Chapter Nineteen: Moving Onward

Months had gone by. While she still believed Orochimaru liked to push her buttons at times, he started being proactive with her. Consultations. Recommendations. Training Observations. Scientific Discussions.

There were plenty of times when she was left to her own devices, but it was just how these things worked. A good chunk of professional knowledge came from one's family. Occupations were commonly hereditary and social mobility was atypical. As an added layer for ninja, that meant their techniques usually stemmed from their parents or clan. There were outliers, but they were the minority.

Sometimes she wished she had company while she did D-Ranks, but she also never complained. It would have been a waste of resources, and several hours 2-3 days a week was more than fair for guidance.

Maybe it was just because she spent time around eager children wanting to become shinobi, but it was refreshing being around someone who just treated it like a job. He seemed more interested in jutsu, development, and research. Jutsu was a praised phenomena among shinobi, but research and development wasn't what most thought of when it came to their line of work.

Yuina had to admit that it was exhilarating to have someone to geek out with. There was still some information she was cautious with, but she had opened up a lot in terms of science and theory. It was almost like the old days. The lab became another home away from home. A corner of the world where she could isolate herself.

Orochimaru wasn't like Sakumo or Kakashi, but she was closer to him than she had been with her classmates. She could even say she often felt joy when they were on the same page and he wasn't prodding her to do something he wanted. It was a comfortable routine.

"I heard Minato is taking Kakashi on a C-Rank." She wondered where he heard that. She hadn't heard anything and Kakashi would have told her.

"You heard that where exactly?"

He just grinned in the way he always did when he was going to keep something to himself.

If it was true then it would be requested or given today. In a direct fight Kakashi was more talented than her but she still worried. He could be stubborn when he wanted to be. Sometimes that benefitted him. Sometimes it made him blind to the world. Sometimes both.

She wasn't jumping for joy on his behalf, but her fear had significantly decreased. It may be because she had gotten so wrapped up in her routine that she hadn't considered the implication in months. Plus, the threat of a C-Rank should be minimal and Minato would be with him.

"You're not going to ask for one too?"

She was content with how things were. The larger pay was enticing, but that was it. "Project #21 needs to be monitored daily for another 11 days. Otherwise, the data will be compromised and we'll have to start all over."

"It's settled then. We'll be accepting a C-Rank mission in twelve days."

That wasn't what she meant. She didn't know why he wanted her to take a higher rank mission. He seemed content with his life as it was, and she was hardly six. What was the rush?

"You aren't going to give me the choice are you?"

"Mission Services won't give it to you if you yourself state you aren't ready. You won't say that though." Yuina was all too willing to follow someone else's lead. He wouldn't have said anything to her and would have accepted a mission of their behalf without her there if he thought she would resist.

'We'll be accepting' at least meant he had plans to go with her. He needed to. Most C-Ranks involved leaving the village. She would get lost in minutes without someone with her. It could be nice to get a peak of the world outside the walls, though. She needed a positive way of thinking because she already knew she wouldn't actively deny it.

Yuina only knew the outside world through books. It could be telling and descriptive, and sometimes even more analytical then people perceive in their daily day. It was only half the equation though.

"Twelve days it is then."

The days continued on as normal. Kakashi returned from his escort mission. She stocked up on supplies unsure of what kind of mission she would be stuck with. Had a nightmare she couldn't remember when waking. Those were the worst. She felt unsettled and sweated but she couldn't even say what rattled her so much.

Orochimaru hadn't been at the lab when she arrived but she thought nothing of it. It wasn't their typical joint lab day and it would only take a few minutes to record the findings for the last day of Project #21.

With the experiment completed she properly disposed of the reactive materials before cleaning the equipment and wiping down the table.

Now she could use the day to relax and get a good night sleep.

Yuina caught the flying object that approached her head.

It was a scroll.

She looked over in the direction it came from and there stood Orochimaru next to the door.

"What's this?" Her hands already moving to open it.

"Our mission. We leave in an hour, so meet me at the gate and don't be late."

Mission?

MISSION?!

"I thought we agreed on tomorrow."

"Project #21 is done. There's no need to waste time until morning."

Relaxing wasn't exactly wasting time. Physical and mental recovery was good for one's health and performance.

Yuina unrolled the scroll to read the details. Once reading it over he took back the scroll.

Joy.

Maybe she shouldn't have complained that travelling wasn't an accessible activity in this world.

No, this was for work not for leisure.

No going back now.