Chapter 4
Ino woke up confused, on the hard forest floor. She saw Naruto and Kitty in sleeping bags curled up close to each other, and remembered her mission. She pulled out her laptop and logged on to it. She typed out an email to Tsunade:
Lady Tsunade,
We have reached our destination and currently reside outside of the village hidden in the moon. I have assumed since, the village is full of sleeping people during sunlight hours, and it is the village hidden in the moon, that the poeple here are nocturnal. Naruto and Kitty currently are asleep, awaiting moonrise. We shall have the gem soon enough, and I am well warned by my studies and yourself that the Moon Villages' ninja are dangerous. We shall bring the gem soon.
-Ino Yamanaka
She closed her laptop and watched as the sun set in the west. She thought about Shikamaru, even though she tried her hardest not to think about him, she couldn't help it. She missed him so much already! She wondered what it would have been like if he had come with her.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded, both startling her and jerking Kitty and Naruto abruptly awake.
"Wazzat?" Naruto asked groggily.
"I think that's the signal that all the towns people are awakening. Did you two get enough sleep?"
"Yeah," they said in unison.
"OK, Lady Tsunade gave me specific instructions about how to reach the rendevous point. Because most of the village doesn't know we are actually coming here we have to be stealthy," She began to draw a map from her bag until, "AH-!!" Ino yelled as someone landed quietly and swiftly beside her.
"Hiya, Ino Chan!" said Anna exuberantly.
"ANNA!" they all said thoroughly surprised.
"I thought you were going to have your baby and couldn't come?" Ino asked.
Anna's face went downcast, she looked angry, hurt, and fierce all at the same time, "Turns out I'm not going to have a baby, I had a miscarriage, good thing too because I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life marrying that insulting bastard."
"Oh, Anna! I'm so sorry!" Ino and Kitty said together.
"Ah well, at least I'm an official member of the Terracia clan now. So you guys are going into the Moon Village. The ninja in the village are very keen to even slight movements, so the only logical way to get past them is to be invisible," Anna replied cheerfully.
"You're going to make us invisible?" Naruto asked.
"Yup, it'll feel funky when I tap my wand on you all's head to make you invisible so don't freak out. Also Lady Tsunade asked me on this mission after I had my miscarriage because I know the Kage here very well, and your chances of getting the gem safely are big when I'm with you," Anna replied. She pulled out her wand and rapped it sharply on Ino, Kitty, and Naruto's head making them entirely invisible. "Ok guys, ready?"
They nodded and were soon flying on their feet through the Village Hidden in the Moon unseen. They finnaly reached the Moon Kage's office and zipped in.
The Moon Kage was at his desk reading details of the mission Lady Tsunade, Konoha's Kage, sent some of her shinobi on to his village. Suddenly there was a creaking in his door he looked up startled, and gasped, "Anna Sama!!"
"Hello Kogare, how are you?" Anna grinned at him, fully visible.
"Goodness gracious Anna Sama! What a scare you gave me! Warn a body before you do that, will you?!"
Anna's grin got wider, "Well, you must realize, your shinobi aren't exactly welcoming to visitors they know nothing about. They're hostile, we're not looking for a fight."
His eyebrows rose, "We're?"
"Oh yeah," she turned around and rapped her wand once more on their heads, making them visible once more, "Kogare, meet Ino Yamanaka, Kitty Hitomi, and Naruto Uzumaki."
They each shook hands with Kogare, and then Anna spoke once more, "Kogare, Ino, here is leader of this mission, so you'll be speaking to her the most."
Ino stepped forward, "I am Ino Yamanaka, of the Yamanaka Clan. My comrads are Naruto Uzumaki and Kitty Hitomi."
Kogare smiled, "I see, and you all are here for the Moon Gem. Unfortunately, the gem is under many protective jutsu and spells all cast and performed by Anna, here. It will take some time to unlock the gem from its protective caseing. So for today, or tonight for you all, you may stay in the village, and wander around it as you please. My ninja won't attack you, so you are free from any attack."
Ino smiled and said, "Ok, Naruto, Kitty, lets go!"
Kogare smiled, "We have lodgings set aside specifically for your team."
"Thank you," Ino said before she, Naruto, and Kitty filed out of the room.
Anna remained, "Ok, Kogare, we'll need a crowbar, several medic ninja, and several of your secret scrolls."
Kogare opened his mouth to protest, but Anna interrupted, "Oh, come on, Kogare, you know I'd die before I'd leak any of the Hidden Villages secrets to anyone else!"
Kogare replied reluctantly, "Alright, Anna Sama, we'll see to it."
And with that Anna walked out of Kogare's office, leaving him to deal with his troubled thoughts.
