[FIC] Ask Anko (part 2)

[dd]

Thunk.

A knife flew true, sticking in the impromptu target just left of the bulls-eye.

Thunk thunk.

Two more followed, the third brushing against the first. There were now six throwing knives protruding from an old manikin once used for one mystical art or the other. The heart inked on the chest served as a perfect aiming point.

?I guess we have to put him away again,? Anko said with a sigh, looking up at the clock. It was time for another day of drudgery to begin. She had been very tempted, thinking to name the dummy ?Tsunade? at first. The townspeople were supposed to turn away from this place, looking for other sites of hope and guidance. But, the more flamboyant she made her answers, the happier everyone seemed.

?Him?? One of the servants stared at Anko, almost as if she were reading the disgruntled jounin?s mind. ?You won?t be wanting the blonde wig I found in the cellar??

?No,? Anko said after a few moments of debate. ?Not just yet.? There had to be some way to get out of this situation, without doing something so rash that she ended up an S-class criminal or ship hand on some freighter to nowhere. ?Which outfit will it be today?? She sighed. The servants took to dressing her up in any number of outlandish outfits. That alone was reason to maim someone.

?Gold sequined robe,? a different servant answered, walking in with a hanger holding that garish piece of clothing. ?Cat?s eye turban.? She hid a smile, knowing how much ?Lady Anko? hated that one. ?Mystic prism necklace.?

?You?ll look magnificent, Ma?am,? one young woman said, keeping a straight face. She exchanged glances with the other assistants. ?Your first visitor is here.? She held out a tray. ?I have your tea. Would you like a scone? Miso soup? Porridge??

?No? no? and no?? Anko said. She eschewed thanks. The fact that she didn?t growl should be appreciation enough. ?Pink haired girl? Somewhat chesty? Vapid pleasant look on her face??

?Yes,? the servant replied, taking back the empty tray. ?Should I send her in, or put more salts on the coals??

?We have enough ambience, thank you.? Anko?s voice practically dripped with venom. She was developing allergies. The stupid smoke left her skin feeling dry. Her lungs were probably pickled by now. ?I don?t know how you guys stand that crap.?

Thunk.

Anko grinned, seeing the one servant jump. She had placed another knife in the dummy as the elderly man was removing it to the back storage area. It was good to keep everyone on their toes.

When Sakura was led into the parlor area, she looked around the room critically, before meeting Anko?s gaze. This was her first visit to this kind of establishment. She felt kind of foolish being there. She also had her worries about Anko, remembering how the older woman had treated Naruto outside of the Forest of Death.

?Feeling somewhat foolish?? Anko made a steeple out of her hands, reading the younger girl?s face and posture. ?Have your doubts?? Training with Tsunade, Sakura ought to have more sense than most of the kunoichi who made their way to the shop. Something must be heavy on her mind. ?Some big question weighing on your mind? but, the answers you get don?t help?? She narrowed her eyes. ?Or, you?ve been afraid to admit things to anyone? yourself included??

?I? it?? Sakura nodded her head. ?Yes.? At the moment, she felt somewhat useless again. It was like being a new genin again, having the top grades in the group, but showing less progress than Naruto in the field. He and Sasuke had done everything, while she just stood by like window dressing. And, when she needed to keep her teammate from leaving, she failed.

?It?s not about the Uchiha traitor.? Anko grinned when she saw Sakura?s angry response. Having been an apprentice to the darkest member of the Legendary Sannin, and having been tossed aside, she harbored a great resentment towards the scaly bastard, and anyone who willingly sought him out. ?You haven?t fallen for the famous Hatake Kakashi, or for the handsome ANBU codenamed Yamato.? She paused, suppressing a cough. Someone had thrown water on the coals to increase the smoke temporarily. Whoever had done that would pay! ?You?re confused by your feelings? an early attraction for someone else close to you??

?Yes.? Sakura?s voice was barely audible. She remembered Yamato telling her at the Bridge of Heaven and Earth that she might be developing feelings for Naruto. The jounin had not merely meant maternal feelings, or a growing bond of friendship. How had Anko known that? Did she truly have the gift after all? Could so many level-headed people be wrong in their admiration of her? ?I don?t know? I don?t know what to do??

?Ahhhh-hhh-hh-h? another heart in turmoil?? Anko almost put her finger in her throat and gagged. This kind of thing was getting so repetitive. What she wouldn?t give, to have someone come in and ask how to kill off a rival or make an unfaithful spouse disappear. Surely, there had to be someone out there who secretly wished to know secret methods of strangling, stabbing, or bludgeoning. Maybe even poisoning! ?Your head doesn?t know what your heart feels. You?re frightened. You?re confused. Would growing closer ruin a friendship? Might your choice have others laughing at you? Are you in danger of rejection?? Pitiful. A shinobi had no time for that dreck. The girl was medical ninja, for crying out loud!

??? Sakura opened her mouth, but couldn?t speak. She nodded her head. Her heart was racing, and she felt like she wanted to run from the room. That wasn?t like her.

?It?s a touchy situation,? Anko said. ?Oh? by the way? speaking of touchy situations? how is the new orderly working out?? She grinned. ?You think you know someone??

