22: A Stay in Town

Tucked away at the back corners of Michiko's inn, Kana reclined on a bed in an empty servant's quarter. Apparently, there used to be several more employees working here, but many had left due to the outbreak of war. Michiko herself was able to keep running her business mostly because overnight stays were few and far between, so the extra help was largely unneeded. She said it was partly why she got so frustrated and spoke harshly at Kenta, who usually pestered the only travelers who did come. Instead, Michiko was forced to rely on her bar for more income.

Michiko often wore a sad look whenever Kana mentioned anything about the war or the emptiness of the inn, even when Kana was just trying to offer thanks. There was no real reason to allow Kana to stay here, as far as she could tell. So Kana repeatedly thanked Michiko, especially after she learned more about Michiko's situation. Often during these times, Michiko would glance at her and fidget, clutching her heart and seemingly hesitating to do something while Kana stared on in confusion.

Well, if Michiko was struggling about it so much, Kana would just be glad for as long as the kindness lasted.

It was often hard to tell at a glance that the Land of Fire was at war. Mostly, the war's presence made itself known through the gaps and absences. A few abandoned businesses near the center of town. Many more children and elderly than younger adults. Empty food stalls, wagons, and stomachs. By now, Kana understood this things to be abnormal.

After staying a few days in town and while Michiko was busy with her errands, Kana had been diligently observing and learning as much as she could. While in town, she refrained from practicing her jutsu skills, unwilling to expose herself or cause inadvertent damage. There was always new things to learn around people, and with circumstances being what they were, mostly from discreetly listening and watching.

So discreet in fact that people around the town seemed to hardly notice Kana, acting visibly spooked when they got close enough to notice her. Few if any met her gaze, hurrying off elsewhere.

Already reluctant to interact with strangers, this was fine by Kana. She would... be more comfortable not talking to them anyway. Right. This was fine. People were weird and difficult anyway.

Whenever she had a question, Kana would instead ask Michiko. But even this had its limits.

She could only do that infrequently, because the more she asked, the more concerned and quiet Michiko seemed to get until Kana had no idea how to keep the conversation going. Sometimes Michiko's thin shoulders would tremble and she'd hesitantly reach out to Kana before excusing herself abruptly and retiring to her room.

This room was near the servant's quarters and at night, Kana's sharp ears could hear sobbing from Michiko's room.

This confused Kana to the extreme, as most of the time she just asked something simple and innocuous like how children made money, or how often people were supposed to eat, or the specifics about what family was.

No matter what, even after spending days with her, Kana did not understand Michiko actions, nor did she know how to respond to them. Times like these made the poor woman look frail in Kana's eyes.

But the next morning, Michiko would always be kind and helpful, so Kana was still quite grateful.

Instead, Kana spent a long time thinking about how to ask her questions without bringing up a topic that would make Michiko cry. Seeing a person she felt grateful to cry made her uncomfortable, and the more it happened, the less she knew what to do about it.

Still, Kana did eventually learn all the denominations of money and observed the standard prices for available items in town. Furthermore, she understood that different types of shops sold different products, and had different names. Butcher, baker, carpenter, rancher, smith, fletcher. Since types were the same everywhere, knowing the professions would help Kana to find whatever she was looking for wherever she ended up. At the moment though, she had no need to purchase anything.

There was apparently some complications about shopping too, that Kana was reluctant to dive into without further study. Prices for the same products would vary depending on who was purchasing and depending on the conversation held with the merchant. Later, she learned that this was a skill called 'haggling', and ought not to be underestimated.

For now, Kana considered this to be beyond her. Just holding a conversation was hard enough.

While in the marketplace, a lot of the children in the streets liked to spread rumors of powerful shinobi from their land, namely about ''The Sannin'' who were apparently responsible for the initial successes of Konoha's invasion of Ame. It was a strangely good place to hear about prominent figures, even if the tales sounded somewhat fanciful.

The one Kana was most interested in was dubbed The White Fang of Konoha, who was apparently a powerful hero responsible for victory after victory in the northwestern battle front.

Which was the direction Kana had come from.

Descriptions of his kenjutsu abilities and streaks of white light matched what Kana saw in the battle she'd fled, allowing her to match his face with identity. She had suspected as much, but it was comforting to know that he was a unique warhero and not just an ordinary commander. Kana shuddered to think of running into powerful people like that too often.

