Sehnsucht [Naruto Fanfiction]

Chapter 49 - Return

Chapter 49 - Return

The following day, Hitori allowed herself to sleep in a bit, ensuring she was well-rested before finally deciding it was time to get up. Sitting up in bed, she ran some chakra through her body, mainly her head, to help ease the hangover, but it wasn't as bad as she had expected. After a trip to the bathroom, she drank an entire bottle of water and refilled it before putting it on the table next to her pack to remind her to put it in there later.

She didn't worry about breakfast, as she planned to have lunch before she left and stock up on some snacks for the trip. After she cleaned up and changed, it was about time for her to see the Mizukage. It was a lovely day outside, and she walked steadily towards her destination. When she arrived, she was a little early and sat down in the hallway to wait until whoever was with the Mizukage came out, and she was permitted entry.

The wait wasn't too long, only around 10 minutes, and the Mizukage saw her and smiled before waving her inside. Chojuro was standing on her left as he always did. Hitori smiled back, bowed as she entered the door, and approached her desk. The older woman got up from her seat and came to lean against the front of her desk.

"Are you all packed up and ready to go?" The Mizukage asked fondly and brushed her hair over her shoulder.

"I am, yes." Hitori smiled and nodded in reply.

"Well, I cannot thank you enough for coming all this way and staying so long. I appreciate all your hard work, and I'm so pleased with the results. You've outdone yourself, and I'm sure you know that many lives have already been saved, and more will be saved by your teachings in the future." As always, she was articulate, and her voice was kind.

"I wanted to thank you for giving me the opportunity to be here and for your faith in me. I really enjoyed my time here, and thank you for making me feel so welcome." Hitori then bowed her head in thanks.

"I have something for you before you go."

The Mizukage turned to Chojuro, who was holding a long rectangular box. She pulled the lid off the box, and it revealed a sword. Hitori gasped at the sight of it; even at first glance, it was evident that it was expertly crafted. It was a wakizashi with a beautiful wave pattern painted in a vibrant deep blue on the scabbard. As it was taken from the box and removed from the scabbard, Hitori knew that her mouth was hanging open, but she didn't really care.

"It was crafted by Imono, one of our finest blacksmiths. It's also ideal for imbuing with Raiton chakra, which I know is your natural element." The Mizukage spoke as she swung the sword a few times with practised hands as Hitori watched in amazement.

After placing the sword back in the sheath, she returned it to the box and took it from Chojuro. Hitori was too stunned to react momentarily until the Mizukage chuckled at her reaction, which snapped her out of it.

"I-I don't know what to say. This is too much." Hitori wrung her hands nervously as she spoke.

"It's my gift to you. Remember that I said your work will and has already saved lives. This is nothing compared to how much those lives are worth." The depth of her gratitude wasn't lost on Hitori, but she didn't want to be rude by declining. The Mizukage's gaze showed her passionate appreciation, and Hitori was in awe of her generosity.

So she bowed and accepted the box formally, with two hands extended. The Mizukage handed the box to her, and Hitori slowly stood back up with a look of astonishment on her face, which made the older woman smile at her.

"Thank you. I am truly honoured." Her voice shook faintly in bewilderment, and she didn't bother to hide it since the older woman deserved to know how she felt.