?Him.? Sakura balled up her fists. Shino might be a friend; but, his uncharacteristic raid on the Girl?s Dorm had been inexcusable for someone his age. He was supposed to set a good example for the genin and academy students! And, wearing that cowled robe in the hospital was just plain creepy. ?He does nothing but complain, when we can get him to speak at all. He keeps using bugs to clean out the bed pans, and that had one patient try to jump out of a third story window. Whenever he comes to wheel someone down to a procedure room, or outside for a breath of fresh air, that stupid outfit of his has them thinking Death is coming for them.?

?Tragic,? Anko said, hiding a big smile behind her paper fan. ?To think someone like him would turn out to be a closet pervert. Amazing.? Perfect! That evened the score and then some. ?And, with his honor at stake, he lied. Trying to finger three innocent children??

?I know,? Sakura said, scowling. ?He swore that he was innocent. He even said the bugs could easily point out the real culprits. He might have swayed Tsunade, if he hadn?t chosen Konohamaru and his friends. How could anyone believe such a ridiculous accusation??

?What are these times coming to,? Anko said with an overly dramatic sigh. ?But? speaking of perverts? do you think you might be able to put your hopes in someone who spent so much time alone with the Frog Hermit? Kakashi is no choir boy either, even though he might keep things under wraps around you.?

?Naruto isn?t?? Sakura?s loud denial died on her tongue. She remembered what had happened, when Naruto returned to the village. He had asked if she wanted to see his new perverted jutsu. As if he needed another one! Oooo-ooo-oo-oh.

?It doesn?t mean he isn?t worthy of respect.? Anko rubbed her hands together under the table. This ought to confuse her all the more. ?I mean, everyone loved Sarutobi, and he was the biggest pervert of them all. He taught Jiraiya, who then went on to tell everything he knew to another treasured hero, Yondaime. The Fourth passed it on to Kakashi, keeping the chain of depravity intact.? She grinned. ?Remember how Naruto defeated Kiba, in the chuunin exams? I know he says it was an accident; but, I think he was very clever, using every weapon at his disposal.?

?Yes? but?? Sakura swallowed hard, asking a face. ?He hasn?t ever done anything like that again. He?s gotten a lot better, lately.?

?I?m sure,? Anko said, winking. ?I can imagine the breakfast table, in the future Uzumaki family house. The surname ?Uzumaki? is a pun on ?spiral,? and can mean whirlpool, right? But, it can also mean maelstrom. That?s not so bad, though. In some cultures, breaking wind at a meal signifies satisfaction and honor to the host.?

?I don?t think?? Sakura brought a hand to her mouth, picturing just such a future. She also imagined Naruto passing gas when he was officially introduced to her family, or during the matrimonial ceremonies. ?He would never??

?Cooking would be easy, though.? Anko prepared to twist the figurative knife. ?Noodles for breakfast. Noodles for lunch. Noodles for dinner.? She smiled and licked her lips. ?Noodles for a romantic snack.? She drummed her fingers on the tabletop, the noise growing louder and louder. ?Ramen? Soba? Udon? great names for kids, too.?

?I wouldn?t?? Sakura?s head felt like it was spinning. She held her breath, trying to settle herself down. ?Noodles aren?t the only thing that?? She was interrupted.

?Yes, the joys of wedded bliss.? Anko nodded her head. ?Imagine it. Blonde-haired blue-eyed babies in orange and black blankets? sleeping in orange and black cradles? living in an orange and black house.? She shivered, picturing just such an existence herself. ?And childbirth would always be a surprise! Would the baby have a long snout? Sharp pointy teeth? A cute bushy tail?? She smiled, watching Sakura?s face when she made the connection to Kyuubi.

?The fox demon wouldn?t have any effect like that!? Sakura sounded like she was trying to convince herself. ?Naruto isn?t a fox? he?s just the one who keeps the Nine Tails sealed away.?

?You might be right,? Anko said. ?Those other stories about Jinchuuriki might be exaggerations.? She paused long enough to let that sink in. But, she moved on before the other ninja could ask for particulars. ?But that?s neither here nor there. You came here today to determine whether or not your feelings for him might hold promise for romance.?

Sakura nodded again. All of her doubts about Anko had vanished, replaced with doubts about Naruto and herself. No. She had to have faith. Naruto was a really great guy, wasn?t he? He might get into trouble? and rush into things? but no one could ever question his heart. That was all that really mattered? right?

?Well then, let?s get down to business. Here, drink this cup of tea as quickly as you can, leaving the leaves in the bottom.? She slid a cup of tea towards Sakura. It had been sitting on the table since yesterday, after she decided she didn?t want any afternoon tea. After Sakura had done as she was told, Anko acted as if she were determining what the shape of the residue meant. ?Mah Jongg.? She rang a bell, calling one of the servants. She sent the woman to get the set of ivory tiles. She hadn?t tried that one yet. Maybe something different would break up the monotony.

