Continuation of Sparrow.
Read that first, obviously. (:

Short intro, but I have had trouble writing these past few days. Curse visiting little kids and their obnoxious uproar. -.-

Enjoy!

Saezuri touched her short, chin length hair as she stared in the mirror, pondering. Long lengths of her blonde strands littered the floor around her heeled boots, having previously hung to her elbows in a lush curtain; she hated having long hair. She looked too much like her late mother to be comfortable, and she hated all the care such a thing took.

"Really now, why would you go and do that just when you're going back with Uchiha-sama today?" Ituko leaned in the doorway, her kimono parted and revealing as usual. Sae wasn't even phased by it anymore, after seeing her every day for the past three months.

"Should it matter?" Sae asked dully, looking at the older woman through the mirror. Even in her mid-thirties Ituko was gorgeous, her angular features dark, and raven hair always in elaborate styles. Saezuri felt immeasurably plain next to her, though she knew it was not so. Reaching back to tie her customary red scarf around her neck, the trailing, luxurious fabric mingled with her ankles-- a blatant challenge to opponents. Catch me if you can.

"I seem to have taught you nothing." Ituko sighed as she straightened from the doorframe, crossing her arms under her full breasts, "Beauty is a woman's natural weapon. Which yours," She flicked a hand at Sae, "is now littered all over the floor. Shame I walked in at all." Ituko frowned when Sae scoffed as she brushed her white clothing off. Long ago had her tan outfit been scrapped, replaced with the thigh length, red accented dress she wore now, made of thick, heavy fabric.

"Are you calling me ugly?" Sae asked wryly as she breezed out into the hall, scarf fluttering. Ituko snagged it with a quick hand, hauling on Sae's skinny neck with a flex of her arm.

"I'm calling you foolish." Ituko smirked as Sae relented, backtracking to ease the pressure off her neck.

"Besides, what do I need a 'weapon' for against Madara? We're not enemies." Sae slipped a long finger under her scarf, loosening the fabric's clench as Ituko let it flutter from her hand.

"To seduce him, of course. Get your wild way. Haven't you any sense of adventure?" Ituko waved a flippant hand as she passed Sae down the hallway, predicting the snort she received.

"If that's a sense of adventure, I don't want one." Sae followed after the older woman, features lighting up when she felt the small pulse of chakra that signified Madara's arrival. Veering off from Ituko's path, Sae shortcutted through the servant's quarters, out into the lavish atrium of Ituko's base. Madara's dark eyes instantly found her, slimming when they took in her shortened hair.

"Is the scarf necessary?" He forwent commenting on it, instead taking in the extravagant material tied around her neck. He had seen the new dress many times, Sae having ferried between him and Ituko for a span of months at a time in the last two years. But the scarf was certainly new, and foolish.

"Of course." Sae easily ignored his disdain as she strode further into the room. She would be sorry to leave, knowing the capitol like the back of her hand; this time she would not be coming back, leaving the Grass Country indefinitely unless Madara's business brought them through.

"The dues." Ituko appeared with a suitcase in hand, one that Sae knew was loaded with money. She easily hefted it from Ituko, surprised when the shorter woman got into her face. "I want to hear nothing of you dying," She poked Saezuri's chest harshly, black eyes slimming dangerously, "or so help me, you'll regret it." She stayed stone hard as Sae tittered nervously, uncomfortable with her intense proximity.

"I'll be fine." Sae reassured as she took several large steps backwards, clasping the suitcase handle with both hands in front. Ituko harrumphed as she took her pipe from her inner kimono, lighting it as she watched her young charge depart with Madara. Blowing out a curling tendril of smoke, she smirked as Sae twisted to give a farewell wave, raising a lofty hand as she watched the last trail of Sae's red scarf flick out the door.

Ituko would miss the quiet, witty woman, that was for sure.

Thoughts? Happy with the progress? Want to punch the author in the face for her idiocy?