Rei's life had settled into the closest to bliss she could remember since her earliest days. When she and Rin were still hopeful that not only would they become kunoichi of note to inspire other girls but perhaps even on the same team. When she still thought Obito would notice her and not her twin as the friend he wanted to play with when the world seemed bright and new. When the idea of someday was lazy afternoons with their family about and laughter, and always draped in sunlight. Warm gold that seeped even through closed eyelids as Rin's hand would slip into her own and their hair would mingle. Two heads resting together, twins, like and unlike each other but meant for peace and happiness though born to world filled with violence and chaos that would rip them away. At times though, in those noon hours, there was nothing but warmth, and as always, the sunlight.

The light was candle flames in a tea house compared to the noon of her younger days, silk and painted faces to similar markings under innocent eyes that put hers to shame. Yet here, in the Tea house, amongst her 'sisters' Rin had found peace and happiness. For a few years she had even been venturing to the outskirts of the humble little village that had most related by name where a Master Wu had taken up his post and begun teaching various forms of Taijutsu. His students ranged from arrogant merchant sons who thought highly of themselves to curious youths looking to see if there was something for them, something without the pledge of loyalty to a proper ninja village.

She had ventured in once, as any in the village were welcome to study and encouraged to do so in a land so far from ninja, yet so near to roving bandits. If one could not pay or provide materials needed they were welcome to help out at the grounds in exchange. Honestly, Rei had just wanted to make certain her techniques were keeping her properly limber. Those she dealt with and the tricks and stretches she kept up with from Oni and those silent boys of Danzo's were not increasing her abilities at a rate above a slow trickle. It would have been remiss of her not to at least attempt to keep up her skills and advance them, especially as she did not wish to use the hoard of chakra within her. After a time she was invited to spend the days she had free there at his home learning with the others. All she needed to do in exchange was her share of keeping up the estate. Simple tasks, and she had shamelessly claimed the gardens as her work. There were quite a few 'weeds' that could be used in other ways after all, and no one would notice if she took them in her pouch instead of to the compost pit.

All unexpectedly, Rei had become one of the Master's prized pupils even if she was not formally one of his, and she still called him Master Wu or The Master Wu, never her master. That had been Oni and she swore never again would she kneel and let someone chain her. She did not complain when his teachings were harsh when his lessons left her with bruises. After all, Oni had granted her far worse. What was over stressing the body compared to the brutal obliteration of one's morals and thoughts? As her painted maiko and geisha still welcomed her and flitted about with giggles and gentle teasing, even as they'd help rub out the sore muscles she just couldn't seem to get to right, Rei never lost herself even if the Master pushed her to her limits. These were the limits of body, spirit, and mind that any could reach, however. Not involving chakra.

She kept her arsenal of that a secret.

Oh, she had her rivals as often happened, but that was expected when there was a tolerable if not spectacular teacher. A man who could teach the arts that could nearly rival chakra, and no few times Rei began to wonder if he had not the same sort of Training as Oni had, for he seemed to move just ever so fast, ever so slightly too graceful to be without the aid of such, but said nothing to Master Wu.

Not even when her rivals self-proclaimed as they all were would challenge her to a fight. To Rei's surprise, her curt dismissal that they and their egos were not worth her time had actually been met with approval from Master Wu, though it made her a trifle wary. Why after all, would a master of the martial arts set up in the Land of Tea? Especially one who had apparently no chakra nor experience with it? Oh, she'd learn from him, as she learned from Oni. Watchful. Careful. So as always, she held back. Let them think she was far more boast than action and at times let them best her, she would never give even a third of her capabilities because she did not trust this elder. Oni had taught her though, you could work beyond that if you kept your secrets close.

Inside the den of silk and perfumes with her precious ones, Rei was quiet but had learned the art of conversation and flattery as patient Maiko's taught her, proving their own skill in being able to teach another. Sometimes a silvered tongue could disarm a man with iron or steel in their hands, and a skilled geisha? She did not even need to do more then speak. The mistress of the house could even disarm with a stern look or a placid-seeming folding of her hands. It was those lessons that Rei adored, the silent implications. So she continuously submitted to idle suggestions of the painted beauties as they suggested she learn to walk different, observed her gait and told her if she started to favor one leg too much, get more of a sway than a prowl. Trained her voice not to sing, but hum and know how to adjust her speaking pitch to sound either biting and cold or soft and suggestive.

