Two: Naomi's Welcome
As the group—whose names she now knew—neared the gates of what Naomi knew was their destination, she felt her face pale. The walls looked like some towering fortress; a stronghold. 'And they all live in there? What are they protecting themselves from?' She held her breath as they passed through the massive stone archway, and then nearly froze when she saw what lay inside.
Bustling streets, crowded shops, buildings cramped side by side, and then, in the distance, what almost resembled Mount Rushmore. Naomi followed close behind Kakashi, with Sakura and Naruto flanking her sides chitchatting excessively with one another; Naruto did most of the actual talking.
Naomi's weary blue eyes panned over the faces of the people in the crowds. 'What is with these clothes?' She saw people in robes, people with bandages around their limbs for no apparent reason, masks, netting, and— 'Those headbands are everywhere...' One person in particular, a ways off down the street, caught her attention. He was a grown man, wearing what looked to be a bright green leotard. The vest he wore over it matched Kakashi's. She looked at the people around him. Three younger people—teenagers, as far as Naomi could tell—were listening to him speak. 'Oh my god... one of them must be his son; they look exactly the same! I wonder if he and Kakashi are a part of some sort of guided tour group or...camp counselors...'
"Naomi." She nearly ran into Kakashi, who had turned to face her, his visible eye glued to the pages of his book. "Go with Sakura now to get cleaned up. She'll take you to the Hokage's Tower afterward, and I'll let her know you're coming. She'll decide what to do with you from there." Naomi nodded and then looked to Sakura, who smiled reassuringly.
"Come on, you look like you could fit in to some of my clothes."
vVvVv
Once they reached Sakura's house, relief flooded Naomi's tired body—she was finally away from the unfamiliar crowds and bustle. Sakura's house was just a home. Nothing unusual, nothing to be afraid of; it was comforting. Sakura led Naomi to her room, and it was all Naomi could do to not simply collapse on top of the neatly made bed; her legs began to tremble at the thought of sleep.
"Here." Sakura's voice pulled Naomi from her trance. She was holding a pile of neatly folded clothes. "These should fit you." Naomi took the pile, fingers caressing the smooth material of whatever was on top—it was a lovely shade of brown. Sakura smiled. "It matches your hair."
"Yeah," Naomi responded weakly, mustering a small smile. Sakura's smile became sympathetic and she very gently placed her hand on Naomi's slouched shoulder.
"I'll whip up some food while you take a bath, how's that sound?" Naomi's eyes widened anxiously. She could only nod. "The washroom is just that way, and the kitchen is straight down the hall from that door. If you need anything, just call for me." As soon as Sakura left the room, a sense of loneliness began to creep all over Naomi's body. She inhaled slowly, held her breath, and then made her way to the washroom.
She ran the water until it steamed, staring down into the basin to watch the ripples. Her thoughts consumed her, and she lost track of reality. By the time she realized how long she'd been sitting there, the tub was nearly full to the brim. Naomi hastily shut off the water and rubbed her eyes.
"Come on, Naomi," she murmured aloud. "You can get through this." Stripping out of her pajamas, she slowly submerged her frail body into the steaming water. The heat stung, and the steam filled her airway, but she relished in the sensations. She let her head slip from the basin's edge until her ears and temples were completely submerged. She closed her eyes, and listened.
'It's so peaceful...' The water acted as a shield, keeping her away from the strange world she'd fallen into. The aches and pains that lined her body, inside and out, submitted to the heat, seeming to lift away, carried by the steam. Naomi fell into a state of absolute, beautiful numbness. 'I'm going to float away...'
A sharp rapping on the door startled Naomi back into the waking world; her bath had gone cold.
"Naomi?" came Sakura's voice, hinting at some concern. Naomi sat up and exhaled, closing her eyes. She wanted to go back into the nothingness.
"Sorry—I'll be out in a minute." Slowly, drawing out every motion, Naomi lifted herself out of the tub and released the drain. For a moment, she watched the water begin to swirl away. She pretended she was going with it—all of her cares, all of her pain, everything she felt simply being carried away. Retrieving her towel from its hook, Naomi left the water droplets scattered over her flesh and walked over to the clouded mirror. She wiped the steam away, seeing herself for the first time since waking up in this strange place.
