A/N: I am SO sorry for the delay. I had to go to a funeral on the day i was supposed to type this chapter up and then I had some difficulties deciding how much to include in it, but thanks to my amazing little sister, Tashi, I have straightened everything out! So HA! Also, most of the uncapitalized I's and problems with italicized words have been mention in some of my lovely reviews. The reason for this is that my I type all of my chapters on word-pad and when I upload it everything comes out all funky. I don't have the time or patience to fix it right now but i will over break, i promise :]. Everyone thank you so so much for reviewing you're all totally amazing! i should have the next chapter up by like, next Thursday or something. Maybe sooner! REAGAN-SMASH!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in it. Yosh.
Chapter 4 - Welcome To Konoha!
If anyone I knew were to see what I was doing, they would have checked themselves into an asylum and pronounced themselves delirious. Or insane. Or both. Why, you ask? Because as of this moment, in the blaring sunlight, shoeless and caked in dirt, I, Kaya, was jogging. And enjoying it. Impossible, you say? I think not!
It truly was a ground-breaking experience. I was practically singing as I pumped alongside Sweetie, periodically rubbing his head fondly and throwing twigs at his swinging tail. Poor thing. Anyways, since Jiraiya took the seal off, (I'd berated him for coming within ten feet of my sleeping bag later, don't worry) I've had so much more stamina. I'd twirled around my backpack singing the 'Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves' for, like, forty minutes a couple of days ago and my focus was improving fantastically. And my senses were heightened too! You honestly wouldn't believe the things I can hear, and I actually caught Jiraiya flirting with some poor, lost gypsy-looking girls on the road by following his scent one night. He smelled like rice and pond water. And Earth. And a little washed up cologne. It was totally cool. My vision was so much sharper now, too. I could make out even the tiniest stick in the road from fifty meters off. And the scenery was even more amazing when you could see each and every shade of green glinting in the light from the thickets of trees we passed. Honestly, it's no wonder ninjas are so quick on things.
Jiraiya had been teaching me to pay attention to my surroundings more, also ( I know I chew him out for being and old pedophile, but he's probably a much better mentor than I give him credit for). The path we had been traveling on had long-since lost diverging roads and the dirt was becoming more worn and refined. There hadn't been a sign for ages, which probably meant we were getting closer to the village. See? Cool how things connect like that, huh?
"Reading underneath the underneath..."
...
God, I sound like such a cryptic.
But that's okay. I'm a sort-of-kind-of-semi ninja now! I have a license to vague, cryptic metaphors.
There had also been on point when Jiraiya had gone to get some firewood and I was left alone with the cart. I'd glanced at it suspiciously, trying not to be tempted by it's piles of bags and boxes, but in the end it was simply beggingfor me to look. I'd peered around to make sure he was actually gone and not playing one of his stupid shinobi-mind-games on me before zooming over to a large box and ripping it open, squealing excitedly when I found his stash of novels.
Jackpot!
I'd grabbed one of the numerous identical copies with the big red 'no trespassing' symbol and curled up next to Sweetie to read. I was dismayed to no end when I remembered I couldn't read Japanese. (sigh).
One day, Jiraiya... One day...
Anyway, back to my little track session; Jiraiya-sensei and I were currently submerged in a very heated (on my part at least) discussion on my capability to perform genjutsuresponsibly - me trying to keep my pace through those big-ass pants with Jiraiya's old T-shirt held up by a ripped blanket tied around me waist like an Obi, him leaning back lazily towards the trees, sweat-dropping and rolling his eyes at appropriate intervals.
"But Jiraiya-senseeeiii! I swear to you on the left hemisphere of my brain than I won't do the alien-abduction scenario! I'll even do a Jesus impersonation for you!"
He looped his arms behind his head boredly, "Tempting, but no. I don't want to be responsible for whatever havoc you decide to reap when you finally control your jutsus."
I stopped jogging and hopped onto the cart, taking my seat behind his head and absently started braiding his pony-tail.
