Please still be alive.
Natsumi padded down the stairs quickly and quietly.
I don't remember the castle layout well from the briefing, but I think I remember how to get to the dungeon.
Shemoved quickly through the halls, passing rooms that had already been searched by her teammates and slowed at the sight of the blood splatter and corpses. The bodies of servants and nobles alike had wounds from a blade stuck directly into their hearts, while others were missing their heads.
Jiro. This is definitely his work.
She dry heaved and supported herself with the wall, the scent of blood thick so in the air that she could taste it with each gasping breath.
They're all dead. Everyone...
She staggered down the hall, biting her lip as she coughed and covered her mask with the opposite hand in a failed attempt to ward away the stench.
Were they all the same as that little girl? All of them...?
Sounds of an intense fight came from the floor below on the other end of the castle. She shook her head slowly, turning to walk slowly in the opposite direction as she trembled.
Why...? Why would anyone do this? All these people... Why kill them and then do this to their bodies? They at least deserve to rest in peace...
She stopped as her foot crunched and she shook and looked down to see what she had stepped on:
A severed arm.
She let out a small, silent scream and dry heaved again, quickly moving away from it.
Why? Why? Why?
She gulped and stepped over a still-warm body, unable to look away from the crimson splatter dripping down the halls.
Why did this happen? Why did they all have to die? Why am I even here?
Natsumi stopped at the last door of the hall which stood distinctly different than the others.
That's right... I failed my mission before...
She swallowed and shakily reached out to touch the door's handle.
It's because of me that the Prince was captured. Lord Third gave me the special mission to rescue him. I can't be like this. I have to be strong.
She turned the handle and stared down at the darkened stone staircase that led below and sucked in a deep breath. She exhaled and clenched her fists.
I'm going to be strong. I'm not going to fail this time. I refuse to.
With each step, she fortified her courage.
I'm strong.
Lord Third chose me to be on this mission.
Kiri and Sena and even Hidemi-sensei recommended me for the ANBU.
I've been training and dedicating so much time for missions like this.
I'm strong.
I'm strong.
I have to be.
I'm going to be.
I am.
At the bottom of the stairs, she quieted her breathing and looked around the corner.
All clear for now.
She continued quietly down the hall, then looked around the next corner. Her eyes widened and she clenched her Ninjato tightly.
No. Not more of them.
A dozen people with dark sclerae that had been lying on the ground as if dead suddenly twitched and stood, their movements unnatural as if they were marionettes. Natsumi paled and gulped, taking a step back.
Please no. I don't want to fight them. I don't want to kill people.
"S-Someone's... here." A man muttered, and he held knives in each of his hands, which were bloody as he'd chewed the tips of his fingers off.
I didn't want anyone to be here. I'm not cut out for this. I can't do it.
The image of Jiro's dark, exhilarated expression surfaced in her mind.
"Don't be naïve. The only proper course of action is to cull them. They're already dead, you know."
I know that. Natsumi trembled as she took another step back. I know that they're dead.
"They're already dead, you know."
Natsumi bit her lip harder.
I know that! I do! It's just...
She took another step back.
They're still people. They still bleed. They still seem to have at least remnants of human emotions. How can I be expected to kill them so easily? Or with a gleeful expression like Jiro?
She stepped back again and discovered that she had backed into a corner.
They're still human, damn it!
"Kill... the intruder..." One of the women muttered.
"Kill..." Another man staggered forward and held up his own knife.
They're dead already... They're dead already... and they're not in control of themselves...
A man lunged at her and she narrowed her eyes and dodged his attack easily, then kicked him back hard in the chest. He fell backward into one of the other zombie-like people and slowly got up again, unharmed.
They're already dead... and what's been done to them is abhorrent. They deserve to rest in peace.
She drew in a breath, then slowly exhaled.
As much as I don't want to... I have to be the one to put them to rest.
"I'm sorry."
A slow tear rolled down her cheek and rushed at the people, slicing at them accurately and dodging their attacks.
Ignore the blood. Ignore their expressions. Ignore their pain. Give them a quick death.
Natsumi jumped off the wall and, with a single movement, severed the heads of two attackers.
"I'm sorry..." She mumbled, blinking away the tears as she watched their bodies spurt blood and collapse to the ground.
I have to end their suffering. I have to free them from this.