Outside of the Ho'oh Teahouse and her painted hummingbirds the little wasp was curt and almost cruel even though it was more in her sharp refusal to pander to the pleasantries so many would twist about in and turn into barbed compliments. Often in both places, she was blunt and saw no reason to temper that. Rei was not fooled, Master Wu was not so different than Oni had been, though he hid it far better under the veneer of a kind elder with much wisdom as though he was a new sage for the era. So when his students, came and spoke to her, stumbling over their words she was not for a moment convinced that the honey they let out was anything other than pandering words memorized to catch a fly, even if they themselves did not know better.

Rei, however, had grown into her moniker. She was a wasp. The little in her title name gifted by Oni did not mean her youth but alluded to the fact she was unseen, selective. Never again would she trust an elder with agenda's of their own that were not laid out clear and openly. At least the head geisha who owned the Teahouse was honest in that she was making money to live on and paid the girls -and Rei- a very fine wage to live there. The better that they all did the better their clientele and the woman was no fool. She would not let this somewhat courtship of a Master to a Student entice her away from her nest

However, Rei could not shake that sensation of mud along her ankles, slime against the back of her neck dripping down her spine.

There was something wrong with Master Wu. She would not let her guard down.

()()()()()()()

Her clue came a year later when a man visited the geisha house. Beautiful of face, humble in his attire he sat and paid for the meal and music performance, lingering but never enticing any of the beautiful girls to join him. Nor did he invite any of the locals for company. Quietly observing from his corner. Rei thought nothing of it as she slipped about the unique tea house in her dark attire, face fully made up in her wasp pattern. He was just another pretty face. At this point, she really was quite immune to them.

Hair hidden under his hood, every movement graceful enough to challenge even their most accomplished of the geisha as he poured his own tea after insisting they let him be, that drew her attention. There was something of perfection to the turn of his wrist.

"May I help you?" The man asked, returning the tea pot to his table. Not making a move towards the steaming cup.

"You are graceful, I was just admiring your skill," Rei responded without artifice. It caught the man off guard and he laughed, softly.

"Blunt."

"Shouldn't I be?" Rei asked before smiling and turning away, except for the hand that latched onto her own wrist before she could hear or sense the movement. The grip was firm, yet loose enough to not hurt her. Treating her as though she was one of the silk garbed daintily fluttering maidens.

"Sit down and join me." He cajoled, there was danger in his voice. Though Rei had not looked back she could hear it, the lethal tones of one who was so comfortable in their power, in death, they could afford to forget their own poison. Yet, he stayed polite.

"I am not one of the ladies whose time is for sale." She responded calmly. Ever so slightly his fingers loosened, a slow draw down her wrist to her fingers before they parted skin from skin. The movement seemed so accidental that if not for the way he was clearly seeing if her pulse raced-it did not- she would have thought nothing of the slightly hooded gaze. Except she was a wasp, she noticed, she watched, her pulse stayed lazily content and she was not affected. He had done nothing to earn a response, positive or negative, though indeed Rei knew it was far easier to get the later from her unless you were one of her bejeweled girls there. Family she had chosen, that had chosen her.

"I would still appreciate the company of one who has an eye for..subdued, beauty." He remarked and Rei turned to lock eyes with him. His gaze from under his attire shaded as it was, was cold, predatory. A side effect no doubt, for it was not a dangerous smile he gave but a small genuine one. He was used to getting his way. Indeed all of his tone and body language proclaimed he was being truthful. He wanted to talk, eager indeed, about perceptions in a place meant to tease and entice various senses. Peculiar.

