Rattled and Lost

The way she moves and the way she shows concern... It was completely foreign. I could only stare at her blankly as I couldn't process her concerned blabbering.

Had she also been like this before and I hadn't just noticed?

No, it can't be.

I was so young then, but I will never forget how unworthy I seem to be for her attention and affections.

Was she only being like this because I am not... me?

"Oh Kami!" She further blabbers. "I've been rambling non-stop and here I am, still doesn't know your name"

If possible, my mind screeched to a halt. She's asking for my name? Funny how I didn't have one to begin with.

"Zen" I finally mumbled, "My name is Zen"

"Zen, huh?" She smiles, "It's a beautiful name. Clearly matching your calm personality!"

I bit my lip when something unfamiliarly heavy bloomed in my chest.

"Thanks"

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It took days before Hara (I refuse to call her my mother) deemed me healthy enough to leave her care. Not once in those days did she mention anything about a husband or a daughter. Her house was also devoid of any signs of having another person living in her abode.

But that is the least of my problems.

If her calendar is correct and was kept up to date regularly, then I can only conclude that had traveled to the past. A past where I already exist in my younger years.

And according to Hara, her house is just outside of Tanigakure, a small Hidden Village in the Land of Rivers; a land in between the Land of Fire and Land of Wind. But since I do not possess even a single identification paper, I could not enter any Hidden Village - aside from Ame, of course; but then again, why would I want to go there of all places?

In the end, I have decided to travel from town to town; simply enjoying these peaceful days. And since I came back to the past without any amount of pocket money (because seriously, what would you need money for in the battlefield?) I couldn't afford an inn. So I camped in the woods like the ninja I am.

Except currently, I am not.

I do not have any identification: no ID, no rank, and most especially... No hitai-ate.

As far as I could remember, I got my identifications when I came to the orphanage. But that was then, and this is now. My situation is infinitely different now.

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Higher mission requests are hard to get when there are Hidden Villages everywhere, all that is available in some towns' mission boards are mere D-Ranks. But considering my situation, I can't exactly be picky. Money is money, after all.

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It had been months now since I came to this timeline. This routine is starting to get boring. Doing D-Ranks like I'm some greenhorn Genin, sleeping in the forest and taking a bath in hot springs. 'I miss my apartment.' I internally groaned.

"...Hehehehehe..."

A shudder runs down my spine at the sound. I am currently in a hot spring and that creepy laugh could only mean one thing. A pervert.

With a twitch of my finger, I sent a chakra thread to the source of the sound. With a deep breath, I sent a painful jolt of lightning. It's not my main element but the resounding yelp and round of curses were worth the drain, to say the least. The only thing that makes me uncomfortable right now is how familiar the voice sounded. But then again, not surprising because I am in the past.

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Jiraiya was having the time of his life doing his favorite past time when all of a sudden, he felt a sudden painful jolt. It wasn't as painful as taking a high-class ninjutsu head-on but rather the feeling of running into a low-class lightning coated barrier.

He dreadfully peaked back to his hole and sighed in relief when the woman on the other side of the wall doesn't seem to have noticed him yet. Though the disappearance of the other women is disappointing, he can only appreciate that there is at least one of them left. Her back was to him, so he couldn't see her face. She's leaning on the edge of the hot spring and seems to deeply appreciate the calm atmosphere and hot water.

His sharp hearing heard her sigh contentedly as she dipped lower in the hot water. He watched her for a few more minutes until she came back up. That is when he heard the unmistakable sound of a woman clearing her throat. Slowly looking back, he shuddered at the crowd of women menacingly looking at him. With a gulp, he bolted away from there, followed by angry women.

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Jiraiya slumped on one of the stools in the pub. He was lucky that none of the angry women were ninjas or he'll have a harder time escaping from them.

He was listening in to people's conversations when he noticed an unfamiliar woman come in. She wore a tattered standard Konoha shirt and pants; though the insignia is hidden under an equally tattered open black long coat, Jiraiya knows a Konoha uniform when he saw one. She has ninja pouches strapped to her thighs and waist. Despite her clean skin, her clothes seemed to have been dragged on the ground. A peculiar sight, indeed.

Round brown eyes momentarily scanned the crowd before she proceeded to the mission board, which was coincidentally near Jiraiya. He watched her take in everything in sight. Jiraiya studied her further. Her gait is confident, her eyes alert, and her chakra concealed.

With her plain features (shoulder-length black hair, brown eyes, fairly tan skin, thin build), she could've blended in the crowd easily. Normal people would've dismissed her, but Jiraiya isn't normal. To him, she stood out. Even if he ignored her clothes, her silent footsteps and concealed chakra would've caught his attention easily.

Jiraiya watched her scan the mission board. With major mission requests being sent to the Hidden Villages, there is only so little you can choose from the board, and most of them are only D-Ranks. But then again, why would a Konoha ninja; who is in the Land of Fire, take her missions here and not from the village?

He heard her sigh and retreat from the board and completely leave the pub. Rising from his seat, he silently followed her. She left the town and continued to leisurely walk through the path in the forest.

"May I know why you're following me?" said a voice behind him. Turning around, Jiraiya is met with the woman he is indeed following. Her features annoyed but not angry enough to brandish any weapon in her person.

'Kage-bunshin?' Jiraiya is not stupid enough to turn his back on his possible opponent. So instead, he leveled her with a scrutinizing stare. Studying her further.

"Who are you?" He finally asked.

Zen knows that being a smart-ass and asking sarcastically would not give her any advantages, so she honestly replied: "Zen"

"I am Jiraiya" No theatrics involved, and that sent a glaring warning in Zen's mind. "And where are you from?" Jiraiya continued to ask.

"Nowhere" Straight-faced and direct, no indications of lies.

"Really?" Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "Where'd you got the clothes?"

"Bought it" Zen's features remained bored. "Takumi Village in the Land of Rivers has quite an assortment of garments"

"I see..." Jiraiya didn't seem convinced. He scanned her appearance again and couldn't help but ask. "Are you a ninja?"

"No" She replied. Well, not anymore anyway. "May I know now why you're following me?"

"Ah..." Jiraiya cleared his throat, quickly thinking of something to say. And then it hit him, "Would you like to work for me?"

Momentarily stunned, Zen took a moment to reply. "What?"

"I am a Spy Master working for Konoha" Jiraiya admitted. "I'll pay you generously on the information you provide me."

And Zen didn't know what to make of the situation anymore.