She cut the hand off of a woman as she tried to stick a sharpened broom handle through the girl, then Natsumi stuck her sword through her chest, pushing her to the ground with a kick. The woman gurgled and shrieked, and then suddenly went quiet.
There's so many of them!
Natsumi dodged two men, jumping up and clinging to the ceiling with her Chakra gathered in her feet.
At least they're not natural fighters, but their numbers are still an issue in close-quarter combat like this.
She formed a hand sign and looked down at them.
I'm not sure how well this will work, but I have to try.
She focused her Chakra, then pointed the hand sign at them.
Temporary Paralysis Jutsu.
The people froze in place and Natsumi strained to hold them all at once.
This is even harder than I thought.
She jumped down in the middle of the group, and they twitched and were able to turn their heads, but were otherwise frozen.
I can't keep this up for very long.
"Sorry." She muttered again and quickly and precisely drove her blade through their hearts, only looking away for a moment as blood poured out and they fell.
Only four left now, and I'm at my limit.
Beads of sweat rolled down her face and the paralysis lifted. She struck down one of the women holding a set of long knives and stepped back, her feet squishing in the puddle of blood there. Acid rose to her throat and she swallowed to force it down.
Don't throw up. Don't throw up. We're almost done.
She turned to look at the last pair of men, each armed with a long sword.
These two look like they used to be bodyguards.
They swung in unison at Natsumi from different angles and her eyes widened.
I can't dodge in time!
She shifted to smoke and the blades passed through her.
Just in time.
Their eyes widened slightly and, before they could strike again, she swung her sword in a wide arc, launching a large blade of air at them. Their upper bodies fell separately from their lower bodies, and Natsumi looked away once more, nearly dry heaving.
I can't stand this. Is this really the only way?
She looked up at the last woman, who had pressed herself against the wall with her eyes wide.
She's different. She's more aware.
The woman watched Natsumi carefully, and then fell to her knees.
"Please... kill me." She pleaded quietly and Natsumi's eyes widened.
"W-What?" Natsumi stepped back.
"Please..." The woman's darkened eyes watered, and unlike the others, her irises weren't dull and empty. "I can... resist a little better... than the others. I don't... want to hurt you. Please... just kill me."
Natsumi's breath caught in her throat.
It was hard enough fighting the others, but she's undeniably human still.
"I don't want to..." Natsumi admitted softly.
"Please. You... must." The woman blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't know how much longer... I'll be myself for." She glanced downward. "I've already lost... my husband. There's no hope... for me."
I don't want to do this. Anything but this. Why did she have to be aware?
"I..." Natsumi swallowed.
"Please." The woman pleaded again. "Do it quickly... I want to see my husband... in the afterlife."
Natsumi swallowed again. "I..." She shook her head and whispered. "I don't want to kill you. I didn't want to kill them, either. But... I can't just let you suffer, either."
She's begging for me to kill her.
Natsumi's hands trembled.
I can't... but I have to... I hate this. I hate this with every single part of me.
She nodded and slowly stepped forward, pointing the tip of her Ninjato at the woman's heart.
"I-I'll... make it quick."
The woman smiled slightly. "Before... could you tell me... are my children... safe?"
Natsumi's eyes widened slightly. "Your... children?"
A face appeared in her mind and she stared at the woman.
Of course... I don't know why I didn't notice before... they have the same eyes.
"Your daughter... her name is Kanna, right?"
The woman's eyes grew and welled with tears. "Kanna... that's right. My sweet Kanna... they said she died."
An ache formed in Natsumi's chest.
This is her mom. The one we promised to find. The one we told her that we would try to save.
"S-She's alive." Natsumi managed to say softly. "She's safe."
"Thank God." The woman's eyes closed and she cried. "She survived... my sweet girl..."
"Your son, too." Natsumi forced herself to smile faintly. "He's okay. Kanna has him. She's been taking good care of him."
"Koji...?" The woman choked on a sob, shaking as she put her hand over her mouth. "I can't... believe it. My babies... I'm so happy."
Natsumi bit her lip and a slow tear rolled down her cheek.
I can't... how can I do this? How can I look in those girls' eyes if I see her again, and tell her what happened? How can I tell her that the parents she's been waiting for are gone?
