After the Sannin left, Karauta sat in an awed silence for a few minutes, turning her gaze to watch the face of her sleeping daughter. Her eyes traced the little frown on the girl's forehead, the slope of the cute button nose and those pink lips, bruised from Chikage worrying them – a bad habit that the oiran had done her best to discourage. However, since the incident, it had been hard to tell the child off for doing whatever soothed her feelings of anxiousness. Several long moments passed with her simply memorizing the face of her child, knowing that this could likely be the last time she laid eyes on her. Sighing heavily, Karauta regretfully murmured apologies. She apologized to the toddler for her lot in life, for bringing her into this world without the capabilities to protect her and guide her like she deserved.

Calling softly for Kôcho and Hatsune, Karauta issued an almost silent order for the first to start packing Chikage's belongings, the latter to bring her combs and the finest of Chikage's kimono. Dressing her up like the daughter of a noble would provide a believable cover. There was no reason for Jiraiya to be carting a child around, it would seem rather suspicious. But if that child was the offspring of someone important, it wasn't totally unbelievable. The white-haired sannin was much too valuable to be sent out carelessly, but if a particularly finicky daimyo had demanded that much, and obviously paid the hefty fee, then it was possible. Or at least that was the explanation Karauta gave herself, although she mostly just wished to use the opportunity to pamper her precious daughter for the last time.

The sleeping toddler was gently woken and she sat obediently still as her mother ran the elaborate comb through her long hair. Hatsune had brought Chikage's finest kimono, one that Karauta had commissioned early in spring using Hatsune and Kôcho as go-betweens. It could easily be explained away since it was the duty of the elder sister to sponsor and provide for her girls. Hatsune quickly left again, hurrying down to the kitchens only to return carrying some strange smelling black concoction. Chikage was ushered out of her kimono and lay practically naked on the floor as the concoction was slathered into her hair. "After you leave, you should act like a hime. Pretend to be the daughter of men like my customers. Important and influential. Your hair is much too unusual a color, so we will dye it. It should last until your arrival in Konohagakure." Karauta spoke brusquely, quiet but intense and expecting to be heeded. She had ordered the girls to crush and soak black walnuts three days prior. It had been a shot in the dark, a desperate act that she had not actually expected to work out. But just in case that Jiraiya would agree, the concoction had been prepared.

It would take at least two hours for her hair to darken enough, so Karauta took that time to allow her daughter to ask any question. She had only just uttered her permission and the little girl had asked question after question as if she had been wondering for ages. "Why did you keep me?" was the first one. It almost hurt to hear her little girl ask in such a matter of fact voice. Of course, most women in her profession would have gotten rid of the fetus – no matter how harmful the method. Karauta answered after a short moment of hesitation. "You were an accident, true. But from the moment I knew that I was carrying you, there was no other option for me. I have ridden myself of pregnancies before, but there was something special about you, I could feel it within me." Chikage only mulled that over for a moment before asking the next one. "Why can't I stay with mother?" That one was easy enough. "It's too dangerous to let you go untrained when you are already capable of reaching for your chakra." Chikage's bottom lip wobbled and the next twenty minutes was spent with her tearfully trying to convince her mother otherwise. Pleading that she didn't want to go. That she would not ever use the chakra again, she didn't need that dumb chakra anyway, if only she could stay. Karauta would not budge on her decision, even if her daughter's pleas broke her heart.

The child gave up pleading, realizing that she wasn't getting anywhere and said nothing for a long time. Her cheeks were blotchy and her eyes red after crying, angry and frustrated and sad that no matter what she said, the answer remained the same. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to both mother and daughter, Chikage spoke again. The third question was less simple. "Who is that man and why did he come here?" The oiran sighed and smoothed her pale hands down over the luxurious silk of her obi and sent the child a shrewd look. "Do not play dumb, child. I know you realized your similarities the moment you saw him. Jiraiya-sama is an important, highly ranked shinobi from Konohagakure. He sired you, as you have probably already surmised. He will take care of you from now on." Chikage looked a bit embarrassed at her mother's chiding, and fidgeted impatiently on the floor. Several long minutes passed in somewhat comfortable silence before the child spoke up again." What about you, mother?" She mumbled, seemingly suddenly realizing that Karauta was not in any position to leave.

Her debt had yet to be paid off in full, and so she was still practically nothing but an indentured slave. Albeit one dressed in finery worthy of any royal court. The oiran gazed out of the window she was sitting by, an arm slung over the windowsill carelessly. A long time passed and Chikage was just about to repeat her question, wondering if she hadn't been heard. Just as she opened her mouth to ask again, she got her answer. "I will leave this horrid place and wed someone." Karauta finally replied, looking like her mind was a thousand miles away. Surprised outbursts of disbelief came from all three young girls and Karauta turned her gaze onto them, seemingly startled back to reality. "Do not act like that. I've gotten my fair share of good offers, and besides I am growing older." The oiran chided, frowning despite her amusement. "I never liked this life, in any case."

