Part 14

Two weeks have passed, and Mizuki was allowed to leave the hospital.

One morning, Neji, Tenten, and Lee got a letter from Tsunade about their next mission.

"Your next mission is to protect a certain someone, and help that person get back her throne. Here's the person you will be coming with and help her get back her throne. You may come in." The door opened and an middle-aged man appeared. "Hello, my name is Jiro, I've hired Konoha ninjas to protect the princess, and help her get her throne back. The village is in need for a new leader, and she inherited the blood to rule." Tsunade nodded and said, "Don't say anything when the princess walks in." Lee, Neji, and Tenten nodded. "Princess Sayori."

The door opened, revealing a girl that looked exactly like Mizuki, she had black eyes, long black hair, some of her hair covered her right eye. But the clothes were different, she wore a blue and green kimono, the nice ones. The bow on her back was white, and the designs on it looked like someone made it personally for the princess. The kimono was silk, not regular cotton.

The girl looked at the three ninjas and then looked at Tsunade without a word. "M-Mizuki?" Lee said. She turned over and gave him an evil glare. Tsunade said in a hurry, "She's the princess you're suppose to protect and help her become the queen of her village." Jiro nodded and Shizune walked the princess outside the room. She closed the door behind her.

There was a huge thump on the behind the door. "Wa-wasn't that Mizuki?" Tenten said. Tsunade nodded and said. "I knew Mizuki wouldn't want to come here and take her role as the princess of the village, so Shizune putted a jutsu on her, so that the real Mizuki wouldn't know what happened and will listen to everything we say."

"I don't get this." Lee said. Tsunade sighed and said, "Mizuki is the princess of the Village of Cranes. Jiro here, searched around for Tomoyo Hitomi, when he stopped by here, he learned that Hitomi died five years ago, and he found out that Hitomi's daughter was still alive. He then wanted Hitomi's daughter, which is Mizuki, to be the princess."

"What is Hitomi's background?" Neji said. Jiro said, "Princess Ren, mother of Princess Sayori, was a princess at the Village of Cranes. There would always be two families, the first is the Tomoyo. If the king or queen bore a girl, and that girl bore two siblings, one of the sibling would have to take the Tomoyo name." Tsunade interuppted and said, "That's why Azuki's last name is different then Mizuki's. Hitomi chosed Mizuki to take on her last name."

The three nodded and Jiro continued, "The other family would be the Jun family. They could never be the real kings or queen unless the current king or queen trusts them for them to be the ruler. They are to help and protect the Tomoyo clan. Princess Ren, almost fifteen years ago, was the princess of the Village, she fought in wars and battles. One day, her mission was to go to Konoha to give the Hokage a letter for the two villages to be allies. Rumors started that Princess Ren died during the way. Others said that a group of ninjas killed her. All the rumors ended up saying that she died."

"But, she sent me letters that she wanted to be a normal person, to live with a normal family. She lived in Konoha for a long time, and felt a loving feeling for the village. She told me in the letters that she met someone that she wanted to stay with for the rest of her life. She said that he wasn't a ninja, and that she's happy with everything. After five years, she sent me a letter saying that she got married with the man."

" By that time in the Village, the king died of an illness. The whole village turned into chaos. We couldn't do anything but sent one of the Jun's to become a temporary king, until we find a Tomoyo."

Tsunade added in, "That is why no one is suppose to know her last name, and most of the researches about Hitomi, it said that she was royal in a way, but it never said how and why. I'm sending Mizuki with you guys during the mission."

"Why don't you tell her that she's the princess?" Neji asked. "Because, if she found out, she wouldn't take the role, and she won't listen to anything we say. She's going to insist on staying in Konoha. If she knew she wasn't the princess, and went to see the village, and then found out that she was a princess, and how bad it's going, she'll stay. So, during the mission, don't say anything about her being a princess, got that?" The three nodded.

The door knocked again. "Come in." Mizuki walked in and said, "Tsunade-sama did you call me?" She turned over to the three and said, "Are we on a mission?" Tsunade nodded and said, "You and your teammates are you protect this guy." She pointed at Jiro. "And to help the princess get back the throne." Mizuki nodded and asked, "Where's the princess?"