"W-We..." Natsumi closed her eyes briefly, pausing as she held back tears. "We're going to bring them back to the Leaf with us... when everything here is finished. They'll be safe."
"Thank you..." The woman cried and looked up at her. "Thank you..."
Natsumi took another step forward and touched the tip of her blade to the woman's chest.
Please. I don't want to do this. Please, don't make me do this.
"Make sure... she's safe. If he finds out that... she survived... he'll come for her."
Natsumi bit her lip. "Who? Who's behind all this? Who did this to you?"
"I don't... know. He never said... his name." The woman shook her head. "But his eyes... I've never seen such... cruelty... or sadism."
I wonder... is it?
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
No, it has to be. I can't think of anything else that makes sense.
"Do you know where the Prince is?" Natsumi asked softly.
The woman pointed at the cell two doors down.
"Fourteen... cell fourteen. Please save that... poor boy. Keep my children safe... that's all I ask."
Natsumi turned back to her and swallowed.
"I-I'll... do my best. For as long as I live... I'll keep an eye on them. I'll watch over them."
The woman closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall with a soft breath.
"Thank you... I can die... happy."
Natsumi's hand shook and her Ninjato rattled.
"I... can't." She whispered. "I can't do it."
The woman smiled faintly. "It's okay."
"N-No... it's not okay." Natsumi choked. "None of this is..."
"You're a good girl." The woman closed her eyes and grabbed the blade with her hands, steadying it and aimed it at her heart. "Thank you..."
She leaned forward quickly, pulling the blade into her chest. Blood dripped from the wound and her mouth, and after a moment, she went limp.
Natsumi dropped her sword, trembling as she quickly tore off her mask and fell on her hands and knees as she retched.
Why?! Why?! Why?!
She sobbed as her stomach turned, and she coughed, vomiting up more acid and bile.
Why?! Why did I have to be the one to do this?! Why did she have to still be human?! Why?!
She sat up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, and paled as she looked over the pile of corpses around her. Her eyes widened as her vision blurred with crimson, and she screamed. She screamed with all of the air in her lungs, screaming so loudly that the sound had completely been lost.
After some time, she wiped her face again, her lips quivering as she swallowed and shook.
What have I done?
She took up her sword, flicked the blood off, and forced herself to a stand. Most of her body tingled with numbness and she shuffled in a daze over to the cell door marked fourteen.
I have to snap out of this. I have to fulfill my promise to her. Starting with rescuing the Prince.
Natsumi stood on her tiptoes to look into the small barred window of the cell and her eyes widened at the boy in the cell. His skin was sallow, his frame was thin, and he lay in a heap on the ground. His formal robes were filthy and torn, and he didn't seem to be moving.
Is he... dead?
After a moment, she breathed out a short sigh of relief as his chest rose and fell slowly.
He's alive. But very weak.
Natsumi looked around and bit her lip.
Now, how do I get to him? The cells walls are stone, the door is really thick wood, and I don't see a key anywhere. And I didn't find it on any of the bodies, which means that someone else in the castle had the key.
She touched the door gently and then stepped back and gripped her Ninjato tightly.
Looks like I'm going to have to do a little demolition work.
Focusing her Chakra to her blade, she swung in a wide arc at the door and a blade of wind splintered and shattered the door.
It worked, but the door's too thick. I need to try again.
She fired off two more slices of wind, and the door broke and its pieces fell all around. The boy in the cell had jumped awake at the noise with his eyes fearful as he shook.
"W-Who's there?"
Natsumi stepped into the doorway to look at him, then slowly took off her mask.
"It's okay. I'm from the Leaf; I'm here to save you." She stepped toward him to kneel in front of him.
Thank goodness. His eyes are normal. He wasn't changed like the others.
"You came for me." His eyes watered and he hung his head slightly. "I was afraid... that you'd forgotten me."
"I'm sorry we took so long." Natsumi gingerly touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry this happened to you." She swallowed, speaking quietly. "I was on the original mission to meet with you. We ran into some... unexpected trouble. Some dangerous rogue ninja. We were badly injured and couldn't come to you in time. I'm sorry."
He looked up at her. "You were on that mission...?"
She nodded. "Can you walk or stand? Let's get you out of here."
"I-I'm not sure." He frowned slightly. "I haven't eaten anything in several days and my body does not want to move."