When the felt-lined ebony box sat on the table, Anko opened it and removed the tiles, each with its own unique symbolism and interpretation. ?You, the Querent, have to sit directly across from me,? she told Sakura. ?You Take the chair in the East position, and I?ll take the West.? Explaining her actions, she spread all of the tiles across the table, face down, before shuffling them around. ?Alright. Choose thirteen tiles, and then shuffle them again. Place them as shown on this diagram.?

The center of the arrangement held the number 13 tile. Above that, to the West, the numbers 7, 8, and 9 were placed in a short row. Similarly, the numbers 1, 2, and three were lined up in similar fashion below the center tile. To the left, North, the number 10, 11, and 12 tiles were lined up. The number 4, 5, and 6 tiles were placed to the right of the center tile.

?The center tile relates to your main question,? Anko told Sakura, while secretly referring to her notes again. ?The East tiles refer to the present situation? the South tiles to the immediate or near future? the West tiles to the obstacles that might be in your way? and the North tiles to the more distant future.? She squinted, having a hard time making out Madame Pythia?s handwriting at the bottom of one page. ?If you have drawn a Flower or Season tile, you can draw an extra tile and place it next to that tile.?

?This is all so confusing,? Sakura said, raising an eyebrow. She began to feel a bit wary again.

?Tell me about it,? Anko said with a long sigh. ?I spent years coming to visit Madame Pythia, without anyone ever knowing it, so I could learn as much as I could. She told me it would help me a great deal some day, to know something other than sneaking around and killing people.? She looked sad for a moment. ?It broke her heart when I stopped coming to see her? because of Orochimaru.? She was a very accomplished liar.

?Oh?? Sakura felt a sudden upwelling of emotions. A feeling of deepest sympathy coursed through her, as she tried to imagine what the other ninja must have gone through. Her troubles were nothing compared to that.

?Let?s check your center tile.? She flipped it over. ?4 Circles. Jade. Hmmm-mm-m? that signifies: ?Hard work brings results. Concentrate on lasting values and building and maintaining long friendships. Justice is done?. That might indeed mean that you will have a very special relationship with Naruto.? She tapped on one of the South tiles. ?Next.? Flipping it over, she revealed it to be a Season card, Autumn. ? Physical and arduous labor are necessary for success. However, hard labor brings many rewards.?

Sakura nodded her head. She didn?t mind working hard. Her training with Tsunade had gone very well.

Anko continued turning over tiles. There was a green dragon, interpreted as: ?You can proceed, start or begin now. Go ahead and don't delay?. ?This tile represents an arrow about to be shot from the bow?

Tile after tile were examined, with some of the true supposed meanings described. For others, Anko substituted words of her own, as her plan took form in her mind. ?One last tile. After that, I can put it all together.? It was 5 Wan. House. ?Hmmm-mmm-mm-m? so that?s what has to be done?? She ran tried to make the goofy looking turban sit more comfortably on her head. ?Household issues. Hard work around the home. Dedication to duties around the house.?

?Huh?? Sakura sat on the edge of her seat, eyes going wide. ?It?s not like I?m part of Nartuo?s household.? She wrinkled her nose. ?You?re not saying I should be his maid, are you??

?No. Of course not.? Anko smiled a Cheshire Cat smile. ?Nothing of the sort. That word is so demeaning.? She waited a moment, seeing Sakura relax some. ?I think housekeeper is a better word.?

?WHAT?? Sakura stood up. Color came to her face. Her eyes flashed.

?Naruto appreciates hard work. He probably would like some attention, too. A girl who made him feel like a king might be able to win his heart.? Anko tried to sound stern and direct. The scheme was in danger of getting shot down at the start. Ahhh. That angle might work. Yes. ?Of course, he might also appreciate something like Temari and Ino tried for Shikamaru.? She watched the other girl blink rapidly. ?You might be the one better suited for that. I think the Hyuuga girl is more the domestic type.?

?Hinata?? Sakura stiffened. She was all too aware of the other girl?s long time crush on Naruto. But, she had never judged Hinata to be one to make a move of any sort.

?Exactly. She is quiet and very patient. Someone like that wouldn?t shy away from hard work, if it?s what would make Naruto happy.? Anko rubbed her chin. ?We can disregard what the divination showed, if you like. No charge. Maybe you should try your womanly charms on the boy, instead. A quick roll in the hay is a great way to get a guy?s attention.?

?That? I?? Sakura?s complexion soon matched the color of her hair. ?I wouldn?t even think about? you know? even if I was sure we were right for each other.? She looked at the servants out of the corner of her eyes, feeling very uneasy with them listening in. ?What exactly did the tiles suggest I have to do??

?Cook his food. Rub his tired feet. Things like that.? Anko replied. ?You?ll never really know if you?re meant for each other, until you?ve cleaned the stiff and smelly laundry that?s been crammed under his bed for a month or two.? This was great. While Sakura was not nearly as stuck up as some girls her age, it wouldn?t hurt her to work on her humility some. ?Things like that have broken lesser women.?

?But?? Sakura twitched. Naruto?s hygiene wasn?t terrible, as boys went. Just the same, she felt the hair on her neck stand on end.

