The Geisha Way

Ch 8- Kill Or Be Killed.

“Never give up; for even rivers someday wash dams away.” 

Miomomo’s stomach twisted and writhed inside her, and an anxious feeling crawled its way through every inch of her being. Kakashi strolled along beside her, reading some small book that read ‘Icha Icha Paradise’ on the cover. Despite being so engrossed in the book, he maneuvered through the streets effortlessly. It annoyed her that her sensei could be so calm—or at least appeared to be.

“You’re so quiet Momo-chan; is it because of your chunin evaluation?” His sultry voice asked, pulling her out of her fears. She shook her head, not caring if he saw her or not. He sighed and stopped her, with a gently hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him with glazed eyes. His gaze softened at her solemn gaze, he pulled her to the side. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I am afraid my Onesan knows I am a ninja.”

“It’s been a year, why have not told her yet?” She shook her head; she was afraid to tell Kakashi that she went behind her caregivers back and became a ninja without her permission. “Miomomo.” He said in a stern voice.

“Because my Okasan didn’t want me to train!” Kakashi was taken aback by her sudden outburst, and his stare grew stern.

“Miomomo, you told me she was okay with it.”

“I lied.”

“Who signed the permission slip?”

“My friend.” Without seeing his face, she knew he was disappointed in her. Never once had she been untruthful to him.

“Is she even sick?” She shook her head ‘no’ and couldn’t dare look at his masked face any longer. “That was very selfish of you…  I thought we were a team; I thought we told each other everything?”

“We are a team!” She quickly defended. “I… I just wanted to be a ninja really badly, I want to protect people I care about, like you Kakashi-sensei.” He sighed through his mask.

“What do you think the permission slips are for?” She stayed silent, truthfully she didn’t know, she didn’t even read it. “It’s to ensure my safety in case something happens to you. What if you would have gotten hurt, or had happened to you?”

“But you’re super strong! Nothing will happen to me.”

“That’s not the point and I won’t always be there.” That statement brought a twinge in her heart. Since she met him, she had never thought that one day she would part with him.

“I’m sorry…” she trailed off, not sure what to say after realizing how stupid and careless she has been.

“Just don’t lie to me anymore.” She nodded feverishly.

“What now? I have my chunin evaluation today.”

“I hate to say this, but it is going to have to wait until I get this—” He pulled out the falsely signed permission slip she had given him. “Signed by a legal guardian.”

“But—”

“No buts.” He interjected waving the paper in front of her face. “Get it signed now, or no chunin exam or training.” She sighed obnoxiously loud and took the permission slip from him.

“Meet you at the bridge?”

“Oh; why are so sure you’re going to get it signed so quickly?”

“I’m not…” She rushed to her Onesan’s home, hoping that she will understand; she knew straight away she couldn’t take it to Okasan; the old woman would whip her in the courtyard.  Her knocks on the door was rapid and panicked; she didn’t want to miss her evaluation, especially since the Hokage himself was going to watch her again. Biyōchō opened the door, and smiled down at her.