Her gray-blue eyes were glossy and distant with heavy shadows beneath them. Her skin, already naturally quite pale but still seemingly healthy, was washed out and ghostly white. Her cropped brown hair hung around her face in a sopping mess. She ran her fingers through it, and then drew them down the length of the wet glass. The empty person she saw in the mirror frightened her.
A few minutes later, hair somewhat neater and skin mostly dry, Naomi emerged from the bathroom in the clothes Sakura had give her. She wore an earthy, brown kimono that secured around her neck and fell to just above her knees, and white leggings that only reached mid-thigh. Everything fit well enough, except for the sandals, which she could just not get comfortable in. 'Probably because my feet are raw and swollen from all of that walking I did...' Making her way to the kitchen, Naomi found Sakura waiting for her by the table with a small smile on her face.
"I thought you might have drowned," she remarked, mostly joking. Naomi managed a very empty smile.
"Sorry—I think I may have fallen asleep."
"Don't worry about it, your food is still warm." And then, as if on cue, Naomi tensed her jaw against a biting flare up of pain in the pit of her stomach. She sat down quickly, staring at the plateful of food and large glass of water. She was almost afraid to touch it in case it disappeared. Almost as if looking for reassurance, Naomi glanced up at Sakura, who handed her some chopsticks. "Dig in. And, sorry if the water seems a bit off, I added some vitamins to it. Nothing major, just enough to make your body feel better." Naomi downed her water, clearing her plate with time to spare. Food had never tasted so good. Sakura seemed very pleased.
"We need to go and see the Hokage, but..." Sakura's eyes scanned Naomi's figure, slumped down in the chair and eyes half-closed. "I think I can allow you some time to rest." And without another word, Sakura guided a half-conscious Naomi back down the hallway to her room and watched as she collapsed onto the bed. Quietly, Sakura exited and closed the door, leaving it open just a fraction. She paused thoughtfully in the hallway.
"This will be interesting."
vVvVv
Naomi had been asleep for a precious three hours before Sakura had gently stirred her awake. The two walked side by side down the street, a very refreshed Naomi once again absorbing her surroundings.
"Lady Tsunade can be a little intimidating sometimes, but she's a good person. She'll know how to handle your... situation." Naomi sighed.
"She can help me get home?" The pause that followed unnerved Naomi, and her wandering eyes darted over to Sakura. The pink-haired girl's expression was very thoughtful. As though realizing Naomi's increasing anxiety, Sakura quickly put on a smile.
"She's the Hokage—I'm sure she'll figure something out." Now it was Naomi's turn to pause.
"Sakura?"
"Hm?"
"...what's a 'Hokage'?" The look she received said 'maybe I ought to be bringing you to the psychiatric ward instead'.
"The Hokage oversees everything that goes on in this village. She protects the people and makes all of the important decisions." Naomi nodded.
'So it's like being the governor, or something...' When the two reached the entrance to the Hokage's Tower, Naomi felt her legs become weak. She swallowed dryly, eyes narrowed onto the large doorway. She felt a gentle tug on her arm, and slowly followed Sakura inside. The building seemed very official. Clean floors, decorated walls, and different doorways leading to, most presumably, different offices or meeting places. Sakura led her up a couple flights of stairs and down a long, curved hallway, stopping in front of two large, heavy wooden doors. Naomi's feet stuck to the floor.
"Sakura..."
"Just relax, I'm going to go with you." Naomi nodded, and Sakura knocked twice. When there was no response, she knocked again and folded her arms. Naomi glanced anxiously between the doors and Sakura, who began murmuring under her breath. She gave one last, final pound to the door, finally receiving the desired response from inside.
"Come in!" The voice was clearly one of frustration. Sakura pushed open the heavy doors with ease and stepped inside, stopping in the middle of the room. Naomi followed, hovering behind Sakura.
