Chapter Text
"Idiot! Why'd you charge into the front! There's clearly an army of shinobi waiting for you!" Tsunade grumbled, a green glow of chakra emerged from her palms, healing Jiraiya's stab wound.
Once again, the trio sannin stood at the frontlines, deployed again to the Hidden Rain just a few months after Jiraiya taught the Ame orphans. Luckily, they have the short shift for now, supposedly coming back tomorrow or the day after tomorrow- for a shift in war rotation.
Jiraiya grunted, "Oh well, you're such a worrywart.. if you're so persistent in declaring your love for me then-"
*crash* Tsunade's slap resounded in the barely lit and small cave they were residing in. The many years long war is starting to take a toll on everyone. All battle-capable chunin and jounin were deployed to the battlefield, even genin and those in the reserve corps were sent into war. Only in the few rest times like these were the shinobi able to feel the slightly bit relaxed, playful banter here and there with their comrades.
"Tsunade, Jiraiya," Orochimaru began, "A single chakra signature moving in from our east. Stay alert."
Tsunade and Jiraiya immediately stiffened, extending their sensing perimeter and finding the same source of chakra. "Ame nins don't move alone, they move in pairs or in group." The latter whispered.
Orochimaru nodded, then took a kunai from his kunai pouch and stood up. "The chakra is undeveloped and is moving towards us at a walking pace. A civillian. I'll kill it."
"Wait, I'll go." Jiraiya moved to stand up before getting stopped by Tsunade, "You're hurt! Let Orochimaru take care-"
"No.. it may be a child just like those Ame kids, I can't just leave them." Jiraiya averted his eyes from both of his teammates and stood up, immediately guessing what they're going to say to him.
He stood up and paused, probably to check if his teammates are glaring at him -and yes, they're staring the hell out of him- before continuing, "You guys, trust me!" and giving his signature stupid smile. A second later, Jiraiya was already gone without any traces of him being in the cave before.
That guy, Tsunade sighed and thought to herself, leaning on the walls with a small smile on her face, always so soft-hearted.
Orochimaru didn't sigh but his face showed slight irritation. He leant on the rocky cave walls, crossing his arms and still wary of the lone chakra signature. He can't believe that he's getting used to his teammate's antics.
---
It is a weird sight. A white-haired girl carrying a big backpack, looking warily at her surroundings. Remembering what her Mama said before dying -to look for a walking zoo near the Ame border- Enma trusted to follow her senses to a bunch of people that felt exactly like a walking zoo.
Enma bit the inside of her lips, small tears about to escape the corners of her eyes. Mama always said to Enma to trust her senses. Mama is also always at home with Enma, cooking her favorite foods and playing legos and blocks with her. But now, Mama is gone. The war took her. Enma didn't know that her mom is a ninja -Enma always thinks ninjas are bad because they fight all the time -until her last moments. Enma's mom fought an Ame ninja and told Enma to run.
Enma can barely remember her mother's last moments. Her body is filled with adrenaline and the rush to run, run, and run . Not wanting to think about her deceased mom any longer, Enma pushed away the depressing thoughts, walking slowly and noticing a small cave on her peripheral.
Hmm, I'm pretty sure frog man and his friends went this way.. Enma thought to herself before a flicker of chakra appeared on her right and she saw Jiraiya.
Enma blinked in confusion before realising, "You're the one who felt like frogs!"
"And little girl, how do you know that?" Jiraiya crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her, noticing the probably six-year old girl just a few meters across him. Her white hair seemed dirty, apparent with the lack of shine and the multitude of tangles on it. Her eyes wide and big, her lips pursed, clearly trying to feign bravery to anyone who's seen her. The baggy white shirt she wore revealed her bony collarbone and shoulder, skinny legs poking from underneath the huge shirt. Clearly underweight, Jiraiya thought. He can't help but also notice the 3 red face markings on her face, two small diagonal ones right at the edge of her cheek, and one vertical line below her chin.
That's- Jiraiya's thoughts halted to a stop, similar to the niidaime hokage's markings, but she doesn't have the signature red eyes...
Jiraiya's inner monologue was cut off by the girl, "Uh sorry.. I- I felt froggy energy from you, and Mama told me to look for leafy ninjas who felt like a zoo.."
Not knowing whether to marvel at her choice of words -froggy energy and a freaking damn zoo- or her ability to sense him or the face markings, Jiraiya blinked several times.
Wait- "Your mom told you to look for Konoha ninjas? Where is she? What's her name? and what's your name? " Jiraiya quickly recovered from his initial shock, leaking a killing intent at the thought of somebody else targetting a Konoha ninja.
Enma's heightened senses picked up the killing intent directed at her. Gulping harshly, she put on a brave facade and stuttered, "Ma-Mama died. Her name is Haruka and my name is Enma. She told me r-rainy ninjas bad, leafy ninjas are good."
Now now who on earth told their sons and daughters that their own ninja is bad, Jiraiya thought. His gaze was still focused at the young girl before him, who was currently finding her own feet seemingly very interesting, avoiding his eyes.
"Where do you live? What's your mother's surname? How did you find us?" Jiraiya prodded. While he felt rather guilty for scaring a child, he still had to make sure whether this rather interesting girl is a threat.
