Advocated Wars

Chapter Twenty-Five

                                                                                                                           XXV

Aya was, for lack of better words, beautiful. She smiled as we walked towards her, seeming almost antsy as she excitedly rocked back from one foot to another. And, when we were finally close enough, the Mist kunoichi threw herself into Nozomu, wrapping her arms around his neck. The man, however, did not return her hug. And it did not bother her. “Nozu~” she crooned. “It’s been so long.” She took a step back, smiling widely at him. She even pinched his cheek. “How have you been?”

Nozomu’s frown was still present, even in the face of an old comrade. He did not look happy to be here, to see her. “I’ve seen better days.” The woman rolled her eyes.

“Don’t be melodramatic. Introduce me to your friends.” Nozomu rolled his eyes, ignoring her request. Her smile did not even falter when he walked around her, further into the village that I’m sure he spent his leisure time living in, in happier times when no one was around to bother him. The woman sighed, offering a hand to Leif.

“I’m Aya.” The boy stared at her hand, an indent forming between his eyebrows as he stared at it. Leif looked at me, next. I sighed.

“I’m Champion,” I smiled, moving to meet her handshake. “And that’s Leif. He’s not shy—just incompetent.” Her skin was cold against mine.

Leif folded his arms over his chest. “I don’t like girls.”

“Great. She wanted to shake your hand not suck your dick.” Aya laughed, a bit awkwardly.

“Well…” the man finally let her smile drop. “Welcome to Kirigakure, then.”

*

I sat in a corner, watching as Nozomu studied the map before him, documents messily spilling out from a bag and onto the floor. His hair was almost comically mused as he continued working on the strategy needed for the next day. Leif slept soundly on the couch beside us.

He motioned for me to come closer, not even looking up. “Do you see this inn, here?” I nodded. “That’s where he was last seen. He’s said to travel with only one other man.” Nozomu went through the stack of documents by his side. “Here’s his profile. I want you to memorize it until you can recite it back to me in your sleep. Understood?” I nodded, again, taking the manila folder from his hand.

“What about Leif?” Nozomu looked up only briefly to look at the boy.

“If you’re good enough, then we won’t have to worry about him.”

“And if I’m not?”

Nozomu was quiet, opting to not answer as he went through more of the papers. “Nozomu,” I sighed. “He was assigned to this mission, too. You have to trust him.”

“I don’t.”

“He’s an active jounin. Hell, for all I know, he could be looking to join ANBU. Tsunade wouldn’t have stuck him with us if she didn’t believe he could help us.”

“He’s a liability, Champion. I can’t risk this mission on two teenagers.”

I stood up, tucking the folder under my arm. “If you say so, sensei.” The man stood up, too, holding the cup he had been drinking from in his hand. For a refill, I assumed.

“I’ve trusted the wrong people, before. I can’t make that mistake, again.”

“So what do you expect him to do, then?”

“I expect him to do as he’s told. As will you.” I swallowed, turning on my heel to walk out. I didn’t know what Leif could do—neither of us did. But either way, he was our comrade. Without the necessary information, there was a possibly of getting him killed. There was a possibly of getting us all killed.

But when has Nozomu ever been wrong?

With uncertainty rising up my throat, I knocked on her door before I could second guess myself. Aya knew Nozomu better than all of us, having previously been not only his friend, but his teammate as well. If he wanted me to trust him blindly, I needed to understand why.

“Oh, Champion,” Aya answered the door, wrapping her robe tightly around her body, giving me a tight-lipped smiled. “It’s a bit late, don’t you think.”

“Sorry, Aya-san. Can we talked?” The woman raised her eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe.

“Should I be worried?”

“I need you to tell me about Passenger.” The woman’s face dropped, her playful mood dissipating. A frown fell upon her features. But she let me in, nonetheless, quickly ushering me into her room before looking suspiciously out into the hallway, as if what she were about to do were taboo.

“Well,” she sighed, as if bracing herself. The door was locked behind her. “What do you want to know?”

!~*~*~*!

Wow uhm yeh. Picture on the side is Aya bc she’s a babe~ sorry it takes me ten years to update.