenly darted from hers, sensing a motion behind them.

“Shinranshin no Jutsu!” Takuto sprung from the brush, ensnaring Danzō in his jutsu. Danzō’s eyes widened as his body went rigid.

“Danzō!” shouted the henchman. “I’ll take care of this,” he growled, lunging towards Takuto. Before reaching him, the Takuto-manipulated Danzō came down on his henchman, impaling him with his tanto.

“Takuto! Shiori!” Meroko cried as she forged a path through thick branches.

Freed from Danzo, Shiori ran to greet her. “Meroko! Are you injured?”

“Not as badly as Takuto, but I’m out of chakra from that last fight. My Byakugan's no use to us now.”

Shiori’s brow furrowed in concern. Meroko was mostly unscathed, but clearly exhausted. She would need time to rest in Amegakure before traveling to Kitamachi. Probably a full night’s rest. Shiori shuddered at the thought of a night behind enemy lines without Meroko’s Byakugan for lookout.

“Takuto,” called Meroko, “have you captured Danzō?”

“Yes,” gasped Takuto, “but not for much longer! I’ll withdraw my jutsu, and you–”

“That won’t be necessary,” said Danzō, sheathing his tanto.

Takuto’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How did you–but–my jutsu . . .”

“Your jutsu failed. I was out of your range.”

Meroko gasped. “Does that mean . . . you killed your own shinobi? What’s going on?!”

Shiori’s eyes widened in understanding. “Danzō? You planned this?” Danzō merely stared at her in silent affirmation. And for the first time, Shiori did see something in his eyes; a mixture of anger . . . and longing? He took one step toward her.

“You stay away from her!” shouted Meroko as she charged Danzō. With one swift motion, he delivered a blow to Meroko’s stomach, knocking her backwards into a tree.

 “Meroko!” Shiori screamed, dropping to her knees beside her friend.

 “Don’t misinterpret my actions as weakness. Hyūga, you are out of chakra, and Yamanaka is gravely wounded. Your lives are in my hands now.”

They knew he was right.

 “You can’t fight. But can you walk?”

“What?!” Meroko gasped.

Danzō turned his back to them and began to walk away. “Take her to Kitamachi through Amegakure. I assume that’s your plan. I will say that you escaped to Amegakure. Hurry, before more of the Fire Daimyō’s assassins reach Kitamachi.”

“Danzō,” choked Shiori as she raised herself to stand. “I’m sorry.” Danzō didn’t stop or look back.

 Shiori, Takuto, and Meroko watched in stunned silence as Danzō disappeared into the forest. “Shiori,” Meroko coughed once their unlikely ally was out of sight, “he must care about you a lot to make such a mess.”

Did he? Glancing at the sacrificed shinobi on the ground beside her, Shiori couldn’t decide which was more terrible: his anger? Or his love?

_____

At Hidden Rain Headquarters . . .

“Kanzo. Did you feel that?”

“Yes,” the sensor shinobi responded. “It looks like one . . . two . . . three intruders. One with powerful chakra. I will alert Lord Hanzō immediately.” Kanzo vanished.