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The Longest Road
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Chapter 11. The homecoming
Matsuri didn't want to go back to the village. After she had been kidnapped and left in the middle of the desert, her trusting nature had been put to the hard test. She knew somehow that she wasn't supposed to survive. It was so hard to embrace because Matsuri couldn't find any fault in herself, any reason for such malice. Who did that to her, and why? What did they exactly want?
She asked herself those questions constantly, especially now, when the siblings told her they would take her back to the village. Matsuri kind of got used to living with them in the meager hut. Since her parents died she had never had much, and she didn't need much. Her room in the village wasn't particularly cosy, either. Actually, she didn't miss it at all, let alone the village. That was why she protested vehemently against returning.
"But you can't stay here any longer," Temari argued. "In two weeks we'll be going back, too."
"Then why can't I stay for two weeks longer?" Matsuri implored. "I will return with you."
Kankurō growled impatiently. The sound was quiet but distinctive and Matsuri flinched a bit, even more anxious.
"There's no way you could stay," he announced. "We're on the mission here, and you're not even a ninja."
"But I'm not a bother! Temari-san, you said it yourself! I'm not a bother at all!"
"That's right, Matsuri," Temari sighed. "You're quiet, diligent, and moderate. You're a good companion, Matsuri. But this is about your safety. We have to wait here for Gaara's return. When he returns - if he returns - he'll be in the most awful mood of all, most likely. There could be a fight—"
"Temari," Kankurō warned in a low voice. Matsuri's gaze snapped at him but he didn't speak again.
"And what makes you think the village is a safe place for me?" the girl spat, and turned on her heel, running out of the room. Sniffling and wiping the tears away with her fist, she crossed a few dunes, and threw herself on the sand, sobbing for her miserable life. Why everything had to be so unfair? She thought she hadfinally met people who cared about her. She knew she could never befriend them but it seemed that they liked her if ever so slightly. She clung to them desperately because her loneliness cried for someone - for anyone - to dispel it. And now they basically told her that they didn't care.
The sand rippled under somebody's feet, and the warm hand touched Matsuri's shoulder.
"Get up," Temari said, her voice tinted with sympathy. "We both know you have no choice."
Matsuri rose to her feet without even trying to hide the wet streaks on her cheeks. Quietly, she followed the siblings, wondering if there was anyone somewhere there, in this vast world, who would ever care.
The three traveled in silence until Matsuri decided her legs wouldn't make another step. With a moan, she fell to her knees. Kankurō and Temari came to a halt immediately, and glanced back.
"Hey, what's going on?"
"My legs won't carry me," the girl explained. "How far is the village?" she added, massaging her sore left foot, and wincing.
The puppeteer let out a long sigh.
"We won't get there before tomorrow morning if you won't hurry," he murmured. "You're so slow."
Matsuri glared at him, and shrugged. Her feet literally burned, and she knew that if she would try to walk it would get worse and worse until she would have to crawl on all fours. Besides, she didn't have a reason to keep going. For that, she didn't comment on Kankurō's words, focusing on her poor aching legs.
"She's not used to walk for hours like we are," Temari remarked in a hushed voice. "What do we do?"
"I will carry her," Kankurō snarled angrily. "We're going to run."
He carried Matsuri bridal style, and ran. Naturally, he couldn't run as fast as he would do without the burden but his pace was still amazing. Matsuri was huffed at first but she couldn't sulk for too long.
"How is it possible that you can run so fast?" she inquired, her awestruck eyes widening at the speed.
"Ninja training," the puppeteer answered shortly.
Matsuri sighed at the thought of her own ninja training. It ended even before it started, basically. She hoped she could make her fear of weapons disappear somehow but it was impossible. Not even mentioning that nobody was interested in a future ninja who wasn't be able to hold a shuriken in their hand. That was why they told her that her name had been scratched out of the list. Since then she lived a purposeless life, and sometimes an emptiness of it was so unbearable that she just wanted to scream. Now, she knew that the emptiness could be much better than a death sentence. Only, it was too late.
There was an unpleasant sensation wrapping around her chest at the memory of what had happened, and the sight of the cliffs surrounding the village only added to it. Kankurō released her, and she hissed when her feet touched the ground. Seriously, how was it possible that he wasn't even tired after crossing all that distance, while she was completely exhausted, like she was able to sleep on the very spot for the rest of her life?
"Let's go," Temari urged, beckoning at the two. "Matsuri, you have to walk by yourself."
The girl nodded reluctantly, and dragged her limp feet towards Suna. She couldn't remember if she had ever been in such physical pain. At first, it wasn't even as bad as she thought it would be. However, another several steps made her realize quickly that her feet were covered with blisters ripping open, one by one. Matsuri walked slowly, her teeth clenched, barely paying heed to her surroundings. Only when Kankurō grabbed her wrist, she lifted her blurry gaze to his face.
"Wait here, Matsuri," he ordered.
The girl looked around. They were standing in front of her the huge, round building where she knew the Kazekage resided. Instinctively, she reached for Kankurō's arms, gripping it tightly.
"Can I go with you?" she pleaded softly.
"The guards won't let you in," Temari said sympathetically. "Just wait here."
Matsuri sighed, and slumped against the wall. The siblings exchanged glances and went inside, only to come to a halt right after entering the building. Matsuri could hear their voices, and someone else's voice, too.
"Kankurō, Temari," the male voice greeted them, obviously astonished. "What brings you here?"
"Jōseki-sama," Temari replied kindly but Matsuri realized somehow that the older kunoichi didn't like the man for some reason. "We need to see the Kazekage. It's urgent."
"I'm afraid the Kazekage-sama is busy at the moment," Jōseki said, emphasizing the honorific. "May I be of some help?"
"We found an orphaned girl in the desert. She had been kidnapped from the village. We saw it fit to bring her back," Temari explained, and Matsuri could almost feel the air growing thick.
"Indeed," the man named Jōseki murmured after the long pause. "And where is she? I suppose she needs to be taken care of."
"I'm here," Matsuri revealed herself. "Jōseki-sama, I'm—" she broke off immediately when she saw the siblings' faces. There was the biggest NO written in Temari's eyes, and Kankurō stepped closer towards her. The councilman grinned at her but Matsuri decided she didn't like those cold, narrow eyes of his.
"Actually, we thought we could take her in—" the puppeteer began. Matsuri's gaze snapped at him, the hope bursting within her chest.
"Did you?" Jōseki's gaze wandered between their faces, and then he grinned at Matsuri again, baring his teeth. "I think that's... uh, really great idea."
The end of chapter 11.
The next chapter: The flight
