The first time she heard of him was after the Hokage's death. She had been visiting from her own country to participate in the Chuunin exams. Her country was still freshly formed in the last century and so was not as well known or large as the others that had sent participants. She had been an exception.
She never met him, only heard of him by name. The damned Suna scum, they had said. Waltzing in here like they're something and then betraying us. Never should have trusted the damn Land of Wind.
She had no quarrels with the Suna residents or with the Konoha residents, so she keep her head low and pretended to ignore the conversation, continuing to listen to the town gossip about their deception.
Eventually, she grew tired of their banter, having heard enough of the siblings who had come from the desert to enter in the exams. She could almost write a book based off of the fallible deeds the residents had accused them of. True, they had caused the fight and the eventual death of the Hokage, but the blame was not to lie entirely on them.
She returned to her room that she was staying in. She would only be here a few days longer, so there was no point in getting upset over something that didn't involve her or her country. She had, inadvertently, stayed neutral in the brawl, having been incapacitated like many of the other shinobi. No point in sticking her nose in it now.
When she returned to her room at the inn the man at the front desk gave her a letter. The letter had come from her home country, the wax sealing on the back showing that it was from Hanagakure's office. She sighed and went to her room, immediately heading for the bathroom to wash off all of the negativity that she had absorbed today.
She looked in the mirror and examined herself. Her gaze always lingered on the mismatched eyes – one a pure red that was hereditary to her clan, the other an off color purple. She hated the way her eyes looked, they were the only thing that stood out on her body. She had no one else to blame but herself for that deformity. She turned away from the mirror, chocolate hair swaying behind her. She stepped into the shower and washed away the day.
It was some time later that day when she finally decided to open the letter. She knew it wouldn't have much to say, her people were very straight forward. She had never liked it very much.
It only had one sentence on it.
Kameko
Return as soon as possible, you are needed here.
Lady Eiko
No point in delaying the inevitable. She sighed and began to pack her things so she could leave in the morning.
The second time Kameko heard of him was while traveling back to her country. It was a five day journey to the northeast one way and she never enjoyed making the trip alone. However, it was inevitable that she would end up being alone on this journey, she had gone to Konoha alone so she would leave alone.
It was in one of the crossroad inns that she heard his name again. There were rumors again, she was never sure what was real and what was a lie.
He's a monster! One of the villagers exclaimed. Turned into a demon, he did. I saw the whole thing, body deformed, turned grotesque, he did.
While she had been there as well, she hadn't seen his transformation. She knew that it had happened, when a city as large as Konoha was buzzing about such a thing, but she never actually saw it happen.
Kameko was growing weary hearing only of these negative things. It wasn't good for her health. If she had the option she would gladly stay at another inn. But then she thought, even if there was another inn, she was sure to hear similar conversation. Instead, she decided to retire to her room for the night.
She would like to think that she had dreamed that night, but dreams had stopped coming to her ever since the mutation. She missed dreaming, the delaying effects it seemed to have on the mind when transitioning from one day to the next. Now she could sleep for hours and it would only feel like minutes.
She left early the next morning, at sunrise before the majority of the patrons had woken up to continue with their banter. She paid the innkeeper and continued her solitary journey.
She never heard of him again while traveling. This was only due to the fact that she had decided to avoid the inns and was camping by herself. Her fire was roasting a hare she had caught for herself that night when travelers passed by. Instinctively, her hand went to the tanto that rested beside her. It was usually strapped to her back, its sheath held by a belt that crossed over her left shoulder and was secured around her waist. The travelers proved harmless, only passing by to continue their journey a little further before resting themselves.
Do not worry so much, Kameko. She chastised herself. You look ordinary, there is no reason for anyone to cause you harm.
The next day she found herself back at her borders and then at the village gates. She gave a nod at the guards who recognized her face by now and continued toward the leader's building. There was no reason to delay going there, it would only cause her trouble later on.
