Disclaimer and *Note:

I neither own Naruto nor do I own any references to Naruto.

I only own the Lands of Owls, Peaks, and Bronze and all that resides in those nations with the exception of references and terms exclusively created by Masashi Kishimoto.

*Have a nice day and thank you for reading.

~*~

Honne tatamae-  the contrast between a person's true and desires (本音; hon'ne, "true sound") and the behavior and opinions one displays in public (建前;  tatemae, "built in front", "façade"). 

~*~ 

Nariko would never admit it, ever, but she was so afraid that her hands were slick ice that soaked through her robe as she waited in front of the large, intricately carved door to that woman's room. She had always despised going in there, at that woman's beck and call, like an exotic pet that was forgotten until the owner suddenly felt like coddling it when they got the chance. This time was different, however. 

This time, she had a part to play, and if she performed correctly, she would have her long-awaited chance at freedom. It had taken years to perfect, and after so much planning and reviewing over and over and over, one would think that the time to perform would come easy. It should have been easy, but it had taken all of Nariko's self-control not to shake uncontrollably as her heart rattled in her rib cage and up her throat, bouncing like a rubber ball against her bones. 

She swallowed as the door came open, swinging smoothly on its well-oiled sockets. This was it, the signal that announced the start of the show. She quickly composed herself, straightening her spine and lifting her chin defiantly. A slow smile snaked across her face in a taunting smirk. Let the show begin.

The guards posted at the door bowed as she strode inside the Owl Palace throne room, her footsteps echoing defiance aimed solely at the person sitting on the throne. 

"Nariko-hime," they murmured, but she ignored them and instead focused her steely, golden-eyed gaze at the woman sitting on the throne.

The royal seat that belonged to Nariko's father. 

That image of that terrible woman sitting there as if she belonged there used to boil Nariko's blood until she overflowed with burning rage, but now there were other pressing matters to consider. Now there was the prospect of getting out.

That woman looked so satisfied and regal on the throne, surrounded by her rich, spoiled advisers and plenty of armored guards. She smiled with what one would normally mistake for kindness, but Nariko had been imprisoned for five years, and knew the malice in her eyes like she knew herself. The reason was because it was mostly reserved for Nariko herself.

"Nariko-hime. I see that you are well. My advisers have spoken of your intelligence and how far you have progressed in your studies. I am filled with joy at how well you have accustomed to your new life." Her voice was authoritative, as if she were preceding over a conference rather than praising a child.

She growled at the woman who acted like she belonged and yet didn't, in the wrongest, most fury-inspiring way possible. "Ye best be sealin' that sewer pipe, woman. Fish will fly 'fore I let you get your way. What's this I hear about marrin' me off ta some prissy boy?"

There was an uproar at her words almost immediately.

"Such insolence!"

"So ungrateful!"

 "How improper!" 

"It must be that Lowlander Blood!"

I'll give him blood, Nariko thought as she lunged at the offending adviser. A guard ran, tackling her to the ground before she could tear the man to pieces. Her nails screamed against his armor, but he held her down. His beetle-black eyes were narrowed behind his metal mask.

"Stop it," he said in a low tone he hoped Tamaka couldn't hear. "Don't prove him right. Not now."

She gave one last irritated growl before going still. He loosened his grasp, and she tore herself from it with a glare. "Right. Thanks, Kiho."

The jeers went on, growing nastier with every fleeting comment.

"Bronze-blooded freak--"

"Needs to be restrained like an animal--"

"Silence!" The chattering of the advisers fell to silence like a stone into water, a decrescendo that was lost to the roar of that woman.

One new adviser, eager to please, was unrelenting.

"Tamaka-sama, I must insist!"

The responding glare cut through him like a sharp blade. A small whimper came from him, then all was silent and still.

That woman turned back to Nariko, brandishing her steel glare.

"So you know."

"Did ye think I wouldn't notice all the invitations? The orders fer food ye never eat? I be a prisoner, but ye take me fer a fool."

"I know you only use that horrible accent to rile me. Please desist before you embarrass yourself even more. This is no way for a princess to act, and my loyal advisers—," she motioned about her, and the royal confidantes's chests swelled with pride like frogs. "—have informed me of your oratory talent."

