In the Shadows

The summer sun hung low in the sky, lengthening shadows and granting the village of Konoha a reprieve from the heat of the day. As the golden hues of sunset melted into the deep oranges and purples of twilight, a serene calm settled over the village. The once bustling streets grew quieter as villagers returned to their homes, their laughter and chatter fading into the gentle whisper of the evening breeze mingled with the chorus of distant cicadas.

Despite the waning light, the humidity lingered, wrapping the village in a warm, sticky embrace. In a vain attempt to ward off the clinging atmosphere, Natsumi Nara sat at home on the couch with a fan in one hand and an open book by her side.  Much of her afternoon had been spent in the same position as if moving would have only made the heat all the more unbearable. Yet, it hadn’t been a bad day—her book on the history of Konoha made sure of that.

Unfortunately, a knock at the door pulled the Nara girl from the couch.

Where she expected to find a person, however, she instead found a scroll left on the stoop. Such scrolls, marked with the official seal of the village, had become commonplace in Natsumi’s life since being promoted to genin; a sealed scroll meant another mission. It seemed that finishing her book would have to wait for another day.

The mission readout made it clear that it wasn’t a run-of-the-mill task. It required going undercover at the reception of a Hyuuga wedding that evening to ensure the safety of the event and those attending. It was a far cry from the more basic missions the teen had become accustomed to, not that she was complaining. Moreover, the operation was to be done under the supervision and direction of a more experienced shinobi, who, much to her surprise, she was supposed to meet in roughly an hour.

With little time to waste, Natsumi became a whirlwind of activity. She brushed out her hair, splashed water on her face, and donned a blue yukata, featuring tasteful fish and wave motifs. To match the festival-like atmosphere further, she eschewed the headband that had become a permanent fixture around her neck on previous jobs. The mission called for a certain measure of discretion; she couldn't openly advertise her status as a kunoichi. By the end of her frenzied preparations, she looked like any other reception attendee: presumably excited to wish the newlyweds well and enjoy the evening.

An hour later, the genin stood beneath the only lit streetlight three blocks east of the Hyuuga district. It was here that she was meant to meet with the mission leader. The street was mostly empty; occasionally, a couple clad in formal attire passed by on their way to the Hyuuga district, but they neither lingered nor spared the short, black-haired girl a second glance. Instead, only the moths kept Natsumi company as they danced about in lazy loops near the streetlight above her head.  

Waiting, she soon found, was the hardest part.
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WC: 512
TWC: 512

C-rank Mission - Shadow Guards: