Picking up flowers O.P.E.N.

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri wandered through a field with many flowers that happened to be in the forest not so far from Konoha's gates. She and her parents were on a trip; visiting their grand-parents who had moved to Konoha; no one really knew why though.Her parents were not so far from her but still far enough. She giggled skipping, not wearing her shoes and started to pick up a few flowers here and there. They had had a pick nick and her parents were busy doing their ‘adult lips locking’ they used to call kiss. She didn’t really care about them for the moment; all that mattered was the fun she had.

Just then, a butterfly flew around her. She giggled as she tried to catch it but it happened to failed. She frowned but soon enough raised her head back and continued to chase it until she caught it. Once she had done so, tripped over to some log that was on the ground. She winced and yelped landing head first on the ground, her left hand was holding the bouquet she had started to make while her right hand was busy playing with the butterfly she had caught a few seconds ago. “Ow that hurt though…” she mumbled as she tried to stand up.

As she standed up, she realised she wasn't in the same place as before. In fact, she happened to be lost and was standing in front of the Konoha village's gates. "Oh no ... I'm lost..." she thought as she sat on the ground and began to sob silently hoping someone would find her.

[xX.dEiDaRa.Xx]

Konoha was nice, she had to admit that. Better than Suna, at the very least. Suna was dull and full of sand, and even when you got out of the village, a wide span of desert awaited you. Yep, very dull indeed. Ayako trudged through the forest, mind already on the hot springs in Konoha, which, as far as she knew, no other Hidden Village had. How she envied Konoha, and all the Shinobi there. It was undoubtedly the most powerful of the five.

The gates towered above the treetops, tempting Ayako to run. To get there sooner and relax. It had been a four day walk from Suna to Konoha. Of course, she could have made it a three day by running, but why bother? At last, a rest at the Hidden Village, as well as a friendly visit. Of course, she had been to Konoha before. Once for the Chuunin exams, another just to visit. And this would be the third time.

The trees exited to reveal the Village, with the Hokage's statues on the mountain. But Ayako's eyes were drawn to a small figure crouching down on the floor, looking sad and perhaps a little lost. "Hey..." she said quietly, walking over. The girl was definetely young. "What are you doing here?" She didn't want to frighten the girl or anything, but it was better to ask.

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri continued to sob silently hoping her parents wouldn’t be mad at her for getting lost so easily. Her dad was scary when he was mad, he liked to beat her and she didn’t want that to happen to her for an other time. That’s why she liked to come to Konoha and visit her grand-parents. When her parents weren’t there she felt a bit more safe than when she’s around her dad. Her mum couldn’t do much either; she watched him a few times and when she tried to stop him she got the same treatment as her daughter.

Though, something interrupted the young girl’s though making her startle a little. She looked up to see that a girl was standing there. Ayako didn’t scare Kiri but she was still on her guard after all her father kept repeating to her not to talk to strangers… “I’m *sobs* lost*sobs* father will be angry… if he sees I’m not back there with them” she sniffled and looked at the girl with pleading eyes hoping she would help her out to find her parents.

She was about to add that she didn’t want him to hit her again but she remembered he had clearly warned her not to say a word about that or else… She didn’t want to think about the or else. She continued to sob as her hands dropped the flowers and let the butterfly fly away and rubbed her eyes.

[xX.dEiDaRa.Xx]

Ayako liked children quite a lot, and it didn't help that this one was crying. From fear, sadness, grief or something else, she didn't know. But she was sure that she could help. But patiently, silently, without urging the girl on, she waited for the response. She tried to contain her impatience. After all, Ayako wasn't a patient person. But she waited for the sake of the girl.

...She's lost? Her expression softened, watching the girl hug her knees. A billion questions ran through her mind, but she focused on helping the girl first. "Well...I can help you find your father," she said kindly, trying her best not to sound intimidating or like a bad guy out of a movie. "Where were you heading, anyway? We could look for them there." She was under the impression that the girl didn't live in Konoha. After all, everyone could recognise their own village's doors.

It suddenly struck her that she didn't know the girl's name yet. "Oh, I'm Ayako," she said quickly, thinking it was best not to ask for the girl's name yet. Her eyes absently looked through the village doors, where various Ninja's and people alike were hurrying around doing who know's what. Looks like the hot springs would have to wait.

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri stared at the girl and a hopeful expression appeared into her eyes. Ayako wanted to help her out to find her parents and that’s all that mattered for now. “R-really?” she asked as she stood up still studying the girl. At least she didn’t look like a freak or some kind of murderer. She stayed on the grass for some more time and looked around trying to remember from which direction she was coming from. “ We were having a pick nick… I was picking up flowers but there was that butterfly… I wanted to catch it and now I’m here… and lost. I think I came from this way.” she said pointing a direction further into the forest.

