chapter 6 -back with squad 8-
"well, this looks like a good spot to rest. Maiko; Coal; Yumi! Pick a spot a pitch your tent"
a sweatdrop forming on the back of his head, Coal said "do we need a tent? I didn't bring one"
Hitting him on the head, Yumi yelled "what, are you retarded?! you gotta learn to prepare"
"Well, it doesn't seem that its gonna rain tonight"
'DA-BOOM!!' thundered a downpour.
"Well, it doesn't seem that its gonna rain tonight." mocked coal. "ah, crap, my stuff is getting wet"
From inside her tent, Maiko could hear Coal outside, and decided to help her friend out. Unzipping her tent fly, she poked her head out.
"Hey Coal! bring your stuff here"
"allright." draging his backpack over to her, he asked "now what"
"You get your butt in here! Get your sleeping bag"
As he drag it over, Maiko saw how soaked it was.
"You know what? Leave it outside! I got towels and blankets in here"
So coal brought his backpack inside, put it in the corner and laid down. a little confused, he turned around.
"Hey, maiko; why'd you do that"
"Do what"
"Help me out and let me stay in your tent. you normally would just laugh at me"
Feeling a bit guilty, Maiko answered "Well, your my friend. I can't let you get soggy. Besides, this way you owe me"
cracking a smile, Coal said "fo! I owe you nothing"
luaghing, she smacked him with a pillow. "your lucky we're friends..." she hit him again "or i'd kill you"
For an effect, she hit him one more time before she said "I guess that i should get you some covers and a pillow"
"nah- I sleep outside without those things when I train too much. It's okay." with that, he rolled over and was asleep before she could respond. after looking at him for a few more seconds, she turned around and fell asleep.

"Hey, wake up!" said Akaira "we gotta keep on rollin"
"all right, let me change!" yelled Maiko. within 30 seconds, Maiko had stripped of her shirt, socks, and skirt. Just as she was about to take off her bra, she heard from outside a really loud question-"WHERE'S COAL"
Maiko froze. Slowly, she turned around. there was coal, past out. She scrambled to put on her old clothes, then woke up coal.
"Hey, coal, wake up"
"unggg"
"Come on, Coal. I gotta change. Pleeeeeeease"
"You owe me one." he muttered. gathering his stuff, he half-walked, half-crawled outside. Once he was gone, Maiko let out a deep breath. That was close. with the threat gone, Maiko changed, but this time slowly and took her time. When she got out of her tent, Coal was already changed and ready to go.
"Come on! LETS GO!" Cried Coal "We don't wanna be late!" as he said this, he started running down the path.
"Arn't we going to go after him? After all, he does have the scroll." asked Maiko "Nah, i set up a perimiter field. He won't be able to leave. By the way, i saw him leave your tent this morning, you guys didn't"
"NO! He forgot his tent, so i let him stay in my tent, that's all! It was pouring last night! By god"
"jez, Miako. I was just joking"
"Sorry, i just kinda had a close call with him"
"Okay, this conversation sounds okward." said Yumi as she walked near them. "When do we leave, Akiara-sensi"
"Just as soon as take down the perimiter field"
on cue, off in the diistance they heard "YOEW!! Jez! Why do they always put these freaking"
"we'd better go help him."maiko said once they had removed the prerimeter field, they were off. Walking along the path, Maiko started to make small talk.
"Hey yumi, why do you specialize in Genjutsu?
Flashback
A man with white and red tipped hair and a sky blue rode was standing in between two willow trees.
"AGAIN!" he ordered.
"But daddy, I just did it! Besides, if I do that genjutsu again, I think I'll DIE! Please let me go play with my friends, PLEASE"
"Alright, yumi. But if I let go now, will you promise me something?" Said the man in blue.
"what, daddy?" little green-eye yumi asked.
"Will you promise me that you'll grow up and be just like mommy"
"But mommy's not here"
"I know, but will you train to be like Tessa"
"Yes, I will"
End flashback
"No reason." Answered Yumi.
Russel-russel-russel "what was that?" asked Yumi "I don't know, but I don't wanna find out."said Akiara Nodding to coal to start his jutsu. Doing a few handsigns, Coal quickly started to change. within the minute, he was ready to rip some arms off.
"no matter how many times he does that, I'll still creep me out." Commented Maiko.
just at that moment, three shurikin were thrown at Coal.
"Look out Coal!" yelled Maiko But it was to late- all three made contact with his head. the first one went strait into his temple the other two made contact with his neck and ear. Just as Maiko was to burst into tears- POOF!! It was a tree trunk.
