Team 9 found their gate and stood there, waiting for the man to open it and let them through.
"So, we'll just stay on course and hope we come across someone with the opposite scroll?" Zai asked. Kaira shook her head.
"I don't think we'll get the right scroll that way." Kaira said.
"We could go look for teams." Kimiko offered.
"We might run into a ruthless team." Kaira shook her head. Zai and Kimiko glanced at each other.
"Don't you trust us, Kaira?" Kimiko asked.
"Yeah, together we can take down any team. Don't forget the harsh training Shizuka-sensei put us through." Zai reminded. Kaira smiled at her trustworthy team.
"Meow."
Kaira was holding Mei in her arms, scared for Mei to be on the ground during the exam. "You're right. I'm sorry, Kimi, Zai." Kaira nodded. Kimiko and Zai smiled.
"Okay." the man said, opening the gate. "You may begin!" Team 9 exchanged looks before diving into the Forest of Death. They instantly noticed the overgrown trees, dark atmosphere, and deadly bugs crawling all over. They raced past many trees until they grew a safe distance.
"Kimi," Kaira said, searching for the scroll, "I want you to hold the scroll." Kaira said, handing it to Kimiko.
"Oh, thank you very much, Kaira." Kimiko replied, all smiles. She was glad to have Kaira pick her for the scroll holder. Kimiko unwrapped the scroll. "It's a heaven scroll, so we need an earth scroll." Kimiko said, wrapping it back up and putting in on her back.
"What are we waiting for?" Zai asked, grabbing Kimiko's hand and pulling his sister along.
"Wait, Zai!" Kaira called, chasing after her team. Zai was anxious to put his training to work, and to try to impress Kaira.
"Most of the other teams entered before us, so there are a lot of teams in here already!" Zai said. "Focus on getting the scroll, then getting to the middle?" Zai asked, looking back at Kaira.
Very smart. Kaira smirked, catching up to them. "That's our plan." Kaira agreed, taking the lead. "C'mon, Zai, I know you can go faster." Kaira teased. Zai smirked and sped up.
Are they disregarding me? Kimiko thought, flying threw the air with Zai. Ah well, it's a free ride, I guess. Kimiko shrugged.
.:3 Hours Later:.
"We've been going running nonstop, shouldn't we have run into another squad by now?" Kimiko asked, finally free from Zai and running on her own. "I bet the other rookies already got action, so why are we so slow?" Kimiko whined.
"Kimiko, relax, I bet others are having trouble like us." Zai said in an annoyed tone.
"No, there is something strange about this." Kaira agreed. Kimiko stuck out her tongue and Zai glared at her. Kaira stopped on a large tree branch and the twins stopped too. Kaira looked around swiftly before looking down at Mei.
"Meoww."
"What!" Kimiko uttered.
"I had a feeling someone was following us for awhile now." Kaira snapped her fingers. As soon as she snapped them, kunais with bombs came flying between the four of them and stuck on the tree. "Aw, man!" Kaira quickly grabbed Mei and jumped away.
"Geez!" Kimiko screamed, retreating. Zai swore and followed Kimiko's lead. The bombs exploded right after they took off. They were almost caught in the blast, but Kimiko quickly turned around. "Mirror Barrier." Kimiko rushed, putting her hands up and it made a mirror that repelled the explosion. "Phew, close one." Kimiko sighed, her and Zai landing on a nearby tree branch. "You alright, Zai?" Kimiko asked, turned to Zai.
"I'm fine." He replied. "Where's Kaira?"
"Sorry, about that." Kaira said, landing right before them. Then more kunais and bombs came. "Not again!" Kaira moaned, jumping again. "Zai, you and Mei go find them. When you find them, I'll switch places with her." Kaira ordered. Zai nodded, quickly taking Mei and running towards the direction of the kunais.
"What about me?" Kimiko asked, running up the tree to dodge the bomb. Kaira found another tree branch as she backed up against the tree body.