"Lady Tsunade, this is Naomi, the girl Kakashi was supposed to tell you about." The woman behind the desk, fingers buried in her light blonde hair, did not look up from the paper in front of her. The grip she had on the pen in her other hand was visibly tense. Sakura cleared her throat and repeated herself.
"Lady Tsunade," she spat out, irritated at being ignored. Tsunade slammed the pen onto her desk and glared at Sakura. Naomi's heart leaped into her throat.
"Can't you see I'm—oh... Sakura, it's you." Tsunade visibly relaxed. Sakura's shoulders slumped. "Sorry, it's been a long day. What do you need?"
"This is Naomi." Sakura stepped to the side, revealing the girl who had been cowering silently behind her. "Kakashi should have told you about her." Naomi stood stalk still, hands folded neatly in front of her and eyes locked onto the floor. A silence fell over the room as Tsunade leaned back in her chair and looked Naomi over.
"So, this is the girl you found on the road on your way to Amekagure?" Sakura nodded. "And what was it that she told you?" Naomi felt strange having them talk about her as though she wasn't standing right there, but was also thankful for not needing to speak.
"She said that she just woke up in the middle of the woods, and didn't know how she got there. She also had an encounter with a Rain Village guard." Subconsciously, Naomi's hand gently touched the two slices in her upper arm. She shivered, and it was silent again.
'This woman... it's not intimidation, it's something else...'
"Naomi." The sound of her name caused her to jump nervously, and she warily brought her eyes up to meet Tsunade's scrutinizing gaze. "Would you object to undergoing a physical exam? I need to know if you've been drugged, or subject to other anesthetics." Naomi's hands shook and she side glanced at Sakura, who nodded reassuringly.
"O-Okay. That's... fine," she replied, voice much softer than she would have liked. Tsunade nodded.
"Good. Now, Sakura, your team is waiting for you by the gates." Naomi's skin turned cold, and Sakura's expression became questioning.
"What? Why?"
"You did the right thing bringing Naomi back to the village right away, but you still have a mission to complete." Sakura took a half-step forward, as if objecting.
"But, Tsunade, can't it—"
"It's not a suggestion, it's an order. Now, go and meet your team." Tsunade's voice was strong and final. Sakura's jaw tensed and she nodded. She turned to leave without another word, squeezing Naomi's shoulder as she passed.
"You'll be fine," she whispered, closing the doors behind her as she exited. Naomi was alone again. She stood frozen in place as Tsunade went about marking a couple more papers and setting them aside. 'Am I supposed to leave?' A knock on the door earned another jump from Naomi. The doors opened without a response from Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade, I've brought you some—oh! I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Naomi turned, locking eyes with a young woman carrying a small tray of tea. Her eyes were open and welcoming, her smile warm. Naomi felt a nudge against her leg, and looked down. '...it's a pig.' Behind her, she heard Tsunade let out a relaxed sigh.
"Come in, Shizune. I was hoping you'd stop by." Shizune walked over and placed the tray on Tsunade's desk.
"You were? That's a first." She laughed, and Tsunade smiled. The air that had been smothering Naomi before seemed to dissipate. 'She's not as frightening when she smiles,' she thought, almost managing a smile of her own.
"I need you to escort Naomi—" Tsunade nodded in the girl's direction. "—to the medical wing for an internal physical exam." 'Internal?' Shizune looked Naomi up and down curiously.
"Alright, I can do that. Right now?"
"Yes." Tsunade lifted one of the cups to her mouth and closed her eyes, breathing in the steam. Shizune approached Naomi and smiled.
"Please, follow me." Naomi nodded. She was good at following. Just before they made it out of the room, Tsunade called them back.
"Oh, I nearly forgot. Naomi, I've assigned another team to be your escort until Kakashi's team returns. They'll meet you after your exam—you are directed to stay with them and do as they tell you, understand?" Naomi nodded, and she and Shizune were dismissed. Alone in her office, enjoying the peace, Tsunade stared down into her cup. After a thoughtful moment, she sighed.
"She should've brought sake."