"Another time perhaps, I am working." And she found her lips curving in that smile her ladies had told her curved the fangs of her painted mask and made her look dangerously exotic. She knew they were flattering her, but she was fine with that. Compliments were a form of affection here when the makeup was off and the fine kimono's put aside. A deflected affection that betrayed tiny smiles and adoration as they did not use words of love and family, did not call each other sister. To each other they'd use terms to complement each girl's best feature be it hair, voice, skill with the dance..and for Rei they complimented her danger. Helped her hone it into a weapon every way she could. She loved them fiercely for it. For teaching her that she could be soft and yielding while being far more lethal than even Oni could have imagined. For being her tiny flickering lights that warmed her soul. Something of that mystery the girls had she knew had passed into her, but she did not know the stranger caught it in the momentary lowering of her voice, her eyes faintly closing.

Rei had no idea how striking she was in comparison to the stranger, set as she was at odds. "And what is it you do here, such a dark hue amongst the bright jewels of this tea house?" His voice was softly pitched and it made her smile curve a bit more, amused.

"Why, oh graceful one, I handle those who try to push things too far," Rei answered, ever so subtly turning her body so it was a little more towards him. She would not mind, truly, speaking with him. He was entertaining but the muscles of her form under the silk-like garb betrayed that she truly did feel a need to move.

Their eyes locked together for a moment before he hummed, amused, and dipped his head though those eyes never left her own. Two predators in entirely different ways but with no intention of clashing, not even a wary sensation around the other so secure did each feel.

The calm shattered as Rei's eyes tore away as if the wind had been alerting her there was a sound from across the building and Rei thought nothing of darting over, using a few beams and tables to hurriedly launch and pull herself to the upper floor still with only the strength of her muscles and limberness of form as she flipped up on the railing with her back to the room below, before she sneered at the sight. It was a common troublemaker harassing one of her hummingbirds.

"I do believe you must enjoy getting punished, Daisuke-san. This is the fourth time this month.." Rei stated as she shifted her body weight. "Now, do let go of Minako-chan gently." It was his warning and Daisuke knew it. He only ever got warnings since he'd never bruised a girl or argued when she interfered. Paling he let go and held up his hands.

"I'll walk out..."

"And?" Rei shifted her voice, eager, she liked the rush of power that came from protecting her hummingbirds, putting such men in their place. She liked the feel of being better, stronger. It was as addicting as chakra. She knew herself well enough to know it wasn't just taking care of those who couldn't do so either, no, Rei was fully aware she enjoyed the taste of power that rattled and called to the chakra stolen in her veins, locked up tight as it was. Chakra wanted to be used, after all, it was meant to be replenished, emptied, like eating. Not sitting cold and dead in her system, ripped from another and waiting to be purged and then filling the void again. It was a siren's call that Rei had worked hard on ignoring all these years and sought the adrenaline and killing rush under the banner of keeping her girls safe to handle the itch instead.

"I'll pay my bill, of course, Wasp-san." He sighed and the flush to him showed he was intoxicated. Really the girls didn't mind that much as there were fees for laying unwanted hands upon the geisha (they still minded, they were girls and would always mind and old memories of being pinned down by a doctor when she was too young meant that Rei had almost no tolerance at all for such behavior and it was only because the girl Daisuke was harassing was his girlfriend that he was allowed to just leave with a warning during these hours but that did not mean he could grab her like that. Ever. Minako knew if she just said the word he'd never touch anyone again but until she did, it was her choice and Rei would respect that even if she hated it.) but it was still irritating. Even if they enjoyed watching their petite Rei handle men many times her size.

"Move." Rei hissed but then only shifted as she watched him move down the stairs. She adjusted her form to perch on the railing, waiting..sure enough Daisuke stopped at one point to talk to another of the men he so often came with as if hoping she'd forgotten. Lightly, she landed on the table in front of them all, staying crouched. The group jumped but then snorted, shoving Daisuke away. They all knew he'd been caught. That she was letting him pay and walk out showed she wasn't mad, but it also made a few more of them rethink behaviors they may have caused otherwise. Broken fingers happened when the Wasp caught you trying to harass the girls. Or as they had all been warned 'They are performers, artists, women. Not things. Anything you touch them with that they do not invite you to do so will be broken or removed.'

She hadn't even needed to tell anyone in a good six months, the gossip took care of that for her.

()()()()()

Rei was unaware that the hooded figure watched her the entire time, taking note of her utter lack of wasted energy. Sheer grace and obviously experience if not power to back it up if the ease she had in controlling a situation before it began was any sign. The respect and no small trace of fear these men had for such a tiny figure, or the adoring gazes of the girls about them. How..interesting.

