Ever After (A Family's Happiness) Epilouge

Stories from the Past

A week later after visiting the Wind Village. It was the Water Village that needs to be visited now. Noka was really excited that she got up very early that morning to pack her things so Hyuga scolded her when she was running around too much.

"Huhu, don't worry Noka. Even the horses are excited to see Mizuki. Aren't you Kurodayu?" Ume says as she strokes his neck while they were all riding along the mountain path. It was very steep to get to the bottom of the mountain and there were many rocks on the way.

Once they arrived there, it was extremely quiet than the other villages Noka had been to before. She sniffs the air to confirms something, it smelled damp and there was definitely the smell of Human civilization.

"Where is everyone?" she asks.

"In the Water Village, the ninjas would go to rivers to train or work. Some even travel to the oceans," Ume explains to her as they all got off their horses.

"Mizuki said in his letter that he couldn't greet us but I just wished he could've told us where he'd gone..." Hyuga sighs in pain as the settled the horses in the village's stables.

"Ooh! Ooh! How about I try to find them while you guys settle at an inn?" Noka eagerly gestures excitedly around them.

"On your own again?" he says.

"I'll take Pochi so don't worry! It'll be easy for me to find them after all," both her and Pochi made proud looks by tapping her chest with her fist.

"Oi, don't let it get to your head," he shows them a concerning expression but he then smiles almost instantly.

"Alright then be safe," he then crouches down at Pochi.

"We will look for Mizuki so just look for Hyosuke and come over to the east river," he barks in response to Hyuga's orders as he ruffles his head.

Noka then goes off with Pochi running by her side again. The residential areas barely had any people at all so she was freely able to run without running into anyone.

"There really isn't much here," she says looking around and then at Pochi.

"How about the marketplace? Lord Hyosuke is very known in the Water Village so if it's a marketplace, it is bound to get crowded especially at rush hour," he suggested.

"Great! Let's go!" she happily exclaims and lets Pochi guide ahead this time.

He took her to the near center of the village where there were many people on the streets this time, shopping for food or equipment from the vendors. Lots of children were also around as well playing ball and laughing happily.

"Little Miss, look," Pochi points his nose towards a direction where there was a large group of women.

Noka went closer to the group of women because she could smell a familiar scent among them. Her nose was right when she could see Hyosuke right in the middle with a troubled look on his face form being question by the women. When their eyes met, he immediately smiles brightly from where he was.

"Noka!" he exclaims and wanted to get to her but the women immediately turn around.

"AHHH! There she is!" one of the women scream as they all charge towards her.

She wanted to run but the women were surprisingly fast that she was already lifted from the ground. Since there were too many of them crowding around her now, even Pochi couldn't do anything to help her with his size.

"She's so cute!!!" one of them pulled at her cheeks.

"What's your name??" another asked as she was touching her hair.