Scarlet Justice: Full Blossom – ep. 28
"Panning Out"
[Border Patrol, Part 2]

It's currently early afternoon.

"You said you had everything figured out already?"

"Almost," I reply. I take a bite out of the apple in my hand, lying on my side on top of a blanket. The area we currently occupy is filled with sturdy trees, and is quiet enough that I can hear disturbances coming from far away. No commotion has started as a result of the earlier incident just yet – the Toyama land is far enough away that someone would have to make an effort to come out and see exactly what has happened.

Because of that, we can use some of our limited time to take stock of the situation.

I've rinsed the blood from my person, including my hair. Letting it dry by itself will be fine enough.

"Well, I'm not surprised that someone who casually killed six shinobi would have a handle on things so quickly."

"Mm. It sounds reasonable, doesn't it..."

"So what's going on, exactly? I mean, if you can even tell me anything." He leans against a nearby tree before sliding down to the ground to sit.

"Your life is at stake here, so you should be abreast of everything if possible." I take another bite of fruit and think on what I want to say while I chew. There is a fair bit of information, and it could be confusing for my companion here. "Mm. Let's start with the normal pillars."

"Normal pillars?" he asks.

"The basic collection of questions that guide every investigation in life. Who, what, where, when, why, and finally how."

"Ah. That makes sense," Jin says with a nod.

"So. As it currently stands...we already have a few of these things solved. We can start in order before putting everything together properly. What was the first thing I listed?" I ask.

"Who. So...we're suspecting Komaeda."

"I more than suspect it was him. He's the only one who would have the connections to pull this sort of thing off."

"Okay...next is what. So what's happened here?"

"An assassination attempt, meant to be carried out by yours truly. It turned into an attempt on both of our lives. I neutralized the threat." I take another bite from the apple.

"Where. Well, it happened here. At the old house...which is underground by now, I guess. When it happened was just now. Why it happened, I guess Komaeda wanted to bump me off for the rights to the land. And as for how it all happened, I wouldn't know."

I swallow and lick my lips. "Let's put those pieces together, starting with a linear reading of the facts."

"Right. So you said that you're sure it's Sora Komaeda. What's leading you to that conclusion, and making you so sure about it?"

"Do you know much about the Bingo Books?" I ask.

"Not much. They're where you have names, faces, and descriptions of criminals..."

"Yes. Many organizations have them, such as the yakuza. We of the hidden villages have our own versions of these books, and they differ greatly from village to village. For example, I am in the Bingo Books of each of the remaining four great shinobi nations."

"Man. That's gotta be harsh."

I shrug. "Such is life as an elite. As we discussed, you ended up in Leaf's book."

"Is there, like...any way that I can get myself off it?"

"Yes. Once this mission is done with, I'll make a few calls to have you removed from the latest iteration and all subsequent ones."

He breathes out, relieved. "Thank god. I was wondering if I would have to spend the rest of my life on the lam."

"Komaeda is a government official, and someone with a lot of money at his disposal," I continue. "It would be trivial for him to report you and then grease a few palms to get the information processed as quickly as possible. The last book update was about a week ago...you were very recently placed on the blacklist, and so most people wouldn't know of your existence there."

"Okay, I get that he set me up. But how?"

"Hyperbolizing of existing information. He snuck around while you were focused on taking care of your family, unaware that you had a rival lurking in the shadows. Your presence in Lightning Country was changed to a stint in the Hidden Cloud. Your time away doing studies was changed to training with a foreign army. Simple things that seem plausible enough on their own, and aren't going to be thoroughly checked when the entry is being rushed to print."

"Shit. That easy?"

"Normally, no. That's not how it works, or is supposed to work. Shinobi, extremely high ranking Fire Country officials, and other specific sets of VIPs will have their reports prioritized, but never rushed. There is an investigation and vetting process. However..."

"However...?"

I bite into my apple and chew a bit. "However. There are two magic words that will send senior shinobi into a panic as soon as they are uttered. National security."

"So they put more of a rush on it than usual, I guess," Jin says. "And that's why they sent a super soldier like you up to take care of me. Permanently, I mean."

I finish my apple and shove the core into my mouth, dislodging the seeds with my tongue and depositing them into my hand. After a bit of cycling chakra, I blow a stream of flame into the air, and the ashen remains of the apple core with it. The seeds go into my pocket.

"No."

"Uh...wait. Why not?"

I rest my head on one hand. "This is one of the confusing parts for you to follow. You see, my presence here was the will of the heavens at work, the touch of the divine itself. Or, as you precious humans might call it, chance."