Judging by his appearance alone, I expected that.
"That's okay. I can support your weight."
I hope.
She turned around to look the hall outside of the cell and bit her lip.
He can't see this. There's no telling how badly it will scar him. These are all people he knew well. He doesn't deserve to have this image of them be burned into his mind.
Natsumi turned to glance at the boy over her shoulder, blocking his line of sight.
"You trust me... right?"
He lifted his head to meet her eyes slowly, then nodded weakly. "Yes."
"Okay."
She turned and knelt in front of him, taking her headband off and holding it up. "I'm going to put this over your eyes now."
"Huh?" He blinked slowly. "W-Why?"
She pressed her lips together. "Trust me... you don't want to see what's out there."
His face paled slightly, then he nodded. "...R-Right." He closed his eyes. "Go ahead."
Natsumi nodded in response and gently tied the headband around his head and helped him to his feet. She draped his arm over her shoulders and she held in a grunt at his weight.
Even being starved, he's still really heavy.
"Do you want me to get anything for you before we go? My orders are to go ahead of my team and bring you directly to the Leaf."
He shook his head again. "No... I... I just want to be away from this place."
She nodded quietly, carefully guiding him out of the room and into the hall, avoiding the bodies and puddles of blood as she went.
I feel like I'm going to be sick...
She gulped and forced her eyes forward.
I'm in the middle of a rescue mission. I can't be pathetic and start puking in front of him.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up, grimacing slightly at the thought of carrying him up.
"Um..." The Prince said slowly, lifting his head up to look around beneath the blindfold. "There's a better way out. A secret passage. That's how I got out the first time."
"Secret passage?" She looked at him. "Where?"
"At the end of the east hall in the dungeon. There's a mural of the sun goddess." He answered weakly. "If you press in the left pupil of the goddess, it opens up the path."
She turned and looked down the hall, walking back the direction they had come from, turning east down another hall, passing empty cells as they did. Eventually she came to the end of the hall, where the she found the mural he had described.
Careful to not let him fall, she stood on her tiptoes to press on the pupil of the goddess until she heard a click. The stone wall at the back of the nearest cell opened up to reveal a narrow doorway.
She opened the unlocked cell, stepped carefully over the bones, and led him into the hall. The air was even more bitter and stale than in the dungeon, and, once they were inside, a pressure plate on the floor activated and sealed the doorway behind them.
"If we follow this path, it leads to a small abandoned temple in the middle of the woods. It's not on any maps, so no one should find us there."
"Does anyone else know about this place?" Natsumi adjusted her grip on him, trying to ignore his weight.
"I don't think so." He shook his head slowly, then gently lifted the headband from his eyes. "Could we... maybe stop for a bit? I feel light-headed."
Natsumi stopped walking, then nodded slightly and gently leaned him against the wall and guided him down to a comfortable sit.
"If you're sure that no one else will look for us here."
The Prince let out a breath, then removed the blindfold the rest of way and leaned his head against the stone wall and closed his head.
"I found this place when I was a child." He said quietly with his eyes still closed as he inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Being the youngest of six sons, I was nowhere near close to ever being in line to be heir. As such, few were concerned about my whereabouts or how I spent my time. Father still made me study many subjects, but unlike my brothers who had well-known tutors from noble families, mine were villagers. Although, I think they were better teachers than the ones my brothers had."
His lips curved faintly in a smile. "However, my father seemed to only be putting on airs. It would have been a disgrace to him if I was a fool or ignorant, so he had me tutored in the fundamentals, but he didn't care to oversee my education or make note of my progress. In short, I think my education was merely a tool to keep me occupied so that he did not have to see."
He let out a short sigh. "And so, once my lessons were through, I enjoyed playing with my younger cousins, though they are girls. When they were busy, I enjoyed spending long hours in the library, reading anything and everything I could get my hands on. I also greatly enjoy exploring, and, since people don't bother themselves with keeping track of my whereabouts, I've been able to spend long hours wandering outside as well."
His eyes opened and he looked around the tunnel. "It's how I discovered this place. One day I was reading ancient journals of the stewards of the estate from many years ago, and I came across one that piqued my interest. It said that, after a series of terrible natural disasters, the Abe castle and all of its estate had to be entirely rebuilt from its foundation up. The prince at the time, who was set to become Lord— as his father had died in a fire— commissioned a secret passage during its rebuilding that wasn't part of the original plans."
