1 A New Beginning. [Private] Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:39 pm
Misoka
D-rank
Kumogakure appeared much... brighter than the last time she had been here. Brighter and more hopeful and the air tasted as fresh as freedom, the kind of taste you immediately associate with birds taking off to the skies.
Misoka felt her stomach roil with excitement when she stepped out of the ferry even though she wouldn’t go so far as to display her emotions openly. After all, she wasn’t alone. Yet.
Speaking of which, the man who had offered to accompany her was still walking by her side.
In silence.
It wasn’t like they’d had so many interesting conversations during the trip – to be completely honest, she couldn’t even remember them exchanging more than a few sentences - , but still… that tense atmosphere slowly became unbearable.
She wasn’t too good with words, especially not like her mother who had always known just the right thing to say. Nevertheless, that ANBU was nice enough to help her and tolerate the strong dose of skepticism which radiated from her eyes whenever she threw a glance at him.
It felt embarrassing to still distrust a person although they hadn’t hesitated to give you a number of reasons why they could be trusted.
On another note, she knew that their paths would split soon enough anyway so she should really start coming up with at least a ‘thank you’ followed by a ‘goodbye’.
The words danced on her tongue a long moment. And well, that was where they stayed for another while.
Misoka heaved a sigh, grateful that it got tangled up in the murmur of voices reaching their ears when they came to one of Kumo’s street markets.
Her hood was still worn up as her eyes began to scan the area warily. One could never be too careful. Somehow she doubted that all of her clansmen had simply gone back to Suna in the belief that she wouldn’t return to the lightning country anyway. No… a few of them might be still lurking around here.
She truly hoped her father was safe. At the moment, he should be staying with their old friend Nami-san who had moved from Suna to Kumo a couple of years ago.
All of a sudden a familiar voice cut through her thoughts, making her come to an abrupt halt. Her head jerked up, gaze flicking to the direction the sound came from. There they stood: one of her clansmen, the young man who had been part of the group escorting her to Yukimura’s castle and the medical ninja who had made sure any signs of the previous beating up would be gone just in time for the wedding. They were standing in an alleyway, caught up in a heated discussion, it seemed.
Quickly, Misoka staggered back, pressing her back against the outer wall of a house so they wouldn’t see her.
Damn it. Why now? She shot the ANBU an urgent look. “Let’s… wait here for a short while, please.”
She could hardly tell him that she planned to eavesdrop on two people’s conversation.
“Man, that girl is so troublesome,” came the same melodic voice again, undoubtedly belonging to her cousin. “I’m so sick and tired of having to stay here just in case she turns up sometime. This village is shit.”
A snicker from the other man. “Orders are orders. And honestly? I’d rather stay here than be in Akihiko-sama’s presence right now. He’s furious.”
Misoka smirked. She was sure that failed marriage hadn’t exactly buoyed up his spirits.
Her cousin spoke again, his tone sounding even more frustrated than before,”This sucks big time! All because of that traitor Taku, I could kill him! Never thought he had a thing for girls. Well, did a good job in fooling us all.”
“Yeah… Taku.” The medical ninja paused a moment. “By the way, we recently received message from our men in Kiri. She was sighted at the harbour. Alone.”
Misoka’s eyes narrowed. Of course. She should have expected that her pursuers had sent off a messenger bird first. Hm… whatever. She continued listening closely, waiting for any of them to mention her father. Then again… if they didn’t, this could only mean they hadn’t caught him yet.
“Alone?” her cousin repeated. “There’s a war raging in Kiri, isn’t it? Maybe Taku got killed. This would be perfect! No S-rank shinobi guarding her anymore will make it a lot easier.”
“Even if he’s dead,” the other man interjected, “chances are slim he hasn’t raped her before. He had more than enough time for that. Why else would he abduct her? Not to mention the worst case scenario: The brat might be pregnant.”
A gasp. “Oh, shit! You’re right. Akihiko will have to lower her price then. But well… isn’t she still Kiyomi, our ghost princess? This must count for something, don’t you think?”
The hopeful tone in his voice made Misoka sick.
The medical ninja wasn’t as optimistic. “Reincarnation or not, if she’s pregnant, we’re done for.”
They exchanged a few more words of which none really interested Misoka, and then took their leave.
Slowly, Misoka allowed her body to relax. Even though she loathed them for all they’d done to her, she knew that it would have been pointless to attack now. With an ANBU by her side, she would have probably managed to kill both of them, but this would be like calling attention to herself. Who else would assault two other shinobi just like that?
Oh no… speaking of the ANBU.
Hesitantly, she threw a sideways-glance at him, flustered that he had overheard her pursuers’ conversation as well. It wasn’t so hard to figure out who they’d been talking about.
Clearing her throat and smoothing out her remaining shreds of dignity, Misoka straightened and gave him a nod.
“Alright then. Thank you for your assistance. If we ever happen to meet again, I would be glad to repay you in any way. I’ll go see my father now.”
