Homecoming
Before the Sleeping forest organization was formed.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore Kankurō, you don't listen to me. I am not like the others." Saya shouted
"You made a promise, you would be one of the 30 to lead the next generation." Kankurō angrily challenged
" It's not for me, I can't handle to weight I don't want to be stuck in one place teaching.." Saya replied
"You are being so selfish, the world is rebuilding. We can't sit still and let the rest of world overlap us. We only have one chance to prepare the next generation." Kankuro pressed
"I just can't deal with this anymore, I am sorry I wasted your time. I am sorry I am the only one out of the thirty that could be your successor. But you will find another ninja to learn your puppet techniques." Saya commented
Kankurō exhaled and turned stomping away. He wasn't done with it, and Saya knew that whole heartly. She went home and as she was about to slip into her bed covers and sleep but she hesitated. She paused and found she couldn't do it anymore. After almost 6 months of this road she couldn't handle it. She felt sick just thinking of another day arguing with Kankurō or worse Training the genin more intensely then she had ever been trained . She packed everything she had and left the same night. Within the city of Konoha she found herself shopping a week later.
She had cut her hair down to just resting on her shoulders and dyed it black. When she looked in the mirror she didn't even recognize herself. During the day she wore the clothing similar to the folks who lived in the trade district. She missed her clothing but she knew better than to walk around in her own skin when she needed to hide. She forced her way into one of the homes the night she arrived.
The owners were elderly folk, and it took no effort to move around them. Sharing it with them without them knowing she found the nights more than the days to be heavy. She was consumed by both fear of being captured for abandoning her village and afraid of what she would do now with her life. She had split Konoha into districts to shop only in each area a single day. There she would encounter Ryūsui, he was posing as a merchant. He carried with him a long elegant umbrella. Appearing north of sixty he walked around with surprising nimbleness. His eyes met with hers and he took interest in her immediately it appeared to her.
Saya waved him off and continued traveling picking through the shops but when he approached her directly she gave him a warning look. He didn't even flinch, his near invulnerability to her warning outraged her. A smile formed on his lips and he wrote on a note something for her, she walked away before he finished. When he was done he jumped ahead landing in front of her who walked slowly expecting the older man to not chase her down.
"Please It may not look it but we are kindred spirits, I am also lost." Ryūsui stated as he threw the note at her
"If your lost go find yourself, leave me alone or you will regret it." Saya almost hissed
"If you read that note and still say no, I will leave you alone I promise." Ryūsui stated
Saya gave him a disapproving look. But as if to read her mind he told her she had nothing to lose. She opened the paper and it was a simple message. She looked up at him and he raised his eyebrows wondering what she might say. She reread the message again.
"My name is Ryūsui , I too hide from what I was. I know you're a missing nin, just as I am. It is safer to travel in pairs they say. Join me?" Ryūsui note read
Saya gave him a funny look and almost laughed. Ryūsui slid his eyes to the right towards Anbu ninja. He appeared without warning which caused her great distress. It was a slow glance, a warning but she saw it as a threat. Saya followed his eyes and turned away. She moved trying to avoid the Anbu attention but leaving relatively fast. Yet the Anbu's eyes did not leave her. He followed as she went into the market . Ryūsui smiled ear to ear as he went the other way. Saya found herself in a cat and mouse chase for an hour before finally losing him. Ryūsui found her eating alone in front of a shrine by sunset.
Before he could react she had her doll with her. Her eyes looked sharply at him, and she slid into a fighting stance. She tugged at a string not as a warning but as a set up for an offensive move. From his back he pulled his umbrella casting it above him before using a hand sign turning it into three. He used Senbon Shower to drop down a barrage of needles. Saya jumped back doing two back flips before clearing the distance. The string she had was released from her hand. Another barrage of needles rained down she slipped into the earth melding with it. He did not expect this she swam through the earth like one did a body of water. She reached his legs but before she could attack she saw two more umbrella in the are above her ready to pierce them both.