He blinks. "You weren't supposed to be here."

"Not at all. Remember the magic words?"

"National security."

"Mm-hm. You see, once Komaeda submitted his report and handed out the requisite bribes, so on and so forth, he was no longer in direct control of the situation. All he could expect was that a shinobi, or a squad of them, would be sent northward to eliminate the imminent security threat. Which ones, he could not know at that time. That would be the purview of the Hidden Leaf. And this is where the disconnect begins. National security threats are the monsters underneath the bed frame of Leaf's conservative faction. The nation must be strong, it must be secure, and any visible threats must be eliminated as soon as possible. Your name and alleged deeds caught the attention of the village elders, and after some consultation, they decided on sending me. As always, there were politics in play...they saw an opportunity to disrupt my plans while taking care of an imminent threat at the same time."

"You think they're that petty?"

I roll my eyes. "Please. It would be more suspicious if they weren't."

"Huh." He has a sobered look on his face. "So...I guess the only reason I'm alive is because a couple of old military guys wanted to mess up your schedule. Anyone else, and I'd be dead without question."

"I won't claim it's an easy thing to process," I say with sympathy.

"You wouldn't, I know. Ah, I'll be fine. What matters is that I'm here and alive right now. And hopefully for much longer than that." He rubs at his cheek. "Okay, so we've gone through a couple of things. I got framed using stuff that people in town mentioned about me, the Leaf sent you by chance to take care of a big threat..."

"Within seventy two hours."

"Wow. Guess they really take their border security seriously."

"They only insisted on that sort of speed because it was me. The plan would have changed if I wasn't available. Likely to still be an assassination, but much more involved when it came to crime scenes, evidence, and so on. I would expect a campaign custom built to discredit you in death...perhaps your sister would become a target as well."

"You weren't-"

"No. Just you," I assure him. "But as I mentioned before, all the threats against you will be taken care of. It means she should be safe, too."

"Okay...okay, good. Now, let's get to what's been bugging me this whole time. Those other shinobi that came around and sent my house to the centre of the earth...they weren't Leaf. Cloud guys?"

"Hidden Rock. From the clues that I gathered, they were part of the ANBU, perhaps doing double duty as part of the regular forces. Their budget doesn't have the flexibility that Leaf's does. That's why they have their forces supplemented by mercenary bands."

"Hidden Rock is all the way on the other side of the continent," Jin says. "What the hell were they doing here? Why'd they want to kill me?"

"Not you. Me."

"You?"

"Well...that is also inaccurate. Go back to what I said earlier, about my arrival being a twist of fate. They were expecting a Leaf shinobi, or several, and they were expecting them to be in the area eliminating you. The attack was planned, but not for someone like me. I mentioned that I am in the Bingo Books of many a nation, and there is a specific order for when I am encountered or identified."

"What's the order?"

I give him a smug smile. "Run away."

Jin nods and swallows audibly at that.

"Unfortunately for that group, they didn't know who they were dealing with until they were cut down by two thirds. Quite literally at that," I say with amusement. "And so, the remaining ones saw no choice but to stand and fight. Not great results for them, but it is me we're talking about."

"Uh...yeah. I guess I get where they were coming from," Jin says with a nervous smile.

"In any case...they were lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. But they weren't here by chance. This is another point where it gets a bit complicated, and I might have to do some guesswork."

"I can more than understand that. Aside from you saving my life twice now, you seem like a well put together woman. I think I can trust your judgement, you know?"

"How sweet. Thank you, Mister Toyama."

"Hey, again, least I could do after living to see the afternoon. So, the complicated parts...let me guess this one. Someone tipped those guys off. And the person who tipped them off was Sora Komaeda. Right so far?"

"Yes, that's right," I say.

"That leaves me stumped again," Jin says as he crosses his arms. "So Komaeda orders the hit on me. Then he orders a hit on the guy who's supposed to be doing the hit on me. He's collaborating with the Hidden Rock...how come?"

"There are two elements, I believe. Greed and security. Those with much to their name have a tendency to desire more, even at the expense of other people. The love of money is the root of all evil, it is written."

"And the security part?"

"Collaboration with elements of Earth Country might lead to favourable status in his case, and some security guarantees in the future for Fire Country. He likely had more betrayals planned out as part of a larger scheme...playing two or more armies off of each other for personal profit."

"That simple?" Jin asks.

