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Description
- - Chapter One; the Beginning to Something - -
Not long after the initial regimes went off to aid in the hidden village war, many children of the Mist, Rain and other countries were left orphaned. Numerous who had the strength and will to go on became bandits in an attempt to survive; the weaker simply vanished with the winds. Any blood limits possessed by left behind carriers were either unable to use it or were taken away to be used as a tool of the war.

A small figure remained obscured in the shadows of the alley way, out of view and interest by passers by. Face remained hidden by a makeshift hood to ward off the plummeting rain. Winter in the Mist was harsh for anyone in the village and cruel to any who had nothing at all to live on. The miniscule silhouette emerged from the sanctity of being non-existent and scurried over to a nearby fruit and bread stand. The sheets of wood were covered by various bowels and platters, all bearing a small portion of what the merchants had to offer. A gush of wind hammered past, and headed out to the opposite side where the sea awaited its return. The hood fell off the top of the child sized figures head. Positively a female with: acute features and pale pigmented skin, slender frame and lengthened brown hair.

She was rather small, even more so as she hunched over to retain any remaining body heat she managed to retain. The merchants' back turned to a customer; this was her chance to take a small package for the week. Swift with her hands, she snatched up a small loaf of bread and an apple or two and shoved them into the hidden pockets of her overly large cloak. It had intricate insignias over it, base colour of black with a cerulean design on the back, obviously an emblem. It was to onlookers to either have been stolen, or perhaps the girl was some petty rejection from a clan.

A passing woman noticed her taking the food and pointed at her. She bellowed out, "Thief!" All eyes turned to the girl, and the merchants angered eyes met hers.

"If it were easier times, maybe I wouldn't mind. But that IS my earnings and hard work. Either PAY for it, or I am going to have you taken away." He warned in a clear but harsh tone.

She gazed back and forth between each set of prying eyes. Within that moment, she vanished. Whispers of panic and confusion passed through the crowed but they soon got over it after an hour or so of discussion. There was no place of irregular orphans in a ravaged country; she knew this well. As night slithered over the twilight skies, she found refuge under a travellers' cart. Within a few hours she awoke to find her side being prodded at quite painfully.

A commanding and a rather disturbed and hoarse male voice roared aloud "Hey! Hey you! Wake up you little shit-head."

She unravelled herself from the warm protection of her cloak and faced the figure of a stocky and porky man. Their eyes met; his beady and simple to read whereas hers were faded with pain, envy, and many more emotions than the illiterate man could account for. A smug grin tugged at the corners of what seemed to by his fat-ridden lips. She flinched unnoticeably as a small voice in the back of her head uttered warnings to her. He raised a messy eyebrow before slapping a length of rope around her leg.

"Well, either come with me or rot and starve out the remainder of your existence." He paused before continuing on, "Also, I am entitled to knowing your name, girl" He sneered.

She shuddered delicately in the cool passing breeze before whispering out in a lightened tone of butterscotch, "Imiko, sir"

Imiko noted the prominent grin to the word 'sir'. Obviously he could get used to it. Within a week they had left the isolated reaches of the poverty ridden Mist village. Neither really spoke or acknowledged each other, though the grouch leads the dominance in the partnership. He stated that they were bound for the Hidden Leaf, he said that it was safe and still had a good income. He was all about money, the way he sneered and narrowed those beady hawk-like eyes at the mere mention of it.
Still caught up in the rain, they were a few days travel from the mist. If she were on foot, she could easily reach the village in a much quicker time, but low on energy and doubt and confusion twisting her judgement, it was a helpless case. They took refuge at a rest stop, tired travellers and other sinister faced people minded their own as they sipped at their warm tea and lightly nibbled away at portions of dumplings. Obviously a final food and replenishment stop before making a few days without another stop. Imiko slipped away from the man's line of sight to quietly observe two ninjas sparring around the back.

She had always been overly curious with weaponry and fast paced action. More so as these two were using kunai and katanas. Imi lowered into a crouch and narrowed her rather bright cerulean eyes at the clashing combatants. A familiar roar containing; "Imiko you runt!" ended her observation session. She bolted back around the corner, her back fading from the sight of the two ninja.

"Yes sir? Did I do something wrong," Imiko muttered in a stoic tone.