"You have the scroll, so we have to protect you." Kaira whispered, ducking as a bomb was thrown at her face. "Though it might be obvious for not letting you fight." Kaira smiled, crawling around the tree. "Besides," Kaira reached Kimiko and smiled as they stood on the trunk of the tree without falling. "They must not be that strong since they are only throwing bombs at us."
"Point." Kimiko nodded.
"Hm? They found them so quickly, maybe that's why the bombs stopped." Kaira said. "Cat-Companion Switch!" Kaira said, closing her eyes.
"Kaira!" Zai yelled. Kaira opened her eyes and saw three mist ninja rushing for Zai.
Mist Ninja, huh? Kaira thought, bending down. Sounds easy. Kaira smiled as her cat instincts starting appearing.
"Ninja Art, Acid Rotation." Zai yelled, spitting acid from his mouth, towards the mist.
"What the-?" shouted one, jumping away from him and right into Kaira.
"Seriously?" Kaira asked, whispering it into ear. He jumped and quickly turned around and put a kunai threw Kaira's head.
A log. Substitution jutsu.
Then the real Kaira appeared right behind him and put her sharp claws to his chest and gave him a long, deep cut. He let out a scream of pain as he started bleeding.
"Hm?" Kaira said once he fell to the floor. "Did I overdo it?" Kaira asked shyly, blushing from embarrassment. She looked at her blood-soaked fingers and shivered. In that instant, Kaira let her guard down.
The second and third member of the mist leaped for Kaira, who still didn't notice.
"Kaira!" Zai yelled, waking Kaira from her pause. "Ninja Art, Acid Rotation!" Zai spat more acid and aimed for the second member. He missed, but the acid landed on the tree and it melted the part away. Damn! When Shizuka-sensei taught me this jutsu, she did mention is would be hard to control at first, but…
"Leaf Tornado!" Kimiko said, appearing from under the branch. The leaves on the tree above came raining down onto the two mist ninja.
"Huh?" Kaira asked, noticing her two enemies being engulfed in the leaves, that were sharpened like razors from the jutsu. It's no fair that Shizuka-sensei taught Kimiko the strong jutsus. Kaira pouted.
"How's that, Kaira?" Kimiko giggled, twirling around.
"Meow!" Mei came from the same place as Kimiko.
"You wanna finish off these small fry?" Kimiko asked, snapping her finger and releasing the jutsu. The two mist ninja fell to the branch and were all bloody from cuts all over their body.
"You sure did a number on them, Kimiko…" Kaira shivered.
"Are you crazy! Kimiko, you totally overdid it! Shizuka-sensei said to only use that jutsu in case of emergency!" Zai yelled. Kimiko nodded and rolled her eyes.
"It was an emergency, Zai! They were going to kill Kaira!" Kimiko fought.
"They weren't so much kill her as injure her!" Zai growled.
"You don't know that, some of these teams are deadly and brutal!" Kimiko hissed. Kaira sighed as she walked over to each of the fallen mist and checked around for the scroll. "You're lucky I was here, it didn't look like you were going to save her any!" Zai backed up and flushed from humiliation.
"My jutsu is hard to control!" Zai gave a quick excuse.
"Mine was even harder!" Kimiko screamed.
"Both of you, please," Kaira said, walking towards them, holding the Mist's scroll. "Here's their scroll, it's all we want." Kaira said, unfolded it.
"It's another heaven scroll." Zai was the first to say the obvious. Kimiko sighed out her anger before making more hand signs and bringing more leaves back to life. "Kimiko, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to kill them for wasting out time." Kimiko said coldly.
"No, Kimiko, don't do that!" Kaira yelled. Kimiko looked at Kaira and released her jutsu. Kimiko smiled and Zai rolled his eyes.
"If you say so." Kimiko cheered. Kaira sighed as she handed Kimiko the extra heaven scroll.