Natsumi knelt beside him, relaxing just enough to recover her own stamina, though she stayed aware of their surroundings in case anyone were to approach.
"Why build a secret tunnel?"
The prince smiled faintly.
"He was in love with a peasant girl on a nearby farm. He was forced to marry a princess from another kingdom, but she had a cold personality and he had no feelings for her. However, he'd been secretly in love with the farm girl since they were small children. He had the tunnel built so that he could sneak out undetected and visit her. She was his secret mistress for several years, and they were happy."
"I bet his wife didn't like that much, though." Natsumi smiled faintly, leaning her back against the coolness of the stone.
"In truth, I'm not sure that she knew." Hasu shrugged slightly. "Although, I doubt that she minded. It wasn't uncommon for Lords to have a mistress, or even several. Even now, it's still common enough where it isn't a surprise." He paused. "The rest of the story isn't as pleasant, I'm afraid."
"What do you mean?" Natsumi looked at him and he softly exhaled.
"According to my reading, the farm girl became pregnant with his child. His Lady seemed to be barren, and she was unable to get pregnant for many years. However, she overheard the Lord confide in his most trusted advisor that his lover was pregnant, and the Lady became jealous and enraged."
Natsumi's expression fell slightly. "What happened?"
"She plotted." The prince said simply. "She began to form a plot with her brother-in-law, the second brother. He agreed to assassinate the Lord and his heir, and marry the newly widowed Lady so that she could maintain her position. Initially, they had wanted to steal the child and raise it as their own, but as time passed, she became more and more jealous and embittered. And so... the pregnant peasant woman and the Lord were both killed, and his brother and wife married only days after the funeral and took over."
"That's horrible."
He nodded. "Before he died, the Lord ordered every builder who knew about the secret passage to die by their own hand as punishment for his lover being discovered and killed. After that, there was no one else who knew." He paused. "The scroll I found had been written by the confidant of the Lord himself, who killed himself out of guilt shortly after the Lord's funeral. It was buried under a mountain of books and other scrolls that were considered useless artifacts when I eventually discovered it. I became curious to see if it was true, and that was the first time I came here."
Natsumi shuddered slightly. "I can't believe they would plot to murder a pregnant woman and an innocent baby like that."
The prince looked down at his lap. "Unfortunately, it isn't uncommon for there to be frequent assassination attempts on Lords and their heirs. It makes sense, strategically... let the child live, and they pose a threat to later challenge you for their birthright. Morally, however... it's barbaric."
Natsumi went quiet and looked down at the ground in front of her.
I wonder if that's part of what happened here? There are so many questions.
He coughed weakly and trembled slightly.
I know I have to bring him to the Leaf as quickly as possible, but he's in no condition to travel at all.
She shifted where she sat, then held up her arm. "Bite my arm."
He blinked quickly and blushed slightly. "W-What...?!"
Her cheeks warmed and she looked away. "D-Don't get the wrong idea, please! My clan has an ability to heal others when we're bitten, so..." She looked back at him. "You're not in any condition to travel. If I heal you a little, it'll be easier for both of us."
"R-Right." He nodded, blushing slightly and he cleared his throat. Then, he gingerly took her forearm and clamped his teeth down. His eyes widened slightly as his body emitted a faint green light and his bruises and cuts began to fade. His larger wounds slowly sealed, his discoloration corrected, and his breathing stabilized.
He released her arm and wiped his mouth with the back of his hard, staring at himself as the light vanished.
"I... I can't believe it. It really did work."
Natsumi nodded, wiping her forearm with her hand and then looked him over. "How do you feel?"
"Much better." He clenched and unclenched his hands. "I still don't feel quite up to par, but most of my pain has subsided." He met her eyes. "That is an incredible ability that you possess."
"T-Thanks." Her cheeks warmed and the heat spread to her ears. She took out a small canteen and passed it to him. "Here. I don't have any food on me at the moment, but as soon as we get to the village, I'll make sure you get a proper meal."
"That sounds... wonderful." He let out a breath and passed her back the canteen after taking a long gulp.
"Do you think you're ready to get up now, your Highness?"
He blinked for a moment, then laughed weakly. "You don't have to call me by a title... especially not now. You're my rescuer, and I'm currently very... pathetic."
