A/N: Okay, so I've decided to get rid of the author note commentaries. For one thing, they are a lot of work. But, also, I feel like they… for lack of a better word, degrade my writing skill, I guess. I've been working on really improving my writing skills, and I think I have. But I need to improve it all around, which included refining my author notes. I have nothing against commentaries, but, for me, they need to go. Hope you guys understand, and sorry for those of you who liked them. But, hey, more time for my story ^_^ Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Only my OC. Please enjoy!
Chapter One:
Intel Gathering
"Okay, you three," Lady Tsunade said. "Thanks to Kye, you all have a new mission. It will just be the three of you. Are you ready?" It had only been a night since I returned to Konoha, but I had no choice but to go on this mission.
"Yes, ma'am!" we said in unison.
"Really, the biggest part of this mission is finding out how much Orochimaru knows. It's more of an intel thing than anything else, but you will have permission to engage the enemy if, and only if, absolutely necessary. We don't want any deaths on our side, and you three are not ready to take him on. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Good, so here's what you need to do." She started explaining where we would go, and where we could stop for food and rest. "Kye, I'll leave the rest for you to explain."
"The rest?" She asked, confused.
"Where you found his hideout, really," she said. "And repeat what you found. Just so we're all on the same page."
"Right," she nodded. She pointed to a mountain north of Takigakure*. "It's up here, about a day past Taki, which will make our journey about four days long, and that's about it." Kye looked up at Tsunade.
"Good, good," she said, still studying the map. Then her head snapped up. "Alright you three, I don't care who's team leader, as long as things get done."
Kye, Akito, and I looked at each other. "I think Kye should lead us." I finally said.
"I think so, too," Akito agreed.
"Wait, why me?" She asked.
"Well, you did find the place," I said.
Akito nodded. "It's only right that you lead this mission."
"Well," Lady Tsunade said, "I guess that settles that. The only thing left to say is good bye and good luck. Go now, leave as soon as you can."
"Yes, ma'am!" We said in unison, and then jumped out the window, not bothering with the stairs in the building. We hurried back to the Nara compound to gather our supplies.
We were all ready in a matter of minutes.
Akito had her lightning sword on her back, and Kye had her two katana on her back, and we all wore a similar outfit of black shirts and pants, since they were better for recon missions.
"You aren't bringing your giant shuriken?" I asked her.
"Nah, there's not need for them on a recon mission," she replied.
I shrugged. "Your choice. You two ready?"
Akito took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be."
"I'm ready," Kye said. "Why do you sound nervous, Akito?"
"Well, it's just that this is kind of big."
"Don't be nervous," I said. "Just focus on the mission and getting the job done." She nodded in understanding.
"Well, let's get going then," Kye said, and with that said, we set out on our mission.
Just outside of Taki:
The sun was just setting on our fourth day of travel.
"Let's set up camp here," Kye said. "There's a cave over there, we should be safe in there."
Akito and I nodded, and we hurried over there. After a quick recon of the cave to make sure it was safe, we set up a fire out of site of the cave entrance, and we got out our map.
Kye smoothed out the map, and pointed to a spot just outside of Taki. "This is where we are," she said, marking it with a pen, and then she pointed to a spot about four miles outside the other side of Taki, "And this is where I found Orochimaru's old base. When I was there, it was totally empty, but it'll be safer to assume it's occupied."
"But doesn't he, like, never go back to an old base?" Akito asked.
"I think he'd run out of bases," Kye responded. "But, even if that's true, it's better to assume the worst and find the best, rather than to assume the best and find the worst."
We both nodded.
"So what's our plan?" I asked.
"We'll wait until morning to make our way over there. Once in, I'd like to stay together if possible. We know what we're looking for, and I know where it is."
"We're looking for files on the Byakugon, correct?" I asked.
"Well, not really," Kye said. "I think I've found everything relate to it there. We're looking for leads to another hide out. Hopefully one with more information. Alright, I guess that's everything. Let's get some rest, I'll take the first watch."
We nodded, and she headed off for her fist watch.
The Next Morning:
I was the last watch of the night, so it was my job to get everyone up at the break of dawn. "You all ready?"
"Yup," Akito said.
"Let's head out," Kye said.
It was silent as we made our way through the forest, taking the long way around Taki. We all knew the plan, there was no need for us to discuss it.
After about an hour of jumping through trees, Kye stopped us. "See that cave leading underground? That's it. Everyone's clear on the plan?" We nodded. "Good, let's go."
Silently, we made our way into the base, being sure to mask our chakra as well. Without a word, we followed Kye's lead copying her moves to evade the booby traps left in the base.
Finally she came to a halt at the end of a hall, stopping outside of a large room that looked to be a science lab. "This is it," she whispered. "I don't sense anyone in there, but they could be masking their chakra. Be extra careful. Let's split up."
I nodded and headed over to a cluttered desk. Sifting through the papers, I found nothing Byakugon related, but I did find a journal. Flipping through it, I read things about bleeding butterflies, and dying caterpillars, and other strange things. I figured it was coded, so I slipped it in my backpack for safe keeping, and I continued sifting through papers, and looking through drawers.
"Hey, guys!" Akito called after a while. "Come look what I found!"
We gathered around a world map that had various villages and towns circled, and there were X's through a few of the circles, one being over Konoha.
"What is it? I thought it might have been the locations of his bases, but this place isn't on the map, and Konoha is circled and Xed. Why do you think it's Xed out?"
"I'm not sure," Kye said. "We should take it with us, though. Did you find anything, Darcy?'
"Just a journal, but it's coded, so I'm going to take it back to the village, give it to the interrogation squad, I guess. Did you find anything?"
"No, I didn't," she said. "Let's going back."
We hurried out of the hide out, and made the four day trek back to Konoha.
Back at Konoha, in the Hokage's building:
"Thank you for your work, you three," Lady Tsunade said. "Leave it to us to figure out what the map and journal mean. For now, take a well earned break."
"Will you let us know when you figure out what the map and journal mean?" I asked.
"Of course," Lady Tsunade said. "Here's your pay. Take a few days off before you come looking for mission's."
We gave her the affirmative, and headed out to wander the town.
"Hey, guys," I said after walking in silence for a few blocks. "I think we should move out. Get our own pay. We'll be living here from now on, so we can't just take up space in the Nara compound."
"That is true," Akito said.
"And we do have the money to do that," Kye said.
"But what about you and Gaara?" Akito asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well, you two will be getting married, won't you want to live together?"
"Yeah, but we have a year, we've been imposing on the Nara's for far too long now," I said.
"Then should we start looking?" Akito asked.
"Yeah, let's go!" Kye exclaimed.
A/N: Well, I think that's a good place to leave you all. Hope you liked the chapter. I hope I didn't put too much stuff in there, I know I kind of had, like, two different plots for this chapter, but I wanted it to be longish, and I think it all flows, so it works, I think. Review please1
*Takigakure = Village hidden by Waterfalls.