"Ha-HA!!" yelled Coal "now i got you! running out of his hiding place, the fully human coal jumped into a bush with a rope and a kunin. There was some noise, then he was flung strait out of the bush. "poof!" this one was a Rock! Another figure drop from the tree. this time it really was coal. BAM POW OOOFFF!! came the sounds of a good old hand to hand combat fight. Finnaly, Coal came out with a kid about 5'6, genin. He was wearing the village of the sound on his head, but it was slashed to show that he was a rouge.
"It's uncommon to have a rouge sound GENIN." said Akaria. "Why have you attacked us"
Before the kid could answer, what seemed like the entire left side of the forest started the spew out kunin. coal jumped to the side, grabing maiko while at it.
Yumi jumped into a tree, While Akaira melted into the ground. Landing in a tree, Coal asked "Are you okay"
"yeah" looking down, Coal was still holding maiko still holding maiko in a tigh imbrace. "Do me a favor, maiko"
"What"
"Don't get yourself killed, I'll miss you to much"
letting her go, he jumped down. and used the eternal ape jutsu, for real this time. Jumping into a clearing, he said "come on, you coward! show you face and attack"
"your gonna regret that, kid." said a rough voice in the dark. out of the dark, the ninja sprang out and was behind Coal in a flash with a kunin to the primate's throut.
"Mistake." Said coal.
"...ra-SE-ensai!" Came the famialar chant of the genjutsu. "hidden art! Inward darkness Jutsu!" Cried out the young genin.
"shit. I can't move. I...can't...see...can't thi..nk"
As the jutsu took it's effect, Maiko appared and hit the guy in the face so hard, the sound was aduablde in the village of the rock. (FAR, FAR, away from there)
"THAT'S FOR TRYING TO KILL COAL!!" screamed Maiko. delivering blow after blow, the man wouldn't have been able to have stand up if it wern't for the parilizing jutsu. "why are you attacking us?! demanded Yumi, strugling to keep the jutsu. "I...we.. are... rouge.." Said the ninja, face strewn with blood and what looked like a bone sticking out of where the nose should be.
"Yes, we know that! Tell ME-WHY?" "valuables...money...we were jus- aghh... coughs up blood "Please, for...give ...just want... food- money- anything"
"Yumi, undo the jutsu- i have a feeling that he won't run." said a voice out of nowhere. Suddenly, Akaira came out of the ground, as though it was just water to rise outt of. "I was waiting for your companion- it seems as though he's abandon you"
"He has." said the blue vested ninja, coming out of the daze "It is our policy." wincing, he grabbed his face and doubled over.
"here, let me help you with that." said Akiara "I'll see what i can do"
Whipping out bandages, she started her signs for her medical jutsu. As she placed her hands over his nose, she warned "This may hurt a bit." he just simplly nodded. After he was all fixed up, he said, "you three are quite the trio. I'm not the Taijutsu type, of couse, but never the less- you're preaty good"
"What's your name?" asked Akaira. "It's abc." Replied the blue-eyed ninja "It means 'traitor'. Wasn't the best name to start with in life"
"do you know about hidden in the shadows"
"I've heard of it- but it's to good to be true. It's just a rouse to gather up rouge ninja"
"Do we look like fakes to you?" asked Maiko, pointing to her headband.
"no. why-oh, wait. you four are from hidden in the shadow? How do i get there? Please, i need a new start, something; Please"
"Well, i dunno how to get back. It's kinda hard to explain; you could just head south and hope that a gaurd will find you, or you could"
"He could use my chakra trail." Intergected yumi "i placed down a chakra line, so i could find my way back easily. I could show him how to track it"
"Do it." said Akiara.
While Yumi was teaching abc how to trace her chakra lines, a growl in the distance was heard.
"Oh-no! Not again!" Cried Makio.
GROWL
URNNGANCH"
"he-he... I'm kind of hungry. What about you guys?" Said the ape.
"It was you this whole time?" Yelled Maiko "Why didn't you say something? I almost pissed myself"
"I think you did"
"Ha-Ha"
"So, what's to eat? After all that chakra use, i'm starved"
"coal, in all the time I've known you, i don't think you've ever been NOT hungry"
"Well, I could make dinner for us." suggested coal.
"Coal, knowing you, you couldn't cook ramen without burning your chopsticks." Repied Akiara.
"Accually, he's a great cook. When i was sick with a really bad headcold, Coal was sure to fill my stomach. The only bad thing is that he listens to some annoying music when he's cooking"
"Hey, clasical WILL catch on." yelled the ape, shaking his hairy fist.
"Classical, I wonder if..." Thought the sensi, deep in thought. Thinking of her experience with his stratigies, and with his actions in battle "If this child is smarter than he lets on..."