"Yes. Just as I observed you and figured things out from there, sometimes there is no greater meaning or deeper plot when it comes to these things. We are taught to look underneath the underneath as shinobi, and that serves us well for many missions and associated outings. But other times...we simply need to slow down, and look at what is right in front of us."

"Hm. That's good advice for us normies, too." He sighs. "Greed, eh..."

"There is something in that mine, Mister Toyama. Something that Komaeda found, and that the Hidden Rock knew about. Something we don't know at this moment, unless you can think of something we've missed."

"Far as I know, it was mostly iron ore in there. Ah, speaking of that...gotta find myself some more big magnets to help with the processing."

"The mine is a closed pit, isn't it?" I ask as I put a hand on my hip.

"Yep. Unique for that type, too. Most iron ore operations are out in the open. Probably another reason my old man found it such a pain. But iron ore is always in demand, so we can fetch a good price for it. And we're gonna use the tailings, too. Helps us make much less of a mess and some more money on the side."

"You seem very concerned with the monetary aspect. Why?" I ask.

"It's all for the bigger play. You see, there's a nice lake a couple miles northwest of here. And I got a great idea," he says with a smile. "I'm gonna make myself a dam."

"A dam?"

"Yeah. Gonna consult with some more guys and do some more surveys, but from what I know now, we can safely and responsibly build a dam in that area. It'll totally change everything – we can generate big power for the town and probably go ahead and modernize it. People will actually want to come and live here, and even better, we can provide power to other towns and villages in the area. If there's industry, we can even make some extra cash catering to them and their needs. Not just saving this old place, but bringing it back to life."

"Ambitious. I knew there was something else I liked about you," I say with a smile. "I think it's a brilliant plan, and you seem to worry about the environment enough."

"Yeah. I like modern luxuries as much as the next guy, but it'd be nice if we could keep our air and water relatively clean, stuff like that. Money from the mine operations and some investments would be a big help. Hm..." He scratches at his head. "Just wondering about what you said earlier. Something's in the mine...something obviously valuable. Gold?"

"I don't think so, or it would be just that if it was the case," I say while standing up. "But...I've been wrong a few times. Like today, I suppose."

"Glad you were having an off day, to say the least."

"Hmhm." I yawn and stretch my arms. "Well, I'm going to figure out what exactly we're dealing with. Should be as easy as reading a few loose papers..."

"Komaeda has...wait, what am I worried about," Jin mumbles. "You broke into my house without a sound and sent a whole squad of shinobi to an early grave. This is nothing for you."

"I do enjoy the company of clever men," I say with a playful smile. "I'll be on my way, then. There are some delectable sandwiches in my bag, and other treats that you may enjoy to your heart's content. I will leave the most reliable person I can think of to watch over you while I'm gone."

I make a seal, and my clone pops into being next to me. It earns a light chuckle from Jin. I'm very glad he's holding up well...he will make a great leader for this place, once all is said and done.

"Same routine as always, my love. I'm off to do some more spy craft," I say to her.

"All acknowledged. Mister Toyama is in the best possible hands, as we know." She winks at me.

"Well said." I shake out my hair and run my hands through it, then head back towards town proper. Hopefully nobody is moving around too quickly...I want to do my thing as cleanly as possible.

The first thing I do is follow the strongest chakra signatures in the area. These should be the shinobi from the Leaf that are assigned to watch over the abandoned mine.

One of my hypotheses is being proven correct at this moment.

"They're moving towards the Toyama house," I say to myself. "It means I have to find Komaeda on my own, but that shouldn't be hard."

I take a casual approach and start to walk down the town's main road. Someone knowledgeable...shop owner, then. This one is a middle-aged man, looking over the fruits out front.

"Excuse me, sir. I'm sorry to interrupt your work."

"Hm? Oh, not a problem at all. Did you need something, miss?" He notes the band around my arm. "You're from Leaf, too. Bunch of shinobi types moving around these days. Guessing it has to do with the mine."

"Perhaps so. I've only recently arrived myself. I did need something of you, if you would be so kind."

"Ask away."

"Are there any inns in town where one could stay for a little while? I have somewhere to be, but I wanted to rest in a nice place like this first."

"There's a really nice inn up the road from here, you can't miss it. Updated a few years ago with a nice brick front." He frowns. "Unfortunately, there's some nonsense going on over there..."

"Oh?"

"Some rich punk named Komaeda has been pushing around the staff and made the place into his personal mansion. Most of the rooms have been booked by him and his cronies for the past few months. Probably has the owner by the neck, too. I hear he's paying a little more than average, but that doesn't explain what's been going on. Poor girl is beside herself, she's just been trying to run things while her parents recover from getting sick."

