"Now it's your turn," Yoshida said. "I've given you valuable information. Now you tell me exactly who you are and why you're here."
"We're missing-nin," Inoue-sensei said.
Yoshida looked at her blankly.
"We used to be ninja of the Village Hidden in the Mist, but our superiors sent us on a suicide mission, which we decided not to carry out. We've been travelling the world ever since, looking for a safe place to make our lives without being hunted as traitors. We've been to the Fire Country, at the heart of the continent, and to the Iron Country to the north. After things got too hot on the mainland, we came to Tea, because we heard it was a peaceful country with a low ninja presence. We've spent time in Tonaki learning about the region and its history to see if we want to stay here, and we came across your village by accident while leaving the area.
"Now that we're here, all we want is to establish good relations with our potential neighbours.
"What about you?" Inoue-sensei asked. "Where did this village come from? How long has it been here? How did it come to be so isolated?"
Yoshida gave the team a measuring look.
"We're a religious community. When the world was in the grip of yet another of its endless wars, our founder came here with his closest followers to seek peace. We've kept his ways for hundreds of years, minimising contact with the outside world. In return, we've been blessed with a bountiful environment, natural allies and a quiet, peaceful existence – at least until you came.
"You have knowledge we lack. Knowledge I think will outweigh the harm you do merely by being here. If you keep your screw-ups to a minimum, we might be able to come out of this with both sides enriched, and nobody being blown up or trampled to death. That is, of course, provided you agree to my conditions.
"Let Kōta go free.