"I have nothing to live for, try me." Ryūsui Dared her
"Maybe but I suspect you're a narcissist. And very attached to your life." Saya replied
"You already proved my point by being here, it isn't safe for you going it alone." Ryūsui stated
"Traveling with a snake will resolved that?" Saya replied
"A business partner, I used to instruct in Konoha before defecting. I know how to survive on the run. Your new to it, your strong I admit it. Maybe stronger than me possibly." Ryūsui stated
"What do I get out of it?" Saya asked
"50/50 even split." Ryūsui stated
"70/30 my way, I held back and you know it. I bet you can sense how much stronger I am then you." Saya replied
"Fine have it your way, I have our first mission if your interested. A business partner fell on hard times and was captured sent to prison. I want him free and he has the wealth to pay us for the trouble." Ryūsui stated.
"Where are we heading?" questioned
"Land of iron. Ryūsui replied
Saya agreed against better judgement once Ryūsui tossed her a bag of gold. He called it a down payment on her payment once his business partner had been freed. Ryūsui was a gentlemen as much as he could be. They traveled together but slept in separate camps. Saya Bobby trapped her camp so well Ryūsui expected to die five times before reaching her. But it did allow Ryūsui to learn that she specialized in poisons, and traps. Before reaching the land of Iron Ryūsui stopped them.
"Before we go any further I am not Ryūsui, I used the moniker to hide my identity. My name is Aoi Rokushō." Aoi admitted finally
"If your story is true and you did teach in Konoha before it made sense you changed your name." Saya said off handedly.
"Good I am glad that didn't bring a divide between us." Aoi
72 hours later they brought Guren to an abandoned house an hour away from the prison he had been stuck in. They asked him a dozen questions each but he couldn't speak. Using paper he wrote down a single sentence.
"My voice has been taken from me, I cannot speak. I must find a cure." Guren wrote down
Saya examined him, he had very long hair past his waist. A deep beard that only happened after more than a year of growing. And while he was fit he looked a fraction of the man he was. Gengo explained what had happened to him which allowed Saya to make a plan to fix him. Saya found an entry point in his body, using her puppet technique she grabbed onto a needle that had been lodged into him and pulled it out. She sewed him up and fixed what she could.
"I can speak." Gengo shouted as soon as he could
"How did you fix him?" Aoi asked.
"I create puppets, my master taught me to make them even from the dead. Keeping their strengths in life to serve us. I am not a medic but I know the psyiology of men quite well." Saya admitted
"My voice its broken." Gengo screamed
"Calm yourself you sound fine." Aoi replied
"I can't use my gift anymore." Gengo howled.
"I am not a medical ninja, your voice is back be grateful." Saya replied
"I …." Gengo answered back
"We need to leave sooner than later, before they discover your disappearance." Aoi insisted.
"Where is my payment, he is out of there. I want to be paid." Saya insisted.
"Not now, we haven't escaped." Aoi replied
"I think he is free and speaking so I deserve payment." Saya replied
"She is right, give her whatever you have on you and I will repay you when we reach my sanctuary. No wait we need to go back. We need to free two associates who will be vital for the future."
"Who?" Aoi asked
"Who cares, give me what is mine." Saya exclaimed
Aoi handed her two bags of gold and sharply looked at Gengo. Gengo gave a nod acknowledging the debt.
"We need to free Zōri and Waraji. They are well connected, they aren't worth dirt otherwise but we can build something with their knowledge." Gengo stated.
"Build something?" Saya eyed the man.
"You got paid already, do you want another payment? Help me get the two men and then when we reach his sanctuary you will get another payment." Aoi insisted
"Please we are running out of time, if we don't act now they will lock the prison down even more and we will need an army to get in." Gengo implored.
Twelve hours passed before they returned. Gengo hadn't slept since they left. When they arrived Aoi entered first, he was wounded and appeared nearly dead of exhaustion. His body had been healed but he was limping. Zori and Waraji entered next as Saya threw them into the room. They had bags over their heads both had been chanting. Gengo moved closer until he could hear better realizing they were praying. Saya entered then she had been wounded but was the best of the present company. She had to thank Kankurō for pushing her training to force her physical limits to increase.
