Book Two: Memoirs of the Elemental Nations

Mizu no Kuni: Arrival

Third pov

Outside the window, the world was turbulent. A raging monsoon devastated the area, rain pelting down from the heavens. Bolts of lightning darted across the murky sky, singing the outraged clouds in a flash of fury, followed by the roar of thunder, reverberating against the land itself.

The wind howled, testing the limits of buildings and trees alike, unforgiving, unrelenting and completely merciless. In sync, the mist swirled violently, a horrifyingly beautiful scene, ominously mesmerising.

The girl inside the window sighed as she shrunk further into her quilt next to the fire. It was typhoon season again.

Although it was a common occurrence every year at this time and the houses were all built to be resistant to natural disasters, this year's storms were particularly ferocious. So much so that the country hadn't been prepared at all. Word says that even their central village, Kirigakure, hadn't been prepared for this giant disaster which would no doubt set their economy back.

As if the Cloud didn't already have enough leverage over them through economic pressure. There was no way this storm would cease for days, and there was no way a civilian town could continue their normal life during something like this.

The girl grunted in annoyance at that thought. At least Kirigakure had ninja. And ninja could deal with a giant storm. Heck they could probably walk around the village like it was nothing with their fancy ninja powers and chakra.

Meanwhile, she'd be stuck. Inside. With nothing, no friends, no good food, no anything.

She looked out the window again and blinked. Quickly rubbing her eyes to check if she was sane she frowned.

She swore she had just saw two shadows through all the rain and mist, gone as quickly as they came. She shook her head.

All this ninja thought must be getting to her head.

---

Through the heavy mist which naturally surround the islands of the Land of Water, two vague shapes could be seen moving through the fog at a fast pace.

"Finally left that typhoon behind," Leiko muttered.

"These storms are crazy. I think I'd take a Konoha heatwave over this any day!" Shiori exclaimed disbelievingly.

"Yeah...oh!" Leiko exclaimed mid sentence, "There's a village up ahead!"

Leiko's Byakugan had been on for the past hour to guide them through the storm.

"Kiri?"

"No, but close. This is probably a civilian town which resides near the ninja village for its protection."

Shiori nodded, "Drop the hitai-ate. Let's go in."

---

Leiko stared at her own reflection in the mirror with a frown. She really didn't like the new addition to her. Namely the presence of visible pupils.

"You look great," Shiori teased, "Taken after your brother to wearing bandages on your forehead?"

"It's just a replacement cause I can't wear my hitai-ate," Leiko lied through her teeth.

Shiori pondered the tantamount pathetic reason for a second - and boy was it the longest second of Leiko's life. She couldn't quite help the sigh of relief when Shiori shrugged her shoulders and dropped the subject.

Leiko's pov

It was horrible. The guilt I mean. 

Well, not because I felt guilty. In fact, I barely felt the guilt which was supposed to be there. Weren't friend not supposed to keep secret? Should the fact that she doesn't know be gnawing at me? 

Instead, I felt nothing of the sort. Well, yeah - there was that tiny, reprimanding voice at the back of my head. But I didn't even have to consciously block it out. 

But that because she didn't need to know. This is my own problem. I can deal with it myself. Anyone else who wants to help will only get in the way...

Shiori didn't need to know...

Right?

Shiori's pov

Something's bothering her.

Something big. 

Something which she doesn't want to tell me. 

Which means, something I'm not gonna pry about. Not until absolutely necessary. Not until-

"We just walk straight in, right?" Leiko's voice broke me out of my thoughts. 

I nodded, "Yeah. No one knows we're ninja. We can just walk right in, do what we want to do, and walk out."

"Good..." Leiko trailed off, "What do we want to do again?"

"Not sure," I admitted, "But it's getting late anyways. We should stop for the night."

"Alright!" Leiko cheered, "Man sleeping in trees are a thing of the past!"

I laughed, "Well, let's get going then!"

This was the first country we've been to on our trip. And it was a very different lifestyle and culture to what Konoha is like - so say the books. 

I was excited to say the least - Mizu no Kuni was the only one of the Elemental Nations which was disjoint from the mainland. 

The water naturally isolated the country from others. So my only question now was...

What secrets do these islands of the Water Country hold?

Second book of the series! This is a collection of short stories based on Shiori and Leiko's travels in the different countries around the continent. It's being written in lieu with the third book but I'll publish the third one once this book is on well on its way. 

It contains a lot of information that's relevant in the third book aka shippuden such as people Leiko and Shiori know, items they find, jutsus they learn, secrets they discover etc. 

Buckle up for the ride and I hope you enjoy!

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