"I see. That's quite unfortunate."

"I'd still say to get yourself a room there if you can find one, service is first class. Maybe you can kick some sense into that brat while you're at it."

I nod. "I'll be sure to look into what I can do."

"Sounds good to me."

"I did need one more thing...I was in the mood for some taffy, and wondered if you had any in stock."

"Well, you came to the right spot. Got a whole shelf of them, good stuff. Come on inside and I'll show you."

"Thank you kindly."

I chew on some vanilla flavoured taffy a while later, looking at the aforementioned inn across the street. There are the expected characters milling about...I can't sense anyone that seems like a shinobi around, but there are a few bodyguards. They're easily dealt with if necessary.

"It does look lovely. They've done beautiful work with the brick, and it shouldn't be at risk in Fire Country's climate."

A simple structure, about three storeys in height. Not too big, not too small. The room with the most activity and people pacing should be Komaeda's. I wait to see what will happen, and get a reward for my patience.

"On the move? I like that."

I put my wrappers into a small container, then slip it back into my tool pouch. About time to get things started.

With a few light steps, I move across the street and towards the back of the structure. Another check to make sure nobody is near, and there's not much to fear: one person outside the room. I walk up the wall to the third floor, because of course that's where the rich boy would be, and monitor his movement as he goes down the stairs with his entourage. A quick peek inside reveals that the lights have been left on.

"You're making this too easy for me, boy. I think I should be nervous..."

Windows are easy to manipulate. A small prying tool and some leverage...there. I lift the window up and it moves smoothly, almost silently. This place is well taken care of, good for them. I'm also happy I didn't have to break anything.

One last scan to make sure. I go part way through the window and press my hand to the carpet, while at the same time reaching out into the air with my senses. Chakra and vibrations are being looked after. Nothing to report. All clear. With that, I slowly slide myself through the rest of the opening and to the floor. My tongue flicks out briefly before I rise into a crouch.

"Simple fact finding mission. Let's see what we're working with."

I visually sweep the room for anything that immediately stands out, then stand up so that I can get a good look at the nearby table. Scrolls and loose sheets of paper cover its surface. My eyes skim each document before I land on something juicy.

"Oh...so this is why you wanted us all dead. Look at what you found."

I gently pick up a sheet and look at it closely.

"Survey...results found deposits of gold...other precious minerals...unexplained phenomenon caused creation of...unusual metals. Chakra saturation...Red Iron. They think it's a big cache, too. Gold is one thing, but...that is certainly worth killing for."

So now we have a clear motive. Which leads to the next question...what to do next? I could kill Komaeda and get away with it, perhaps...but then, it might spark something else, given his involvement with foreign elements.

"Disappearing people for no good reason is unsavoury, to boot."

I did tell Jin that sometimes, the simplest methods are the best. I suppose that's what we will do here. Keep our man alive, and inform the powers that be that they have made a grave error. My presence will ensure that things go smoothly.

"I'll just take a few notes here, and submit them properly in a little while."

I take out a pen and a small notebook, then get to writing. Still no movement from anyone, so I should be fine for now.

"So we're not going to do anything else?"

"Not at all. Tomorrow is a new day. We will make sure that you sign the required documents, and gain ownership over your land."

We've decided that we will spend the night in the woods. The weather is fine enough, and I've put up a small tent just in case. I bought some fresh food before leaving town again, and cooked dinner.

"Thought it would be a bit more involved," he says while eating. The warm fire crackles between us as we hold wooden bowls on our laps. Since the wood was sturdy enough for it, I saw an opportunity to carve some dinnerware for us.

"Were you looking forward to some excitement?"

"Ah, just expecting it. Don't get me wrong, boring is more than fine with me. Especially after everything that's happened."

"I see."

"And you said they found Red Iron in there? That's crazy. You know how much that stuff goes for these days? Literally all we have to do is the hard part of digging it up, and a bunch of guys will line up with one empty hand out and another stacked with cash. We're gonna make a killing." He pauses. "Maybe not the best phrasing. We will have a lot of money." A sage nod. "Yeah. Better."

"I'll look after you until things are taken care of."

"I appreciate that. I mean, I appreciate everything you've done for me. Seriously. You're an angel."

I smile. "Would you believe that I've heard that one many times before?"

"Shocking."

"Hmhm. It was no trouble looking after you, Mister Toyama."