"But I've worked so hard! I even mastered your stupid little clone-jutsu and made a fire while simultaneously doing fifteen push-ups. I think I at leastdeserve to learn a few minor Jedi-mind-tricks!" I karate-chopped my hand for emphasis.
"You'll learn it from someone else, then. What are you doing to my hair?"
"Nothing," I tied it off with a little piece of straw and started a new braid next to it, "Why aren't you afraid to peep into a women's bathhouse but refuse to teach me genjutsu because of the consequences it might have?"
A vein pulsed in his forehead, "It was not peeping, It was-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know - research. Deniaaal..."
He aimed for a smack to my head, but I dodged it nimbly. I was about to grin in triumph when an equally fast blow sent me tumbling off the cart. I spluttered dirt out of my mouth angrily, "ABUSE!"
"You're not running!" he called back lazily.
I gaped ridiculously for a moment.
"Oh yeah? Well... YOU - uh - wear make-up!"
The cart continued jumbling along.
"God damn-it," I cursed, getting up and scrambling to catch up again.
"You know Jiraiya-sensei, you still don't have any sort of legal custody of me. I could totally trun myself in to child-services and be fed actual food instead of forty consecutive pounds of rice and - whoa," I froze and took a step back, craning my neck.
A cement wall - roughly about twenty feet high and a worn grey color whose stains probably told stories Einstein couldn't count - stretched out along the thick trees in front of us, ends disappearing on either side of the isolated path and trapping us in a sort of mini-clearing under a canopy of trees.
"Well... someones not very subtle," I muttered curiously, creeping past where Jiraiya was digging around in the cart and approached the barrier, poking it experimentally. It was definitely a hard wall, (great observationist, right here) and most likely really thick. The surface was rough and aged as I spread my hand over it, exploring the texture with my new super-senses. It wasn't an eerie wall, or a threatening wall - more like one of those familiar, comforting constants that gave of a good vibe. It was protecting something, not containing, and just that was enough to make me relax.
"We're here," Jiraiya finally announced, throwing me me backpack and a duffel bag I assumed was his ninja-stuff or something, considering its fantastic weight.
"Where - the Hidden Leaf Village?" I bit out, trying to balance the bag so that it wouldn't send me crashing into the dirt.
"You bet," he threw another bag in my direction, nearly toppling me over. "You're going to follow this wall east until you get to the gates - they're big and red, you can't miss 'em," he abandoned his digging and walked over to me struggling form, placing two scrolls on top of the teetering pile, "You'll probably be stopped by one of the guards - give them the red scroll and they'll take you to the Hokage. When you get there, give him the blue scroll. Make sure you're on your best behavior," he mussed up my hair and I crossed my eyes in irritation; He grinned fondly, "You've done well, Kaya. I look forward to seeing your improvement as a shinobi," he took a step back and climbed back into the cart, grabbing Sweetie's reigns.
"Hey - wait! Ah - aren't you - ugh - coming?!" I asked through gritted teeth, only barely concealing my panic.
He readjusted the giant scroll latched to his back and turned his upper body towards me, raising his hand in a sort of lazy salute.
"Nope! Good luck, Kaya-Chan! I'll be back to check up on you sometime."
And with that and a poof of that god-forsaken white smoke, I was alone in the clearing, nothing but my unfamiliar luggage by my side.
I dropped the bags and sputtered uncomprehendingly for a while, disbelief written all over my face. There was a long time when I stood in shocked silence, waiting for Ashton Kutcher to fall out of the sky and tell me I'd been 'Punk'd' - but things never quite work out that way for me anyway, so I settled for verbal abuse.
"Jiraiya! You get your ninja-ass back here, you horny pervert!" I dug my fingers in my hair and tilted my face towards the sky, pacing and spouting angry obscenities like rapid-fire. "Fuck, what am I supposed to do now?! That senile, perverted, ass-wad, son of a bitch!" - I paced left - "Someone must really love screwing with me up there, ne? I can't just barge in there alone! They might kill me! Or stick me with sharp and potentially lethal ninja things!" - I paced right - "This is child abuse! Neglect! Oh my god, I'm an abandoned juvenile!" - I paced left - "God, that imbecilic-"
Right.