The large man's face distorted in agitation. "Stay in my damn sight, child. Or I'll kick your ass all the way to the leaf." He spat.

Imiko flinched slightly at the malice. She jumped onto the back of the cart, and they then set off. She could sense the rage seething from the grumpy being she called master. A sigh passed from her mouth, reminiscing about the days of an earlier life. With a heavy shower of rain to accompany them to the leaf, it allowed Imiko's heavily burdened conscience to clear. She was able to drive out the doubt in her heart that had nestled so deeply within her, no thanks to the old Merchant, and her own regrets. The cart drew to a halt, and two younger voices were now within range of her hearing.

"Greetings there traveller, before you enter the village I will need you to state name and business of entry"

Imiko pushed off her arms to launch herself out the back of the cart. A blue haired ninja with a bandage across his nose and cheeks gawked momentarily at her. Obviously in some kind of speculation, due to the scrutinizing way his eyes penetrated her personal barrier. Either way it didn't bother her. A woman suddenly dropped in on them.

"Hey Kotetsu"

"Kurenai, what's up?"

Kurenai was the most beautiful woman Imiko had ever laid her eyes on. She looked rather similar to her mother, though her eyes were completely off scale. She flinched, the crimson in the woman's' eyes suddenly startled her. The Merchant growled and drove a fist into her gut. With a choke and convulsion, she puked. Kurenai frowned.

"Hey! Was that really necessary?"

The Merchant recomposed himself "Of course. If you're interested in buying her, I do great offers"

"Buying"

"That's right. This little pile of filth has caused nothing but trouble for me"

"Define trouble"

"Well, we have had several men track us for certain periods of time, but just like that, they disappear after three or so days."

Imiko glowered and butted in faintly. "They were Mist ninja, probably looking for me"

The Merchant went to go at her again, this time stopped by Kurenai.

"I think I will take the girl sir, if that's okay with you"

Imiko blinked, knowing simply by the woman's tone that it was not a question of permission. The sloppy old man blinked, as Kurenai escorted Imiko away the same way she had made entry. They stopped at an estate like building, Imiko assumed it was to be the Villages' leaders' residence. They went inside and reached a hallway.

"Um, excuse me, but where are we going? This looks like a Kages' residence"

Kurenai nodded, in an almost praising way "That's right, good observation. Did you remember from your village?"

"I don't know. I wasn't an academy student there. I was privately tutored by exceptional shinobi"

"Tutored" Just as Kurenai slipped out her question, she turned a handle to enter a rather spacious room. Towards the centre-back, a desk occupied a fair amount of space. There, sat a few people. Imiko knew by the puffy vests that two wore, that they were at least chuunin rank. In the middle was an aged man, wearing distinguishable robes and, in Imiko's opinion, a really 'lame' hat.

Kurenai stopped a few feet from the desk, and slightly urged Imiko forwards. Imiko shuddered unnoticeably upon contact.

"Lord Hokage, this girl mentioned something about being tracked by Mist ninja, I thought she best tell her story to you first"

The elderly man etched himself forwards in his large chair. "Why hello there my dear, would you be so kind as to tell me what has been happening?"

Imiko complied, as she could find no signs of hostility whatsoever in the entire room. "I am Imiko ,from the Village Hidden in the Mist." The room seemed silent, but she felt comfortable to continue. "I left form the provenance a few months ago, after an incident. I suspect I am being tracked due to my failure to explain what had happened."

Kurenai turned her head to the Hokage, then back to Imiko "You said you were not an academy student, under a tutorage of some form..?"

"Oh, yeah, that's correct"

The Hokage puffed his pipe twice, rather transfixed on the girl that stood before her. "Can you tell me who your sensei was?"

"Ah, yeah. Kisame Hoshigaki. Also Zabuza Momochi and a few others in their faction"

One of the green-vested men blurted out "WHAAA!? The Swordsmen of the Mist, taught you!?"

"Yes" Imiko slurred out, completely in shock.

The old man recollected his thoughts briefly. "I see, how long were you taught by them?"

"Zabuza, only a month or so, Raiga I didn't get along with so well, and Kisame for about a year or so."

"And how long ago was this?"

