Border Patrol Arc: Nagasuga

She was drenched. Yuina felt the squish of the water that slipped between the inside of her sandals and the bottom of her feet. The ankle support was the only thing preventing her feel from slipping without using chakra. The weight of her soaked clothes pulling down on her. She had pulled her back into a short ponytail, but it didn't stop her bangs from flattening against her forehead, dripping extra water into her eyes.

She hated it. She was miserable.

Unfortunately, the southeast border regularly experienced cloudbursts that were more likely at certain hours of the day. Almost like clockwork.

It reminded Yuina too much of the coastal town where she attended university. It always inconveniently rained during prime commute hours. Back then she always carried an umbrella with her and rented a locker to keep a spare outfit.

Politics aside, it made her appreciate Konoha and most of the Land of Fire more. Nagasuga had horrible weather, but the vast majority of the territory was pleasantly tempered. Yuina would have hated it if she had been raised in the Land of Water. They were mostly a series of islands, though they had a chunk of land attached to the southeast of the mainland. It meant that the Land of Fire shared a land and a maritime border with them.

Based on geography, Yuina would bet that Uzushiogakure was just as bad.

The view could be nice when it wasn't raining, but she could understand why the area was sparsely populated. It was part of the Narrows. There were many mountain ranges, and the area was susceptible to seasonal floods. It was a wonder how the Land of Fire continued to claim the land. Yuina thought of the geographical layout. Ferries perhaps? Transport across the gulf would be much easier than the terrains she had crossed to reach Nagasuga, and it looked like there were worse terrains ahead.

Yuina wanted to get in and out. There wasn't a need to investigate the village for long. It was an old outpost, still semi-active. It wasn't so different from the small, isolated communities she heard about for research or excavations. It did, however, mean that those in charge knew they were there before they even set foot in the village.

"That time again, huh?" A middle age man exited the small tower that was likely owned by Konoha scratching the back of his head. A cigarette fell from his mouth as he straightened his posture. She eyed Orochimaru. The man wasn't so tight laced because of her, so the only logical reasoning was because of Orochimaru. She was quickly proven correct.

"Orochimaru-sama. What brings you all the way out here?"

Orochimaru placed a hand on Yuina's back and gave her a light shove forward. "It's my student's first C-Rank mission, Eiichiro."

"Student?" Yuina could feel his gaze on her.

Was there a problem with that? If he was a civilian, she would have voiced her opinion. After all, what was the chance she would run into him again? Her eyes found Eiichiro's own forehead protector slanted on his forehead. Konoha's symbol was clear as day. Her eyes dulled as she fell into position. "Hatake Yuina. Genin."

"Hatake?" She could feel the scrutiny. "Wouldn't be related to Sakumo, would you?" He asked, but it looked like he didn't believe his own assumption.

Yuina blinked. How long had Eiichiro been out of the village? Huh? Yuina wondered if her dream didn't have to conflict with her role as a ninja. Maybe she could be stationed somewhere and live out her days in peace while getting paid. Assuming Eiichiro was properly being paid, and he wasn't merely bound by nostalgia. The fact that he continued to wear his forehead protector lent itself to the idea of being engaged in a more passive role.

"He's my otou-san."

Eiichiro choked on his own coughing. "I thought the bastard couldn't have kids."

Yuina felt her innards bubble with rage. She loathed him for calling Sakumo a bastard even if it didn't sound malicious. "There's two of us. Kakashi and I graduated after only a year at the academy." It was Yuina's way of debunking Sakumo's capability to have children while rubbing in how competent they were. It would have been fine if her parents were infertile. She wouldn't have existed, but no one should be judged on whether they could have children.

"After a year? I assumed you were just short for your age. Come in, come in. We can chat over tea and I can grab you some towels." As much as she didn't appreciate his introduction, she wouldn't turn down a chance to dry herself.

"Thank you." Yuina grabbed the tea. She was keenly aware of the way Eiichiro's attention was glued to her now, as he avoided looking at Orochimaru as much as he could.

"You sit and drink just like him." She blinked. Why did he remember that of all things? "We were in the academy together. The girls always liked him. Always being complemented. How considerate he was. How smart he was. How talented he was. Well, he was talented. Could kick my ass without trying. Made me angry for the longest time. Didn't help we got put on the same genin team."

This was Sakumo's teammate?

Yuina pitied Sakumo for being on the same team with someone who was so jealous he was still complaining about it decades later.

"Wish I could say it was a front. Thought I would finally see under that mask of his one day only to realize he really was like that." Yuina tried to think of a young Sakumo with a mask like Kakashi until she realized he meant an emotional mask. "Besides. Did you know? He acts all cool, but he's secretly really boring. He was so old fashion. He wouldn't even date around." She wondered what he meant by dating around. She highly doubted that dating culture was anything like modern day Earth. Even if it was, Yuina considered it a good thing.

"Careful, Eiichiro. Speak too poorly of Sakumo and Yuina here might attack you," said Orochimaru.

She'd been trying to stay courteous, but Orochimaru could tell. Maybe Eiichiro could already see through her and simply didn't care. The way he turned frigid made her think he was more startled by Orochimaru speaking than the potential attack from her that would never come.

"Right. Right. How's Juuri? The two still songbirds?"

"I'm afraid she died while I was still a baby."

Maybe it had been too forward. "Right. Those things happen. Suppose short love is better than no love."

From what little Yuina knew, Sakumo and Juuri had been married for eight years before she had gotten pregnant. That hardly sounded like a short love. Even then, love didn't die with death.

"I've got daughter back in Konoha. If you ever meet a Shitsure Rie, tell her hi for me. I guess I should get to debriefing. Though it's been quiet these past several months."

Nothing in his debrief was worrying, but he seemed disconnected from his family. He didn't even want a note passed along or anything. She couldn't understand such a thing. She'd been in foster care, but that wasn't because her mom didn't care. She was just incapable of taking care of her at the time. Then she warmed up to the family she was staying with and they became her second family. Then she was reborn here and Kakashi and Sakumo became her family. She cared for each family as much as the last. She couldn't ever imagine showing so little care.

Orochimaru passed Eiichiro a scroll she didn't even know he had on him, but that signaled the end of the group discussion.

They stayed around for a meal before they were back to traveling. Mizushi was their last destination.

"Something wrong?" asked Orochimaru. Her lips tightened. "You can speak freely."

Yuina didn't know if she could. It was something she noticed for a while, but Eiichiro was another undeniable example of how people acted around Orochimaru. They spoke to him with respect, undoubtedly from the stories of his notable feats, but many also kept their distance. It wasn't everyone, but it happened frequently enough to take notice.

He wasn't dumb. He would have had to notice. However, asking about it seemed too personal. Yuina had gotten comfortable with Orochimaru, but it was strictly professional. There was a line that she didn't want to cross.

"No nothing. Just looking forward to nicer weather."