Visibly gathering herself, Enma bit the inside of cheek and forced her eyes to look up to the huge man across her, "Me and mama used to live in the village near the border. It is destroyed a few days ago. Mama's name is Haruka Akiyoshi." Taking a shuddering breath she continued, "Mama used to say that I can sense cha-chakara..?"
"Chakra." Jiraiya corrected, gears still turning in his mind, the red marks and sensory ability.. is she a descendant of a Senju living outside the village? Jiraiya thought to himself, probably Senju blood from her father then.
It was rare for a Senju to live outside of Konoha, but not entirely unheard of. It started off during the Uzushio period. In the beginning of Konoha, just like Uzumaki Mito married into Konoha, some Senjus and other noble clans also married and resided in Uzushio, as they are a very close ally of Konoha. Since the destruction of Uzushioa a few years prior, the remnants of Uzumakis and other clans there have been scattered in the five great nations. What's concerning is that the number of Senjus in Konoha has been declining the past years for unknown reasons.
"Y-Yes, chakra, and I feel chakra like images and feelings, and, and you guys feel like a frog, snake, and.. snail..?" She tiled her head, blinking several times, and continued, "And it is.. um.. herbitary?" Enma bit the inside of her lip and scrunched her face in confusion, unsure of the word her mom used to say to her.
"Hereditary." Jiraiya corrected again. Oh the girl's adorable. Jiraiya mused at the back of his mind, even though he knew he should not be thinking that about a potential threat, chakras like images and feelings.. that's..unique.
"Uh yes her-herebit-...that." Enma stuttered out, reverting back to looking down and fiddling with her fingers.
"What about your father? What's his name and where is he?" Jiraiya asked the girl again, though by now his killing intent has subsided a bit.
Enma noticed that the air has become lighter somehow and her posture also relaxed slightly, "I never knew dad. Mama never talked about dad."
Hmm, Jiraiya thought, still keeping his gaze on the girl's face, before 2 flickers of chakra appeared beside him.
"What's taking you so long? Are you-" Tsunade glanced at the girl across her who doesn't seem shocked by her and Orochimaru's appearance. The white hair and red face marks caught her attention. Tsunade's eyes widened and she turned to her comrade, "Jiraiya! Is she-"
"Probably remnants from Uzushio." Jiraiya muttered quietly, still watching the girl's body language and trying to detect any signs of lying. When he ended up finding none, he decided the girl was telling the truth.
"She's not an enemy. I've checked." Jiraiya turned to both of his friends.
Orochimaru, being the suspicious and paranoid one, narrowed his eyes at the little girl, "She may be a spy."
Being the object of the snake sannin's gaze, Enma felt so small and scared. But luckily, Jiraiya defended her, "Nah she's not."
"You can't be sure of that.." Orochimaru drawled, "Let me just kill her..", proceeding to take a step towards Enma before being stopped by his comrade.
"Wait, don't. I'll take care of it." Jiraiya put a hand on friend's shoulder before turning to the girl, "You said your name is Enma? What do you want?"
Enma watched the whole interaction with apprehension. She couldn't decide if they were going to hurt her or not, but knew that at least the white-haired man is the better choice from the trio.
"I want you to teach me!" Enma said in a small voice, pursing her lips and clenching her small hands, "I want to be able to fight! Mama died because I can't fight, so I don't want to be weak!"
Jiraiya, taken aback by the fierce determination coming from the small child, formed a small smile on his face.
Even though there are certain things that must be straightened up, such as the fact that her mom knew Konoha ninjas and the Sannin, Jiraiya's willing to let it go for now. For now.
It seems Enma was not finished, "Please take me to your home. I don't want to stay here.." She finished with a small voice, averting her eyes from him as if remembering an unpleasant memory. Enma felt her eyes watering but tried to blink away the tears forming in her eyes.
Jiraiya glanced at both of his teammates. Tsunade stayed silent and kept to herself in the whole ordeal, probably interested in the possible Senju bloodline of the small girl. Orochimaru, finding her a little bit fascinating for now, studied the girl carefully. A few seconds of silence and Jiraiya decided, "I'll bring her to Konoha. I'll take responsibility for it."
"Jiraiya.." Orochimaru turned his head and narrowed his eyes on Jiraiya, before noticing the hard gaze on his friend's eyes and immediately knowing that once he has that look on his face, it's impossible to sway him. "Hmph, do what you want. Any signs of hostility and I'll kill her. " He finally said and walked back to the cave behind them.
Enma slumped over in relief and crooked out a small thankyou to the Sannin. "Thankyou umm.. "
"Jiraiya, and this is my teammate, Tsunade. The one who left just now is Orochimaru. That one may be grumpy, but he's alright." Jiraiya crooked a smile on his face.
"Oh thankyou Jiraiya-san, Tsunade-san." Enma had a small smile on her face before her stomach rumbled in hunger. Embarrassment washed over her and her face flushed a deep red.
Oh My God, Enma thought.
Tsunade cracked a small smile at her while Jiraiya cackled with laughter at the sound of hunger, "Well well, Enma, looks like we gotta feed you first and we're set to come back home."
Enma's mouth curled upwards and her eyes crinkled in a smile, relief washing over her. Enma thought about her mom, how nice it would be to have her here now. A wave of emotions welled up inside her and she decided to push it away, to save the grief for when she's in a safe place -not in a place of war.
Seems like everything is going to be alright. Enma will grieve. Later. When she's in a place she will soon learn to call home.
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