Wasn’t so bad, was it? She had managed to put her scrambled thoughts together after all. Satisfied with her choice of words, she nodded once more and then turned to leave.
“Goodbye.”
1061 w.
Misoka felt her stomach roil with excitement when she stepped out of the ferry even though she wouldn’t go so far as to display her emotions openly. After all, she wasn’t alone. Yet.
Speaking of which, the man who had offered to accompany her was still walking by her side.
In silence.
It wasn’t like they’d had so many interesting conversations during the trip – to be completely honest, she couldn’t even remember them exchanging more than a few sentences - , but still… that tense atmosphere slowly became unbearable.
She wasn’t too good with words, especially not like her mother who had always known just the right thing to say. Nevertheless, that ANBU was nice enough to help her and tolerate the strong dose of skepticism which radiated from her eyes whenever she threw a glance at him.
It felt embarrassing to still distrust a person although they hadn’t hesitated to give you a number of reasons why they could be trusted.
On another note, she knew that their paths would split soon enough anyway so she should really start coming up with at least a ‘thank you’ followed by a ‘goodbye’.
The words danced on her tongue a long moment. And well, that was where they stayed for another while.
Misoka heaved a sigh, grateful that it got tangled up in the murmur of voices reaching their ears when they came to one of Kumo’s street markets.
Her hood was still worn up as her eyes began to scan the area warily. One could never be too careful. Somehow she doubted that all of her clansmen had simply gone back to Suna in the belief that she wouldn’t return to the lightning country anyway. No… a few of them might be still lurking around here.
She truly hoped her father was safe. At the moment, he should be staying with their old friend Nami-san who had moved from Suna to Kumo a couple of years ago.
All of a sudden a familiar voice cut through her thoughts, making her come to an abrupt halt. Her head jerked up, gaze flicking to the direction the sound came from. There they stood: one of her clansmen, the young man who had been part of the group escorting her to Yukimura’s castle and the medical ninja who had made sure any signs of the previous beating up would be gone just in time for the wedding. They were standing in an alleyway, caught up in a heated discussion, it seemed.
Quickly, Misoka staggered back, pressing her back against the outer wall of a house so they wouldn’t see her.
Damn it. Why now? She shot the ANBU an urgent look. “Let’s… wait here for a short while, please.”
She could hardly tell him that she planned to eavesdrop on two people’s conversation.
“Man, that girl is so troublesome,” came the same melodic voice again, undoubtedly belonging to her cousin. “I’m so sick and tired of having to stay here just in case she turns up sometime. This village is shit.”
A snicker from the other man. “Orders are orders. And honestly? I’d rather stay here than be in Akihiko-sama’s presence right now. He’s furious.”
Misoka smirked. She was sure that failed marriage hadn’t exactly buoyed up his spirits.
Her cousin spoke again, his tone sounding even more frustrated than before,”This sucks big time! All because of that traitor Taku, I could kill him! Never thought he had a thing for girls. Well, did a good job in fooling us all.”
“Yeah… Taku.” The medical ninja paused a moment. “By the way, we recently received message from our men in Kiri. She was sighted at the harbour. Alone.”
Misoka’s eyes narrowed. Of course. She should have expected that her pursuers had sent off a messenger bird first. Hm… whatever. She continued listening closely, waiting for any of them to mention her father. Then again… if they didn’t, this could only mean they hadn’t caught him yet.
“Alone?” her cousin repeated. “There’s a war raging in Kiri, isn’t it? Maybe Taku got killed. This would be perfect! No S-rank shinobi guarding her anymore will make it a lot easier.”
“Even if he’s dead,” the other man interjected, “chances are slim he hasn’t raped her before. He had more than enough time for that. Why else would he abduct her? Not to mention the worst case scenario: The brat might be pregnant.”
A gasp. “Oh, shit! You’re right. Akihiko will have to lower her price then. But well… isn’t she still Kiyomi, our ghost princess? This must count for something, don’t you think?”
The hopeful tone in his voice made Misoka sick.
The medical ninja wasn’t as optimistic. “Reincarnation or not, if she’s pregnant, we’re done for.”
They exchanged a few more words of which none really interested Misoka, and then took their leave.
Slowly, Misoka allowed her body to relax. Even though she loathed them for all they’d done to her, she knew that it would have been pointless to attack now. With an ANBU by her side, she would have probably managed to kill both of them, but this would be like calling attention to herself. Who else would assault two other shinobi just like that?
Oh no… speaking of the ANBU.
Hesitantly, she threw a sideways-glance at him, flustered that he had overheard her pursuers’ conversation as well. It wasn’t so hard to figure out who they’d been talking about.
Clearing her throat and smoothing out her remaining shreds of dignity, Misoka straightened and gave him a nod.
“Alright then. Thank you for your assistance. If we ever happen to meet again, I would be glad to repay you in any way. I’ll go see my father now.”
Wasn’t so bad, was it? She had managed to put her scrambled thoughts together after all. Satisfied with her choice of words, she nodded once more and then turned to leave.
“Goodbye.”
1061 w.