"Zabuza and Raiga, when they were still apart of the village, and Kisame was before I left."

"Kisame had left the village though"

"I know, we met up time and time to thrown down some techniques."

"But you aren't at all affiliated with his activities"

"No."

The Hokage nodded, and the rest of the room sighed slightly, their tension and alarm easing. The ninja that had spoken out before turned his head to one side. "Were you ever ranked?"

"Um, apparently I have the potential for." Before she could finish, Kurenai intervened her reply.

"I think the poor girl has been interrogated enough, Iruka" Having been saved from further need to speak, Imiko waited patiently for the Hokage to conclude the conversation.

"Kurenai, see that the girl is bathed, fed and given a room to stay in."

"Of course"

The kind kunoichi escorted Imiko out of the large facility and into the bustling streets of the village. They walked off to the bathhouse, Imiko knew it was such due to the moist, yet warm and clean smelling fragrance illuminating from the East. "Right, just swap your clothes for a towel, and I'll have them washed for you while you clean yourself up." Imiko nodded simultaneously as she looked into a reflective window, silently having a fit at the grubby Rukai girl in front of her. She examined her reflection upon the warm waters' surface. A more natural colour was now visible, and her Amazonian like hair had returned to its usual positioning; fringe covering the right side of her face and reasonably neat layers flowing backwards, the length of her hair extended just past her shoulder blades due to the water. She pulled herself out of the water and shoved her towel around herself. When she walked back to the changing rooms, her clothes were neatly pressed into a basket.

All the mud stains and general untidiness had seemingly vanished.
Imiko pressed her head against the soft fabrics of her clothes before swiftly putting them back on. Her cloak was still a few sized in excess of her own. Imiko met Kurenai outside, and was once again escorted to another location. This time, it was a house. "You can stay with me 'till we have something more suitable sorted out for you, depending on whether you wish to stay here or not"

Imiko nodded gratefully "Thank you so very much, Kurenai. As for staying, I'm not sure as of yet as my bringing up into being a shinobi is not in the same as the Leafs."

"How then, were you taught?"

"I was taught to be obedient, loyal, and most importantly, to kill without emotional attachments"

Description
- - Chapter One; the Beginning to Something - -
Not long after the initial regimes went off to aid in the hidden village war, many children of the Mist, Rain and other countries were left orphaned. Numerous who had the strength and will to go on became bandits in an attempt to survive; the weaker simply vanished with the winds. Any blood limits possessed by left behind carriers were either unable to use it or were taken away to be used as a tool of the war.

A small figure remained obscured in the shadows of the alley way, out of view and interest by passers by. Face remained hidden by a makeshift hood to ward off the plummeting rain. Winter in the Mist was harsh for anyone in the village and cruel to any who had nothing at all to live on. The miniscule silhouette emerged from the sanctity of being non-existent and scurried over to a nearby fruit and bread stand. The sheets of wood were covered by various bowels and platters, all bearing a small portion of what the merchants had to offer. A gush of wind hammered past, and headed out to the opposite side where the sea awaited its return. The hood fell off the top of the child sized figures head. Positively a female with: acute features and pale pigmented skin, slender frame and lengthened brown hair.

She was rather small, even more so as she hunched over to retain any remaining body heat she managed to retain. The merchants' back turned to a customer; this was her chance to take a small package for the week. Swift with her hands, she snatched up a small loaf of bread and an apple or two and shoved them into the hidden pockets of her overly large cloak. It had intricate insignias over it, base colour of black with a cerulean design on the back, obviously an emblem. It was to onlookers to either have been stolen, or perhaps the girl was some petty rejection from a clan.

A passing woman noticed her taking the food and pointed at her. She bellowed out, "Thief!" All eyes turned to the girl, and the merchants angered eyes met hers.

"If it were easier times, maybe I wouldn't mind. But that IS my earnings and hard work. Either PAY for it, or I am going to have you taken away." He warned in a clear but harsh tone.

She gazed back and forth between each set of prying eyes. Within that moment, she vanished. Whispers of panic and confusion passed through the crowed but they soon got over it after an hour or so of discussion. There was no place of irregular orphans in a ravaged country; she knew this well. As night slithered over the twilight skies, she found refuge under a travellers' cart. Within a few hours she awoke to find her side being prodded at quite painfully.

