Taisetsuna "Precious" - Version Two

by Aoikami Sarah

Chapter Ten

The sun was at its apex in the sky as Oururi led her girls away from the high walls of the Hidden Leaf Village. As they walked, each nine-year-old would turn her head and look wistfully back at the open gates. Iruka and their father had turned away long ago. Thoughts of mutiny boiled in their brains as their mother trudged on, unwaveringly.

"Kaasan," Hikari clutched her backpack's shoulder straps and whined. "I don't wanna go back to the Hidden Sand. It sucks there."

Oururi kept walking.

"Kaasan," Yami joined in. "I wanna spend more time with Otousan."

"Kaasan." Yume stopped in her tracks. "Please don't make us go back."

Finally Oururi stopped. "Guys," she whispered. "We don't have a choice."

Hikari wrung her backpack straps in her hands. "But Hokage-sama said…!"

"He said he'd see what he can do!" Oururi barked. "Even he may not have the power to free you guys from the Hidden Sand. When a ninja is born into a village it is nearly impossible for him to change sides without spending the rest of his life being chased by hunter-nin."

"But Kaasan…" all three whined.

Oururi spun around, her mouth in a tight frown. "I've never told you about your grandparents. Do you want to know why you don't know much about them?" she snapped. "My mother was of the Leaf. My father was of the Cloud. Together they came to live in Konoha, but the Leaf could not protect my father from the Cloud's hunter-nin. He was killed before I was born. I couldn't bear it if you were killed. I'd rather live the rest of my life in the god-forsaken Sand than lose you. Do you understand?"

Tears came to their eyes, but they nodded. Oururi apologized for being so angry and told them how much she loved them, but the girls still hung back a few yards as they continued their journey.

.X.

Three days later, their team arrived in Kazekage's court. They knelt and presented the stolen scroll to him.

"Well done, Oururi. You have truly proven yourself a fine asset to the Hidden Sand," he smirked and unfurled the scroll. As sickeningly as his smile had appeared, it vanished, just as the seals written on the paper faded away. He pulled and pulled the paper till it was all out, but the entire length of it went blank as soon as it hit the air. "This is most disappointing," he growled.

Oururi and the girls did their best to look shocked and similarly disappointed. For the woman, it was easy. She focused on the thought that she would most likely not be paid for the effort.

"I-I don't know what to say, Kazekage-sama. Damn it! I knew it was too easy. They must have switched it on us during the scuffle!"

The village leader waved his hand, excusing them. His attention was not on them but the blank scroll. They would not be penalized for having a trick played on them by Konoha. As they left, Oururi was handed her pay. She thanked the clerk and left silently.

"Feh," she scoffed. "15,000 lousy ryou, what am I supposed to do with this? Burn it for warmth?" She met up with her girls and headed home.