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Recherche	By : Eggburtshamslice Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Kakashi/Iruka Views: 4188 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Twinkle, Twinkle Little Lies ... Time to Blind Your Great Big "I"s
(Part Two)

Early morning, one day before the event of the season

Recherché: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Lies ... Time to Blind Your Great Big "I"s
(Part Two)
Early morning, one day before the event of the season
“I read somewhere that worry ages a person--”
“Your point?”
“When you went to bed last night Iruka, you were twenty-seven years old; this morning you look like a doddering eighty-year-old. Come on, talk to me … what the hell is going on?”
“I think I might be losing the last of my marbles … okay?”
“The time to worry about madness is when you wanna sleep on a tin roof during a thunderstorm or when you attempt to set your hair on fire--”
“I saw my father yesterday.”
Izumo leaned back in his chair, hands folded in his lap. “Well, that had to be a pleasant dream--”
“If only,” was breathed out with a heavy sigh. “He was standing right in front of me Zumo; arms outstretched, one eyebrow raised and that crooked smile on his lips … you know the one,” he said with a soft chuckle. “Such a relief to see him; I was at once encouraged … and full of regret for having failed him.”
From the corner of his eye, he watched Izumo push aside his mug of tea; chin to chest, his hands dropped back into his lap once more, the search for a logical explanation, abandoned. “You were never a failure in his eyes Iruka.”
Their tea grew tepid as in worrisome silence they sat; Izumo waiting for the unburdening, Iruka reluctant to shirk off the guilt.
“I was coming back from the Governor’s office when I got disoriented in the forest. Suddenly, Father showed up and pointed me in the right direction. Zumo, I know it was him … I could even smell the pomade he always used to groom his hair.” After taking another sip of tea, he mumbled, “Go on … say it. You think I’ve gone ‘round the bend, don’t you?”
Izumo leaned forward striking a thoughtful pose; elbows on the table this time, fingers entwined before his lips, “No … I don’t. You had a close relationship with your father; no shame in needing his kind of support right now. As to the vision, I think that overheated brain of yours finally figured out a way to provide comfort--”
“Perhaps. But, whether real or imagined, his presence gave me peace for a time.”
“So, why is it you look like you’re coming off a three-day drunk this morning?”
“Which is it Zumo, am I old or am I hungover?" Scraping his nails over a stubbly chin, he said, "You have to promise not to laugh, okay?”
Drawing an imaginary cross over his heart, Izumo smiled and nodded.
"All night long I felt a malevolent 'presence' inside my room; for hours, it stood at the foot of the bed watching me toss and turn. Reeked of rotting flesh it did … kept thinking it would smother me at any moment--”
“Then it’s worse than I thought,” Kotetsu said when the door closed behind him. “First it was the nightmares … now you're seeing things? Ruka, you’re unraveling fast buddy and if you don’t start relaxing soon … you will crack up. That settles it,” he said dropping the basket beside the door, “if I hafta drag you there myself, you’re going to the cathouse--”
“Would you stop with that please, Tetsu? Sex isn’t the answer for every problem--”
“Says the virgin Kamizuki--”
“I am not a virg--”
“Maybe I oughta drag you over there with us, Zumo.”
“See here, you Neanderthal … the only person being dragged anywhere today is you. For god sakes, you’re looking more like a caveman every day. And you, Iruka, stop making mountains out of molehills. The nightmares, visions and any other strange things you’re experiencing will disappear once this party is behind us, I promise. Now, no more of this twaddle … from either of you.”
“Alright, simmer down,” Iruka said as he stood to stretch. “I’ll try to go back to bed, see if I can squeeze out a nap, alright? Oh, and before I forget, the Governor’s arranged transportation for us; we need to be at her office by six thirty tomorrow evening.”
“Perfect, gives us time to go over the plan and fetch our clothes from the washerwomen. Matter of fact, I’ll run down to the market this morning … be one less thing we have to do tomorrow--”
“Hold it, nobody’s going to bed or into town til we get all this food sorted out,” Kotetsu told them. “I got enough catfish over there for breakfast and lunch … Ruka, you’re gonna clean ‘em. Zumo, the traps outside are full of juicy squirrels that need tending to. Well? Don’t just stand there with your mouths hanging open,” he said walking to the table, “get to work.”
Recherché
“More tea, Lord Orochimaru?”
“No and do stand still a moment Kabuto. Now, where was I?"
“Beautiful young woman … appeared in the conservatory last night … rapturous voice--”
“Yes of course. She kept chanting the same five words over and over; I thought if I jotted them down, more would come … it never did. Soon as I stopped writing, she vanished into thin air. Look at this,” he said thrusting a slip of paper into his servant’s hand.
“Strange vision indeed, my Lord, and so too is this. Looks like a list of herbs,” he said adjusting his glasses, “which I’m hoping was transcribed incorrectly; two of these are quite poisonous you know--”
“Yes, those you’ll gather from the forests on your own; the others you’ll purchase from the apothecary.”
“I will do as you say Master, but would you mind explaining why?”
“Dissolution of a partnership.”
“Sir?”
“After that vision, it was clear what I need do. If I’m to become the next Governor, certain obstacles must be cleared from my path. Now run along and fetch my breakfast … I’ve a busy day ahead.”
Recherché
Having left a spitting mad Kotetsu in the care of an equally truculent barber, Izumo ducks around the corner, heading straight for the Complex. He hesitated a moment before striding toward the reception desk. No, he thought, the help he needs is beyond my ability. Much easier to ask forgiveness than permission. “I’d like to speak with the Governor please.”
The mousy clerk never raised her eyes from the papers spread out on the desk. “Town hall meeting is next week,” she said. “Signup sheets are to your right. Next!”
“I had hoped to see her today--”
