Chapter 7: Meetings, Messages, and More
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"What-" I hissed, "do you mean she is GONE?!"
"No one has seen 'er since the funeral. I went to the house to collect 'er, and there were people moving into the house. They said that she asked 'em to look after it, then left on that little horse of hers."
"Find her!"
"All available shinobi have canvased the woods. A five year ol' would have been found. With the bridge out, a team has gone through the ravine trail, they found a noma horse grazing not far from the bridge. In the message they said that the horse didn't have any reins."
"They found these reins in a collapsed cave, along with many dead Iwa Shinobi. They have the Shīringu family crest stamped on them."
I extend my hand, and the man places the ragged leather strips into my hand. Even if my sister had married a foreigner, and taken his last name, 'Namikaze,' a lot of the families stuff was still imbedded with her family crest. The white jasmine flower.
"You will find her, and bring her back."
"Yes, sir!"
"She will be our tool to win this war. When you retrieve her, we will use her as planned. She will be the end of the Yellow Flash of Konoha."
Misou
I am so bored. The nurses put me in an 'isolation' room because my immune system was in bad shape. What ever any of that means.
The nurses would cover themselves up and wash everything really well, putting on masks and and hair nets, before quickly entering. Bringing food, water, checking the monitors I'm hooked up to, or whatever then leave. They say it's so I don't get sick. I think that they are worried, but don't want me to worry. It's been a two weeks. They did a bunch of medical ninjutsu on my leg, and I don't have to have a cast anymore. Most of the bruises are gone, too.
However, I am now allowed to get out of bed, so that is a plus. I have to be careful to not pull out any of the wires. Against one of the walls, a curtain covers up a large window into a hallway. I could sit in a chair by the hallway, and talk to people through a head set.
The tall blonde man who had caught me before I could fall out of bed comes here a lot. His name is Minato. Rin and Kakashi come by a lot as well. They told me the Obito was in a room a lot like mine. The guy with eyes like Kakashi and Obito came to say thank you. It had taken me a minute to remember his name was Fugaku. But he did not like it when I called him 'Fugaku-kun.' Obito's grandma, Granny Kana, promised to bake me cookies when I can leave the hospital.
I think Minato looks a lot like the picture of my brother. But I don't want to be wrong, so I don't say anything.
Minato says that the Sandaime Hokage wants to meet me. He says that the Hokage thinks that I was really brave. Right now I don't feel very brave. I feel like a koi fish stuck in a small glass bowl.
Kakashi came by a few hours ago. He said that Hokage had to go to a meeting, but would be here in a couple hours. So, any time now.
I sat in the chair, my head drooping against one side. My eyes felt heavy, and eventually I fell asleep.
I felt something touch my shoulder. I opened my eyes, feeling groggy. I look up, and see a tall man in a white coat, and an odd hat with 'fire' written on it.
"Sorry to wake you, child. The nurses told me that you are now allowed guests. I am Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Sandaime Hokage."
I groggily get to me feet and bow a little.
"Manners make memorable moments! So does being rude. You can often choose how you are seen by others." My mama's voice echos it the back of my head.
"Hokage-sana...-samna...sammam" I struggle to pronounce 'sama' correctly. I'd been told it was cute by my dad, but it hadn't been in front of the Hokage. I let out an exasperated huff, and try again. "Hokage-sam...a"
When I straighten, I see that the Hokage is smiling at me. I guess he thinks it's cute like my dad did. "Can we sit down?" He asks kindly.
I nod my head. "Your name is Aimisouma?"
"Mhm. But people used to just call me Misou, 'cause Aimisouma is so long."
"Misou, where are you from?"
"I'm from Kusagakure. My mama and daddy had a house outside of the village."
"HAD a house?" He asks me.
I nod. "When they died, people took it."
A pained expression crossed his face, and he gently squeezed my hand. "What happened to your parents?"
"Daddy dies a little bit ago. Mama died right before I left to come here."
"Do you any other family?"
"My mama had a brother...please don't make me go to him... He is not a good man" Tears well in my eye at the memories of my uncle. "My big sister died before my dad did." I feel a warm line run down my face. I reach up and wipe the tear away.
"Do you have anywhere to go?"
"Mhm. I found a letter from my dad. He said that I have a brother in the fire country. I have the letter and his picture in my scroll."
The hokage stands, and enters the nurses entryway to my room. He returns with my scroll in his hands. "May I see them?"
I nod and accept the scroll from him.
I unroll until I find where I sealed the letter and photo.
Open scroll - Inside scroll - Outside scroll - Release
I tap the scroll, and the letter and folded paper appears in my hand. I offer them to the kind old man.
"You don't seem nearly so tired after releasing as you did with Obito."
"I know. I think living things are much harder." I tell him about the bear, and how I passed out after.
The sandaime unrolls the scroll and reads for a minute. His eyebrows raise when he looks at the picture. He rereads the scroll, and them puts them into his pocket.
"Tell me everything." He instructs, and I do. From the funeral, to loosing Uma-y. From being kidnapped, to waking up in the hospital.
"Have you seen your brother?"
"I think so..."
"Have you told him?"
"No."
"Why ever not, child?"
"I'm..." I cut off. not wanting to admit to being scared, which is exactly what I am.
"Yes?" He prompts me.
"I'm scared." I confess. At that the Hokage raised an eyebrow. "What if he doesn't like me? Or what if I am wrong? What if we aren't actually related? Then I would be alone again..."
"Tell me, Misou, what is your last name?" He asks as the tears start to fall again.Is it safe? Daddy told me not to... but... he IS really nice..
"Namikaze." I whisper.
A knock sounds on the door.
"Hokage-sama. I have a message for you." Minato pokes his head in.
Minato then crosses the small room in two strides, and hands the Hokage a message. The hokage immediately opens envelope.
"Hello, Misou-chan." He smiles down at me, then sees the tears on my face. "Are you alright?" He squats down next to me, so we are eye to eye.
I wipe at the tears, and nod. "Mhm." Minato hands me a tissue from a box behind him.
I can see the Hokage watching our interactions. He smiles encouragingly at me, and gestures to my dad's letter. Minato can see the Hokage's gestures as well, but upon seeing my discomfort chooses to ignore them.
The hokage refolds the message from Minato, and replaces it in the envelope. "Minato, can I speak with you in the hallway?"
"Yes, sir."
The men both stand up and exit the room.
Namikaze Minato
"Yes, sir." I respond, almost reflexively. I follow Sarutobi into the abandoned hallway.
"Shut the door behind you." I do as he asks, some worry growing in me.
"Is everything alright?"
"She is fine, I don't sense anything but good intentions, and sorrow filled past."
"Did you find out if she has any family? She would never answer any of my questions on the topic."
"I did. Most all of her family is dead. Save an uncle and a half-brother. She is completely terrified of her uncle, although she didn't say why."
"So, what about the brother?"
"He is here. In Konohagakure."
"Who?"
"You, Minato."
