Tale of a setting sun

Chapter 31: "Hero's Come Back!"

In the three years since Gatō's death, the capital of Wave country had completely transformed from an impoverished state to a prosperous trading port. 

What had oghostly coastal town now teemed with the busy activity of commerce and the background bustle of what it took to run it. 

While it was a change brought about by the many, no one could deny the role played by the construction of the bridge that connected the island to its much larger neighbor, the Land of Fire. 

Spanning the sea in a long unbroken line, the bridge culminated in an erected wooden post seared with the bridge's name:The Bridge of Remembrance.Tazuna, the master bridge builder, had stated in his opening ceremony address that it was in honor of the sacrifices that had made the bridge's completion possibleIt was not out of the ordinary for passing travelers to observe a moment of silence before moving on to their next destination. 

However, one particular morning foufigure lingering before the post far longer than could have been considered proper.A tip-off muttered in the ear of a Wave border official soon brought the man striding over to investigate. "Hey, you there! Don't you see the sign? It says no loiterincloser, he realized the vagrant wore a Leaf hitai-ate, and came to a wary stop. "Err—I mean, do you have your papers, sir?""'Papers'?" 

The ninja echoed, cocking his head. He was of average height, with cropped red hair, and wore standard—if bordering on threadbare—ninja fatigues.The official cleared his throat. "Yes, sir. Your customs papers."

 Even though it had been two years since Wave country had officially tightened security around its bostill the odd journeyman who'd only just resurfaced and had yet to catch up with the changing times. 

"Right. My papers." Raising a hand, the ninja pointed at something behind him. "There, he's bringing it."Disapproval creasing his brow, the official began to turn around.

 "Sir, I recommend that you keep your own papers on yourself at all – " He suddenly broke off, realno one behind him. Something low hummed in the air, and he looked back—but the ninja was gone.The official gulped.

 He had worked in this field for long enough to know the trees had eyes, and even though he knew the ninja was long gone, he began to make a show of searchingFrankly speaking, he hoped his transfer request would go through soon. Border duty was way above his pay grade.

If Amegakure's claim to fame was its never-ending rainfall, Haku thought Konohagakure could put in a strong bid for perpetual sunshine. 

At the very least, he wasskin had been irradiated more in the past day alone than in the last three months combined.The sunny climate however did not seem to be reflected in the personalities of the people of the Hidden Leaf, who wasted no time in making sure the incoming foreunwelcomed."I'll bet you a hundred ryō that's a girl."

 "With an Adam's apple that size? Two hundred he's packing.""That's assuming he hasn't already paid someone to chop it off."Haku colored, and Suiren levied a scowl in the direction of the howling group of Leaf genin.

 "Don't pay any attention to these untalented wannabes," she said in a lo"Otherwise, you'll only be playing right into their... Ajisai?"Having marched right up to the offending group, Ajisai impassively glared at them in a sheer likeness of her mentor, the Lady Angel—never mind the fact that the kbarely reached the shoulders of the shortest of them. 

One of the genin, presumably their leader, stopped laughing enough to give her the evil eye. "You got something to say, princess?""If I were an ignorant Leaf genin like you," Ajisai began slowly, "and couldn't keep my mouth shut around ninja from other villages whose capabilities I knew nothinvery afraid."