"-irresponsible-"
Left.
"-sadistic-"
Right.
"-over-aged-"
"Ahem,"
Dude with a bandage over his face.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
"Hey, hey!" the young ninja stepped back, hands up in a gesture of innocence - eyes crinkled over the bandage crossing his nose in a nervous smile. "Calm down, kid!"
"Don't touch me! I know forty different kinds of Kung Fu and - hey, are you the guard?" I pointed up to the funny symbol on his headband, similar to that big one Jiraiya always wears. He looked a little relieved and nodded his head, mane of spiky black hair tumbling over itself as it brushed across his strong features and the funny little semi-goatee lining his chin. He was tall. Reallytall. Not big like the Big Brothers of Jiraiya - still muscular, but sort of lanky. He was cute, I decided.
"Yeah. Is there something I can help you with?" he gestured towards the bags questioningly. The light bulb went off in my head and I nodded vigorously, taking whatever assistance I could get.
"I'm here to see the Hokage. My neglectful Sensei ditched me here and told me to find the gate," I shook my head solemnly.
Guard Guy chuckled, "So I heard. Lucky for me you were taking it out on Mother Nature." I looked down at my hands and giggled, embarrassed. Damn.
"I'm afraid I need to see some identification before I let you in," he added seriously, suddenly straightening up to a much more intimidating height. He looked me up and down suspiciously, pausing to appreciate the extreme oddness of my chosen apparel. I crouched down quickly and dug through my backpack, hopping up not seconds later to proudly present him with my Jamison High, Freshman ID. He blinked at it strangely and carefully plucked it from my hand, scrunching up his face as he examined it closely. Several seconds went by of him systematically looking from the ID to me and back again, confusion written all over his face before I finally sighed in exasperation and fetched the red scroll from beside the fallen duffel bags. Damn ninjas can't read English...
"Here," I grunted, snatching the ID back protectively.
He took it gratefully and opened it with ease, eyes widening a funny amount as he scanned through its contents. When he finally looked up at me again, it was with a burning curiosity. I felt the heat crawl up my neck and looked down at my hands again. Jeez, stop that.
I looked up again a few moments later to find Guard Guy hoisting the bags up on his broad shoulders comfortable, the scroll reduced to a burning pile of ash in the grass.
"I'm Kotetsu. I'll be escorting you to the Hokage," he announced simply and grinned at me assuring over his shoulder. I puffed up my chest indignantly, about to inform him that I was perfectly capable of finding it myself, thank you very much, but then I remembered I was standing in a clear trap between a very un-climbable wall and an endless Forest of trees that would probably like, eat me if I stayed alone in it for too long. I swung my backpack up over my shoulder and hurried after him as he started off to the right instead.
"So.. ah- this is Konoha, right? Is it... friendly?"
Kotetsu snorted, his hair bouncing strategically into space, "So friendly its almost scary. Don't worry about it - with your connections, saying you'll be just fine would be an understatement,"
I pushed through a large bush and narrowly avoided getting my feet tangled in a big root, "Connections?"
From behind, I could see his face-bandage crinkle up in what I assumed to be a reminiscent smile, "Your sensei... well, let's just say he has a pretty good track-record here in the Leaf."
I scratched my head contemplatively, trying to picture a mayor that looked like the Monopoly- Man handing Jiraiya an award for 'Most Effective Pedophillic Antics'.
Suddenly, Kotetsu pushed past a particularly large branch, shedding an onslaught of blinding sunlight onto my poor retinas. I stumbled past him into a much more open scene and blinked my eyes, trying to clear my vision. When I finally succeeded, I had three reactions:
1) Incredible relief - both for the achievement of my goal of actually gettingto Konoha, and for the merciful decline in claustrophobia.