A commanding and a rather disturbed and hoarse male voice roared aloud "Hey! Hey you! Wake up you little shit-head."

She unravelled herself from the warm protection of her cloak and faced the figure of a stocky and porky man. Their eyes met; his beady and simple to read whereas hers were faded with pain, envy, and many more emotions than the illiterate man could account for. A smug grin tugged at the corners of what seemed to by his fat-ridden lips. She flinched unnoticeably as a small voice in the back of her head uttered warnings to her. He raised a messy eyebrow before slapping a length of rope around her leg.

"Well, either come with me or rot and starve out the remainder of your existence." He paused before continuing on, "Also, I am entitled to knowing your name, girl" He sneered.

She shuddered delicately in the cool passing breeze before whispering out in a lightened tone of butterscotch, "Imiko, sir"

Imiko noted the prominent grin to the word 'sir'. Obviously he could get used to it. Within a week they had left the isolated reaches of the poverty ridden Mist village. Neither really spoke or acknowledged each other, though the grouch leads the dominance in the partnership. He stated that they were bound for the Hidden Leaf, he said that it was safe and still had a good income. He was all about money, the way he sneered and narrowed those beady hawk-like eyes at the mere mention of it.
Still caught up in the rain, they were a few days travel from the mist. If she were on foot, she could easily reach the village in a much quicker time, but low on energy and doubt and confusion twisting her judgement, it was a helpless case. They took refuge at a rest stop, tired travellers and other sinister faced people minded their own as they sipped at their warm tea and lightly nibbled away at portions of dumplings. Obviously a final food and replenishment stop before making a few days without another stop. Imiko slipped away from the man's line of sight to quietly observe two ninjas sparring around the back.

She had always been overly curious with weaponry and fast paced action. More so as these two were using kunai and katanas. Imi lowered into a crouch and narrowed her rather bright cerulean eyes at the clashing combatants. A familiar roar containing; "Imiko you runt!" ended her observation session. She bolted back around the corner, her back fading from the sight of the two ninja.

"Yes sir? Did I do something wrong," Imiko muttered in a stoic tone.

The large man's face distorted in agitation. "Stay in my damn sight, child. Or I'll kick your ass all the way to the leaf." He spat.

Imiko flinched slightly at the malice. She jumped onto the back of the cart, and they then set off. She could sense the rage seething from the grumpy being she called master. A sigh passed from her mouth, reminiscing about the days of an earlier life. With a heavy shower of rain to accompany them to the leaf, it allowed Imiko's heavily burdened conscience to clear. She was able to drive out the doubt in her heart that had nestled so deeply within her, no thanks to the old Merchant, and her own regrets. The cart drew to a halt, and two younger voices were now within range of her hearing.

"Greetings there traveller, before you enter the village I will need you to state name and business of entry"

Imiko pushed off her arms to launch herself out the back of the cart. A blue haired ninja with a bandage across his nose and cheeks gawked momentarily at her. Obviously in some kind of speculation, due to the scrutinizing way his eyes penetrated her personal barrier. Either way it didn't bother her. A woman suddenly dropped in on them.

"Hey Kotetsu"

"Kurenai, what's up?"

Kurenai was the most beautiful woman Imiko had ever laid her eyes on. She looked rather similar to her mother, though her eyes were completely off scale. She flinched, the crimson in the woman's' eyes suddenly startled her. The Merchant growled and drove a fist into her gut. With a choke and convulsion, she puked. Kurenai frowned.

"Hey! Was that really necessary?"

The Merchant recomposed himself "Of course. If you're interested in buying her, I do great offers"

"Buying"

"That's right. This little pile of filth has caused nothing but trouble for me"

"Define trouble"

"Well, we have had several men track us for certain periods of time, but just like that, they disappear after three or so days."

Imiko glowered and butted in faintly. "They were Mist ninja, probably looking for me"

The Merchant went to go at her again, this time stopped by Kurenai.

"I think I will take the girl sir, if that's okay with you"

Imiko blinked, knowing simply by the woman's tone that it was not a question of permission. The sloppy old man blinked, as Kurenai escorted Imiko away the same way she had made entry. They stopped at an estate like building, Imiko assumed it was to be the Villages' leaders' residence. They went inside and reached a hallway.