He nods and sets down his wooden bowl. "But...there's something else." I see sadness appear on his face.

"What is it? Are you okay?" I ask.

"I should be asking you that. No matter how amazing you are...it just sunk in that you refused orders. I know that refusing to take on a mission isn't really allowed. Or refusing to finish it in the way that you're supposed to. I heard about a guy who did that once."

"He saved his comrades instead of completing the mission."

"Yeah."

"Sakumo Hatake, the Leaf's White Fang. His son is Sharingan Kakashi."

"No kidding..." He sighs. "Am I...really worth that? Being disgraced, or even killed?"

I set down my bowl and walk over to him. My hands go to the sides of his head as I look down into his eyes.

"Yes. Always."

He stares up at me in wonder. "I wonder if...you're really a shinobi after all."

"I am a quite a bit more than that. I have things that I must do in this world." I smile. "There is no debt that needs to be repaid, Mister Toyama. All you have to do is live well. Your success will be my reward."

"Is that all it takes?"

"I won't be facing the darkness alone. And when I do go home...I will have the shoulders of giants to rest on. I have nothing to fear. And so, you have nothing to fear as well."

I squeeze his cheeks gently.

"Let's get ready for bed."

"O-oh. Yeah, alright."

I let him go and start to put out the fire.

Sora Komaeda is a unique, and uniquely boring individual.

"What do you mean he's under your protection? You can't do that!"

His brown hair has been lightened, and carefully coiffed. He wears a light dusting of makeup, and what are supposed to be stylish clothes that come off as more garish than anything: fancy shirt and pants with a formal jacket, and leather sandals with jeweled ornaments on them.

We are currently at the town's administrative office, where Komaeda and a handful of Leaf shinobi along with his bodyguards are having a standoff with me and Jin. The town officials are observing, hoping that things don't get out of hand.

Today is the third day since I've arrived, and the fourth for this mission. The seventy two hour window has passed.

And the Toyama land, the mine, and everything else besides, is now legally in Jin Toyama's hands. Just as his mother wished for.

"And why not?" I ask him.

"Because he's a criminal! That's obvious, isn't it? Aiding and abetting a criminal, especially as a shinobi, is treason. I know they let anyone apply to be part of the armed forces these days, but this is ridiculous. Jin Toyama is a national security threat. He needs to be eliminated. Hell, detained at the least. You have to understand that much."

"There were several administrative and operational errors made in the production of his Bingo Book entry," I counter. "As a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, I reserve the right to exercise discretion in the pursuit of any mission. Any punishment for alleged dereliction of duty or allegedly treasonous actions will be determined by the Hidden Leaf and its investigative bodies. Not you."

He puts a hand to his face. "I don't understand why you're doing this..."

"Because I believe that the Bingo Book entry was a fabrication. Protecting my client is part of my mission. Nothing more."

"Your client?" he asks.

"Yes. My client." I reach into my pocket. "Here, a copy of the contract."

He takes it from my hand and looks at it. His face crumples in confustion. "Twenty ryo payment upon completion?"

"That buys a large cup of coffee, I believe. I think I'll stop at the local shop again before I head home."

"This is absolutely ridiculous. I mean..." He turns to the shinobi present. "You can't just arrest her, or something? She's getting in the way of justice."

One of the shinobi clears their throat nervously. A young man with messy black hair that spills over the sides of his headband.

"Mister Komaeda, sir. We...can't do much of anything at this time. She's, uh..."

"She's what?"

"She's the Scarlet Viper, sir. Someone immensely powerful and influential within Leaf. To...to really put it simply, if she wanted to, she could kill us all without breaking a sweat. So it'd be unwise to try and detain her against her will, sir."

"The type of person that you'd typically send to off someone like me, not that I'm an actual criminal or anything," Jin quips. "Guess I got real lucky today."

Komaeda's expression changes from annoyed to bothered. Then he must have realized something else, because it soon changes to shock, with a hint of fear as he looks at me.

"Shit."

It must have clicked in what happened. He's not fool enough to say it out loud, but he knows that I foiled his plans earlier. He knows that I'm the one who took out the Rock shinobi. But he can't say that, or anything related to it, without possibly exposing himself. Now the question is what he'll do with the information he has now.

"I can't believe it all got fucked up to this extent," he mutters. "This is all bullshit, but whatever. Have fun with your mine, Toyama."

"Hey, thanks. I'll have myself a grand old time, since you asked nicely."

He sneers at Jin, but says nothing else.

"Did we have anything to discuss, Mister Komaeda?" I ask. His focus snaps back to me, where he weighs several things on his mind.