She then smiled and stood up as Ayako presented herself. “My name’s Kiri! And I’m 7 years old.” she replied before getting the flowers she had picked up previously. She knew she shouldn’t speak to strangers but if it helped her to find her parents she wouldn’t complain much about it.

[xX.dEiDaRa.Xx]

Ayako smiled gently. She could tell the girl wanted to go back very much. She listened to Kiri's story in silence. It wasn't unheard of that a girl from a foreign village got lost in the woods right outside Konoha. Especially if the girl was young. And this girl was certainly young. She measured Kiri up. Somewhere around 6...or maybe seven. "Okay...well, do you want to go into the forest now?" she asked, hoping she wasn't giving the impression of being a typical evil guy.

Her suspicion was confirmed as Kiri said she was seven. Six, seven, same thing, Ayako muttered inside her head. "Well lets go then," she said sweetly, eyes looking longingly towards Konoha for an instant before setting off at a slow walk. Now she really needed that hot spring trip...

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri nodded a few times while looking at Ayako. “Hai!” she exclaimed happily. It might actually be fun to fetch for her parents. Hopefully, they didn’t notice the fact that she was gone. She looked at Konoha wondering about what was the girl looking at before catching up the girl realising she had started to walk. As they walked, she stopped a few times, only to pick up some flowers that could look pretty in her bouquet. Maybe she could give it to her parents. She thought they might enjoy having such a gift.

[xX.dEiDaRa.Xx]

Ayako began to become tired of the starting and stopping. Will Kiri ever stop picking flowers? Somehow she doubted it. Soon, the sun began to set, casting an eerie glow amongst the trees. "Kiri-chan?" she asked tentatively. "We have to speed up if we're going to find your parents before nightfall," she added quickly, wondering about the girl's reaction.

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri looked at Ayako as the girl called for her name wondering about what she wanted to tell her. She didn’t seem to notice that the sun was beginning to set but soon enough realised it, when Ayako spoke to her. Her bouquet was big enough, for Kiri’s statement and went back to Ayako. “Okay, Miss, Ayako-san… I will stop to pick up flowers.” she said while bowing her head slightly hoping the girl wasn’t mad at her.

[xX.dEiDaRa.Xx]

Ayako's expression softened. Kiri was so cute and innocent, it was hard to stay angry with her for long. "No, its okay, you can still pick the flowers," she said quickly. By now she had figured that picking flowers was a favourite pasttime of the girl's and felt rather guilty. "We just need to speed up a bit, unless you want to stay at the village for the night?"

[/size]

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri smiled as Ayako told her that she could still pick up flowers. She just loved to do so and it was her hobby. “Thank you.” She said bowing slightly and gave a flower to Ayako with a sweet smile. She then looked around at where she remembered was the spot of their pick nick. []color=orange “M-my parents aren’t there anymore…”

[/color]she said with a pout but remembered they might be out to her grand-parent’s house. “ I think they’re at my grand-parent’s house…” she then said. [/size] [/blockquote]

[xX.dEiDaRa.Xx]

Ayako sighed. So much walking for nothing. But she didn't mind if she had to accompany the sweet little, and evidently lost, girl. "So...where's your grandparents' house," she asked, pushing the impatience out of her voice. She could easily pass as a professional actress, but acting had never really appeared to her. She looked around at the site of their picnic. It seemed like a nice place to have one.

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri frowned slightly but didn’t care about the voice town that Ayako was using… in fact she was used to it since she heard that almost every time she heard her father talking to her. “ In Konohagakure.” /color] she said. “It’s near a flower shop…”/color] she then said remembering that detail. She looked up at Ayako with pleading eyes hoping she wouldn’t be mad at her and still want to help her out.

[xX.dEiDaRa.Xx]

Ayako almost felt the urge to slap herself on the forehead. Now Kiri mentioned it. They had been at Konoha a while ago, ran into the woods, and now were going back again. Sighing mentally, she put on a 'we can do it' face. "Konoha? That's..." she hesitated. Something told her she should say what was in her mind right now. "That's close to here." she amended. A flower shop? Oh yeah! That one we went to last year...where was it again...? Ayako suddenly remembered. "I'll take you there then," she said brightly, glad to be entering the village at last.

[Kiri & Ino & Aoyama siblings]

Kiri giggled and smiled at the girl’s reaction not expecting that she could be annoyed by the fact that she hadn’t told her that her grand-parents used to live in Konoha. She was happy that the girl still wanted to help her… some usually gave up after a while. “Yay! Thanks Lady Ayako!” She said brightly and bowing her head before starting to walk once again as if nothing could bring her down.