?Scrubbing his back at the bath would be a good touch, too,? Anko proclaimed. ?Oh... yes? you might also think about performing the tea ceremony.? She had to be careful not to lay things on too thick. ?Wait? let me think?? She threw a pair of opalescent dice, watching the light reflect off of them as they rolled. ?Perfect. Follow the etiquette and ceremony of the chadō, complete with kimono, calligraphy, flower arranging, ceramics, incense, and any other disciplines and traditional arts that you like. Subsitute Ramen for tea.?

?Wh-? Wh-? What?? Sakura stared at Anko, a look of disbelief on her face. ?All that? for noodles??

?You?re right.? Anko said, a grim look on her face. ?How could I have made a mistake like that?? She slapped her hand down hard on the table. ?He would probably prefer you to serve him Instant Noodles, dressed in a bikini top and bottom.?

?Never mind me?? Sakura waved her hands in front of her. ?You?re probably right? that?s why everyone comes to see you?? After that, she quickly left the shop, wanting to find a kimono shop before she had to report for her next shift.

?I?m getting pretty good at this,? Anko said facetiously, looking at the servants. ?Another problem solved!? Her evil laughter had the servants sighing.

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A few flies still buzzed about the place.

Most of the servants found some reason to work outside in the gardens, or had taken a personal day off.

That morning, Anko was very grateful for the scented fumes wafting about the shop. They did a pretty good job of hiding the smell.

?Are you sure they couldn?t put in a new floor today?? The jounin made a face, looking over to where a large rug had been dragged over a misshapen stain on the polished wooden planks.

She kept a dab of aromatic gums on the sleeve of her mystic robes, the ones decorated with hundreds of ankhs sewn from small pearls. When the need arose, she could take a deep breath and rid her nasal passages of smells that seemed to linger from the day before.

?I promised them a free divination, Ma?am. But, it seems their work schedule was full up until tomorrow afternoon.? The one assistant shrugged. ?I put in calls to every craftsman in the guild book, without any luck.?

?Shit!? Anko frowned. That was a bad choice of words. ?I will have that Inuzuka boy?s balls on a hook.? It hadn?t really been Kiba?s fault. Akamaru had come in on his own accord.

The huge dog had surprised everyone, and caused quite a stir, when he walked in for his own ?visit.? The servants had tried to shoo him away, certain that he had wandered in by mistake, smelling some of the exotic foods frying in the kitchen. But, Akamaru was smarter than he looked, despite being a dog. He had heard Kiba talk about the prophetess, and how she supposedly told people how to get what they wanted.

?You should have told him something,? another servant said, a cloth held over his nose. ?Anything.? He shuddered. He had been the one to discover the unwanted surprise. ?Anything at all??

?Like hell,? Anko countered. She was fed up with all this. It had been bad enough catering to so many deluded idiots. But, she would be damned before dancing attendance on an overgrown mutt! ?How was I supposed to know that he?d take things so hard.?

Akamaru had walked in, dropping a huge bone at Anko?s feet. No doubt that had been his idea of payment. After that, he barked loudly enough to cause everyone in the house to jump. Reaching down and tugging a torn and tattered magazine out of his collar, he had tossed that at her feet as well. It had been a copy of Big Dog Breeders Quarterly. There was a well-groomed bitch on the cover.

?You help everyone else in matters of the heart,? a third servant added. ?Well? at least you act like you do??

?I don?t run a dating service for dogs!? Anko?s voice could have caused the temperature in the room to drop a few degrees. ?Fake or not, I have to draw a line somewhere.? She had her pride. At least, she once did, before dressing up in things that would have caused her to wet her pants from laughter a few months back.

Rebuffed, Akamaru had left the shop growling. But, not before he made his opinion known in the best way he could think of. The steaming pile of fecal matter he left in the middle of the foyer suggested that an elephant had paid a visit, not a dog.

?At least you probably won?t have to face anything worse than that.? The youngest servant brought out a fresh tablecloth and set about changing the cut flower arrangements.

?Am I too early?? The voice was male, mid to late teens. ?Was I supposed to wait outside?? A head poked through the curtains. It was Rock Lee.

?You were saying?? Anko made a wry face, looking over at the girl with the flowers. She then looked over at Lee and said: ?Since you?re part of the way in, you might as well come all of the way in.? She should have guessed this would happen. The boy?s reputation for being gung ho was legendary. She blamed Gai for that. She sighed, looking at the green stretchy suit.

?I didn?t want to be late. I promised myself that I would do one thousand leg kicks if I kept you waiting.? Lee looked very sincere. He also looked very uncomfortable. It must be difficult for him to come here like this.

?I see,? Anko said. ?I?m actually surprised that you made an appointment. The way that things went for you sensei, I would have thought he would have counseled you to stay away.?

?No, Ma?am!? Lee struck a pose automatically. That had the jounin closing her eyes and cursing. ?Quite the opposite!? His eyes seemed to burn with a strange inner fire.

?How so?? Anko took a garrote out of her sleeve and began wrapping it around her finger. She had developed all sorts of habits, trying to pass the time here.

?AHHH-HH-H?? Lee seemed to glow with pride. ?Gai-sensai was magnificent? keeping the blazing beacon of his honor burning? despite the hardships that he faced.? He put one foot up on a chair, a faraway look in those flame-filled eyes. ?Dressed only in his pride, he did what no one else had the courage to do. And, after that, his good deed was repaid.?

