Chapter 4: The Journey
Author's notes:
Sorry this took me longer than usual to make. I have actually been spending time planning the later stages (action scenes hint hint) of the story. If you have any suggestions, please PM me or email me. Hope you all like this latest chapter.
Roads quiet, roads dark, roads dusty, roads dirty. The road less traveled, and they were on it. Large roots ripped through the supple earth over the trail. It had been three days and the Ninja were growing weary of the lackluster hiking. Naruto's feet ached.
"Do you have the slightest idea where we are going Shikamaru?" interrogated the smartass blonde ninja.
"I know exactly where we are going; I don't need a compass when I have the sun and the stars. Besides, I'm taking us down the side trail to get to the village outside the Jozai excavation site. That way if any of the bandits are watching for our arrival, it will be too late when they see us, we will already be in the ruins with the archaeologists."
"Well you got me there" admitted Naruto.
"Not a bad plan, I have to say I'm impressed" remarked Tenten.
It had been a long journey and Lee was sleepwalking next to Naruto and Hinata. He was still able to step over roots and stones like the rest of the ninja though. No one was surprised; they had seen it many times before.
A shrouded visitor cast her gaze through the trees, her eyes focusing in on the group of young shinobi. She was no mere villager. When she saw the Konoha leaf emblem on Shikamaru's headband, she pulled a small capsule from her long draping yellow sleeve. She opened it and a sizable insect flew out and landed on her finger. She rolled up a tiny scroll and placed it in the beetle's jaws. She flicked her wrist and the beetle flew off with its message, she too darted off into the thick foliage, her deep purple hair flowing in the breeze. Hinata would have seen this intruder with the keen sight of her byakugan, but she was far too weary to notice.
The group continued onward, blissfully unaware that they were being watched.
"Finally!" exclaimed Naruto, seeing dim lights through the trees.
"Civilization!" shouted Tenten enthusiastically.
Hinata looked up from her feet for the first time in a while and smiled. "We made it" She said with a cute smile.
The four ninja spotted a deteriorated sign that read "Welcome to the village of Jozai."
"This is it, but we need to get to the excavation site before sundown, orders are orders. It's a drag but we've gotta follow through" Shikamaru told his comrades.
"We must go triple time then!" shouted Lee, thrusting his fist up the air.
"Oh not this again Lee" replied Tenten. The girl gave a long sigh. "Were only a mile out anyway. Plus the only reason we ever do that is because you and Guy sensei get all hyped up."
"Yeah Lee for once in your life take it easy" Said Naruto, the two locked eyes for a brief moment.
The defeated Lee sighed, he felt out of place now since Naruto was actually relaxed.
The village itself was unremarkable, located in a small clearing in the woods, there was little reason to remember or even notice it on your way through. You could hear the occasional chat about the prices of everyday items in the market or the weather and the harvest. The simple villagers slowly turned their heads and stared at the squad of shinobi. They rarely saw sophisticated peoples like ninjas, or at least ninjas who weren't there to exploit them. The young men and boys turned their sunburned heads as they stared at the two young and stunning kunoichi. It would almost seem as if they had never seen a woman in their whole lives. Hinata saw these stares and growing nervous, pulled her hood over her head and walked closer next to Naruto, he made her feel so safe.
"Hinata are you alright?" asked a concerned Naruto.
Hinata, thinking she was making Naruto feel uncomfortable scooted away and attempted to form an excuse. "I'm fine… Naruto" whispered
"Whatever you say Hinata" answered the blonde jinchuriki "wouldn't want you to feel nervous or be sad about anything. I won't stand for that" said Naruto. He was speaking in general but Hinata blushed and began fidgeting her index fingers.
"Th... Thank you Naruto" she said.
"No problem" replied the Blonde boy as he patted Hinata on the back.
He touched me! Naruto touched me! thought Hinata as she gave a soft smile and looked into Naruto's gemstone-like eyes. He grinned back at her with his pearly white teeth and snickered. She usually couldn't look him in the eyes but now it just felt so easy to get lost in them. Her calm lavender eyes lit up with happiness, this was the greatest mission ever.
Tenten however, the villagers eyes on her, was not so easy to intimidate. She merely grinned and winked some of the tall village boys just so she could watch them swoon. It must have been fun knowing how powerful you were to this simple villagers as a shinobi, considered even godly. As they walked through the village center the insignificant sea of peasants parted to Shikamaru's calm but elite composure. The village girls blushed and giggled.
Lee stared at the deep orange rays of setting sunlight filtering through the luscious flora and foliage. "Tenten, did I ever tell you about the time Guy sensei made me help out on the old man's farm for a week" asked Lee.
"Actually I remember hearing about how he worked you to the bone and you actually had to take a break. Why do you ask?" responded Tenten.
"This village reminds of those days" answered Lee.
Tenten nodded in agreement. She smiled. Seeing everyone so happy was nice. Hinata was finally talking to Naruto and he enjoyed her company. Shikamaru was calm and Lee was trapped in his dreams.
Some stares went unnoticed though. Several ragged highwaymen sitting in a ramen shop booth glared suspiciously at the traveling ninja. A scruffy bearded man sat at the back with these highwaymen. A faint buzzing sound came into range, a sizeable insect landed on the back of the man's hand. The beetle unclenched its powerful jaws and dropped the small scroll. The highwayman unrolled it and read it, occasionally glancing back and forth between his scroll and the five ninja sauntering past on the dusty village footpath.
"That's them" spoke the bearded man confidently. "They match the description Haruka gave us. And what's more, why the fuck else would there be some punkass leaf shinobi all the way out here."
One of the other highwaymen spoke up, his voice muffled by the mask he was wearing "Why not take them out right as they leave the village boss?"
"Well Shinsaku, the convoy won't leave until the ninja arrive and if they don't arrive, we won't be able to find the damn scrolls."
The other two outlaws nodded.
"Good point boss" agreed the tall masked assassin. "Shall I send word to the rest of our brothers that the leaf shinobi are about to arrive.
"Please do" retorted the shrewd boss. "And hurry too, we need to be ready. They may just be kids but you should never underestimate a ninja." Such a phrase was the mark of a truly experienced warrior.
And with that, Shinsaku was off in a blur, moving as fast if not faster than Rock Lee.
The five Konohan ninjas continued out of the village and onto a beaten trail. All was well, at least in their perception it was. In Shikamaru's mind, things were going all too smoothly. Regardless he appreciated the peace and quiet that came with such tranquility. The young shinobi were walking right into a firestorm and they didn't know it yet. As they walked down the trail, the sound of drills and tools grew louder as the sun sank lower.