Hatsune and Kôcho looked utterly heartbroken at those news, something that did not go unnoticed by the courtesan. She huffed with amusement and reached a hand out to pat Hatsune on the head. "Worry not, girls. I have enough money to continue your sponsoring. You will not go hungry." Hatsune started crying, hands covering her face. Chikage seemed horrified to see her usually tough older sister cry and looked to her mother with a bewildered look on her face. Karauta seemed just as bewildered as her daughter, and turned to Kôcho for an explanation. The older of the two kamuro looked uncomfortable at being put in the spot, and seemed hesitant to answer, but seemingly managed to gather the courage to speak. "..She is crying because we do not wish to leave your side, onee-sama." Kôcho mumbled, looking down at her hands as she continued:" We have no family to speak off and you are all we have. You have been both parent and teacher to us, so while we should be happy for you…" The girl trailed off, looking somewhat ashamed and vulnerable.

Karauta pursed her lips and looked from one girl to the other, seemingly contemplating how to respond. "Why don't you just take 'em with you, mother?" The youngest of the four piped up, sitting up slowly as Kôcho rushed over to help dry her hair with a towel and to keep her from dripping the dye onto the floormats. "Hatsune-nee and Kôcho-nee can go with mother, can't they?" The oiran hummed non-committedly and her eyebrows drew together in a frown. It wasn't impossible, in fact it was a rather bright idea. The girls were still in training yet, hadn't even started their formal education nor had the tea-house spent much money on them. They had no debt, since she was the one sponsoring them, paying for their livelihoods – which meant that buying their contracts from the owner of the tea house would not be very expensive. The courtesan turned her gaze to her daughter, worried. "Would you be okay with that, child? For them to go with me, when you cannot?"

Chikage bit her bottomlip, tearing up just a bit but she nodded nonetheless. It was unfair. She wanted to stay with her mother as well, but that was not an option for her anymore. There was only three hours till her departure and Karauta would not be swayed. The memories of what was to come frightened Chikage, she had never even known any violence, so how was she to handle not one, but two wars? Ones that, if she went to Konoha, there was large risk that she would have to participate in? Dying senselessly in a war dreamed up by old, power-hungry men was hardly on her bucket list. But living a civilian life wouldn't guarantee her survival…it might even lessen her chances, since shinobi at least had a fighting chance. In any case, there was nothing she could do. Whether Chikage liked it or not, the choice had been made for her already. Her mother had decided, and since there was no way she could run away and survive on her own, that was how it was going to be.

She was brought out of her musings by the sound of her mother's voice, declaring her decision. "Well, in that case I'll inquire about the cost of your contracts and ask to bring you as my servants or handmaidens." Karauta had been saving up to pay her way out of servitude, but since that fee would be paid by her future husband, she had more than enough to pay for the two girls. Even if it galled her to be bought or to buy anyone. The courtesan found herself being hugged by one girl and had another sobbing her gratitude on her lap.

The two hours had passed, and it took an additional half hour to calm down the kamuro, who were very excited at the prospect of escaping the fate of a prostitute which Chikage thought was more than understandable, but the strange concoction in her hair was itchy and it didn't smell all that great either. After the girls stopped crying out of sheer happiness, they helped wash the natural dye out of her hair. Then they helped the younger girl into the fine kimono, sighing over the feel of the expensive fabric. It was red and gold brocade fabric, adorned with peonies and cranes. The obi was simpler, a pastel pink and otherwise unadorned to bring out the kimono itself. Her now black hair was dried, carefully combed and reaching mid-back. A small ribbon was tied around a lock on each side of her face as was custom for noble girls as young as her.

They ate a meal together, all four of them and as the time drew short, the tension in the room got stronger. All of them looked on the verge of tears and Chikage sat between her two older sisters, alternately hugging either of them as the impulse hit her. Hatsune and Kôcho had gifted her their otedama bags. They were the tiny bean bags used the juggling game that the three girls had spent countless hours playing. The youngest girl knew how the two kamuro treasured them, so she cried at their generous gift.

Clothes, a toy or three, a few of her mother's ornaments and a bit money was all that there was space for in the bag. No matter how much she wanted to bring her scrolls and books, there was no way to fit all of them into a bag that she could carry.

Chikage had gravitated to her mother's side, and lay with her head in her mother's lap, listening to Karauta soft humming of a familiar lullaby when Jiraiya came in through the window. Sneaking in this time, obviously since he couldn't be seen leaving with a kid that wasn't there when he arrived. She hugged her tiny family goodbye, holding onto her mother a little bit fiercer than the other two and then bowed deeply. "Thank you for raising me until now." The child said in a strangled voice, sending her mother one last pleading look that she knew was a useless effort.

Jiraiya looked upon the sad scene from his spot by the window and sighed heavily, feeling like he had seen to many heartbroken scenes in his life already. He was thankful that they had dyed her hair, because now he didn't have to. Him carting around a little one, practically a miniature version of him albeit prettier, would have attracted way too much attention. No need to paint a target on the girl's back before she ever even had a chance to learn how to fight. "You ready to go, kiddo?" He asked, finally as Karauta and the two crying kamuro left the room. The little girl was pale and pitiful despite the lavish outfit, but nodded her assent. He scooped up the toddler and her small bag of things and jumped out the window. Landing effortlessly onto the roof of the building across from the tea house.

It was dark out, but the added anonymity of traveling by the roof, when in a large city was always helpful. He gazed down at the little girl in his arms, -*his daughter, by the Hokage, he was never getting used to that – and found her studying his face. He coughed, startled at her blatant curiosity. "You might as well sleep, we've got a long trip in front of us. " The Sannin murmured and took off across the roofs, setting course for Konoha.