?Repaid?? Anko frowned. What was the boy talking about. Had he performed Lotus one time too many? Were his brains as scrambled as Gai?s?

?Yes, Lady Anko.? Lee pulled up a chair and sat down, his zeal beginning to cool down. ?He rushed into competition after competition, challenging Kakashi at every possible moment. He hasn?t lost a contest since that day. I?m quite sure that his testimonial on your behalf will have many knew customers visiting your shop.?

Anko froze. It seemed like time slowed down. Lee?s words seemed slow and drawn out, so much so that she could almost picture the words as they passed in front of her. As good as that first trick had been, it had backfired terribly. Damn!

?The same is true for Ino and Temari,? Lee continued. ?I heard that Shikamaru had sworn to pay more attention to both of them.? He scratched his head, wide unblinking eyes looking perplexed. ?But? he did not seem too happy about it?? He shrugged. He should be so lucky! ?They were very angry at first. But, that was because it took them a while to see the beauty in your plan.?

The jounin rubbed her temples with firm round cyclical movements. She felt a migraine coming on. This couldn?t be happening. It was all just too ridiculous for words. No doubt Ino and Temari had been telling everyone how wise lady Anko was.

?The boy? Konohamaru? he seemed in very good spirits too.? Lee nodded his head. ?He and his friend with the glasses. For some reason, they were the envy of the other boys at the training fields. Perhaps they had done very well in their jutsus.? He looked Anko in the eyes. ?Your name came up often there.?

?DAMN? IT? TO? HELL?? Anko kicked one leg of the table too hard. It snapped off, causing the large heavy table to crash to the floor.

?Is there something wrong?? Lee asked. He couldn?t imagine why the woman would have acted like that without any warning.

?No? I?? Anko tried to calm herself down. Now was not the time to worry about her past failures. The opportunity for trouble was ripe, seeing who she was dealing with. She could use Lee to reinforce one of her ploys from earlier in the week. ?I was placing a curse on a trespassing spirit?? She closed her eyes. That sounded really lame. But, the boy would probably believe it. ?It?s gone now?? She brushed off her sleeves, watching as the servants ran off to fetch another table. ?Not too many Yūrei can stand against Lady Anko.? She pretended to preen. ?It was a rather insistent Yōkai, though. Muttering something about a pink-haired girl in trouble.? She had little doubt what had brought the boy to her shop.

?Trouble?? Lee leaped up, standing on his chair. ?What pink-haired girl!? Could it be Sakura. Might this be the very opportunity he needed?

?Hmmmm-mmm-mm-m? it didn?t say?? Anko answered. ?I doubt there can be too many pink haired girls.? She ran her hand over a large clear crystal ball that came attached to the spare table. Pretending to study it, she said: ?Sakura? She?s the girl in trouble? And, the reason you came??

?OHHH-HH-H?? Lee placed his hands on his hips and threw out his chest. ?I have to leave!? He looked ready to run through a wall or two. ?We should go to her rescue.?

?There wasn?t a sense of immediate danger,? Anko said. Flicking a switch under the table, she caused the ball to fog up when Lee peered into it. ?There is no sense rushing into a situation, without knowing what you might be facing.? She shook her head. The boy was too much like Gai for his own good. What a shame.

?Yes. You?re right. I will trust you.? Lee unbuckled his leg weights, just in case he needed to move fast at a moment?s notice. ?How will we find the answers that we need??

?Ladies.? Anko clapped her hands, calling for the two servants hovering near the rear door of the parlor. ?Sikidy. Quickly.? She frowned. The boy?s eyebrows looked even bushier up close, and doubly so when he was worried.

?Sikidy.? Lee?s eyes began smoldering again, even though he had no idea what that name entailed. ?Sakura.? He struck another pose, seated this time. ?So??

?Geeee-eee-ee-ez?? Anko slapped her forehead, before she realized what she had done. Lee didn?t notice. He was too deep within a heroic daydream.

For the Malagasy people of Madagascar, sikidy was by far the most important method of divination. A form of geomancy, it relies on the interpretation of sixteen signs, using great writings known as sorabe. Written in Arabic script, such texts have been passed down over many generations. Figures are then set up by the diviner, who is also called Ampisikidy.

?There are two methods,? Anko said, when the servants placed the necessary items on the table. ?The first has to do with the interpretation of even and odd piles of grain. Four piles have grains removed until only one or two remain. The second approach involves the drawing of wavy lines in the sand. The curves are counted, with odd numbers counting as two, and even numbers counting as one.?

She went on to show how single and double dots were then arranged by fours. The resultant figures had four parts: the head, or top line? chest, or second line? the hips, or third line? and the foot, or bottom line. The four lines can be arranged into sixteen possible figures, each having an interpretation in the sorabe.

?An additional eighteen symbols can be read from a formal sikidy chart, by performing further matrix transposes, and by reading diagonals and broken diagonals.? Anko had no idea what all that meant. ?That will be too complex for today. We have a girl to save!?

