So here's chapter 3. I've had probably 3/4s of it done for a few months. And for most of them, its just been siting on my computer. I have a bad habit of not getting on the computer and typing. Once I start typing its not a huge deal, cause I get really into it. But its just getting to the part of typing that is hard. So if you want somewhat constant updates, badger me. Badger me until I snap. PM after PM after PM. Then maybe, we might get a quicker update.
I'm actually in the middle of a four hundred page book, I've gone through atleast 100 pages within the past few hours. So you guys are lucky that I pulled my head out of the book to even publish this. (But then again its my fault for not finishing this sooner, so its moot point.)
Lastly I am in need of a beta reader. I had one, but then she never responded back, so now I can just hope she's not dead. But if you do offer to be my beta reader, I am warning you now that I probably wont have a "Set in stone" schedule for updating. You'd have to be extremely patient with me, or just be able to put me on back burner, if that makes any sense. But if you badger me a lot, I'm sure the next chapter would come out faster. :)
Chapter 3
As they made their way silently to the house they had the chance to take in more of it, compared to the little they saw from the back. Upon closer inspection the house seemed abandoned; windows broken, parts of the wall with holes in it, and it looked like it could fall down at any moment.
'ehh... I hope this place will stay up long enough for us to rest here for tonight.'
Just then they had arrived at the door and cautiously opened it, peering inside, looking for any dangers. The room that they first arrived in was small and bare, with nothing but a window and a door leading to another room. There were also cracks running down the walls and a few holes in the walls that let some air through, making a slight whistling sound every time it passed.
"This must have been the entry way, lets keep going, resting at the first place a person comes to when entering the house isn't a good idea. We'd be spotted the moment an enemy entered." So with Ao's reasonings, they went further into the house.
The next room they encountered was in even worse shape than the previous. The wood that was the walls, was rotting in some places, not to mention the windows. Or what used to be windows, because it seemed as if the windows were either broken or removed, leaving gaping holes in the walls where the glass should have been. The windows, or lack of, let more air enter the room than the one they first entered in, and caused a constant draft that circulated the room which exited out of another 'window.' With all the oddities of the house there were a few things even stranger. Like the big well situated in the middle of the room or the one window that actually had fully intact glass in it on the east wall.
All this was taken in and processed in a second. But what startled them the most was a voice that came from nowhere and seemed to come from everywhere thanks to the draft that was created with the opening of the door. Making them unable to pinpoint where exactly it originated from.
"Who are you?"
? POV
And with the opening of the door, the sole occupant of the house fully woke up after being roused from their sleep by a pulse of foreign energy. "Huh? ...Did someone enter the house?.. But.. They usually don't come at night.."
'Why would people be here now?' While waiting, the unknown person could hear the strangers making their way towards the room that they currently occupied. Gathering their courage they peeked over the object they were leaning against and was surprised to see two new, and oddly dressed people enter the room. Letting in a light gust of air that swirled around the room. Deciding now was as any of a good time to speak the soon to be speaker said the first sentence that would start a series of changes throughout the lives of the ones in the room.
"Who are you?"
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Both Chojuro and Ao were set on edge, all their sense stretching out to their fullest trying to pinpoint the first sign of danger, should it show itself.
Chojuro, who had happened to look towards the center of the room and noticed a pair of green brown, hazel eyes peeking over the well. Having finally found the origin of the unknown voice he quickly got his partner's attention and motioned to the center of the room and incidentally, the eyes. "Ao-san, over there."
Having successfully gotten his partners attention both parties were at a standpoint, neither one budging. Neither falling back or advancing forward. Chojuro, acting on instinct, decided to speak up, "H-hello? Could you please come out? We don't mean any harm."
The owner of the mysterious eyes seemed to hesitate before standing up and moving to the side of the well, so Ao and Chojuro could see them.
After seeing their assailant was merely a young child, they lowered their guards, somewhat. Ao not as much as Chojuro, having grown up in the bloody mist; and knowing what strength even a small kid could have.
Chojuro, kneeling down so he was at eye level, tried to meet the recently discovered girl's eyes. But it was to no avail, seeing as she hid them behind a blanket she was holding, only peeking out slightly from behind its cover.
He spoke softly to the girl to try and calm her, "Hey don't worry, the big guy behind me might look scary, but he's actually really nice." he tried to reassure her, having seen her eyes dart past him and onto Ao.
After staring at Ao one last time the girl turned her gaze onto Chojuro. After sizing him up, her body openly loosened. Lowering her blanket slightly, she finally spoke, her voice noticeably different with not wind distorting it. "Why are you here? Are you thirsty?" Slightly cocking her head to the side when she asked her questions.
"Uh, no. We just came in here for a place to stay for the night. We thought this house was deserted and were rather surprised when we found you. Sorry if we scared you."
Ao, the whole time Chojuro was talking, sized up the girl. Taking time to notice the small details about her. On the surface she seemed to be an ordinary girl. But as a trained ninja he noticed her thin, scrawny stature. Giving him reason to believe noticed that she had been living alone for at least a few months. And judging from that he couldn't sense anyone else in the house, he predicted that his assumption was true. Complemented with her ragged appearance and her unruly dark brown hair, those facts served only to further his assumption.
