The mask hung limply on the side of her mirror, placed with such carelessness so long ago. Every day she woke up looking at it and every night she went to bed glaring at it. The constant reminder of her downfall. A sacrifice for her love. Some say such a cause was noble, but those exact same people would scorn a shinobi for betraying their village. Gekido may have been feared and mistrusted, but Senka would always be the fool. The idiot who fled to the countryside and followed one man like a silly dog. To make matters worse, she’d always be the weakling. That Inuzuka couldn’t handle life out there. She begged her husband to take her home. Couldn’t even carry out the crime she wanted to commit. There was just no winning with these people.
The thoughts spilled in and out of her mind all the time. When she saw the mask, she was reminded most of the ANBU dreams that slipped through her fingers. There was no reasoning behind keeping the mask up, Senka just did. It hadn’t been until that particular morning that the feral Inuzuka decided to do something about it. She had a long, hard stare down with the mask. The ebony paint and hallow eyes laughed at her. She had never glared at something so hard with those wolfish, golden eyes before. Well, maybe except Gekido.
In a huff, the woman stood up, muscles rippling with rage. Her thick claws seized it up. She started to storm out of her tent and off towards the city. There was no goal in mind. She hadn’t the slightest idea what she was doing. No intention to a goal, just an unstoppable march into the city. Her face wasn’t one of fiery anger, but the extremely crossed look a wife would get with her irritating husband. As tall as she was, Senka was not to be missed by the crowd as she pushed through them. Some she even knocked into. When they tried to protest against her, she growled. They didn’t push any further. She was one of those crazy Inuzuka. If they examined her further, they knew who she was. Wild dark auburn hair, golden eyes, and an extremely fit build. They knew she was that traitor. The run-away dog that came crawling back.
Swaying at her hip was the ANBU mask tied to her belt. It jostled wildly as Senka continued her aimless rampage. Each step took her through the memories of her ANBU career. The exciting beginning, the tough missions that tasted of sweet success, the ambition, and that grueling, humiliating end. One person she had in mind made her betrayal so much worse. Her mentor through it all and her grand commander. She was supposed to follow the renowned ANBU commander to the end.
Failure. After her talk with Kiyo, Senka couldn’t stop thinking about it. She wanted to be an ANBU more than anything. Well, she thought more than anything. She let a momentary lapse of teenage hormones win. Ridiculous. The ex-ANBU stopped at the edge of the settlements of houses and shops near the Plaza. The street was lamely vacated by easy going window shoppers and people passing through.
Why the hell did she stop here? Watching the water spring forth from the fountain in the square, Senka’s nose captured the smell. It was always the same confusing mix of food and people. It was here where she started her love for the ANBU corps. This is where her commander had taken her after her first mission, which had ended in a failure. The older woman lectured her on the importance of teamwork, attention to detail, and protocol. All things she severely lacked in. Her Inuzuka ways made her sloppy and to be honest, she had never been a team player. Senka’s first impression of the woman was downright fear. Senka knew she had probably blown it with Rin, but the commander had other ideas. There in the square, as they strolled along talking about the importance of the ANBU, Rin offered to take Senka under her wing. Never before had Senka been given such special attention. After all, it was always about Gekido. She could barely contain her excitement back then.
The Inuzuka dragged herself to the fountain and stood over the water. The pond rippled her image. The she wolf couldn’t look at herself without stomaching disappointment. The mask was pulled from her belt and sat heavy in her hands. With so much desperation she wanted to break the mask into small pieces and cast it into the fountain. Although, she had been careful after all these years to keep it. It should have been taken upon her resignation. Maybe it was some cruel joke for her to keep it. Her arm wound back, ready to toss it as far away from her as possible. She became paralyzed in place.
The thoughts spilled in and out of her mind all the time. When she saw the mask, she was reminded most of the ANBU dreams that slipped through her fingers. There was no reasoning behind keeping the mask up, Senka just did. It hadn’t been until that particular morning that the feral Inuzuka decided to do something about it. She had a long, hard stare down with the mask. The ebony paint and hallow eyes laughed at her. She had never glared at something so hard with those wolfish, golden eyes before. Well, maybe except Gekido.
In a huff, the woman stood up, muscles rippling with rage. Her thick claws seized it up. She started to storm out of her tent and off towards the city. There was no goal in mind. She hadn’t the slightest idea what she was doing. No intention to a goal, just an unstoppable march into the city. Her face wasn’t one of fiery anger, but the extremely crossed look a wife would get with her irritating husband. As tall as she was, Senka was not to be missed by the crowd as she pushed through them. Some she even knocked into. When they tried to protest against her, she growled. They didn’t push any further. She was one of those crazy Inuzuka. If they examined her further, they knew who she was. Wild dark auburn hair, golden eyes, and an extremely fit build. They knew she was that traitor. The run-away dog that came crawling back.
Swaying at her hip was the ANBU mask tied to her belt. It jostled wildly as Senka continued her aimless rampage. Each step took her through the memories of her ANBU career. The exciting beginning, the tough missions that tasted of sweet success, the ambition, and that grueling, humiliating end. One person she had in mind made her betrayal so much worse. Her mentor through it all and her grand commander. She was supposed to follow the renowned ANBU commander to the end.
Failure. After her talk with Kiyo, Senka couldn’t stop thinking about it. She wanted to be an ANBU more than anything. Well, she thought more than anything. She let a momentary lapse of teenage hormones win. Ridiculous. The ex-ANBU stopped at the edge of the settlements of houses and shops near the Plaza. The street was lamely vacated by easy going window shoppers and people passing through.
Why the hell did she stop here? Watching the water spring forth from the fountain in the square, Senka’s nose captured the smell. It was always the same confusing mix of food and people. It was here where she started her love for the ANBU corps. This is where her commander had taken her after her first mission, which had ended in a failure. The older woman lectured her on the importance of teamwork, attention to detail, and protocol. All things she severely lacked in. Her Inuzuka ways made her sloppy and to be honest, she had never been a team player. Senka’s first impression of the woman was downright fear. Senka knew she had probably blown it with Rin, but the commander had other ideas. There in the square, as they strolled along talking about the importance of the ANBU, Rin offered to take Senka under her wing. Never before had Senka been given such special attention. After all, it was always about Gekido. She could barely contain her excitement back then.
The Inuzuka dragged herself to the fountain and stood over the water. The pond rippled her image. The she wolf couldn’t look at herself without stomaching disappointment. The mask was pulled from her belt and sat heavy in her hands. With so much desperation she wanted to break the mask into small pieces and cast it into the fountain. Although, she had been careful after all these years to keep it. It should have been taken upon her resignation. Maybe it was some cruel joke for her to keep it. Her arm wound back, ready to toss it as far away from her as possible. She became paralyzed in place.