Silence.

"She's at the village." Jiro said quickly. Mizuki nodded and said, "When are we leaving?" "As soon as possible."

Neji, Tenten, Lee, Mizuki, and Jiro walked for three days, until they arrived.

"Tell us something about the village that the Jun family turned it into." Mizuki asked. "Well, right now Prince Satoru is ruling and he's from the Jun family, but he's sixteen right now, he's helped by Jun Makoto. Makoto always wanted to be king, but helping his nephew rule the village is a step closer to being a king. He is taxing all the villagers, the rich and the poor an equal amount, making the poor go to jail for unable to pay. Everyday a poor family would be thrown in jail, while Makoto count his cashes, and Prince Satoru knowing nothing."

Everyone nodded, then Tenten, Neji, and Lee looked at Mizuki.

"How about the ruling thing, how does it work?" Mizuki asked.

Jiro looked at Mizuki and smiled, "The kingdom has two family, the ruling family, and the following family. The ruling family is always suppose to rule, and if they bore a child, that child will have to take on the ruling family's last name, if there's two siblings, one of them has to take on the ruling family's last name and take the crown. The following family could never be crown, they are to help the ruling family and support, if they wanted to become king or queen without the ruling famliy's approving, he or she should be killed. If they become king or queen with the ruling family's approving, they can be king or queen."

"The village is protected with a thick wall around it, inside of the wall is the people's home, then towards the back of the village has another wall, it's shorter, and less thick then the one outside, inside of the wall is the castle."

After ten minutes, they arrived at the village. "Wow, the wall is huge." Tenten said. "Yes, the Village of Cranes isn't the best ninja village, but it's one of the richest.

The big stone gate opened, revealing alot of white cherry blossoms, and colorful rich buildings. It was a very pretty village. "Oh, nice to live here." Tenten said. "You just need the money." Neji said.

"Where are we staying?" Lee asked. "Of course, at the palace." Tenten gasped. "No way. I love this mission." Mizuki smiled and looked at the pretty white cherry blossoms. "Our village has the most white cherry blossoms around." Jiro said, looking at Mizuki. She turned around and smiled, "I love white cherry blossoms."

They walked for almost thirty minutes towards the palace. After awhile, Mizuki asked, "Where's the princess?"

Silence.

"Um, she's at the palace, you'll see her soon." Jiro said, quickly. Tenten and Lee sighed. Neji looked at the village without an expression.

When they arrived at the palace, servants greeted them. "No, wait, take them to their room." Jiro told the servants. He turned over to Neji, Tenten, Mizuki, and Lee and said, "When you pack your things, I want to talk to you all." The four nodded and was walked to their room.

Tenten's eyes glowed when she saw the room she was staying. "Goodnight!" She closed the door. Neji knocked and said, "Remember, pack your things and we have to talk to Jiro-san." Inside of the room, Tenten sighed.

Everyone else was assigned in their rooms.

When they were ready and was packed, they left their room. "Jiro-san is in this room." A servant said to the four ninjas. They nodded and walked into the room.

The room had alot of lights, most of them was dimmed, but together, it was bright. There was a long table, made of redwood. The curtains was royal red, and the window was opened to show the beautiful moon. "Please sit down." Jiro said, sitting on at one end of the table. The four nodded and sat next to Jiro.

"This is going to be harder than I thought." Jiro said. "Are you planning to-" Neji said, but was cut off when Jiro nodded. "I'm going to introduce you to the princess." All eyes went onto Mizuki. "Princess Sayori." Jiro said, staring at Mizuki, who was now confused.

"Ok, it's getting kind of creepy, because, Neji never stares, Lee never hesitates, and Tenten would be straightforward." Mizuki said. The three looked away. "Princess Sayori, we finally found you." Jiro said. "What?"

"Mizuki, you're Princess Sayori." Tenten said. Mizuki was more then confused, "What?" Tenten sighed and said, "Your mother was a princess for this village, it's right for you to be the princess." Mizuki looked at Jiro, who nodded. "What are you guys talking about?! What's up with this princess thing."

Jiro sighed, and told Mizuki everything.