2) Awe at the sheer sizeof the magnificent red arches, Japanese symbols painted across the top in large, beautiful print.
3) A sweat-drop rolling down the back of my neck.
"Uh... Kotetsu? Isn't the Hidden Leaf Village supposed to be... well, hidden?"
He looked at me funny for a minute, blinking like I'd just spoken Martian, then burst out laughing, nearly falling over and dropping the bags.
"Haha! You d-don't - ha! - that - haha! - just - HA!"
I frowned. That was a serious question...
He dropped his hand on my shoulder, still chuckling and said, "Welcome to Konoha, Kaya. We should probably get you inside before you kill me of laughter,"
He started off into the gates, shoulders shaking in silent mirth. My frown deepened as I followed him inside.
I hadn't told him my name...
"Hey Kotetsu, what's that?" I pointed to a colorful building where a variety of small children were throwing darts at a large target pinned to a cotton dummy.
He followed my gaze and laughed when I winced at a particularly well-aimed dart to the dummy's skull, "That's the Ninja Academy. It's like a civilian school accept it's for aspiring shinobi,"
I nodded, engrossed as two little girls expertly sparred in a field, kicking and jumping to impossible heights so that they almost looked unreal.
Creepy. Demon Children.
We continued to walk through the village in silence for a while, him humming contently, me gaping at every other stationary object. The place was huge. And colorful. And had even more bustling market booths than Isawari did. I could totally see myself exploring the maze of buildings, singing myself a James Bond-type theme song in the dead of night. It was quite literally like a theme park. The first thing on my To-Do list automatically shifted 'explore and investigate' once I finished this whole Hokage business.
"We're almost there," Kotetsu suddenly piped up, pointing to one of the tallest buildings in sight, a large Japanese symbol pointed over it's rounded surface. I nodded understandingly, then went back into Observation Mode, examining his features more in depth.
"What happened to your face?"
He looked a little taken aback at the question, but his eyes glazed over quickly in response and he gave an involuntary shiver.
"There was this mission a few years ago... a cat, a lamp, and my comrade's sandal... you don't want to know the details."
I shivered as well in sympathy; hey, you'd be surprised.
"I'm surprised you haven't asked about the monument yet. Most people interrogate me about it the minute we pass the gates." Kotetsu added in again, coming out of his reminiscent daze.
"Huh?" I looked around, searching for the topic of discussion. Was he talking about the Hokage building?
He jerked his head diagonally and I followed his gesture, tripping over my own feet when I saw it.
How did I not freaking notice that?
Four gigantic faces on an enormous fucking rock. Like Mt. Rushmore except more... royal looking.
"Holy fuck."
"I'll take that as the question," he laughed. "Those are the Hokages. It's how our village honors them,"
"You mean besides giving them their own huge building and reign over a village the size of a small country?"
He choked on air and coughed strangely for a moment, me patting his back awkwardly. After a while he stood, clearing his throat. "Uh, yeah."
"We're here," he changed the subject, holding the door open for me as I stepped inside. It was warm and stuffy and smelled like moth-balls, but otherwise was a pretty homey place. The room was circular and painted in bright reds and greens, bamboo furniture circulating around a long desk where various people in vests were either conversing lightly or rushing through doors, barely hanging on to large mounds of scrolls and documents.
"I have to go back to the gates now - I'm still on duty," he said apologetically as he took a step back from the threshold, "But if you just go up those stairs over there, it should lead you down a hallway. Take the fourth right and tell them Kotetsu sent you," he placed my bags carefully at my feet and headed out the door. "They should send you straight to Sandaime-sama. Good luck!" And then he poofed away, leaving me glaring self-righteously at the patronizing cloud of ninja smoke. Damn shinobi and their hocus-pocus magic tricks... I really need to learn how to do that.
