A Kunoichi At Heart

Chapter 98: Rai

The Kumo-nin that received you were about as enthusiastic as your sensei had warned you about. They traded uneasy glances when they thought you weren't looking, and their stances were hostile, tense. If your escorts were like this, you dreaded what the villagers would think of you.

Despite the terrain, they insisted that the group travel on foot. The journey there, one of your escorts claimed, would take twice as long as they had to reach Konoha because you would slow them down. You wished he'd been more subtle about this, but you soon learned not to take it personally. And after the first week of rain, sleet, and rugged mountains, you realized grudgingly that he was probably right. To put it simply, you just weren't as accustomed to the harsh climate and perilous landscape as they were.

As the weeks dragged on, you began to understand where their resentment came from. They made it clear that they harboured a strong dislike for people from Konoha, and the fact that they had been drafted onto this mission against their wishes made them bitter.

They left you to your own devices most of the time, and as a result, you spent a large portion of the voyage staring at the snow-capped mountaintops, the turbulent river currents, the lush forests. There was a certain beauty to the underside of hawks' wings. You had almost memorized the pattern of stars in the night sky.

You were quiet, polite, subdued for the duration of the journey. For an outsider, your escorts agreed after several weeks of travel, you were bearable.

Though you didn't express it, nor admit it, you were beginning to feel lonely. You missed your sensei, your teammates, and friends back at the Leaf Village. You often found yourself wondering how they were doing. Surely they hadn't forgotten you already.

Much to your dismay, the journey had taken even longer than the Kumo ninjas had anticipated. Upon reach Kumogakure, you were supposed to have gotten a week to get accustomed to the village and your surroundings but because of your later-than-expected arrival, one of your escorts informed you that you were scheduled to see the Raikage the next day. Until then, she told you curtly, you would be kept under lock and key in a nearby hotel. An attendant would see to all your needs, should you require any assistance. You were not to leave your hotel room for any reason. All amenities would be provided. The costs had already been covered by the Hokage.

You felt like a prisoner. It was disconcerting to think they would agree to take you in only to lock you up. The Raikage had even sent some of his own people to get you. You hoped things would settle down by tomorrow.

You slept fitfully that night. Waking far too early the next morning for your liking, you dressed quietly and sat on the floor until the attendant arrived with your breakfast. She expressed her disdain at your Konoha-style choice of clothing and remarked that you should change into more appropriate attire.

"What do you expect me to wear?" you snapped, tired of the veiled insults directed at you and your village the moment you set foot out of the Leaf. Did these Kumo-nin have anything better to do?

For the first time, the attendant smiled. "Leave it to me."

Half an hour later, you were dressed in strange-looking garments which the attendant praised, saying that they brought out the colour of your eyes.

"You look much better this way," she said in satisfaction, looking you over. "You're even kind of pretty. You'd make a fine Kumo ninja if you hadn't been born in Konoha. Well, it can't be helped, but we can still teach you our ways. There's hope for you yet."

You were astonished that clothes made such a big difference in her attitude towards you. Moments before, she had been cold and aloof. Now, she had spoken more than three sentences to you, and they weren't read directly from her scrolls.