Kaiyo sat up straighter, her body feeling numb, “how did I get in Konoha? Did Koji...run all that way?” She cast a sideways glance at him. He was snoring quietly; he murmured something in his sleep. She shifted her position uncomfortably and studied the Leaf shinobi. She didn't seem like a threat but Kaiyo was suspicious of her; after all, they are from different shinobi villages.
Koji woke up with a start and smiled with relief when he saw her awake. “You're alright,” he said quietly and she nodded. “I was really worried about you.” Kaiyo was a little surprised because he really meant it, he was serious...and it scared her. She had no idea way.
“Sakura-san said that you're not 100% yet and still need to rest, so you can stay here in Konoha for a bit,” Kyoko said looking at them both. “Oh I forgot, you probably don't know who Sakura-san is...she's the medic Nin that helped your...uh...girlfriend?” She said to Koji and he looked down slightly.
“I'm not his girlfriend, we're just friends.” Kaiyo was regaining her former strength as it slowly returned. She got out of the small bed and stood on a cold titled floor with bare feet. “Koji, we should stay a while. What do you think?” Kaiyo asked him, with a raised eyebrow. Her blue eyes sparkling with intensity.
“It doesn't matter, it'll be good to be staying in a bed then on the cold, hard ground.” He said, he was trying hard not to be upset about Kaiyo's last comment. He smiled slightly and shrugged. He looked at the Leaf Nin, who was still sitting in a chair. “Mind showing us around?” He asked innocently to the girl. There was a knock at the door and it opened revealing a tall woman with blond hair and another with black hair, followed by a small pig.
“Ah, you're awake. Good, that's good.” The blond woman said, she was pretty with intense brown eyes and a diamond shape on her forehead. “I am the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. Under strict guidance, of course, you may stay in the Leaf. Hm...Shizune!” The black haired woman gave a start and looked at the Hokage.
“Yes, Tsunade-sama?” Shizune asked, the Hokage looked at her.
“What teams are on a mission? These Mist shinobi need to be watched carefully.” Shizune thought hard, and the Hokage waved off the question. “No, never mind, I'll find someone.” Kyoko moved within sight and cleared her throat politely. Tsunade looked at the girl.
“I could watch them, Lady Hokage, after all I am a Jonin.” Kyoko asked, trying to keep the excitement out her voice. The Hokage sighed.
“Alright, Kyoko, you can have the mission. This is your first mission as a Jonin, so don't mess this up. A simple Chunin mission.” The Hokage said finally, Kyoko looked a little down, but was happy to be given the mission. “You start immediately, good luck.” The Hokage turned around with her assistant at her heels.
Kaiyo had a blank expression, “you know, if we're going to stay; we should see the village.” She said, her legs trembling from the coldness of the floor. She looked around for her shoes. Koji stood behind her, and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Right over there,” he said pointing to a far corner. She waved a little as a thanks and slipped on her shoes. Kyoko opened the doors for them after Kaiyo checked herself out of the hospital; secretly glad to be outside. The sun was blinding and people on the streets stopped for a second and looked at the shinobi that don't belong there. They continued walking when Kaiyo shot them a look.
“Well, you're probably hungry...so I guess we'll go to a restaurant...there's ramen, the best in Konoha...dango, BBQ” Kyoko listed some more food items and pointed out the restaurants that sold it. Everything smelt good. Except ramen didn't sound too good since it was the only thing they ate for a while.
“Hey, lady!” someone shouted, it sounded like a kid. Kaiyo turned around and saw a boy with a scarf wrapped around his neck and it was warm outside. He was smiling slightly and his dark eyes wide with curiosity mixed with excitement.
“Are you talking to me?” Kaiyo said looking at the kid, “well, we've got older people stuff to do...so go away. Shoo.” She said making a sweeping motion in the other direction, the kid didn't seem to happy about this. Two more kids joined him; a girl with light brown hair in pig tails, goggles on her forehead like the other children. The other was another boy with black hair and glasses, he had a constant runny noise. “More?” Kaiyo said with a raised eyebrow, she shrugged and walk past the trio. “Come on, let's go. I don't have time for these childish games. Koji, come on.” She grabbed his arm and walked in front of Kyoko. The kids were whispering something and the girl was blushing, her already rosy cheeks slightly redder.