Finally, deciding I needed to actually do something with myself rather than stand in everyone's way, (the more distressed people looked just about ready to gnaw my head off with their teeth) I lugged my luggage as best I could across the room, idly pondering what the hell Jiraiya put in them to make them so damn... unwieldy. The staircase was near impossible to see from a distance - one of those awesome spiral ones that evil architects love to hide behind unnecessary corners and inconspicuous sinks in the wall from poor, unsuspecting little Kayas - but I managed to spot it and quickly ditched my stuff in an empty space under the first step, grabbing the blue scroll and kicking the rest out of sight.
I trotted up the stairs, grateful for the loss of extra weight and ran my fingers across the wall as I climbed - probably a developing habit, but whatever; It won't kill anyone. I peered out a window on the twentieth step to admire the view, letting it really sink in how beautiful a village could be. Even if it was, you know, fictional. Everything was just so real. No wonder Tashi loves anime so much, I mused. This place is just... enchanting.
A sudden pair of rushed footsteps alerted me to the frantic woman racing down the staircase, giving me but a seconds notice to catch my footing as she stopped dead two inches from my face, short blond hair tangling wildly across her scalp. I was about to side-step for her, thinking she was trying to get past me when she grabbed my arm roughly and dragged me up the rest of the stairs, panting and fidgeting all the way.
"Hey! What are you-?"
"You need to see Hokage-sama correct?" she shot out briskly, flying two steps at a time as her cold, clammy grip on my arm tightened.
I tripped after her, startled, "Ah - ow! Uh, yeah. Who-?"
"No time! Take my hand!"
I didn't even have time to inhale before the strange, upset woman crushed me against her uniform green vest and pressed a hand-seal against my back. In an instant, I felt like I was being squeezed upward through a small tube and shot upwards through a pipe, popping out next to Crazy Lady in a poof of white smoke in a whole other room.
"Sarutobi-sama, sir!" Crazy Lady saluted strictly, bowing stiffly and ignoring where I was spinning in circles, lost in my vertigo and sudden onslaught of nausea.
"Yes, Suka, thank you," came an old voice, "And who might this be?"
I had a nagging feeling that Old Guy was referring to me, so I quickly froze, shook the pinwheels out of my eyes and turned around cautiously to face the most magnificent looking man I'd ever seen.
Well, it wasn't really how he lookedthat was all that magnificent. It was just the aura he gave off, resonating wisdom and power all throughout the room. He adorned an odd hat - sort of triangular and red with the same symbol that doned the building - that draped royally over the sides of his face, liken to his white robes. His eyes were shaded and warm, age and knowledge practically laser-beaming from each, and his face was kind yet commanding, a small white beard pointing jaggedly from his chin and several dark age spots dotting the thin painted lines down his face - akin to those of Jiraiya's.
His pipe shifted as his thin lips cracked up in a smile at my stunned expression.
"Forgive me for being so blunt," his eyes sparkled in amusement, "but I am a busy man. Is there something I can do for you, miss?"
I immediately jumped into action.
"Oh! Yeah - uh, sorry - I mean, I'm here 'cause - uh - fuck - oops! Sorry your highness! - or whatever - I just, uh -" I caught myself.
"Here," I squeaked and tossed the blue scroll to his desk. He caught it with amazing accuracy.
I shuffled uncomfortably as the Hokage rolled it open and read quietly, looking at everything but Crazy Lady (her glares were burning holes into my skull, I swear). A few moments passed in which I surveyed the room - circular, like the rest of the building, and laden with pictures and piles of scrolls. Must suck to be him, I thought as I inspected the paperwork strewn across his desk. A bird twittered outside the window and I twitched. Damn nature.
Mr. Hokage made a little 'hmmm' sound and I looked up to see a surprised look on his face - not a 'OMG holy fuck,' surprised, but more of an 'ah, what an unexpected occurrence,' surprise. Finally, he nodded to himself and re-sealed the scroll, closing it up securely in a drawer.
"I see," his gravelly voice trailed over to me, "Well, Miss Kaya-San, I'm afraid I need you to do something for me..."
A/N: Cliffhanger! Sucky one but oh well ;)