"Let's keep searching. I'm sure the next team we run into will have the earth scroll." Kaira said.
"Be careful, next time, Kaira." Zai warned.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Kaira replied. "It was my fault after all," Kaira said, looking down. She then looked back up and smiled really wide. "He might die from loss of blood."
S-She really is scary! Kimiko shivered.
Kaira maybe killing someone, then Kimiko wanting to kill the remaining. Am I surrounded by crazy girls? Zai whined.
"I'm kidding, he'll be fine." Kaira added. "Hopefully." She whispered. "Well! Let's get going again!" Kaira said, jumping to another branch. Kimiko and Zai exchanged looked before following Kaira and Mei.
They kept going for about 2 hours more, only stopping to take a break. Though, the day was already quickly coming to an end.
"I think we're making good progress." Kaira smiled, leaning against the tree. Kimiko shrugged as she took a seat on a different tree branch as Kaira. Finally, Zai was on another branch, making them on different branches. He was inspecting his weapons.
"The instructor said this would be hard, didn't she?" Kimiko asked. Mei jumped over to Zai's branch and rubbed against his leg. He smiled and petted Mei.
"Well, yeah, she also said people would die." Kaira said.
"That proctor is so cool." Kimiko admired. Zai rolled his eyes and returned to his weapons. "She did say anything goes, so maybe some teams kills others." Kimiko wondered. Team 9 shivered just thinking about it.
"If they come near us, I'll paralyze them with my razor-sharp barrage!" Zai said confidently. Kaira and Kimiko rose their eyebrow and looked at each other. "I'll show you, it's like this!" Zai said, putting many kunais and shurikans in his hands, between his fingers.
"Oh, no, Zai!" Kimiko screeched. Zai flung his kunai and shurikans at the branch that both Kaira and Kimiko were on. Both flinched when he threw them. There were a lot stuck in each branch. "You're lucky that they didn't hit either on of us, you idiot!" Kimiko ranted. Kaira took a deep breath, agreeing with Kimiko. Suddenly, they heard a crack. "What was-"
"Aaahhhhhhh!" Kaira screamed as the branch under her broke and she started falling from way up high.
"Oh, no, Kaira!" Kimiko screamed, crawling over the edge and seeing Kaira fall. "Zai, you idiot, look at what you've done!" Kimiko shot Zai an evil look. "Eh?" Kimiko uttered, hearing her own branch crack. "Aaahhhhhhh!" Kimiko screamed as she joined Kaira in falling.
"Kaira! Kimiko!" Zai yelled, looking down at them. "Aw, dammit!" Zai ran this finger threw his hair, not knowing what to do.
"Meow!" Mei meowed, nudging Zai. Zai nodded as he picked up Mei and finding a way down.
What will I do? I can't do anything while in the air like this! And I can't use my cat reflexes because landing from that far up will surely hurt my legs and I can't do that! Kaira thought, closing her eyes. But if I don't do anything, I'm going to land and falling from where I was will kill me! Hm? I heard Kimiko's scream, so did she fall too? Ah! I don't know what to do. I guess hurting my legs is better than dying! Kaira opened her eyes and looked down, being able to see the ground, but when she looked, she saw three small figures standing by where she would land. Dang! There's another squad by where I'd land! If I break my legs, they'd surely kill me. Good thing Kimiko isn't here so they can't take our scroll, but if I die, my team fails…
Kaira was took busy thinking that she forgot she was nearing the floor of the forest. Nearing, nearing, nearing…
…I just don't know what to do! This is all Zai's fault. Oh, geez! …huh? Kaira suddenly felt arms around her, catching her. She was being held bridal style by something… or someone. Kaira opened her eyes slowly, scared of who it might be.
"It's not safe to fall from the sky, you know that right?" Kiba asked, clearly amused. Kaira felt her face heat up instantly.
NO WAY! She screamed in her head. Then she felt dizzy.
"Kaira, are you alright?" Kiba asked, immune to her strange behavior.