Lee looked totally entranced. He stared at Anko?s hands as she worked, as if he witnessed the very miracle of creation.

?ALATSIMAY!? Anko?s shout broke Lee?s concentration. The grains were arranged like the pips on the ?five? of a standard dice, except that there were two vertically arranged dots in the center instead of one single dot. ?This figure signifies slaves, bad thoughts, weights and measures, and also serves as protection from thieves and enemies.?

?Slaves?? Lee?s face darkened. He clenched his fists. ?Bad thoughts.?

?ADALO!? The jounin called out again. This time, the grains looked just like the pips on the ?five?, but with one grain situated above and between the top two. ?Tears.?

?Tears.? Lee?s eyes welled with water. He swore a quick oath, promising to rescue Sakura.

?KARIJA!? Anko left three grains situated vertically, above a pair of horizontally arranged grains. ?Slaves again. Cold words.?

?How could this happen!? Lee could barely sit still. His breath was coming fast and ragged.

?ALAHASADY!? The false mystic shouted. A vertical pair of grains rested above two pairs of the same. ?Also known as Soralahy or Sorotany. It stands for Domination. Also, food and anger.? So far, she had followed the things written on her cheat sheet.

?I cannot take much more.? Lee spoke in a quiet emotional voice.

?ALOHOMORA!? Anko had placed the grains in another shape like a ?five,? but this time with a vertical pair taking the place of each corner dot. ?Heartbreak. Favorable to thieves.?

?What has the enemy stolen?? Lee went stiff. What did evil men want from pure and chaste girls in the traditional stories? No! Not Sakura! ?Heartbreak? ? Someone would pay. Oh yes. Someone would pay dearly.

?TARAIKY!? The jounin had the grains arranged in a vertical column of four. Now, it was time to make up her own meanings. ?Cleanliness. Forced labor. Brutality.?

?What does it all mean?? Lee knocked over his chair. ?Who has done this? Where is he?? He clenched his teeth when she told him to be patient. The answer would soon reveal itself.

?ASOMBOLA!? Anko smiled. This ought to do it. She placed the grains in two vertical rows of four. She had just the right interpretation. ?A fox in hiding. Boundless energy. It has also been associated with the color orange.?

??? Lee was standing on one foot, the other, and then the other.

?Let?s see. Orange. Energy. A hidden fox. Cleaning. Cooking. Forced labor. Domination. Heartbreak. Slavery? Anko leaned back in her chair, eyes closed, muttering to herself. After thirty seconds or so, her eyes popped open and she snapped her fingers. ?Naruto.? She nodded her head. ?If I am correct, he will have some kind of hold on Sakura, forcing her to do his cleaning? cooking?? She paused, and then put on a false mask of disgust and indignity. ?Who knows what else??

Lee disappeared in a flash. That left Anko chuckling wickedly. No good could come out of this situation!

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The bell on the front door rang so quickly, it threatened to fall off.

Someone must have pulled pretty hard on the door handle, to set things ringing like that.

Anko expected an angry visitor based on that, and she was right. It wasn?t someone she ever expected to visit the shop for any kind of divination mumbo jumbo.

?Anko!? That rather perturbed voice belonged to no one other than Yuhi Kurenai. Her red eyes were rather intense, as she marched over to the other woman. ?I have a couple of bones to pick with you.?

?OK.? Anko sneered. She wasn?t in any kind of mood to deal with Kurenai before she had breakfast and a couple of knife tosses. ?Knock yourself out.? She reached into a bag and dropped some chicken bones into Kurenai?s hand.

?Very funny,? Kurenai remarked, a look of disapproval marring her beautiful face. ?I?m surprised you don?t have chicken skulls and strangled birds decorating the place, knowing your personality.? She frowned, catching the servants passing money amongst themselves. They were betting whether or not things might come to blows.

?I?m shocked to see you wearing such frumpy clothing,? Anko countered. ?I mean, you are still trying to hold Asuma?s attention, aren?t you?? She grinned an evil grin. ?He usually hangs out with the wild girls down the lane.? She chuckled. ?What brings you to see lady Anko? A love potion? A hair conditioner to take care of those split ends?? She produced a knife out from under a tasseled pillow. ?Want a few more ends split?? She proceeded to peel an apple, letting the peel fall at Kurenai?s feet.

?Tsunade told me about your little set-up here.? Kurenai eyed the servants. A few of them were wise enough to disappear from view. ?What?s more, a certain genin made the mistake of bragging a little too loudly.? She stood toe to toe with the shorter woman. ?I don?t appreciate what you did to Shino.?

?Shino?? Anko tried to look innocent. The big smile gave her away. ?Me?? She shrugged. ?I never laid a hand on him. I haven?t even caught sight of him for days.?

?Your little game hear won?t last forever,? Kurenai claimed. ?When you?re through, you may find that you have a stack of unpaid bills. So, I would walk a bit more warily if I were you.?

??If you were me?? Anko tensed up. ?You couldn?t handle being me.? Now was not the time to think or speak about her past. ?And don?t think that I?m afraid of Tsunade. I?m here because of her. Her and that bitch Pythia. I didn?t ask for any of this crap.? She waved her arm towards the ornate furnishings and fancy artwork.