“Either you wait over there with everyone else or try to catch her as she’s leaving the building. Those are your only options.”
“What about her assistant … is she here?”
Slamming her pencil down, she hissed, “Sit! I’ll see if I can find her.”
He knew she couldn’t hear it and probably didn’t care, still he thanked her as she stomped toward the outer conference room. Easing away from the counter, Izumo turned and took the only seat available; giving a slight bow to the two women seated across the way, he settled into a chair beside an elderly gentleman.
“Don’t take it to heart son,” the man whispered, “full moon’s a ‘coming … folks gettin' testy.”
“Thank you sir … can’t believe I forgot about that.” As he sat quietly, he kept one eye on the door leading from the conference room and one ear open to the conversations around him.
“… utter debauchery,” said one of the ladies. “And those ‘dancers’ from Earth country are supposed to entertain as well.”
“Humpf … a nobleman who'd allow half naked women to flit about his home … scandalous is what it is,” her friend replied.
“It’s how the rich behave dear; those fancy parties … just a cover for immoral activities.”
“Still,” added another, “with a strange moon rising, those in attendance will be safer than us common folk. I hear tell it will be blood red this time. Chills me it does … most certain to whip the creatures of the woods into a feeding frenzy.”
“Hush up you silly women,” the man beside him barked, “oughta embrace the coming of this new moon, not fear it. Don’t you know its appearance will break the curse over this land?”
“Oh, quiet down you crazy old coot--”
“Crazy? Old? Why you--!”
“Mr. Kamizuki?”
Izumo almost tripped over his feet as he stood. Scuttling away from the bickering seniors, he guided Shizune toward the reception area saying, “I need only a few moments of the Governor’s time. Would it be possible to--?”
“I'm afraid not. She has a meeting with the Advisory Council in ten minutes. Is there something I can do to help?”
“Well … it concerns Dr. Umino--”
“I see … come with me then.” She led him into the outer conference room with a caution, “I’ll let her know you’re here. And while I can’t promise she’ll speak with you at length, you'll be hard to miss if you sit here.”
Once more was he grateful for her kind intervention yet he was barely comfortable in the chair when the Governor sallied into the room.
“Right. What’s the matter with Dr. Umino? He seemed fine yesterday--”
“Morning ma’am," he said as he rose and bowed, "I’m here because I understand you have the best medical mind in the Five Nations--”
“Make your point …haven’t time for flattery.”
“Something is seriously wrong with Iruka.”
“In that case, Shizune will provide you with a list of doctors,” she called nearing the exit. “Now, you will excuse me--”
“Lady Tsunade … he needs someone skilled in the art of Kampo.”
Her hand froze on the doorknob. Slowly she turned, her eyes narrowing on him. “Tell the Council to start without me Shizune. I’ll be there soon.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“A young man who studied Western medicine in London,” she said walking back to the table, “how is it you know of Kampo?”
“Umino Tadashi grew and compounded his own herbs; it was a godsend for the older Japanese folks who didn’t trust modern medicine.”
“Guess I should have known that,” she said pulling out the chair across from him. “However, here in Japan ...1883, I believe it was, they passed a law revoking the licenses of all Kampo practitioners. Only a handful secretly take patients these days.”
“Then it’s one of the worst kept secrets in Konoha, because I heard tell you’re the best.” He leaned closer to say, “Iruka would strangle me if he knew I'd come to see you. But there’s no way he’d let anyone other than you, treat him. Won’t you help him ma’am?”
“Fine,” she sighed with a roll of the eyes. “I'll write up something for the apothecary. What are his symptoms?”
“General malaise, sleeplessness, loss of appetite … nightmares--”
“Mr. Kamizuki, surely you can put together a simple sleeping draught--”
“I tried that … didn’t work. This affliction besets his mind Lady Tsunade … he’s not been himself of late.”
“That’s a rather vague diagnosis … I’m sorry, without examining him, there’s nothing else I can do.” She made to stand saying, “My guess is, he’s anxious about meeting with Hatake; sure his symptoms will pass once that’s done.”
“I would have continued thinking the same thing … until he told me about a ‘presence’ which hovered over him last night--”
“A presence,” she asked easing back down into her seat, “you mean, a spirit?” Her fingers traced over the design in the netsuke as her eyes glazed over. “Odd … right before dawn I heard the voice of my grandfather Hashirama; he warned of an ill wind coming to shake our foundations. When I sat up, I saw him standing near the foot of my bed and then … he vanished.”
“Iruka saw a vision of his father in the forest yesterday.”
“Well then, guess this full moon is making us all a little crazy.” Still fiddling with her necklace, she added, “Not three days ago, I thought to go to the Temple … you know, atone for the sins of the land? I didn’t … now it might be too late. If his symptoms persist or worsen, bring him to me immediately. And for heaven sake, speak not a word of this, to anyone.”
“Of course. Thank you for your time and concern ma’am.”

Notes:
Twaddle: silly, idle talk.
Sallied: sudden rushing forth or activity.
Truculent: aggressively self-assertive; scathingly harsh.
Kampo: the study of traditional Chinese medicine, which the Japanese adopted, developing their own methods of diagnosis and therapy which included acupuncture and moxibustion (the burning of dried mugwort on certain parts of the body, either indirectly through acupuncture needles or directly on the skin). The underlying idea of Kampo is the human body and mind are inseparable and it was thought a balance of the physical and mental were essential to human health. In recent times, it has been demonstrated that a single Kampo formula can act on both the central nervous system and peripheral target organs, i.e., the heart and liver, to improve stress-induced conditions. Today, many Japanese physicians combine conventional psychosomatic therapies and Kampo to treat stress-related diseases. This integrated approach is called Kampo psychosomatic medicine.
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