---

Tears rolled over the kunoichi's cheeks as she quietly read the words written on the tombstone. Her mother had not won the years-long struggle with her illness. The pain of loss weighted heavy in Mizuki's heart, lightened only slightly by the thought her mother had finally found rest.

She had wanted to be here, at her side, whispering a last goodbye as her mother's last breath would be drawn, but had instead found herself travelling the world as an envoy on a mission for the Raikage. Mizuki had wanted to visit the Villages in hopes to find alternative healing techniques in hopes to cure her mother, but her duties to grow as a shinobi had inevitably delayed that option.

Under the drumming rain, hope for restoration washed away, leaving her alone with the truth of life itself - Death inevitably came for everyone. All good things came to an end, leaving only the memories behind until those too would slowly vanish from the mind. Under the burden of loss, the kunoichi wondered what good there was in living life if time itself would tear it all away sooner or later.

Taking a deep sigh, her blue-green eyes gazed into the distance, gliding over the vast amount of other graves and towards the horizon where the memories of good old times seemed to reveal themselves. The good times when she and her sister were being a brat and got scolded. The times their mother hugged them tight, taught them a few techniques. The times they sat together at the table, joking around while having their dinner. Her mother had always had the greatest temper, and had always been the brightest fire in the family.

Her warm presence would dearly be missed.

---

[EXIT]