within the gates of those who killed.

[Tenko]

“Your adrenaline’s racing,” she said suddenly, not alarmed but suddenly quite sober. Something clutched at thee woman’s heart and it was almost as tough she’d been sharply awakened by whatever had ensnared her. “Calm down. I haven’t touched a Suna-nin since before you were born, let alone a Hikari.”

It was as though something entirely new had eased its way into Tsunade’s expression, though it manifested itself as a souring of her features; for a split seconds her hand shook, tightening slightly on Hikari’s shoulders with a brief spurt of chakra; moments later it was suppressed again, untraceable, and not even apparent long enough to put a trace or signature upon it.

“You’re her.” It wasn’t a question.

For a moment, Tsunade looked at the girl with something close to pity, and smeared with some odd, self-directed contempt; tilting her head she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, bringing back the harsh, seriously stern expression to her features. However, there was something much more profound to it now, much more striking – a sadness that was wholly without apology.

“Because if you can’t, Hikari Rin, I’m very sorry you became a kunoichi.”

Keep walking, her gaze instructed solemnly. They'll watch you like this.

[[ dee. ]]

“Then why the hell…” Rin could say no more, eyes still glared in the direction of the female behind her. Fists released from their closed position, stretching the fingers that had soon cramped. Shoulder’s dropped slightly as she released a small amount of chakra to calm herself down.

Perhaps Hikari Rin needed a vacation as well?

“You’re her.” The words hardly meant a thing. Of course she was ‘her’. And in ‘her’ eyes there was nothing exciting about being Rin. Merely the girl who was born into the Hikari clan with no idea of a kekki-genkai that had been passed through generations. It wasn’t amazing; was there something else about her she did not know?

The kunoichi who’s father strayed from the clan tradition to become a medic-nin.

It meant nothing.

Or perhaps…

“Don’t be sorry, Tsunade-sama. Because I’m clearly looking at you now.” Was her dry reply, face contorting to show the woman she could not be frightened as easily as she thought. “And- perhaps- emotion is simply a trick of the light. A smile can be confusing when placed correctly.” The younger kunoichi added, watching Tsunade’s gaze.

In a single, fluid motion, the Suna-nin stepped out from Tsunade’s grasp and faced forward. Back towards Tsunade, Rin raised a hand. “Perhaps you’d like to tell me where Kazeakge-sama’s children are? You seem intent on me speaking with them.”

{ Rin-chan likes being difficult. x] }

[Tenko]

“I know what I’m doing,” Tsunade replied, making no movement but to narrow her eyes. For a moment, she contemplated this, tugging her robe up over her shoulder again to prevent it from trailing the ground. “Don’t try to do laps with me, girl; you can’t complete them. You can’t compete.”

For a moment, her glaring eyes bored into the back of Rin’s head as the crowd hurried on around them; striding forward, she added the final prompt. “You’re not really a kunoichi.”

Before the girl could react to that, the woman seized the other’s wrist with her free hand, a single finger pointing out ahead as she gestured with Rin’s arm in the direction she required. “Team Three; there. Team Six; there. The two eldest.” Dropping the jounin’s wrist carelessly, the Sannin motioned absently into an altogether different direction. “His signature is prominent; you do things differently in Suna.” Tossing back her horse-tails and shrugging as crowd members, seeing her gesture, moved out of the offending way, the Sannin pulled her over-robe back on, before planting her hands on her hips and gazing emotionlessly down at the girl.

“I'd buy you a keep-sake, but you'd probably break it."

[[ dee. ]]

“Do laps? I wouldn’t dare.” The kunoichi mumbled under her breath before eyes looking back at the woman behind her. Lips together once again a smile appeared; a genuine smile on the girl’s face.

The older woman suddenly took a step forward, Rin maintained a relaxed state. “Not really a kunoichi, hmm? What about you? ‘Least I’m not the one leaving my village and whatnot for years.” The last sentence was quieter than the first; gaze still pinned on the other.

“Thanks.” Acting as if Tsunade never touched her, both hand were placed on hips again as she looked out towards the first two directions given. ‘Of course I know where Gaara is; poor thing sticks out like a sore thumb.’ In all reality, the boy was like a beacon of chakra. But there was another genin very much the same as him in the village, she’d noticed, something stronger than most she had seen.

“I appreciate the offer, Tsunade-sama. But perhaps we’ll talk again?” The girl shrugged absently, starting off slowly in the direction she had been walking before.

[Tenko]

“I never told you that I ever was,” Tsunade responded coolly, turning down the pathway she’d indicated to Gaara’s favor. “A real kunoichi, that is.” Matching Rin’s expression point for point, cunning eyes seemed to loose interest completely in the girl, disregarding her presence like the ninja now did. “I finished the mission; I was never cut out for it.”

With a light snort, she added in some disbelieving tone – signifying that she thought her words were every bit the whimsical and lunatic ravings of an old woman – another trail of common words, heels clacking absently on the ground. “Talent doesn’t cut temperament; I could be a legend and the worst for the job.” Laughing harshly, she couldn’t help but adjust that, if only slightly with ever-obvious words. “Then again, temperament doesn’t matter either, does it? You’re either a ninja or you’re not. No dead-lasts or fools involved.”

Stretching out slightly the woman examined Rin carefully, a flash of something sinister about her (or perhaps it was the poisonous trait of curiosity). “Perhaps,” she responded with an absent tilt of the head. “If Sunagakure doesn’t give me a reason to take a vacation far, far away.”

Hemophobia wouldn’t help her in a case like that, but that was a secret solely reserved for the Sannin, their Sensei, and her attendant alone. “I think I want to do a bit of research, actually. Hikari is a dreadfully fascinating name…”

With one last, sharp look at the girl, Tsunade casually turned down a separate path, careless once more.

I need some sake, damnit.
It’s not like she needed to study.