"No. But you can expect trouble when you get back to the Leaf."

"Well, I would be a fool to think otherwise."

"Probably. Have yourselves a pleasant day, then. Let's go, all."

Komaeda and his entourage head out. The Leaf shinobi all give me a deep bow of respect before following.

"Is there anything else we can do for you, ma'am?" one of the town administrators asks.

"Please be ready to provide up to date information on Mister Toyama, as there will be an investigation and review of his Bingo Book entry. Other than that, there is nothing else. Thank you for your help today." I turn my head to Jin. "Shall we?"

"Sure. See you guys later."

We head out back onto the streets, where Jin lets out a heavy breath.

"We survived. Wow. Guess we're done, somehow."

"I'll be staying in town until the investigators arrive. They'll be very interested in the information I managed to gather. This is also an opportunity to call the village...and of course, I'll look after you some more in case there are any suspicious actions being taken against your person. Another few days or so."

"Let's celebrate, then. They've got a full service restaurant inside the inn, you know."

"Very interesting."

"The chef makes a nice katsudon. We'll get ourselves a few bowls. Sound good?"

"Lovely."

Jin has been offered somewhere to stay while the land where his house was is taken care of. It's been very well destroyed, so he's going to build a new one in roughly the same place.

We don't see much of each other over the next few days. He has business to take care of, and I keep mostly out of sight while watching Komaeda's movements. He doesn't do anything of substance in the remaining days, aside from pack up and leave. The town, and the Leaf shinobi especially, are all immensely relieved at the news.

The investigators arrive after that. They plan to track down Komaeda, and we discuss what I found as well as what happened on the mission. It will be relayed to the Leaf as soon as possible, but I plan to address things in my own way once I return. I speak to Fio through our private connection, and she's happy to hear that I'm okay. I tell her not to do anything on my behalf, at least before I get back. Security will be increased in the area, and there's been someone assigned to Jin personally. Apparently it's a woman. Hopefully I haven't spoiled him for her too badly with my presence, hmhm.

One of the last things I do is arrange a delivery of valuable minerals to Zen and Airi so that they can sell them for money. I called and discussed the current happenings, mentioning that Jin was looking for buyers on the Hot Water Country side of the mine. Zen was quite excited at the prospect of his own source of Red Iron, and so I agreed to help with the purchase. He's going to start a side company that will oversee operations and management of that part of the mine, and that will work with Jin to handle distribution and refinement. The three of them, plus Yamato Inugami, will be meeting in a few weeks to discuss things further and solidify their agreement.

Finally, it's time for me to leave. Six days have passed since the start of the mission.

"Thought I'd find you here."

I exit the administrative building to find Jin outside of the entrance. He's wearing a shirt, jacket, and tie today. I suppose he wanted to look more professional for his business meetings.

"Come to see me off, have we?"

"I was hoping I could at least say goodbye."

"I see. I was hoping for it, too."

He smiles. "You've done a whole lot for me this past week. More than I could have possibly imagined. Thank you isn't enough, but...I think it's all I can say, over and over again. Thank you, for everything you've done."

"It was my pleasure to serve," I say with my own smile. "Remember to take care of yourself, Mister Toyama. Your life is precious, and always will be."

"I'll remember."

"Good boy." I walk over and pat his cheek gently.

"I can't believe it."

"What might you mean?" I ask. He chuckles in response.

"Almost a week with the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I don't get her name or her number. I figure you're taken, though."

"I am, yes. Not by the type of person you'd expect, either. As for my name...mm. You might remember what I said, the first time we met."

He thinks back on it. "That you had a flair for the dramatic?"

"Mm-hm."

"I can live with that." He gives me another smile. "Then...I guess it's goodbye, Miss Scarlet Viper."

I nod and kiss the tips of my fingers, before pressing them to his lips gently. "Sayonara, Toyama-san. May the heavens continue to bless you."

I shrug on my backpack and start my walk down the main road. My feet take me forward underneath the sun's warmth and brightness. Out of town, and into the countryside again.

I feel a smile come on, my heart filled with warmth once more. And with that energy flowing through me, I start to run.

Through the country, and back to the village I call home.

"..."

It was one life saved. But I believe in what I said. That every life is precious, and carries meaning. Even if I can't save everyone from the abyss, I can at least try to save someone.

I want to be better than the people in my past have been to me.

To never give up, to fight forward, and to win. More than completing missions and following orders...

...that is what it means to be a shinobi.