[I wasn't quite sure where to start off, but here we go;]
‘I bet she’ll bring her friends back soon…’ came the idle thought of Kotori, as she casually waved and grinned to a leaving customer. The girl, early teens and civilian, waved eagerly back, her newly bandaged hand clear in view, as she wandered off.
As soon as she was out of sight, the fortune teller let out a sigh and subconsciously fixed her posture. ‘I don’t think I can handle much more of them today…’ The girl had been the third today, and if she brought her friends- no, not a pleasant thought.
This girl hadn’t done anything in particular to set this off, and that was sort of the point. Many girls her age were the same. They’d approach Kotori, with either shy nervous glances or mischievous fangirl glints in their eyes and then they would somehow ask her, usually after a five minute explanation, if they would end up with their crush.
It had amused Kotori for a while, but all she needed now was a gaggle of them, giggling and enjoying the best years of their lives! “So, so, do you see me and Haru? Together?” they’d ask, in wonder and amazement. It tore Kotori’s heart out to say no. But she wouldn’t let them work themselves up, only to be cast down.
So, with a concerned glance up, not baring to look into their eyes, she’d mutter something along the lines of; “Sometimes, when you’re young, you think you want something desperately, but when you get older you realize that you were mistaken…Life doesn’t always go the way you want…” This cliché lesson usually earned a scowl or a disappointed frown from the customers, but it was better from some random fortune teller’s mouth, than a broken heart from their beloved.
Thankfully, not all girls were like that. A good majority of them usually asked a variety of different things, particularly the kunoichi’s. While some of them still asked about the object of their affections, most of their questions were easier to answer like; “Will I become chuunin at the exam next month?” Even if she had to say no, she could always remind them that there was always next year.
This was why Kotori was currently sitting in the Village Hidden by the Embers. It had been hard to gain clearance to enter the village, particularly as she was slinging a crossbow on her back, but after a while they had finally let her enter the volcano village.
In retrospect, this was pretty pointless. The same as ever questions, but with a nasty stench of sulphur in the background. Also, it was warm. Very warm. Hot, in fact. The girl was glad that her robe was light; otherwise she wouldn’t be pretty sight. Still, she was sure the only thing that kept her from passing out was the round fan she was deftly swinging by her face. Kotori resisted slouching on her stall with an iron will, but it was slowly getting more tempting.
‘What time is it…?’ she thought, but the real question she wanted was more along the lines of; ‘How much longer am I here for…?’ There was no point wasting the pass she had got into the village, and she needed some customers. That was the most important, so she remained alert.
As she carefully suppressed a yawn, Kotori saw something hopeful. Youngish ninjas, returned from a mission or something. They had money from their missions; hopefully they’d be willing to spend a bit? She straightened herself up, and tried to look as approachable as possible. Yes, the sign was visible, and the stall looked clean. She grinned at the ninjas, hoping to catch one of their eyes.
Once you had eye contact, you were harder to ignore.