"Ye be changing the subject. Ye ain't gonna make me marry nobody."

"Of course not, I will marry you to somebody."

"Ye can't! Ah swear I'll—!"

"Guards, remove her. I'm afraid that the little princess isn't feeling well. Vileness spews from her mouth."

The thugs in shining armor grabbed Nariko and covered her mouth before she could utter another word. She twisted, doubling over in pain from the memory, and bit the gauntlet, tearing at it like a wild animal. With a shout of surprise at her ferocity, the guard holding her pushed her away from him.

"I swear by the souls of the dead and the pain of the living..."

"STOP!"

"—by the flesh on my bones and the blood of my fathers..."

The guards recomposed themselves and restrained her, but she bobbed her head and squirmed away from the gauntlets.

"—that you will never rule the Land of Owls!"

"ENOUGH!"

The guards dragged her out, her mouth covered tightly.

Nariko was triumphant. The curtains had closed. Her part had been played.

Her voice had been heard.

Or so she thought.

--

Tamaka sighed as she leaned back against her throne. Dealing with the little brat always tired her.The vicious little creature should be thankful, she thought. Hadn't it always wanted to escape this place? I never could figure out why. And now, it complains! The barbarous ingrate!

A muffled voice interrupted her intelligent conversation with the most intelligent of all--herself.

"Tamaka-sama, may I enter your hallowed domain?"

Tamaka waved her hand absentmindedly, forgetting that not everyone could see through doors.

"Yes, yes, you may enter, Yasashiku-san."

"Oh, please, call me Zinan." The blundering fool stuck his head through the door and entered without a shred of the formality he had previously exhibited.

"I will address you as I, and only I, see fit," Tamaka replied haughtily.

"Right, right."

Idiot. I should have read his resumè myself, instead of leaving it to the fool Orino. Orino would hire an alligator if it had a birth certificate with it. No matter, I will dispose of him quickly.

"Please state your reason for entering, and then take your leave."

Yes, an alligator. . . a suitable end for this man in particular.

"Oh, yeah! Wait, why'm I here again? Just a sec." Zinan Yasashiku searched his pockets until he found his scroll, which had been stuck in his giant pompadour for some reason that even the efforts of Tamaka could not calculate.

"Here we are! So, you remember that little, itty-bitty forest village called Imin? The one with the refugees from the Sand from say, couple hundred years ago? Yeah, some of the guards were sweeping the area when they found signs of life--human life--in that area. Only one signal, and it's near what used to be the outskirts before you blew everything up." Curiously, Yasashiku sounded enthusiastic when he mentioned Tamaka blowing up a village.

"You are sure it is not a hermit, like when you claimed there were survivors in Moarando? My guards are trained to fight the descendants of shinobi, Yasashiku-san, not hobos hunting for rats."

"Oh no, Tammy-sama. This one's a real doozy." 

Tamaka's gaze darkened, and her hands clenched the armrests of the throne. No one calls me Tammy when I am in this form. And no one says 'doozy'. This man has committed multiple atrocities against the state and nation and therefore must be eliminated.

"The signal detected something else. Whoever this guy is, he has chakra--and I mean the ninja amount of chakra, not the normal you'll-die-if-you-run-out chakra."

"It is the same chakra. You fool."

"You sure about that? Because this guy's chakra carries quite a few traces of not just life energy--but magnetism."

"Magnetism?"

"It matches the chakra of that other ninja--whatshisface--Sakuto? Sumate? The one that killed--"

A giant alligator burst out of the ground beneath him and swallowed him whole before anything else could come out of his mouth. Tamaka watched in satisfaction before resuming her conversation with herself. 

"So this one has the same accursed Kekkei Genkai," Tamaka murmured. She slowly got up, her long gown and hair dragging behind her. "Guards." She snapped her fingers, and they were summoned in clouds of smoke. "Search the forest and ruins of what is left of the settlement called Imin." She quickly shape-shifted, her hair shrinking back into her head as she grew shorter. When she spoke, it was high-pitched, like that of a teenage girl. 

"I think we may have found our tool."

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