Whispers in the Rain - Bleach X Naruto - Uchiha Itachi Love Story

Chapter 16 - Identified

Saya pov:

"So this is the Mountain Pass Village? It's actually better than I expected." I nodded to myself, quite impressed by the beautiful greenery and natural setting around the small village.

As I walked down the mud path, I looked over the big crop fields and the open plains that I could see between the different buildings on either side of the path. It was a beautiful sight to see and the air was so fresh. The very atmosphere was serene and stress-free and the people and children who passed me or who I saw in the distance were lively.

I looked up ahead and noticed the entrance to the mountain pass. It was a clear pathway between two high mountains and I could see a small building just before the gates of the pathway. I guessed that it was a checkpoint of sorts where goods were checked and all the people who entered and left the village were kept track of. Currently, there were two men checking the contents of a wagon that was ready to head into the mountain pass.

Tsunade sama had said that I was going to be staying in this village as a tourist. While pretending to be a tourist, I would have to stay alert for shinobi from Iwa who were seen travelling through the mountain pass. It was suspicious enough for shinobi from Iwa to be coming into the Land of Fire because they weren't exactly on friendly terms with us and it was even more unsettling that there were instances of the civilians here being robbed. There was something the Iwa shinobi were after and we had to find out what that was.

I shook my head and took a turn on the mud path so I could head to the only inn in the village where I would be staying during my mission here. It was a small building with just two floors and I guessed that it had a maximum of five or six rooms to cater for guests. The ground floor had the reception desk and an open restaurant and the rooms were on the first floor.

I walked into the inn and to the reception desk. There was a plump middle aged man with a thick moustache and beard sitting behind the desk and reading a book. When he heard my footsteps as I walked up to the counter, he looked up and narrowed his eyes.

"Hello, um, I wanted to book a room for my one week stay in this village. Are any single bed rooms available?" I asked with a friendly smile.

"A week, huh? What does a shinobi have to do for one week in our village?" He asked, narrowing his eyes further.

I noticed him eying my katana and I understood that he had assumed that I was a shinobi because I had a weapon with me. Well, I couldn't blame him for thinking that. I guess he was wary about the Iwa shinobi who had been appearing here and he didn't want trouble in his inn. I obviously was a shinobi and I had the skills and the Konoha forehead protector in my bag to prove it. But this guy didn't have to know that.

"Oh, I'm not a shinobi, ojisan. I am a kenshibu performer – meaning I perform dances with my katana. I wanted a break from the busy schedule and the noisy travel life so I'm here on vacation!" I lied smoothly.

"Oh? Then you don't know how to fight with that?" He pressed further.

"If you consider waving the katana in the air randomly like a mad woman as fighting, then yes, I know fighting." I shrugged and continued to smile innocently.

The man watched me for a few moments silently. It looked to me like he was trying to see if I was lying about not knowing how to fight. But I was a good actor and good at keeping secrets so I was sure he wouldn't be able to tell that I wasn't telling him the truth. And it was when he gave a hearty laugh that I was sure my acting was a brilliant success.

"Well well! Everything's good as long as you young lady aren't a shinobi! Welcome to Tog­è village! Hope you have a pleasant stay here." He said cheerfully.