?What?s done is done,? Kurenai stated. ?In some ways, the experience may have shaken Shino out of his recent haze.? She twirled some of her hair around one finger, and then stopped. Her face grew harsh. ?I suspect that Hinata will be coming here, even though I counseled her against it. I hope you act a bit more discrete with her.? She stared at Anko for a moment. ?Tsunade is one thing. Hyuuga Hiashi is another. It would not be wise to do something that would reflect poorly on the honor of a clan leader.? Especially not that clan.

?I?m not stupid,? Anko said. ?I?m also not afraid,? she thought. ?Besides, you?ve taught the girl well, haven?t you. She would never do any of the things that you might be worried about. Right?? The two women stood with their eyes locked for close to a minute.

?I?ve said what I?ve come to say,? Kurenai said, turning to leave. Stopping with one hand on the bead curtain, she continued. ?Just remember, what goes around comes around.? With that, she disappeared from view.

?What goes around comes around.? Anko imitated the other jounin?s voice, and then made an obscene gesture. ?You just earned little Miss Goodie Two Shoes some special treatment.? What could the Hyuuga?s do to her? They couldn?t do anything to her that Orochimaru hadn?t already done. Orochimaru, and her own conscience.

Sure enough, late afternoon found a shy girl with white eyes and medium-length hair standing in front of her table. It was Hinata. As one might expect, she looked rather uneasy being there.

?Ummm?? Hinata rubbed her fingers together, and then stopped. She had been trying to break that habit.

?Uzumaki Naruto,? Anko said, cutting to the chase. That was the easiest guess of them all. It was one of her favorite jokes, the fact that the girl was so besotted with the boy who was Yondaime?s legacy, but he was the only one blind to that fact.

?Ummm? yes, Ma?am?? Hinata tried to stand taller. She promised herself she wouldn?t faint. She didn?t usually have that problem, unless Naruto accidentally brought his lips close to hers.

?You have a massive crush on him, but have never found the courage to tell him.? Anko hid a frown. She could not identify with girls like that.

?Ummm? no, Ma?am?? Hinata looked down at her sandaled feet. She felt her face grow warm.

?Now? seeing how Sakura has been treating him lately? you?re afraid that you?ll never be able to tell him.? Anko tapped her finger nails against the table top. ?You worry that he might fall in love with Sakura instead of you.?

?Ummm?? Hinata nodded her head. She felt as if the entire world was crushing in on her.

?Is ?Ummm? your favorite word,? Anko put in quickly.

?Ummm?? Hinata flinched. That was so embarrassing! She was so glad that Naruto wasn?t here seeing this. ?Not any more.? She would have to pay attention to that.

?Good. What guy is going to want a girl who sounds like a chanting monk?? Anko leaned back in her chair, working on her perfidious plan. ?What boy like Naruto is going to want a shy retiring flower? He probably wonders why you faint around him all the time.? She yawned, and pushed her chair backwards. She was tired of putting on a show of good manners with visitors. Kurenai had helped shake her of that uncharacteristic habit. ?He probably likes a girl who can dish it out as well as she can take it. Someone who says what?s on her mind. Someone like the Haruno girl.?

?Yes,? Hinata said sadly. ?He had a crush on her before; but, she didn?t want anything to do with him.? She bit her lip. ?Now? things might change?? She held her chin up. She would not look down at the floor again. ?Especially since Sasuke hasn?t returned??

?Is that what you came to ask me? To look into the future? To tell you that Sakura will win, so you can quit?? Anko?s voice had a touch of contempt about it. ?It would give you another reason to run and hide.?

?No, Ma?am.? Hinata hesitated. She had actually practiced what she was going to say, so she wouldn?t clam up. She froze just the same. But, with maximum effort, she was able to continue. ?I came for your help.?

?I see.? Anko reached under the table and picked up her weapons bag. She threw it on the table. ?You have money? You want me to assassinate Haruno Sakura??

?No!? Hinata blurted out that word, her eyes going very wide.

?Want me to take down that cheating lout, Naruto?? That statement wasn?t accurate, naturally. But, it added to the dramatic tension.

?Never.? Hinata shook her head.

?Hmmm-mm-m? are you here for lessons? so you can do it yourself?? The jounin laced her fingers together and crackled her knuckles. ?Do you need to do it in such a way that you won?t be caught??

?No, Ma?am.? Hinata gathered up all of her courage. It was now or never. If she could stand up to Neji, she could do this. ?I came looking for answers. I want to know? I want to know if?? She took a deep breath. ?I want to know if there is a way that I can win Naruto?s heart.?

?You came to the right place,? Anko said. ?No one else would have the nerve? or the guts? to tell it to you straight.? She narrowed her eyes. ?You?re not here to waste my time, are you? This isn?t some way to sooth your pride, so you can tell yourself that you didn?t go down without a fight, is it?? She placed both hands on the table and leaned forward. ?Are you willing to do whatever the mysteries tell you to do??

?I?? Hinata fought to keep her eyes on Anko?s. ?Yes??