Gengo talked to the two first which calmed them down. They left after a week, not daring to travel when the search for the three was at its worst. Saya and Aoi both took turns gathering supplies, medical first then food. Eventually they reached the Sanctuary. Only then did Gengo feel free and safe. He paid Saya but asked her to stay. He then offered to make her more powerful and she laughed herself silly. Gengo cuirassed his beard and held back his words. When she stopped laughing and turned to leave, he told her that he knew of a man who stole scrolls of research from Orochimaru. This caused her to pause.
"I can offer you the Parasite Demon Demolition Technique, Orochimaru studied it in depth. Aoi told me of your fighting style in his detailed retelling of both prison break ins."
"Orochimaru? What does it do?" Saya asked curiously.
"It allows a user to invade another persons body and reform. To take over their body. It would make your weakness not so vulnerable. Your ranged attacks will make you strong at any range." Gengo offered
"I don't want it." Saya replied off handedly.
"I enjoy my body I don't want to share another's…" Saya Said
Her mind envisioned her doll using it. Then she imagined Kakuro's doll Sasori. She would steal his doll. Her strength would increase drastically. She smiled ear to ear, this caused Gengo to do the same.
"I will stay." Saya agreed
"I need a favor from you." Gengo asked
"What is it?" Saya asked
"I want to see the real you, I know you altered yourself to hide from your village." Gengo asked
"I did, why does it matter." Saya asked
"If I wore a mask wouldn't you want to see my face to know me?" Gengo replied.
"I guess." Saya answered.
She gave a nod but left unsure of what he wanted. She removed the coloring from her hair and returned in her clothing. No longer choosing to hide in another. She returned to Gengo an hour later her hair fixed as best she could. He smiled at her but she ignored it.
"I see you now, your beautiful even more then before." Gengo commented
"Save it for someone else, if you don't need anything else." Saya said turning away
"I do need something else. Can you help me, I have been In prison a long time. I need to shave a cut all this hair." Gengo asked
"Do I look like a barber to you?" Saya said with an annoyed tone
"No but I would rather ask you, I will make it up to you." Gengo stated
Saya rolled her eyes and walked over. He sat down in a chair and she saw the prepared scissors he had left for her. He closed his eyes and she began to cut away his hair. The man changed from a creature found in the wilderness to a Politian. Only his scurffy beard was left. She told him he was done and he opened his eyes. She walked away without looking at him. He called her name and asked her to tell him why she left her village. She declined but he insisted. She turned towards him and began to talk. He shaved himself clean as she spoke. Her eyes watched him closely. When he finished he smiled at her this time a flirtatious smile.
"I don't know what your thinking." Saya mumbled
"It looks like we were both hiding behind the dirt. Your golden eyes are quite striking now that I look at you closely." Gengo said as we talked towards her
He gave her a wink.
"Thank you…" Saya replied
"Coming from a man who has been in jail for a long time, you might think a old maiden would just about sway me as well."
Gengo said with a small chuckle. Saya licked her lips as she looked at Gengo.
"I have heard so many men tell me I am beautiful so don't think its anything special. I already know that I am." Saya replied
"Yes that may be true, but those men aren't me. Wouldn't you rather hear it from me then any of them." Gengo asked
"I thought you wanted me to stay for my strength not so I can be your lover." Saya blurted out.
Saya face turned red and Gengo could see cherry red on her cheeks.
"I want you to stay, you can do with that information whatever you will it. As for your room, pick any of them. Before the other three get to pick." Gengo replied
"Your just saying that because you want something from me?" Saya said defensively
"This may come as a surprise to you…but I am often nice to beautiful women. I won't chase you if your worried about that, if you want me my doors open." Gengo replied
"I don't chase men." Saya replied her face flush red.
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