Disclaimer: I do not own this story. The original idea for it belongs to Animemadness101 on Quotev. I only took the liberty of correcting the grammatical mistakes in it and uploading it on my profile. All credit goes to Animemadness101.
Chapter 3
"What the hell kind of a job have you signed us up for this time?" Zabuza growled, reading over the details. Lacey glanced over from her place at the stove, wondering what put him in a bad mood. Though, he always was in a bad mood, she came to realize.
Over the last two months, living with them had been very interesting. Their missions were more than dangerous at times, and she found herself getting involved somehow without meaning to. It bothered the older rogue at times, but Haku was quick to intervene, declaring it couldn't be helped since they had agreed to take her with them.
"One that is in need of a bodyguard," the teen answered.
"I thought I told you to get one that involved killing someone."
"You will be able to if the person we're supposed to protect gets kidnapped or hurt in any way."
"Not enough bloodshed. Besides, these guys are probably weak. They always are."
"Still the same, it was the only mission I knew you would possibly accept. The others only consisted in scouting for thieves and bullies along the road near a small village."
"Fine, we'll take it. Where is this place exactly?"
"Up north. A lord is being targeted by the local missing-nin, and wants protection for his two daughters and himself."
"What, he doesn't have enough guards or ninjas of his own?" the man scoffed.
Lacey set down their plates, Haku nodding in thanks. "I'm sure he does have enough, but only a missing-nin knows how one thinks. He wants to use that against them and hopefully resolve this situation sooner rather than later."
"Whatever," Zabuza answered. He pulled away the wrappings from his mouth so he could eat. "It's something. I take it we'll be paid a good sum of money?"
"Triple what we're usually paid."
He grinned sadistically. "We leave at dawn."
When Lacey finally sat down to eat herself, the rogue disappeared. "Zabuza really likes money, doesn't he?" she asked.
"Most of the time all rouges do, but that goes for any shinobi. It's our way of getting by."
"But rogues like money for a whole other reason. It's greed."
"We can be." Haku took his plate to the sink, washing it. "Tell me, Lacey, why did you dance?"
The room grew silent, the girl setting down the fork to think over her answer. The teen noticed her hesitation, giving her time.
"We were so poor," the dancer spoke. "My parents made a bad decision early on in their lives by borrowing money and never being able to pay them back. When I was fourteen, they had no choice but to hand me over to the man, and he sent me to work as a dancer on the road. Since they couldn't repay their debts, I was forced to dance until I could pay it off for them. I worked hard, gathered as much money as I could so I could be free. But it was never enough… I'll admit there was greed in my heart to earn more and more money, yet it was never mine to indulge. I had greed for freedom."
"You're not that much different than we are."
Lacey turned slowly in her chair, a small smile on her lips. "I guess I'm not, huh?"
"I'm glad you could make it, come in," a butler at the door greeted them.
"Thank you," Lacey smiled with a nod. She filed in with Zabuza and Haku behind her. The team had agreed that, since the woman was the most friendly out of the three and would be unlikely to anger or scare the client, she would do most of the talking during their first meeting.
"Lord Kuro will be with you all shortly. If you would wait here."
"This guy looks loaded," Zabuza muttered when they were left alone.
"Behave," Haku answered.
"We could just make off with everything around us and won't have to take this stupid job."
"And two rogues and a girl trying to bargain these items at a store wouldn't be suspicious at all? You're not thinking clearly, Zabuza. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just don't want to be here."
"Then the faster we finish the job, the sooner we can leave."
The doors opened, a man with salt-pepper hair walking in with small glasses sitting on his nose. "Good morning. I am Lord Kuro. Thank you for coming."
"Lacey. These are the ninja you hired, Zabuza and Haku of the Mist."
The man cocked a brow. "Then what are you?"
"I'm merely traveling with them for the time being."
"Very well then. I take it you know the brief?"
"We've read over it," Haku answered. "Though we'd like a little more information on the matter before accepting the offer."
"Yes, of course. Please, sit."
"High S-ranked criminals in the area were on the hunt for lords and their kin, wishing to slaughter the authority and take over themselves. They had already killed three of the seven in the north. All of the others have hired their own types of guards, jounin from neighboring Villages. However…"
"You doubt their capabilities," Haku answered.
"I do not doubt a higher jounin's power. The problem is that we do not know where they will strike next. My theory is to match an S-ranked with another one, and the problem can be handled faster. Ninja think alike in many way we don't even realize."
"If there are other jounin in the area, then our heads are on the line as well," Zabuza finally spoke up. "Why would you risk that?"
"I have already sent letters to each living Lord saying that I will be conducting my own investigation into the matter if they so choose to accept the jobs. This could involve missing-nin like yourself. Their jounin are not to engage, harm, or communicate with you unless either party requests assistance. Even then you will be off limits." He pulled a handful of paper from his shirt, setting it on the table. "I have all of their signatures here."
Without even being asked, Lacey scooped up the items, looking over all of them. "All here," she reassured, pushing them back towards Kuro.
"Forgive me if I am being too bold, but you don't strike me as someone who would get themselves mixed up in the rogue criminal business."
"It kind of just happened when they were passing through," the woman answered with a small smile.
"Lacey travels with us, but has little to no skill as a ninja," Haku spoke up. "If we were to take on this job, she can't come out with us."
