Hello everyone! Hope you are having a wonderful summer (or winter) where ever you are. Time to see what happens next in Manami's adventure. Enjoy! ~KB

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto...

Ch 12: Welcome to Konohagakure

Manami ran for her life. Normally, running in a foreign world with no sense of direction and taunting someone (an elite warrior?) with a weapon into chasing you would be considered the dumbest thing to do. And Manami wholeheartedly agreed. But she had done it anyway and proceeded to run. Why she did it, Manami could never figure out.

Manami jumped over branches and weaved in and out of trees. She could feel the man behind her, following her every move. Though she didn't know the terrain, Manami didn't know if the man did or didn't either. He could have been some sort of burglar for all she knew! Her safest bet was following the trail and getting to the nearest town.

As Manami ran, she felt a second presence. Chancing it, she glanced back while on a branch and saw two people now in pursuit of her. Oh great, she thought, he has a buddy.

In her hesitance, a figure appeared popped up in front of Manami and grabbed hold of her. It was that man. Manami twisted and wiggled but couldn't get out of his grip. She jerked sideways, sending both of them to the forest floor, landing with a puff. Free of the man's grip from the fall, Manami rolled to the side then stood up to see no one there.

Where did you go? she thought. Manami scanned the area she landed in and saw the two figures closing in on her. Before she could take off again, they reached her and the two men got on opposite sides of her. Manami whipped her head from one man to the other, they were the exact same.

Now, Manami had seen twins before, but this was just uncanny. Same bandanna, same silver pick, even the same shade of hair!

Manami crouched into a defensive position and kept her eyes on the two men.

"So," started one, "are you ready to tell me who you are?"

"Or," continued the other, "are you going to try and run again?"

Manami's eyes flickered between the men, determining what to do next.

"I think I might try something a little different this time," she responded. The men's eyes narrowed and Manami lunged at the nearest one. He dodged her fist and attempted to hit her with the butt of his dagger but she caught his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. As the man landed, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What the- what on earth?!" Manami exclaimed in surprise. "Where'd he go?!"

The remaining man looked at her questioningly. "Uh, you defeated a clone. He didn't 'go' anywhere."

Manami stared at the man for a moment before deciding it was time to run again. Now that there was only one person, she had a better chance of getting away.

"Hey! Catch!" yelled Manami as she threw her bag at him.

As soon as the bag left Manami's hands, she bolted. The man redirected the bag away from himself for fear of an explosive in it, back into Manami's arms. The toss was just enough of a delay for her to get a decent head start.

Manami continued to run, keeping the road in sight. Finally, she caught a glimpse of a tall wooden fence ahead. Increasing her speed, Manami didn't bother to check behind her this time. She didn't want a repeat of what happened earlier.

Manami ran until she came to a large green gateway in the fence. It had red symbols painted on each door and a stone banner above it. Manami didn't have time to admire it as she rushed through the entryway. She saw two guards in a booth off to the side.

"Hey, excuse me!" she called out to them. The two men looked up from their post; they wore similar vests to the man following her but at least they had different faces this time.

Running up to them, Manami exclaimed, "There's a man following me. I have no idea who he is or what he wants but I'm unarmed and he has some sort of a dagger."

The man with spikey black hair and a white strip of cloth over his nose looked at his partner, the one that had brown hair covering half his face and a bandana on. They both looked back at Manami and the one with the white cloth ask "Can you describe what this man looks like?"

Manami was about to answer when the first man she encountered rushed through the gates. "It's that guy, right there!" she shouted, pointing to the man.

The guy with hair covering his face narrowed his visible eye and called out, "Hey, Genma-san! What're you doin' chasin' after pretty women again? Haven't you learned your lesson?"

Manami visibly stiffened. The guards knew the man that was chasing her and they had used some sort of honorific with his name. She had heard something similar once before in The Land of Dragons.

The man with the silver pick, Genma, walked over to the trio and stated, "I wasn't chasing her, Izumo! Well, I was, but not for what you think. I caught her near the site where the smoke was spotted. I went to inquire her and she ran off!"

"Aww, come on Genma-san," this time it was the one with the white cloth over his nose that spoke, "since when do you let someone get away?"

"Hey, this chick is quicker than you would think. Anyway, who are you?" he said, addressing Manami.

Manami glanced between the three men. They all had identical outfits, suggesting it was a uniform of some sort. The one that chased her had a weapon, which meant that these people were possibly the elite warriors she was warned of.

"My name is-" she paused. Was it safe to tell them her name? Could she really trust these people?

But do I have a choice? she thought. My only mode of transportation is out of commission and I have nowhere to stay. Let's see how little I can get by with-

"Manami," she finally replied. "I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a predicament. Is there someone I can talk to for help? And possibly tell me where I am?"

The two men with bandanas eyed her warily but the man with the white cloth laughed and said, "Why, you're in Konohagakure!"

"Konoha-what-ay?"

"Ko-no-ha-ga-ku-re." he repeated for her.

"As for someone to help," he continued, addressing Genma, "Why don't you take Manami-san up to Tsunade-sama for us?"

Sama. That was an honorific for extremely high positions, like kings or emperors. Manami began to feel uneasy at the thought of being brought straight to the top and it was Genma that was taking her to the top. Who knows what he would say to them?!

Genma nodded his head in agreement. "I was going to do that anyway when I first met her. Follow me Manami-san."

"Uh, do you really need to take me to someone so high up?" she asked nervously. "I just need some directions and possibly some supplies-"

"I'm sure Tsunade-sama will be able to answer all your questions," Genma replied, a hint of impatience in his voice. "Now just come with me."

Manami took a step back, "I don't really think that's necessary-"

"It doesn't matter what you think," Genma spat back, "you're coming with me."

To emphasize his point, Genma grabbed Manami by the wrist and pulled her towards the center of the village. Without much of a choice, Manami trudged behind Genma eyeing the roads for possible escape routes.

FIN

Nothing like getting into trouble as soon as you walk into a new place. But I suppose it would be pointless otherwise. See ya soon! ~KunoichiBlade