Chapter 20: Journey to Yumegakure (2)
Nikkou Inn Town, a sprawling town that was the first main stop traders from the Land of Tea and Land of Noodles stopped at. It benefited from these caravans, allowing the previously small and unimportant farming town to grow into the trading hub it was today.
Looking down the road, I saw many different people and stores. As dusk had fallen, I could even see some scantily clad women lurking at the edges, leading men towards brothels.
Smiling, I continued down the street, looking around for an inn I had used to frequent whenever I found myself in the area.
Called 'Rabbit Moon Inn', it was run by an old couple and their daughter. The old woman, Hani Choso, made a great vegetable soup, and the old man, Dai Choso, knew his way around a grill, cooking the meat perfectly. The daughter, Lani Choso, however, was skilled in another field; Music. She knew how to play almost any instrument, and would play every night for a few hours. Many travelers stopped at the inn just to listen to her.
Finding the Inn, I walked in, smiling when I saw the Miss Choso sitting behind the counter, writing something down. Hearing the bell ringing as I opened the door, she looked up, a polite smile on her lips.
"Hello there dear, do you want a room for the night or just supper? Or both?"
"Both, please. What are you and Mr Choso making tonight?"
Hearing that, her smile widened slightly, before saying "Dai is going to be grilling some lamb tonight, and I have a soup cooking in the back. Supper will be ready in an hour or so, dear. Here, room 12 is yours for the night."
Accepting the key, I placed a 1,000 ryo bill on the table. Taking it, she pointed towards the main room, where people were already seated. "Lani is going to start soon, so please enjoy."
Nodding to her, I found a small empty table and sat down, sighing in relief. Even though I am a kunoichi, running from one side of the Land of Fire to the other is still tiring. Though when I though about the scroll filled with silk in my vest...
Well, all my weariness dissipated.
Many of the patrons were shooting glances at me, some curious, some neutral, but a few were filled with lust. Ignoring them, I turned towards the stage, letting my mind wander as I waited for Lani to appear.
Pursing my lips, I tried to remember what some of the other mediocre bolts of silk had sold for, but drew a blank, as I have never been one to properly dress up. Almost always my clothing was either what I was currently wearing, or revealing casual clothes that I wore to bars or on some missions. Sighing slightly, I decided that I really needed to update my wardrobe a bit. After all, now I was in a relationship, which meant that wearing those clothes would be a no go. Sure, I could wear them, but the trouble of having to ward off people constantly made it more worthwhile to get rid of them.
Thinking some more, I went through some of the more basic clothing styles the women in Konoha wore. Kimonos, Qipao, Dresses, and shirts with pants were the styles in Konoha. Kurenai wore that cream sleeveless dress, whereas Anko wore shirts and skirts, usually covered by her beige overcoat. Many of the Hyuuga women wore either jackets or Kimonos, while the Yamanaka's typically wore dresses, though the current heiress, Ino Yamanaka, stood out for her love of any clothing that was short, much to the chagrin of her father.
Sighing, I continued thinking through this little problem of mine, ignoring the idiot who was currently trying to flirt with me.
Nodding slightly, I decided I wanted to try on some Qipao's when I returned. They were quite versatile, as I could get more formal ones with long sleeves and covering most of my body, while also getting ones that were sleeveless and short. Sighing again, I looked at the man in front of me, narrowing my eyes.
"Do you mind? You're blocking my view."
He tried to get up and move the chair next to mine, but when I placed a kunai on the table he scrambled away. Scoffing, I left the kunai on the table to dissuade any further advances.
Waiting, I looked around, taking in the current patrons. Some wore elegant robes or finely embroidered shirts, while most had raggedy and rough clothing, slightly dirty. Like always, most of the patrons were the workers from the large farms that were owned by rich merchants.
Seeing a girl make her way to my table with a platter in her hand, I smiled, looking forward to the meal.