Since she no longer needed to sleep, Kana spent the nights ruminating on her observations and newfound knowledge, allowing her to understand more and more clearly the gaps in her experience and acting.

Though, perhaps it was more accurate to say that she did not need to sleep for long, extended periods of time. The long-term stress built up from her time in the warzone and her subsequent collapse clearly showed a need to spend some time processing, calming, and/or meditating. Otherwise her mind collected unhealthy mental and emotional fatigue even if her body was fine.

Sleep was one way to serve this function, and it was probably the easiest and most restful option. Kana still wanted to figure out just what her own limits were, so for now she refrained from sleeping. How long could she last? How much did stress factor into her new body's function? Were her physical, mental, and emotional health tied to vital functions of her body? What did sleep, breathing and food actually do for her? Since they were optional and were at her will and whim, there must be some benefit, right? Why was it that, for Kana, desires for these things were instead like whims or inclinations, preferences even?

For now, Kana would perform experiments trying to answer these questions. The most significant one on-going was the question of food. She ate for the last few days straight, but had never needed to relieve herself. Not at all since the ritual. Instead, it seemed her powerful vitality flourished every so slightly greater. Kana saw this as a potential way to increase her strength, so was thoroughly interested.

All sorts of questions regarding nutrition filled her mind until it was again morning. Though this morning was somewhat different. Being lost in thought had caused time to run away from her more than she realized, but by this time mid-morning Michiko usually came to check in on Kana while she "slept". Today it seemed, the visitors she was awaiting had arrived.

Right before dawn, just as she always did, Michiko prepared the inn's dining area before resting at the counter.

There was a window in front of the counter which offered a clear view of the road and gateway into town, which let her know about incoming traffic. Usually, it gave her enough warning to scare off Kenta before he could bother travelers, but she was otherwise preoccupied the day Kana came.

Today however, glimpses of figures on the horizon told her that the Yuka Group's convoy would soon arrive.

Thus prompted, she set about preparing the rooms they specified in advance, as well as setting out some refreshments. Supplemental income from the Yuka's stay would offset the hard months her inn had suffered this last year. Making contact with them and investing some personal connections into this was exactly the kind of shrewd business that had kept her open and profitable in hard times.

Glancing back towards the servants' quarters, Michiko let out an aggrieved sigh. She would have Kana sleep in today, to better let the Yuka members rest before introducing them to the refugee girl. Better to greet and settle them first, before springing a favor on them.

"I wasn't able to say it again..." she murmured, "Just what happened to that girl? I don't know if I could bear the truth."

Michiko felt heavyhearted every time she thought of Kana.

Before long, Michiko's heart was moved by Kana to the extent that she offered to let the girl stay at her inn for a few days free of charge, even in rough financial times. Despite clearly having suffered immensely, such an adorable and pitiful girl constantly displayed an earnest attitude, offering what was likely all the money she had to Michiko in thanks.

The anguish present in that little girl's eyes when Michiko refused was enough to pierce through the girl's heavily reserved expression. Just what kind of innocence was that?! To ask for a price anyway...

Burying her face in her palms, Michiko squirmed at the memory.

Kana's expression at that time was burned into Michiko's memory now, and when she saw it the first, it felt like it had dealt physical damage to her heart.

In truth, at that moment Michiko wanted to ask for a hug as the price. But in the end, she couldn't make herself ask for that. Partly because Kana would probably still insist on using money, but there was another even more saddening reason...

Any time she was touched, from when Michiko had guided the girl by her shoulder, or held her hands, Kana would subtly flinch and the briefest look of concern and fear would show in her eyes.

When she realized this during their conversation, Michiko resolved herself never to touch the girl regardless of how much she wanted to comfort her, for fear of it having the opposite effect. She had to confess, that it was a struggle to refrain from patting the girl's plush hair or squishing her adorable flush and full cheeks.

A cute young girl, orphaned from a war and traveling alone... To flinch at the touch of anyone else... The inn-matron could imagine things that might've happened to her.

But the questions... the questions Kana would ask her told an even more depressing story than the inn-matron had ever dared imagine.

Michiko had spent a fair amount of time near children, and was wise to the ways of people and the world. And that girl, she needed even more kindness, more protection and nurturing than Michiko could provide.

"I just wish I could give her what she needs. I can only pray the Yuka Group will take her to someone who can."