Epilogue

The day after the missed wedding saw Hinata overseeing the loading of Tenten's bridal price, as well as her own belongings, into several large wagons. They would soon begin the long journey to Millhouse Inn, herself included. The rice would have to be sent later on via railroad. She would ask her cousin to handle that, if she saw him today. Unlikely. She had no idea where he'd gone. He'd walked right past where she'd been sitting in the church yesterday without so much as a glance.

Come to think of it, Tenten was nowhere to be found either. Her aunt said she hadn't been home. She could understand the girl wanting some time after losing so much face, but she was a spider first and foremost. High time she checked in.

One of the maids cautiously approached her. She nodded her permission to come near, whereupon she was handed a small, pink envelope. It was addressed to her in English as simply 'Hinata.'

She checked, but they were still loading the wagons. Retiring to the library, she closed the door and sat down. Who could be writing to me? In English? She wished Tenten were present. She did not read English as well as she understood it when it was spoken.

The letter was in Japanese.

'Greetings Kumo!

You're probably wondering why you haven't heard confirmation of your father and sister being released yet, as you went and had Akatsuki murdered. The answer is quite simple: because Akatsuki never had them. Did you think those bumbling men could match the spiders you left in charge of your family? Truly? You're getting soft.

Let me come to the point of my letter. The Uchiha have wronged me. I set about getting my revenge, but then you decided to interfere. So now my sights are set on you. Your spiders in Japan are dead. The ones in Hawaii will shortly follow. You'd best hold on to the few you have in America because I promise you this…your time is at an end. No one crosses me. You rejected me once. And now you've thwarted me. I'm going to make you regret it.

Once last thing. Tenten won't be working for you anymore. I think she's gathered enough information about the elusive Kumo…she can return to me, where she belongs, and put that information to good use.

See you soon!'

She read it again. Then again, searching for clues or hidden code. It was Japanese, but the way in which the words were conveyed did not strike her as Japanese. It was signed simply as Fuji.

Hers was not the only society of women in Japan, nor was it the only society of assassins, but it was the most elite and the most discrete. The Silken Web was little more than a rumor to most people, yet all those who moved in power circles knew the truth of Kumo and her spiders. There had only ever been one organization that rivaled hers, and only briefly at that. It hadn't even had a name. She'd heard tell that the leader was female and had called herself Fuji, but both the leader and the group had fallen off the face of the earth. Disbanded, she'd believed, in the face of her web's greater influence. Years ago.

She looked at the letter, where it fluttered with the trembling of her hand.

Outside those spiders she allowed the privilege, no one knew who Kumo was. Not even all of her spiders knew for sure. At the times she was forced to meet with them, she was cloaked and hooded. Certainly no one outside the web knew her identity. Konan was the only one, but the secrets gained in the web, remained in the web; what few dissidents there had been were sent Onward. Konan had been the only spider expelled. She had betrayed her in the end, most likely, but Konan was dead. And so was Madara, Akatsuki, and all those Konan might have betrayed her to.

But she was addressed by name here. By someone she'd apparently crossed paths with. Applicants to the web were rare. Exceedingly so. They were always denied entry. More often the web sought out promising candidates and put them through an initiation process to determine their worth. The last applicant had been long ago, when she herself had been newly elected to the web. A child. White hair, large green eyes. Filthy, but fierce in her pursuit.

Her eyes lowered to the letter again, still quivering with her fury. If what she'd read was true, her family was in danger. Her spiders dead. Someone of unknown identity targeting her. And Tenten was this person's spy. Had been all along. That blow trumped all the rest combined. Tenten could compromise her web beyond repair.

She already has.

Think.

Clearly she was supposed to be intimidated. She took several slow breaths to cool her rage as she thought. This person knows me and doesn't. Knows where I am, where my spiders are, and probably a good deal about the web's workings, thanks to Tenten. But they don't know I receive threats with regularity, or that everyone who's ever threatened me has been sent Onward. Even if they do know, they most assuredly do not know that it would take more than this to shake me. But they are right. I'm getting soft. Life in this country is dulling my senses. I don't have my network here, the constant flow of information I am privy to in Japan. That will change. Tenten, of course, will die, but that still leaves me with one question.

Who was Fuji?

Tenten was at the docks that morning. She watched her mistress climb into the coach and settle herself beside her. "Good morning, Senpai. Was the voyage peaceful?"

"Not too bad. I'm relieved to be on land again. Has anything changed since your last telegram?"

"No, Senpai. Other than discovering that Sasuke had discharged all of the servants the same day as the wedding, I have nothing to report."

"And where is Sasuke now?"

"He lives in the manor by day, sleeps aboard Whirlwind by night. I assume he's in residence now, though it's early."

"And Itachi?"

"I don't know. He left the wedding in the company of Neji, after Neji told him something. Everyone thought it was Sasuke's death, but…" She left the rest unsaid. "No one knows where he or Neji are today."

"Ah, that wedding. I know that was horrible. Well! Look at you. Now we have something in common." She finally turned so her face was visible beneath her broad hat.

"Yes. We do. I wish it wasn't so."

"Do you love him?"

Tenten's blush was answer enough.

She pulled her in for an embrace. "You know, I think it's high time I put those Uchiha men in their place. Who are they to stand people up left and right? First Sasuke jilts me the night he accepts our proposal, and now Itachi goes and leaves you at the altar. That kind of shame will never fade, but don't you worry. Hinata should be reading my letter as we speak. I see no reason not to kill two birds with one stone. Seeing as I am back home for good. And just imagine if Ino joins us…you did extend my invitation to her?"

"I did. She didn't seem too keen. Will you meet with her in Panama?"

"I think I'll have to. She sounds too delicious now for me to just leave her. And to think, she was the loftiest miss in New York. Next to me, of course. She really punched ole Kumo?"

Tenten nodded.

"Fabulous. Yes, indeed. First that high and mighty bitch Hinata, then the Uchiha. And you, my lifelong friend, shall be beside me when it happens."

Tenten didn't know that she wanted any harm to come to Itachi, but it never did to disagree with the woman beside her. "Yes, Sakura-senpai."