"Um, excuse me, but where are we going? This looks like a Kages' residence"

Kurenai nodded, in an almost praising way "That's right, good observation. Did you remember from your village?"

"I don't know. I wasn't an academy student there. I was privately tutored by exceptional shinobi"

"Tutored" Just as Kurenai slipped out her question, she turned a handle to enter a rather spacious room. Towards the centre-back, a desk occupied a fair amount of space. There, sat a few people. Imiko knew by the puffy vests that two wore, that they were at least chuunin rank. In the middle was an aged man, wearing distinguishable robes and, in Imiko's opinion, a really 'lame' hat.

Kurenai stopped a few feet from the desk, and slightly urged Imiko forwards. Imiko shuddered unnoticeably upon contact.

"Lord Hokage, this girl mentioned something about being tracked by Mist ninja, I thought she best tell her story to you first"

The elderly man etched himself forwards in his large chair. "Why hello there my dear, would you be so kind as to tell me what has been happening?"

Imiko complied, as she could find no signs of hostility whatsoever in the entire room. "I am Imiko ,from the Village Hidden in the Mist." The room seemed silent, but she felt comfortable to continue. "I left form the provenance a few months ago, after an incident. I suspect I am being tracked due to my failure to explain what had happened."

Kurenai turned her head to the Hokage, then back to Imiko "You said you were not an academy student, under a tutorage of some form..?"

"Oh, yeah, that's correct"

The Hokage puffed his pipe twice, rather transfixed on the girl that stood before her. "Can you tell me who your sensei was?"

"Ah, yeah. Kisame Hoshigaki. Also Zabuza Momochi and a few others in their faction"

One of the green-vested men blurted out "WHAAA!? The Swordsmen of the Mist, taught you!?"

"Yes" Imiko slurred out, completely in shock.

The old man recollected his thoughts briefly. "I see, how long were you taught by them?"

"Zabuza, only a month or so, Raiga I didn't get along with so well, and Kisame for about a year or so."

"And how long ago was this?"

"Zabuza and Raiga, when they were still apart of the village, and Kisame was before I left."

"Kisame had left the village though"

"I know, we met up time and time to thrown down some techniques."

"But you aren't at all affiliated with his activities"

"No."

The Hokage nodded, and the rest of the room sighed slightly, their tension and alarm easing. The ninja that had spoken out before turned his head to one side. "Were you ever ranked?"

"Um, apparently I have the potential for." Before she could finish, Kurenai intervened her reply.

"I think the poor girl has been interrogated enough, Iruka" Having been saved from further need to speak, Imiko waited patiently for the Hokage to conclude the conversation.

"Kurenai, see that the girl is bathed, fed and given a room to stay in."

"Of course"

The kind kunoichi escorted Imiko out of the large facility and into the bustling streets of the village. They walked off to the bathhouse, Imiko knew it was such due to the moist, yet warm and clean smelling fragrance illuminating from the East. "Right, just swap your clothes for a towel, and I'll have them washed for you while you clean yourself up." Imiko nodded simultaneously as she looked into a reflective window, silently having a fit at the grubby Rukai girl in front of her. She examined her reflection upon the warm waters' surface. A more natural colour was now visible, and her Amazonian like hair had returned to its usual positioning; fringe covering the right side of her face and reasonably neat layers flowing backwards, the length of her hair extended just past her shoulder blades due to the water. She pulled herself out of the water and shoved her towel around herself. When she walked back to the changing rooms, her clothes were neatly pressed into a basket.

All the mud stains and general untidiness had seemingly vanished.
Imiko pressed her head against the soft fabrics of her clothes before swiftly putting them back on. Her cloak was still a few sized in excess of her own. Imiko met Kurenai outside, and was once again escorted to another location. This time, it was a house. "You can stay with me 'till we have something more suitable sorted out for you, depending on whether you wish to stay here or not"

Imiko nodded gratefully "Thank you so very much, Kurenai. As for staying, I'm not sure as of yet as my bringing up into being a shinobi is not in the same as the Leafs."

"How then, were you taught?"

"I was taught to be obedient, loyal, and most importantly, to kill without emotional attachments"