?Do you promise? Word of honor?? The ersatz seeress slapped her hand hard on the table, causing Hinata to flinch. She grinned , showing her teeth. ?Willing to sign a blood pact?? She took her knife and ran the blade diagonally across her own palm. When the blood welled up, she licked it.

Hinata took a step back. But, something inside of her kept her from running. This might be her last chance. She faced more danger on any given mission. There was nothing here to fear. Well, not too much. Closing her yes, she held out her hand and nodded her head. She bit her lip when Anko cut her hand, too.

?Clasp hands!? Anko held out her bleeding hand, crimson drops falling on the costly linen tablecloth. She grabbed Hinata?s hand in hers, letting their blood mingle. ?Well, I didn?t know you had it in you. That ought to do. No need to write up some contract in our own blood.?

Hinata actually felt braver. She surprised herself that way. Looking down at her blood-smeared hand, she said: ?I?m ready, Lady Anko.?

?Great.? Anko smiled. She was feeling pretty good, too. Blood did that for her. The events had given her idea for the next technique. Grasping a hand of finch feathers, she let them fall to the table, pretending to examine the way they lay. ?Palmistry.? She whistled loud and long. ?I need the hand diagrams and charts.? Looking down at the papers she held on her lap, she began to read without being obvious about it.

She told Hinata that palmistry probably dated back to prehistoric times, and that the art had been practiced by the Romans, Indians Arabs, Hebrews, Malays, and Egyptians.

Cheiromancy is based on a fortune-telling approach and refers to the lines on the palm of the hand. Cheirognomy? hand analysis? concentrates on discerning the strengths and weaknesses of the personality from the shape of the hand. Dermatoglyphics involves reading finger prints and skin ridge patterns.

?Here,? Anko said, taking a large inked representation of a hand from one of the servants. ?I?ll show you the major lines on a hand.? She pointed to the Life Line; Head Line; Heart Line; Sun Line; Fate Line; Health Line; Via Lascivia; Girdle of Venus; Family Ring; Line of Intuition; Marriage Line; and Second Life Line.

The palm reading began, using Hinata?s uninjured hand. Anko spoke assorted gibberish, selecting Hindu answers, using Western terminology, and diagramming it all on a Chinese chart. As one might expect, her visitor never caught on.

?This mark here is known as the Tree,? the jounin said, running a finger along Hinata?s palm. ?Its branches shoot upward. That?s a sign of success.? She narrowed her eyes. ?This is the Serpent.? She pointed to another crease in the skin. No matter what she did, she could never get away from snakes. ?That means you have an opponent. But, you already knew that.? After discussing other signs she pretended to find, she switched to reading the various lines. ?Ohhh? well? the look of your Sun line suggests some kind of scandal. And? your Girdle of Venus? that suggests some kind of manipulation??

Hinata sat quietly, the pain in her bleeding hand forgotten. Not usually one for anything daring or different, she was mesmerized by the older woman?s words, getting lost in daydreams now and again. This would work. It had to. There was so much depending on it. She wondered what Anko would tell her to do.

?Your Union line? it?s somewhat equivocal?? Anko put down Hinata?s hand for a moment, and then looked her in the eyes. ?It?s a good thing that you promised to trust the reading. There is no doubt that you will fail, should you disregard the things I tell you.? She smiled. Never one for fishing, she was certain that she had just set the hook. She looked down at the hand again, and tapped it. ?Hmmm-mm-m? as one might expect, your Life line joins up with your Head line. That is the sign of a timid and cautious person. But, your Heart line starts right under the mount of Saturn. That means you will encounter only one true and devastating love in your life. You can?t afford to be timid today.?

?I?ll do my best, Ma?am.? Hinata said. She felt a bit guilty being here, since Kurenai had told her not to come. Her sensei was closer to her in some ways than her father and sister were. But, if this worked, she would have no regrets.

?Aha! This might be your salvation.? Anko began reeling in her catch, getting ready to take it into the net. ?Your head line is surprisingly strong. That means you will succeed, when you take risks. The bigger the risk, the greater chance that you will get what you want.? That was pure prevarication. It felt great.

After the reading ended, the lights were brought up again, and the candles extinguished, the two kunoichi accepted pieces of cut fruit from the servants. Hinata sucked too hard on a lemon slice, causing her face to pucker up. Anko almost choked on the bits of chewed apple she had swallowed, seeing that look. It wasn?t a good idea to laugh in the middle of sucking in fruit pulp and juices.

?Do? do you have an answer for me?? Hinata tried a kumquat this time.

?Yes,? Anko said. She began ticking things off on her fingers. ?Scandal. Manipulation. Risk. One true love.? She bit into an orange slice. ?We have some work to do.?

?Work?? Hinata licked her fingers daintily, and then blushed when she realized what she had done.

Anko rang a small silver bell. When the servants came to see what she wanted, she stood and began taking off her flamboyant garb. ?Let the patrons know that something has come up. I will not be able to see anyone for the rest of the day. Offer them my apologies if you think that?s necessary.? The tone of her voice clearly showed that she was in no way sorry for the change in plans.

?Lady Anko?? One servant wondered just what the jounin was up to this time.

?There?s shopping to be done,? Anko replied