She heard of him again when she entered the large building of the city. The many clerks and office workers there were gossiping about the attack on Konoha and the beastly appearance of what they called the Shukaku. She had heard tales of the tailed beasts, only knowing a few of their names. She had recognized this one as the One Tailed beast. She knew they were often referred to as demons rather than beasts. It was all the same to her.
Kameko, having decided that she had wasted enough time loitering in the lobby, waltzed up the stairs to Eiko's office. When she got to the door she knocked, knowing that she would have an immediate answer, so went ahead and opened the door right as she heard "Come in".
"Ah, you've returned!" Eiko exclaimed. "I was beginning to worry, you have been gone so long. How were the exams?"
Kameko couldn't help but to smile at her. It was good to hear her mother's voice again. "They got canceled," was all she said.
"So I heard, care to spare any details?" Her mother gave the gaze that always said she was hungering for the news. She was often known to savor in hearing all sorts of information, whether it be good or bad.
"I have no extra details that aren't already known by everyone downstairs. Which I'm sure you've heard plenty of by now." She smiled and gave a shrug. "I didn't even get to see it happen. Someone made most of us look like fools and cast a genjutsu that put us to sleep. It passed quickly for me."
Her mother huffed a bit at the report from her, then stood from her chair to face the window behind her. The view overlooked most of the growing village. It didn't compare to any of the other great nations' Hidden Villages, but it was making its way.
"You sounded rushed in your letter," Kameko began. "What was it that you needed me home so quickly for?"
Her mother spun around and clapped her hands together. "Ah! That's right, it completely slipped my mind. You, my dear daughter, are to begin your training soon." Kameko gave her mother a quizzical look. She had already been a shinobi for quite some time now, had her mother forgotten? "Not that sort of training," her mother stated, reading her face. "Training to be the next leader of this small country. While you won't hold a Kage status like the great nations, you will still hold a high status of nobility."
Of course. She had completely forgotten about that. She sighed, knowing that she should have remembered her mother telling her she would be doing this when she returned.
"Well, when do we start?" She asked.
"Tomorrow." Her mother's smile widened. It was obvious how proud her mother was of her, even if she didn't share those feelings. "You will begin at dawn. You learn your lessons of being a ruler while traveling all over this wonderful continent, learning how others lead. I won't lie, dear… It's going to be a long process. It will take years. But I know you can do it."
Kameko could do nothing but smile at her mother. There wasn't a way out of this happening, she was an only child and therefor no other heirs. Should she die or become incapable of holding up these duties, her younger sister's son would take the duties. Her cousin was only a few months younger than her, but since her mother was heir that meant that she was to continue the line.
"Of course." That was all she could manage at the moment. "I'll go prepare then." She waved her mother goodbye, expecting to see her the next morning.
The next morning she was waiting by the gates. Her mother had insisted that her cousin join her on the journey, for protection and to also learn. Their instructor, Isao, whom they have been students under for years now, also joined them to be both a guardian and to continue as their tutor. Middle aged, the man was tall, his dark hair flecked with gray here and there. Her cousin, Jun, was dark haired like her and many others in her clan, and was of considerable build despite being only 13. Although, this wasn't unusual when one follows the path of a shinobi.
She hugged her mother, only a few inches shorter than the woman. She looked in her eyes after, not sure how to convey what she was feeling. Her mother returned the look. Neither one of them were very good at communicating when it came to their emotions, but that never stopped them from being able to show it with non-verbal communication.
"Be safe now," she said. "You can come visit whenever you have a break, but I'm afraid I can't allow you to return home for good until you have finished your journey." Her look was mixed, showing both grief and joy. "It will only be three years, Kameko, but it will feel like an eternity for me."
Kameko returned the look, knowing how her mother felt better than she did. She mounted the horse that they had prepared for her and her traveling partners and adjusted the reins in her hands. "I'll return at times, mother. Isao should have left a map for you, showing you our route should you ever wish to write us." She ended this with a smile, not knowing what to really show at such a comment.
Eiko nodded, understanding that was her daughter's way of showing that she cared. "I love you." She told her daughter, one last time.
"And I you."
With those words, Kameko and her companions set off on their journey. Kameko, for once, was not alone when on the road.
