The Red Flash of Konoha

Like the Men

Nyoko Namikaze Point of View

Walking the desert was a drastic change from walking in rain and forests. The land of wind was mostly flat, dusty and of course it was windy. I was thankful that this would be the last village I would be seeing. When I return home I'm going to sleep for a week! I have four days before I'm expected to return to the Leaf Village. I couldn't wait to be able to sleep in my bed. It was rough sleeping the past few nights. Being creeped and haunted by that snake man.

The snake man. The man with dead, never ending eyes. What is with them? Better yet what is with ninja? I always thought Itachi and that masked man from the Uchiha Massacre were the worst of the worse. It was becoming very obvious that I was wrong. Not only that but it has finally dawned on me, I had the nine tailed fox in me - where are the other tailed beasts? Was there a ten tailed? A fifteen tailed beast? Were there beast's with no tails?

This one mission out of the village, has been a real eye opener. I really knew nothing outside of what I've read and heard in the Leaf Village. I once believed that Hiruzen was the strongest living ninja. Now, he's just an old man. The Kages - or just leaders - I've met were all younger then the old man. The Ame - Kage is scary. I knew nothing about the Otogakure's leader, I knew nothing about their ninja. Takigakure was basically being run by two people, neither as old as the Hokage.

Perhaps, it's common for smaller nations - their ninja villages to have younger leaders? Would the other large nations - their ninja villages, have older ninja as their Kages?

What was the leader of Sunagakure like? Was he like the rain village's leader? Was he kind like the Kage of the Waterfall village? Arrogant like the Kusagakure? Or would I not be meeting their Kage and stuck with meeting a Jōnin? I almost prefer meeting a Jōnin. Rather than meet yet another man that's years - no decades younger than Hiruzen.

I was brought out of my thought once I saw a couple a Jōnin, with tan flank jackets that were similar to the Leafs green ones. There was also a Chunin? Or Genin maybe, with a mummy on his back?

They had noticed me as well, as I walked closer, they - the Jōnin - each full of hatred as they saw me, what did I do? The one with a mummy turned to face me, showing his pale face with purple paint on his face. Seeing he had on, a baggy, full body suit that was freaking black! He even had the hood up, that gave him cat ears. What was wrong with him? Was he a cat person?

"They're so short!" The cat boy snickered as I got closer, obviously waiting for me to get closer, to get to me, "Does the Leaf Village often permote child sized ninja to ANBU level? Is The Leaf ANBU level a joke or something?"

I rolled my eyes, under my mask, refusing to give him a response, "I am here for the names of your participants." I spoke professionally.

The cat kid's eyes seemed to widen, with humor at hearing my voice. Before he could say anything one of the Jōnin nodded, "I would assume so. The Kazekage is in a meeting at this moment however, so you'll have to wait." His voice was cold as if I had offended him.

Did I say something? With a nod, I proceeded to walk pass, mostly to get away from this man - and the other Jōnin's icy eyes, and to get out of the burning sun, the blowing winds and the warm sand being thrown everywhere. That and I assumed the Kazekage's building would be the most obvious building in the middle.

"I will take you somewhere you may wait." The man stated, walking past me, leading the way, "Kankurō, come" He ordered the cat eared boy. Whom walked next to whom must've been his sensei.

"Tell me, kid when did you graduate the academy?" Kankurō asked as we walked, between some tall cliffs of rock.

I didn't pay him much attention instead I payed attention to the village's layout. The cliffs had to have been the only way into the village, it was smart, it would make ground attacks very hard to attempt. That being if an attacker could get past the desert, I assume sandstorms were another factor to the protection of the village.