Journey to Arashigakure

She sighed and hoisted her pack over her shoulders, flicking her long hair out of her face. Today, she would venture out on her own back to her original village. She couldn't help but smile brightly as she departed from the village to Arashigakure, hair pulled back into a single ponytail and dressed in her uniform.

A friend was watching over her little place back in Morigakure, and the shopkeeper across the way was watering her plants. She frowned as she thought of her delicate plants, and prayed that they would survive her trip away from them. Those delicate plants were her life, supporting her with food and the lovely clothing she admired so much. Hopefully, the shopkeeper followed her extensive instructions to the 'T'.

She blinked her eyes and gave the sun a quick glare, silently cursing it as it beat down on her during her travels. She'd never understand why the journey seemed even longer when the sun beamed down on one's shoulders. All she could do to stave off an impending sunburn was apply more of her own homemade salve and drink lots of water.

About midway through her journey, she stopped at the side of the road, curling up leisurely beneath a large willow tree. She'd enjoyed the trip so far, and had decided to take a little time for herself. She smiled softly as she rested beneath the willow tree, searching through her pack for her rations bar to snack on.

Rations bar; a dirty word within her own mouth. The things looked like pieces of chalk, tasted like pieces of chalk, and more than likely... Were pieces of chalk. However, they did fill one's stomach up to the brim just by consuming one, and well.. One couldn't complain about that. She sighed softly and simply took a bite of the chalky bar, sipping on her own home brewed tea from a bottle to wash away the taste.

She gazed up at the sky, the thought of why she was traveling back to the place her origins filling her even more than the chalky ration bar in her stomach. She sighed as a breeze picked up and tossed her long hair about, drying the beads of sweat gathering on her forehead. The anticipation in her body almost made her want to get back up and run the rest of the way there.

She would have to meet the people who raised her first; the elderly ladies at the orphanage, and stay there with them temporarily. However, she didn't mind. She couldn't wait to see how some of the younger children had grown since she'd left. Some had been inspired to become ninja like herself, and she couldn't wait to see their progress. However, most of all, she couldn't wait to see him.

She wasn't sure what she'd do when she did see him, but most of all she just hoped he didn't forget about her. However, she could forgive him if he did; he was a Kage. He had more important matters than a simple kunochi who ran the local flower shop. She sighed and took the last bite of her ration bar, getting up and tucking the trash away neatly into a pocket. She took another sip of her bottled tea, and put that away too, only afterwards beginning on her trip again.

She smelt Arashigakure before she saw the massive village. Her turquoise eyes twinkled as she looked upon the massive walls of the city, silently admiring the design of the snake-like things. It did not take very long for Arashigakure guards to accost her, one recognizing her right away and enveloping her in an incredibly tight hug. She did her best to smile and tell him that if he squeezed any tighter, he'd crush her fragile bones.

He laughed and released her, and they both escorted her back to the village gates and into Arashigakure itself, questioning her all the way. She answered politely of course, since of course they were mostly just doing their job. However, she couldn't help smiling softly and noting to herself as she looked around that her home hadn't changed all that much since she'd left.

They parted ways soon, the guards promising they'd visit her sooner or later, and she headed in the direction of the orphanage. As she approached the gate out front, the small children playing outside paused in their games to observe the pretty lady entering into 'their' territory. She slowly approached the front door ringing the bell outside gently as the children gathered around her outside, watching her every move.

Then the door open to a very elderly lady whose eyes widened to comical size as she took in the sight at her door. She smiled and hugged Enzeru gently, and Enzeru returning the hug with a broad grin. Soon all the other ladies were surrounding her, pulling her in and taking her pack, asking millions of questions and cooing over her. She couldn't help but laugh her soft little laugh and answer every question they shot at her.

Later that afternoon, as she stood over a pot of soup, with a child attached to the sleeve of her kimono, she couldn't help but feel at home. She smiled down at the dark haired little girl with her bright blue eyes. Yes, it really felt great to finally be back.