My grandmother always began with that line whenever she tells stories, a familiar voice as old and leathery as the very books she took them from. Such an introduction seemed fitting somehow; every tale to be told only happens once in forever, after all. Each as different from the other as a sparrow differs from a hawk.

But then my grandmother died, and I began my training as a ninja.

The stories stopped coming.

I've always wondered how my own story would turn out.

Don't get me wrong. I love my work; am proud of who I am and where I belong. But sometimes, it's so hard to live up to others' expectations when all I really want to do is to go where I choose to go, to stay up all night and watch what the very stars have to say because I want to. Duty, honor, pride....sometimes they're just strings that weigh me down and clip my wings before I even dare to fly.

I don't want to be known as Kasumi, Vice Chancellor of Rokkaku, or Kasumi the ninja, or even Kasumi of Rokkaku.

Just as me. Kasumi.

I've had my first taste of such freedom during the Toran wars, three years passed. I fought first for Rokkaku, on Chief Hanzo's orders; then for the Toran Liberation Army itself; then still later...simply because I wanted to.

It was exhilarating, knowing that for once in my life, I fought of my own choosing, never living up to anyone's expectations but my own.

It was also a bit frightening.

Three years. Three years since the founding of the Toran Republic, since I was promoted and apparently, doomed to a life of paperwork, disputes, paperwork, diplomacy, and more paperwork.

Since the disappearance of McDohl, the republic's previous leader.

Three long years.

Would I live happily ever after, like in all grandmother's stories?

I wonder if I'm allowed vacation days.

The Stare was infamous throughout Rokkaku, especially among the ninjas-in-training, political underlings, goffers, and high-ranking spies, all of which made up about four-fifths of the general populace. It has been emulated several times by those of lower rank towards their subordinates, but has yet to be flawlessly imitated. It consists first, of a large deep scowl that takes up nearly half the hard angled face it currently occupyies, coupled with the slow but inexorable downward slant of thick and bushy eyebrows, shadowing dark eyes creased at the corners by years of hard work and insurmountable iron will. Everyone within the vicinity old enough to be trained has been the target of the Stare at least once in their lifetime, and only if they were lucky.

At the moment, the Stare is currently being inflicted upon one Kasumi, Vice Chancellor of Rokkaku Hamlet. To her credit, she refrained from squirming outwardly, given the fact that she has been the recepient of such a glare more times than anyone else has ever had, more so during the past few years. She was expecting it as well.

"Va-ca-tion?" Master Hanzo spelled the word out slowly in a deep resonant baritone, as if he'd never heard such a term before. "You're asking me to give you a va-ca-tion?"

"Yes sir." Kasumi said softly. After all, why not? She's been working the hardest for the past few years after she had been promoted, going through one crisis after another. Rokkaku was originally a village closed off to the outside world, and no one has ever briefed her on how to establish ties with the rest of the towns under the Toran Republic. But she muddled through, and did a surprisingly good job of it, if she could say so herself. She's been overworked and underpaid for the last three years.....

Wait a minute. Underpaid? I haven't been paid since I took the job. So maybe I don't need money. That much. Oh....Rokkaku Code, Article 3 Section 11. A ninja must always remain self-sufficient. Damn. Maybe I can add a new clause when my next contract comes up.

"Why?" Another Stare, two in a row this time. She seemed to be setting some new records that day. "After all these years, why ask for a va-ca-tion now?"

"Well...lately, my work has been mundane as of late. It's not that I'm tired of my job." She hurriedly rushed on. "It's just that I think I deserve a break. I spend more time indoors than I do out, and I feel that I want -no, need- to relax, if only for a short while. I'm not asking for a long vacation. A week would be enough." Monologue done, she stiffened, waiting for a miracle.

"Hunh. Is that all your reasons?"

This wasn't going well. "Um. Well, sir. I think that going to other places beyond Rokkaku would help me in my work...."

"Fine. You may have your vacation."

"....meeting new people and seeing how they live would greatly influence my............what?"

"You've been slacking in your training, Vice Chancellor Kasumi. A good spy must be observant at all times. I said, fine. You may have your vaca-tion." He was getting the hang of the word now.

"I can have my vacation?...."

"Stop repeating after me, Vice Chancellor. You're beginning to sound like a parrot. As soon as you can make the necessary arrangements and find some people to take your place while you're on leave, you're ready to go."

"Oh. I mean, I do, I have people trained for my work. They'll do a good job while I'm away." While I'm away? It's a good thing I've trained Raiko to help Saiya, or Saiya'd lock herself up in a closet until I get back. If I get back. That last thought surprised her.

"You've been pushing yourself too hard, Kasumi. I've been waiting for you to ask me for a leave of absence since a year ago. Take as long as you want, then come back when you're ready." This, coming from Hanzo??