A bowl with a deep brown broth loaded with various vegetables was placed on my table, followed by a small plate with a large flank of lamb, a beautiful golden brown with a perfect sear. Next was a small basket with fresh slices of bread, and finally a tankard of ale was placed in front of me. Smiling widely, I gave the girl a coin before picking up the wooden fork, using my kunai to slowly cut a piece of the lamb. Bringing it to my lips, I took a bite, moaning slightly at the rich flavor. Chewing slowly, I savored the meat, noticing hints of lemon and a slight heat, reminiscent of paprika.
As always, the old man grills a great meat, and manages to make the most of the few seasonings he has readily available.
Next, I took the spoon and scooped up broth and some vegetables. Looking at the spoon, I saw carrots, corn, and peas. Looking into the bowl, I saw some potatoes and tomatoes floating in the broth. Placing the spoon in my mouth, I gently swirled the broth around my tongue before swallowing, marveling in the mild flavor, with a slight burn after it went down.
Smiling, I slowly ate my food. I took a slice of bread and made an indent, which I filled with a piece of lamb and a bit of the broth.
As I ate, a woman around my age went onto stage. Wearing a white kimono, she looked pure and elegant. Her long black hair was allowed to hang freely around her waist. Looking at her face, I saw her gentle smile and droopy brown eyes. Sighing slightly, I remembered my first time here.
I had been recently promoted to a Chunin, and it was my first solo mission. It was a simple delivery to a merchant here in the town, so I decided to rest for the day. I caught the beginning of her performance, and had been mesmerized by her voice as she sung various folk songs. For hours I sat here, listening to her melodious voice, watching her hands strum the strings of the harp she played that night. After she had finished, young me had approached her, hoping to get to know her. Sadly, I wasn't the only one to do so, as most men usually tried their best to court her after the performance. After all, who wouldn't want a beautiful, gentle wife like her?
Chuckling, I enjoyed my meal, listening to her singing. Downing my ale, I tidied my table up, bringing the dishes towards where the serving girls were standing. Handing one of them my dishes, I moved towards the stairs, stopping to listen to the end of the song before making my way upstairs.
Making my way to room 12, I entered the room, locking the door behind me. Slowly taking my vest off, I laid it next to my bed, before taking my shirt off as well. Laying down, I stared at the ceiling.
Placing my hand on my stomach, I continued staring at the ceiling, letting time pass by.
I could hear various patrons start to retire, and either luckily or unluckily, it seemed the man next to me had paid one of the serving girls quite well, as I could hear the sounds of flesh hitting flesh and muffled moans.
Feeling a slight tingle below my stomach, I sighed, throwing my pants off, deciding to relieve myself.
I eventually fell asleep, listening to the moans of different women in the surrounding rooms, one of which sounded melodious.
~~~
Making my way downstairs, I placed the key in the small basket labeled 'Leaving Guests'.
Exiting the 'Rabbit Moon Inn', I made my way down the dim street. The su had yet to rise, and I could still hear some couples enjoying their time together. Frowning slightly, I gently rubbed my stomach. Sighing, I picked up my pace, wanting to get this mission over with so I could return home to my two girls. Last night made me miss them so much...
Heading out of Nikkou Inn Town, following the road leading east, I sped towards Yumegakure, which was thankfully very close to the border.
Not even an hour had passed, and I paused in front of a large gate, three large Z's engraved on the wood. Fog clouded the distance, however I could still make out the two large towers that framed the gate. Looking up, I held out the scroll I was to deliver. Even though I couldn't see them, I knew that there were a few shinobi in the towers either side of the gate, and considering they should be aware of the delivery, one of them should be on their way down to verify my identity.
Moments passed, and slowly the gate swung open. A man walked out, a torch in hand. Stopping a few feet in front of me, he stared at me. Holding up the scroll, he alternated his gaze, before bowing slightly.
"Welcome to Yumegakure, the Village Hidden Among Dreams."