Chapter 9:
Sure there were kido that allowed for instantaneous transmission of speech, but this looked like no kido she'd ever seen before.
The man in front of her looked sheepishly at the kanji on the wall and chuckled. "Sorry Saeji-sama, I didn't know you brought her here.
" Turning back to Sui-Feng, he gestured with his hand towards the door and Sui-Feng nodded before moving passed him. A sudden sniffle caught her attention as she reached the door, and when she turned back to Jinzo, she bore witness the the man bawling his eyes out.
Streams of tears running down his cheeks comically. "To be able to enter the house of the sage.
. .
if only he would let me just take a peek inside. Such an honour that you have received little miss.
"
Sweat drop forming at the back of her head, Sui-Feng decided to ignore the strange man and pushed open the sliding shoji door with little difficulty. Taking a step inside, she was startled when the door closed behind her with a soft click; it had moved of it's own volition, as the entire doorway seemed to glow with a faint blue light before fading after a few seconds and all was well again.
Moving deeper into the house, Sui-Feng soon found herself admiring the traditional decor, this man definitely had good taste at the very least. When she found herself standing in a large sitting room, Sui-Feng immediately took notice of the man she'd been following before, sitting upon a pile of cushions, pipe in hand and smoke drifting through parted lips.
He was looking straight into her eyes with the most piercing gaze she'd ever seen, his eyes a shade of azure blue so brilliant it was almost like looking into the depths of the sea's themselves.
"Have a seat. "
Sui-Feng started at the sound of his voice; since she was so close to him now, she could actually hear his voice without a filter like she had earlier. It was a smooth baritone, deep and soothing to the ear.
When she did as instructed and took a seat in a pile of cushions only a few paces from the man, Naruto inhaled another lungful of smoke before slowly exhaling to the side.
"So, a shinigami graces my humble abode. You're quite skilled, but you need to be careful not to be so jumpy.
" Naruto stated curtly, tipping her off that he'd noticed her right from the very start. "Tea?" He had reached to his side, where a pot of what was most likely tea and a pair of small cups had been set on a small tray.
Sui-Feng blinked in confusion at the sudden change in his demeanor from that of a serious master giving a lecture to a student, to that of an accommodating host, nodding dumbly without so much as a thought. In an instant, she had a steaming cup of what appeared to be black tea in her hands.
It was hot, but not unbearably so, and taking a sip she found she very much liked the flavor.
"What brings you here?"
Sui-Feng mulled over her next choice of words carefully, there was a good chance he might not remember Yoruichi after living in Soul Society as long as he had already, and if she insulted him somehow there wasn't much she could do to stop him from attacking her if that was his wish, so she had to be careful. "I made a promise to Shihouin-hime, the twenty second generational head of the Shihouin Noble Family, that I would find you for her.
I made this promise over fifty years ago now, and we've been looking for you ever since. "
Naruto nodded, taking a sip of his own cup before smacking his lips in approval. "I see, any particular reason why this person has been looking for me in particular?"
Sui-Feng sipped her tea, sitting in seiza upon the cushions and idly noting how much easier they made the position. They were soft, very much so, and almost as large as she was.
Though that wasn't saying much as she was admittedly quite the petite woman. "My mentor and Master, Yoruichi-sama, was the one who konso'd you when you died, Namikaze-sama.
"
Rather abruptly, Naruto waved his hand as if trying to wave away something unpleasant, trailing smoke from his pipe as he took another sip of his tea. "Please, Naruto or Naruto-san are fine but please, Namikaze-sama is a bit much.
Makes me feel old, and far more important than I really am. "
Sui-Feng internally groaned, he was already starting to remind her of Yoruichi. They both apparently had the same distaste for honorifics, but looking at this incredibly handsome, almost regal man in front of her, she could not suffer anything less.
Just like Yoruichi, she could tell this man was at least deserving of that much, and she would not show him any such disrespect. Perhaps a compromise then? Like what she had done with Yoruichi?
Frowning slightly, Naruto thought back to fifty years ago, to the beautiful woman whom had been his last sight of the Elemental Nations. He had to admit, there were far worse ways to be sent off to the after life.
He'd been expecting some grotesque and horrifying skeletal figure with a blood stained scythe after all. "Shihouin Yoruichi huh.
" He paused, taking a pull from his pipe before sipping at his tea at a leisurely pace. "I knew I recognized that name, been a long time since I've heard it though.
However, you still didn't answer my question, what does she want with a simple Hermit like me?"
Sui-Feng nodded, ignoring for now the lack of appropriate suffix, and set her now empty teacup onto her lap. "I am not quite certain that I am the best person to answer that question.
I actually came simply to find you and inform her of your location. I believe she wants to visit you herself once I have submitted my report on my findings.
" Sui-Feng took a breath and scooted closer to the man who simply watched her calmly from where he sat. "I was also curious, as to the type of man whom could attract
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