"Well, then she could stay here in the estate. Though I would like something in return."
"What?" Zabuza asked, a bit harshly.
"My eldest daughter, Riko, is a few years younger than yourself. I fear for her safety the most. Though I have a younger daughter, Satomi, she is constantly being watched by her maids and own bodyguards since she is so young. Riko, however, always manages to elude everyone and show up sometime later. I don't think she realizes the severity of the situation, or cares. I need someone who's willing to try following her around."
Before either of the rogues could answer, Lacey spoke up, "I'll do it… That is if they take the job."
"I will give you a few moments to think it over," Kuro said before exiting the room.
The three turned to look at each other.
"What do you think?" Haku asked.
"This is a dangerous job to be working so close to other ninja," Zabuza pointed out.
"That's never stopped us before. And the pay is good, better than what we've had in a while."
"We're out of money," Lacey added.
They accepted the offer, being shown to their temporary rooms during their stay.
"We're heading out," Zabuza relayed from Lacey's door. She pulled herself up from the bed she had so kindly flopped onto upon arrival.
"No dinner?"
"We'll eat in the forest."
"You sure?"
"Our kind won't sit well with their class."
"Then I'll come-"
"You will eat with them. That's an order. You'll be guarding one of the targets."
"Fine."
He looked up and down the hall before walking fully into the room, closing the door.
"Listen to me. You're not allowed to leave the target at any moment. She goes somewhere, you follow. Kuro said she's good at evading ninja, so you have to be quicker. If anything happens to the target our asses are on the line, got it?"
"Yes."
"Here." A pouch was thrown through the air, falling into Lacey's hands. "Haku got you a weapons pouch. Make good use of it."
"I don't know how to use most of these weapons," she relayed, examining the contents.
"Then learn. The client does not leave your sight," Zabuza repeated with emphasis.
"She won't."
He grunted before leaving.
The dining hall was nothing like Lacey had ever seen when she came down for dinner. It was huge, with a long table lined with chairs. Food was being placed everywhere, all different but tasty looking nonetheless. Kuro sat at the head, a little girl to his left and a teen on the right.
"Lacey, I trust you managed to find the hall without problems?"
"I made one wrong turn, but the smell of food helped guide me in the right direction."
He chuckled in response. "These are my daughters, Riko and Satomi. Girls, this is Lacey. She'll be staying with us for a few days."
"Hi!" Satomi waved happily with a wide grin. Riko, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and refused to acknowledge the dancer's existence. "I like your bracelets, they're really pretty."
"Thank you," the dancer spoke with a smile.
"What do you do for a living?" Riko spoke up with a slight attitude. "That clothing is highly inappropriate for this table."
"Riko," Kuro warned, giving his daughter a look.
"I multitask as a gatherer, accountant, and cook," she answered. "It's light and easy for travel. Good to move around in."
The princess scoffed, holding her head high. "That doesn't sound useful." Again, another warning look from the lord, but it was still ignored.
"Sometimes, no, but my position has its perks."
When dinner was done, Kuro escorted Lacey up to the second level. "I apologize for my daughter. She has a sharp tongue but means well."
"She's just very protective and cautious," Lacey reasoned, earning a nod. "It's alright."
He stopped beside a door. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask a maid for assistance. They know of the three of you being here. Have a good night."
"Goodnight!" Lacey waved before retreating inside.
Glancing over the interior, the girl could not get over how amazing it looked. She had never seen something as extravagant as this; a queen sized bed with sheets made out of high quality material, a joined full bathroom, a closet at her disposal, and a balcony that looked over the back gardens on the ground. She had never had a place of this size at her disposal, and the girl didn't know what to do with herself. Only the man who had owned her had this luxury.
Walking out to the deck, her eyes lowered to the maze below. It was huge, revealing various plant life and fountains, with little benches and clear spots to sit here and there. There were some perfect hiding places too.
Slipping back into the shoes by the door, the girl left the room before wandering about the household. Not wanting to risk anyone waking up, Lacey traveled in the dark, adjusting as time went on. A library, offices, a meeting room, event area, guest rooms, kitchen, living area, den — they had it all. She was careful, ear pressing against the doors to make sure no one was asleep inside so as to not walk in on them. Some rooms led into another, and then another. Most were equipped with balconies or private halls, with staircases that could be used by servants. The whole layout was very interesting, and before she knew it, the dancer found herself emerging from a hatch in the ground that was placed right outside the back lawn.
Lacey had never seen a garden this large, exploring every inch of it. At times she noticed slight breaks in the plant life, the size of the concealed paths small enough for a young girl. She guessed this was all Satomi's doing. Peeking her head through, Lacey squeezed between the branches. They were patterns, and they could allow a person to make it from one side of the garden to the next in minutes, instead of wandering around the place lost.
This information could be useful, Lacey realized, grinning before slipping in again.
The rogues watched from their high perch on top of the household where they got a clear view of the whole area as the dancer would disappear and reappear in another area.
"What the hell is she doing?" Zabuza grumbled to himself.
"Not sure, but it looks like Lacey's having fun."
The man scoffed, turning away to observe the front gate. "She should be sleeping. We're not here for fun."
Haku shrugged his shoulders. He knew exactly what the girl was doing.
Edited 27/11/2018