The girl, lowering her blanket even more, curiously started at the boy in front of her, "So you don't want any water? Then why are you here? Why don't you just go to the village to sleep?"
Chojuro, hesitating on how much to tell her, looked up to Ao for his input.
"As of now, an outbreak of unusual and unsolvable deaths has occurred in Okaizumi. We were sent to investigate them. But without knowing the cause, it would be foolish to just enter the village and risk our lives."
The girl flinching at his harsh voice and unwavering stare mumbled, "People are dying?" Getting a foggy look in her eyes as if remembering something, but then she seemed to snap out of it and looked up at Ao, eyes filled with childish curiosity and asked, "But if theres already a big chance of you dying, then what difference does it make if you sleep there or not?
Ao was slightly, but not visibly, taken aback on how a child could talk so easily about death. But then passed it off as a child's ignorance and evenly replied, "If we were to die, then at least we would go in peace knowing we could do nothing else than to die of a foolish mistake."
The girl, thinking upon the answer seemed to have seen reason in his response, and happily proposed a different idea. "Then why don't you stay here?"
"W-we couldn't impose on you like that, and you probably wouldn't want us here anyways"
"No, you guys just have to stay now," She said looking up with a smile, "Come on, it will be fun! And didn't you say thats why you came here in the first place?" Tilting her head curiously.
"U-uh, well that is true.." Chojuro was slightly taken aback by the girls enthusiasm, especially to two strangers that just walked into her house.
Ao, taking charge announced, "We didn't come here for fun. We came here on a mission, and we can't afford to dawdle while there are lives at stake."
Hearing that, the girl deflated, "O-oh, I guess that makes sense. B-but still, you guys can stay here if you want.."
Ao not hesitating in the slightest replied, "What about your parents? Where are they?"
The girl deflated even more, giving her the appearance of a wilted flower, "M-my momma and papa.. They've been gone for awhile now.." The girl said it evenly and without any stumbling. As if she had already come to terms with it.
A brief- and awkward-silence fell over the three sole occupants of the house. Chojuro broke it, hoping that the sinking feeling he had was wrong, "Well maybe they'll come back someday?" He tried to say it in a positive way, but ended up failing, making it come out like a question.
The girl got a wistful and far away look on her face, "Yeah.. Maybe.." The bad feeling proved to be true for Chojuro, the girls parents were most likely dead, and it was likely that she had been living by herself ever since.
Breaking out of her reverie, the girl once again put a smile on her face and looked up towards the two strangers. "Now that that's settled, you can stay here right?" Giving them the best puppy dog eyes she could muster up.
Under normal circumstances, Ao would have refused, or at least put up more of a fight. But they did need a place to stay and the girl didn't look like she could be a danger to them at the moment (Though he wasn't ready to completely dismiss her as a threat). Coupled with the fact that those eyes irritatingly enough reminded him of a certain Mizukage.
/~~~~Flash Back~~~~/
"Ne~ Come on Ao~ Please? For me?"
"No! I am a trained ninja, not some messenger boy to be sent out to do simple errands!"
"Aww, come on Ao, don't be such a party pooper. You know you want to~" Pouting she gave him the puppy dog eyes while batting her eyelashes.
"Neghh.."
/~~~~End of Flash Back~~~~/
Needless to say, he was sent out on her orders to go buy some dangos, snacks, and chocolate and other.. unmentionables. It wasn't the first time, and to his distaste, not the last either. Just thinking of 'that woman' and her childish ways got him riled up and raised his blood pressure.
After a minute he finally conceded, "Fine, but no promises that we'll come back tomorrow."
Upon hearing that, the girl's face lit up like a light, with happiness, probably more than she had in awhile.
"Okay! I think theres some pillows and blankets in the closet!" Running off to get the aforementioned items, leaving her two guests all alone in the room.
Chojuro and Ao were left in silence once again, with Chojuro breaking it, "She seems really lonely.. A-at least thats the feeling I get from her."
"That may be, but we cannot do anything about it. It be best for you if you remembered that fact. We're only here to get rid of the problem in Okaizumi, then its back to Kirigakure." Though his words were harsh, Ao was really only trying to help. Probably. Maybe.. So its a possibility, but its only pure speculation. So we'll just go with a yes.
Thinking over what Ao said Chojuro responded in kind, "But even so, I want to try to help her, even if its just by a little bit."
Before Ao could refute Chojuro, the girl came back in arms full with two large blankets, a bed roll, and two fluffy pillows. Her hair was a little ruffled, and there was a head shaped imprint in one of the pillows, meaning that she had either tripped and landed on the pillow, or that all of the stuff was on a high shelf and that they all fell on top of her when she tried getting them down. But that was a mystery that they would never know the answer to.
Just as she was laying out the bed rolls (With Chojuro offering to help) Ao spoke up, "One thing. Before we stay here, I want to know one thing. What's your name?"
"Hmm? I'm Kasumi."
Yay! The name has finally been officially revealed! Though if you were shap enough to catch on, her name is mentioned in the summary.
You can review if you want, though I would rather you PM me like crazy so I get my lazy but to the keyboard to type. I do enjoy writing this story, but like many other teens in this day and age, I suffer from lazyness.
Bye!