"Oh." Natsumi pressed her lips together. "Then... what do you want me to call you?"
"Just 'Hasu' is acceptable."
"Hasu." Natsumi repeated with a slight nod. "If that's really okay, then that's what I'll call you."
She helped him to a stand, and he smiled faintly.
"I think I can walk on my own for the most part." He took a step and stayed upright, though his legs did shake slightly. "Somewhat."
"Here." Natsumi draped his arm over her shoulders. "Use me as a crutch as much as you need to. As long as it's safe to, we can take periodic breaks as we travel, too."
He nodded, and they started to walk. After some time, she glanced at him.
"By the way... how long is this tunnel exactly?"
"Ah." He smiled sheepishly. "I forgot to say that before... It takes approximately thirty minutes to reach the end."
Good thing he's supporting most of his own weight now. I didn't expect it to be this long.
A strange silence fell between them as they walked, and Natsumi pressed her lips together.
How much longer is it? It's dark and I can't tell. This silence is so awkward... should I say something? What would I even say? 'Sorry your family got massacred and turned into zombies and that you were tortured'?
"Do you have any family?"
The prince was the first to speak, and he looked at her curiously in the darkness.
"Were they the ones accompanying you here for the mission?"
"H-Huh?" Natsumi shook her head. "No... they're just my teammates. Although some of us are friends."
"I see. What about your family?"
"I have a brother." She answered quickly and looked away.
He stayed quiet as if listening for her to list other relatives and his expression fell slightly.
"Oh." He paused. "...Is he like you? Part of the ANBU, I mean?"
"Hah." A sharp laughed escaped her lips and she covered her mouth quickly. "I... Didn't mean to laugh... I mean no disrespect."
Hasu was quiet for a moment, then laughed himself. "There is nothing to apologize for. I assume the answer is no."
Natsumi laughed quietly under her breath. "My brother is... normal. A perfectly goofy, hyperactive, unpredictable... very normal Ninja."
You know, besides the whole demon fox thing inside of him.
"Right now, he's probably almost finished with the Exam, I think."
"Exam?" He asked, then laughed quietly to himself again. "I apologize if I seem ignorant. There isn't much I was taught about Shinobi, or the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
"The Chunin Exam." She explained. "It's an important rite of passage for any Shinobi in order to advance to the rank of Chunin. Besides the Kage, the highest ran a Shinobi can be is a Jonin. Chunin are next, with Genin at the bottom. Below that are the children at the Ninja Academy."
"I see." He looked down at the darkness in front of them. "Similar to a class system?"
"Huh?" She shook her head. "No, not really. Your rank reflects your skill level and shows which types of missions you're capable of doing. It's not a class system in the way the lower-ranking Ninja are oppressed. It's just... a job title, really."
"I think I understand." He paused. "Then, what about the ANBU?"
"They exist outside of the standard Ninja levels. They're usually the Village's most elite Shinobi, but the doesn't mean that they have a high ranking, officially. It depends on when you're recruited, I guess."
"What rank are you?"
"A... Genin." She looked away from him.
"And, you're not eligible to take the Exam?"
"Well..." She shrugged. "It's not really necessary, since I'm in the ANBU. Lord Third did ask if I wanted to take the exam, but I decided against it."
"I suppose I should be grateful for it, or else you wouldn't have been here to rescue me."
Her cheeks warmed slightly. "Y-Yeah... I guess."
"What does he think?" The prince asked.
"Hm?" She looked at him. "Who?"
"Your brother. What does he think about your position? I imagine there might be some jealousy or tension there?"
"Oh." She shook her head. "He doesn't know. ANBU operate confidentially, so... no one besides the Hokage and other ANBU are supposed to ever know the identities of members."
"Ah. I suppose that means I will have a 'gag order,' then?"
"Definitely." Natsumi's mouth twitched in a small smile. "You'll be in protective custody, so I assume you'll have ANBU guards, but you'll probably never learn their identities. I only showed you my face and told you my name so that you would know I was trustworthy."
She paused. "Technically, I violated the rules by telling you my real name and showing you my face. Depending on circumstances, it can be allowed, but..."
"Will you get in trouble for it?"
"...Most likely." She pursed her lips. "My captain is very... strict. Lord Third might understand, but I deal with the captain daily, so..."
