Prompt: Funeral

The skies had opened up that morning, rain coming down hard and heavy. Tsuande privately wondered if the heavens were mourning along with her at the loss of the one man she loved. She curled close to Jiraiya, needing to feel the only other member of her team's heartbeat, if only to reassure herself that not all was lost.

Jiraiya just held his teammate close as the nōkan was performed, trying to comfort Tsunade. He glanced over to see Sensei smoking his pipe, almost too fast. He reached over and placed a hand on his Sensei's shoulder.

Sarutobi glanced over and nodded at Jiraiya, and slowed his smoking. He made his way over and placed a kunai on Orochimaru's chest - to help defend himself against spirits that sought to do him ill while on his trip to join Amida Buddha in the western realm. He placed the small bag of coins for payment of the ferryman of the River of Three Crossings. He smiled slightly at seeing the small bag of sweets (ones Orochimaru claimed he hated, but was always found sucking on when no-one was looking) clutched tightly in his hand (Tsunade's work no doubt).

Jiraiya was privately pleased he managed to convince Tsunade not to go through with the wake - that would only further break the kunoichi. He guided her up to light the incense then guided her back to the back of the room, close to the door in case she needed to bolt. He closed his eyes as he listened to the priest chant the sutra, awarding Orochimaru with a new name - if only to prevent the soul from returning and causing all sorts of trouble. He guided her back up at the end, if only to place her flowers.

Tsunade gave Orochimaru one last kiss goodbye before stepping back and following Jiraiya out. Her hand rested on her stomach once she got home and wept again.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_funeral

Prompt: Weapon

behind cut since it's the second half of "Cry"
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Prompt: Superstition

Shelly tilted her head as she watched the only other female member on the team, glance at the ladder, and walked around it. "Wouldn't it have been easier to walk under the ladder?" she asked.

Lise's eyes widened in shock. "Most certainly not," she answered, clearly stunned that Shelly would even dream of having her walk under it. Didn't she know..

"You do realize that's just an old..." Shelly started before the bucket of paint that had been perched on the edge came tumbling down, exploding as soon as it hit the ground - white paint splattering everywhere.

The sound of boots scrambling down the ladder alerted the girls to someone else being there. "You two okay?" Luke asked, flushing a red at noticing who he nearly covered in paint.

"We're fine," Shelly said. "What happened?"

"I forgot where I put the can and when I stepped back," Luke said, ducking his head.

"Still think it's a silly superstition?" Lise asked.

"I'll give you that one," Shelly said.