“The kids were genin, they don't mean any harm. The one with brown hair's name is Konohamaru, and is the Third Hokage's grandson. The girl is Moegi and the other is Udon.” Kaiyo wasn't really listening until Koji swift kicked her shin. She curse quietly under her breath and he had an innocent smile.
“Interesting, that's great. Now where are we going to eat?” Kaiyo asked imagining a bruise forming on her leg. They finally decided on ramen, much to Kaiyo's disappointment...but it did taste good.
“Where's Naruto-kun? He's usually here. Are they on a mission?” Kyoko asked the chief standing behind the counter, he shook his head.
“You're asking the wrong person, I have no idea who goes on missions at what time. Besides, I should think so since I haven't seen him for a few days.” He looked in the direction of the Mist shinobi. “Are they allowed to be here?” he asked her pointing at them. Kyoko nodded.
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What are we going to do, Akane?” Akito asked in a small voice while walking down the main street. The houses that were destroyed were slowly being repaired and the everyday life of the Iwa shinobi was getting back to normal. Akane and Akito were welcomed back from their mission and the Tsuchikage explained to them that it was actually very dangerous for genin to seek out the Akatsuki and he said it was just to gain their interest.
“Well, I don't know! What could we do, after all...were just unless pathetic genin. I want to be strong! It's not fair!” Akane threw a small stone through a window and watched it shatter. Nobody would notice another broken window. As if a secret radar that only mother's have went off, Akane's mother peered around the corner and saw the broken glass at her feet.
“Akane! Did you brake a window?!” her mother shouted and came up behind her, scaring her daughter. Her mother grabbed her arm and dragged her home. With Akane in constant protest. Akito stood there looking around the corner for her own mother to appear. She started walking home, and ran into her mother eventually.
Akito went home with her and locked herself in her room and searched for her sketch book. Same spot where she left it—under her bed in the closest corner. She found her ink pens on her desk and lightly made simple lines that would form whatever came to mind. Her mother yelled from the kitchen that dinner was ready and to come out of her room. She got out of the comfortable chair and looked at what she drew, it looked like the Akatsuki member that was dropping the bombs. Deidara was his name and she tore out the picture and threw it in the waste basket by her door. Her mother very impatient at this point.
After her dinner, her mother told her not to stay up so late drawing and go to sleep at a reasonable hour. Her mother gave her a kiss on her cheek and hugged her for a long while. “Don't get into any trouble, alright?” she said ruffling her hair. Akito went back to her room and switched on the lights thinking about what her mother meant. She sat down at her desk and put her head down, closing her eyes. A soft pinging woke her up at exactly midnight, she opened her window and looked down. Akane was there with a large bag beside her.
“I'm running away, are you coming?” Akane shouted at her window, Akito standing still. She looked down the hall to see her mother washing dishes and she quickly wrote a note to her mother explaining what happened. She packed some of her belongings in a backpack and signaled for Akane to catch it. She followed behind by climbing down the vines along the walls of her house.
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Kaiyo and Koji followed Kyoko to see the Hokage after their dinner, Shizune came to find them. When they arrived the Hokage was sitting at a large desk with tented fingers. “I've decided to give you an apartment to stay in as long as you are here in Konoha. Shizune will give you a key. Kyoko,” She directed at the other girl standing there, “you will go and guide them...keeping a close eye on them at all times. As for you two, I need to know your names. It would be better then calling you 'Mist shinobi'.”
“My name is Takahashi Kaiyo, his name is...Koji.” Kaiyo looked at him and he nodded. The Hokage nodded and Shizune gave them a small silver key. Kyoko was told where the apartment was and she took them there, the moon beginning to raise and the stars shinning. Finally they arrived at the apartment and Kyoko turned on her heels, and gave them a friendly wave before she went home. Kaiyo opened the door with the key. It was fully furnished with violet colored curtains; a bathroom on the left and two doors on either side, Koji opened one of them.
“It's a bedroom, hm...let's see the other room.” He said opening the other door, and it was another bedroom, Kaiyo was in the kitchen looking in the fridge. “So, there's two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and living room. In the kitchen is a fridge and oven, including a microwave. Wow, we really have it made here.” He said sitting down on the couch testing a lamp on the small coffee table.
“Well, I'm going to go to sleep, goodnight Koji.” She said choosing the door on the right of the bathroom.
“Goodnight,” he said and continued sitting on the couch; where he eventually fell asleep with the lamp still on.