"In that case, I'll pretend like I don't know your name or face." He smiled wryly. "It would be the least I could do."
"T-Thanks. I appreciate it." She averted her eyes. "But, if anything comes up, refer to me by my codename, Mina."
"Mina." He repeated. "That's nice. Although, I think Natsumi is a beautiful name and suits you better."
"I..." She cleared her throat quietly and looked away, thankful for the darkness that concealed her face. "...Thanks."
"I don't know much about Shinobi, but I do know that you can use incredible powers, right? Conjuring flames and other elements?"
His ignorance is kind of... adorable.
"Well... we can, but it all depends on your aptitude for one of the elements. Some Ninja can learn a few types, but the average Shinobi typically can only master one or two."
"What about you?" He looked at her in wide-eyed curiosity.
"My specialty is the Wind style." She closed her mouth. "Ah, well... I guess Yin style, as well. Although, I haven't had it long and I'm not as good with it."
"Amazing..." He murmured. "I would love to see you use them in a fight. That sounds exciting."
"I'm... flattered, but my mission is to escort you back to the Leaf quickly and safely. If you see me fight, that means we would get ambushed, and that would be less-than-ideal."
"Oh. Right." Hasu smiled sheepishly. "In that case, I hope that I do not have to see you demonstrate your skills."
The less eventful our travels, the better.
Natsumi let out a breath and looked ahead and pressed her lips together.
How much farther? It feels like we've been walking forever.
She glanced over at him as him and noticed the slight twitch in his expression with each step. She stopped and looked at him.
"Are you alright?"
"Am I...?" He laughed quietly and nodded. "Of course I am, I—"
"Then, how do you explain the fact that you're limping?"
"I'm not—" Hasu laughed shortly and scratched his head. "A-Alright... perhaps I am just a little."
Natsumi eased him over to lean him against the wall and she crossed her arms.
"And you didn't mention that before?"
"W-Well..." He averted his eyes and scratched his head. "You had already used your ability to heal me, and I did not want to seem ungrateful..."
She sighed and shook her head slowly. "You didn't have to hide it." She glanced down at his foot. "What's wrong with it?"
"I'm not sure." He frowned slightly. "Although... I think it is only badly sprained."
Think? Natsumi pressed her lips together.
What am I saying? He's been tortured. I should have expected him to have other injuries.
"Here." She held out her arm to him again. "If you're worried about imposing too much, I naturally have a ton of Chakra, so doing this a second time won't bother me."
"Sorry." He bit her forearm gently and an aura of green glow enveloped him. After a few minutes he let go of her arm and his cheeks warmed. "I apologize for causing us to be delayed."
"Don't worry about it. You're my mission." Natsumi smiled slightly. "How is it now?"
He stood on his own and pressed his foot to the ground, then nodded. "Fine, now. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Natsumi nodded and led him forward to continue down the tunnel.
"We're nearing the exit." Hasu walked beside her, and as the darkness slowly shifted to a pale lightness, he eyed her mask. "Is it stifling to keep on like that?"
"It fits perfectly, as if I was born to wear it." She answered after a moment. "It used to feel heavy at first, but now it's like a natural part of my body. It does get a little hot underneath sometimes, though."
"The life of a Shinobi is very different than what I've become accustomed to. I hope that I am able to learn a great deal more while I'm in the Leaf."
"Well, we do have a big library." Natsumi smiled faintly and felt the slightest warmth from sunlight as the path ahead brightened almost blindingly. "But we've got to get there, first."
"Of course." He nodded and they stood at the end of the tunnel, where the opening was partially overgrown with vines, and he let out a soft breath. "Finally. The temple is just outside. Eight kilometers south is a road that leads to the Leaf."
"We should follow the road, but stay off of it, just to be safe that no one is after you." Natsumi swept some of the vines away and stepped out of the tunnel, which was hidden as the mouth of a dragon.
"I have no argument with that." Hasu followed her out and their eyes took a moment to adjusted to the brightness.
"Well, well, well."
The pair jumped and turned to look at the steps of the temple where a woman lounged there, cleaning beneath her nails with the tip of a serrated knife. She smirked and looked up at them.
"Master told us that if we waited, some little mice might come scurrying out of that hole, and he was right."