He continued to watch, the dark violet and navy blue, the black touches on the slight form with the frightening face paint as she flowed around the various tables and performances. Truly, he had not thought much of a tea house out here in a land known for tea, but soon enough rumors had explained it was as much a theater, a place of music and poetry and if anything a more respectable inn than anything. That a good third of the patrons were themselves women, and indeed there were even a few young women on a far side of the establishment he could see being taught caligraphy by an aged geisha boded very well of the place.

Through all the music and bright colors, part and yet entirely separate, the young woman who had neither given nor taken a name, moved as the stranger sat in silence. Watching, his tea all but forgotten.

()()()()()()()()

"You honor our master, Rei-san." One of the girls she had been helping to stretch earlier remarked after Rei finished her mandatory bi-weekly afternoon spar with one of the other lead students. It did help keep her in shape for staying unpredictable, and she had to admit fighting with weapons was something she didn't keep up enough on. The claw-like forms she had used earlier were trickier than the staff and sword she was more familiar with. The truly traditional weapons she knew, the ninja ones, never showed up. Only a few of the others working under Master Wu also used the claws, so Rei took the chance to fight with them whenever they were willing. It wasn't often, and the itch, the burn to enhance her speed or strength with her stolen chakra in her gut would burn at times but Rei would never let it rule her. Though, she was also not so good a person she couldn't admit there were a few of the blockheads she wouldn't mind coming at her in such a way she had a reason to take their chakra and rid the world of them she also knew somehow- memories of inflicting poison on herself and Oni laughing, taunting, explaining the horror she was handling and what would be next bled into her for a second of time, her instincts were hard won- that she did not want Master Wu to ever know.

"How is that, pigeon?" She grinned at the young girl who puffed up her cheeks but in the end laughed at the name. Rei had dubbed her that because she was always bobbing her head and cooing over moves she liked.

"By coming so often and fighting, even though you aren't a formal student of Master Wu." Ah, and that was the honey barb again.

"I have my duties, pigeon," Rei remarked before dumping the water over her hands to clean off the blood. Padded though the weapons were, they did not protect when you got nicked by the others.

"But, you could stay here! With me!" Pigeon bleated out and honestly if not for the fact that the only one who had puppy eyes that would ever work on her was long dead, at the hand of a teammate she loved, perhaps it would have worked. Rei, however, was unmoved.

"I have a home." Came the response instead and she sighed, noticing that one of the scratches was deep enough on her arms she should stitch it. It could wait if she smeared some of that numbing and coagulating salve she carried on it, and then one of the girls could do so. They had much nicer stitches than she did. "I need to head back," Before Pigeon could break out the tears, honestly the girl cried easily but tears did not melt a heart like Rei's unless you already knew how to bury inside it. "You can expect me in two days."

"Why not sooner?" Someone else called out as Rei started walking, already rubbing the unguent on her arm. She did not reply. She never did when they revealed they'd been eavesdropping. For some reason, it just made Rei all the gladder she never went out without her face painted so they wouldn't likely recognize her without the obscuring of her features. There had been something...off...today.

Pigeon never argued the point so often. She'd almost seemed afraid. Actually, they all had. Wary and watchful as never before. Rei mentally paused even as she ensured that this time she didn't have someone tagging along after her, it wouldn't be the first but as none of them felt like the half hour run back she'd do to the village, they didn't follow long. Her instincts did not say it was anything that was a danger to her, or her home. Rather...

Time with Oni had honed her instincts, time with the boys from Root had done something to her awareness that she knew no civilian should have. She shouldn't have more than a crawling uneasy sensation if anything. But she had been around Root. They'd blatantly proved endlessly, perhaps in the only scrap of emotion they were allowed without even feeling it, showing off how far below in skills she was from them. Showing up, watching her, following her.

So Rei knew when she was being watched.

The thing was she was also not stupid enough to call out to whatever, whomever, had been following her for the day. It wasn't as if there had been anything special revealed. Licking her lips she decided to stay alert but not change her routine and started to run.

()()()()()()()()()