"Aahh!" Kimiko's yell came closer and closer. It was like an alarm clock for Kaira.
"Oh, no, Kimi!" Kaira worried. She looked up and saw Kimiko falling threw the trees and coming close to them. Kimiko landed safely in a bed of Shino's bugs. As soon as she was caught, Kimiko quickly sat up, completely freaked out by the bugs. "Thank goodness." Kaira murmured.
"Why does Kaira get a hot guy catching her, while I get bugs?" Kimiko asked, falling back into the bugs, too tired to care now. "Thanks, Shino." Kimiko yawned. Kaira's blush now was too much, she fainted.
"Hm? Kaira?" Kiba asked, looking down at the fainted girl. Kaira was somewhat like Hinata right now. Kimiko sat back up and got up from the bed of bugs. She staggered over to Shino and smiled.
"I owe you one." Kimiko said. Shino just nodded and let the bugs disperse. "It's strange how we ran into each other." Kimiko said to squad 8.
"W-We heard screaming." Hinata said, being her meek self.
"We figured someone must be attacking someone else, but Hinata saw you two falling." Kiba explained. "Why were you two falling, exactly?"
"My dim-witted brother was trying to show us an attack, but failed miserably and hit the branches Kaira and I were on. So they broke and, well, you know the rest." Kimiko shrugged. "If you guys weren't here, Kaira and I would be dead. So, thank you very much." Kimiko said, bowing.
"No problem." Kiba said, smirking. Kimiko then looked at Kiba and Kaira.
"Are you going to put her down?" Kimiko asked, raising an eyebrow. Kiba jumped.
"Kimiko! Kaira!" Zai yelled, jumping down from a low branch and running towards them and team 8. "Team 8?" Zai questioned. Kimiko smiled sweetly as Zai approached.
"Please cover the children's eyes." Kimiko said through gritted teeth. She past Kiba and Hinata and went straight for Zai.
"I'm glad to see you're okay, Kimi." Zai sighed. "Where's Kaira?" Zai asked, looking past Kimiko.
"You are so stupid!" Kimiko asked, attacking Zai. Zai yelled for help, but Squad 8 didn't dare to intervene when Kimiko was so angry.
"Urrrggh." Kaira mumbled, waking up from her short time of being unconscious. She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Kiba and Akamaru. "That's right…" Kaira muttered. Kiba smiled when she woke and he finally put her down. "Thank you, Kiba. You have helped me again." Kaira said.
"Again?" Shino repeated. Kaira spun around and saw Shino.
"Ah, Shino, I haven't seen you in awhile." Kaira said.
"I saw you yesterday, at the test." Shino replied.
"Ah, right." Kaira tried.
"K-Kaira…!" Zai yelled. Kaira jumped and saw Kimiko showing Zai no mercy.
"Kimiko, you're going to kill him!" Kaira cried, rushing over and saving Zai. Kimiko crossed her arms.
"I was going to stop, anyways." Kimiko huffed. Kaira looked at Zai, who was already pretty beaten up by Kimiko.
"You're the younger sister, too, geezzz!" Kaira moaned.
"Meow!"
"Mei!" Kaira pushed Zai aside as she hugged Mei.
"I'd hate to interrupt, but we better get going." Kiba cut in. Kaira look over at Kiba, who was followed by Hinata and Shino.
"Meow. Meow?"
"What is it, Mei?" Kaira asked. Mei jumped out of Kaira's arms and onto the floor. There was a small black bug crawling around. Mei pounced on it and started playing with it. Shino flinched as Mei did so.
"We'll see you in a bit; at the tower." Kiba said, smirking at Kaira.
"Arf!"
"Right." Kaira nodded, and grinned. "Thanks, again, Kiba. I'm glad you caught me." Kaira said, smiling gently. Kiba flinched and blushed before taking off with his squad. Hinata and Shino both noticed Kiba's blush, not to mention, the way he said he'd catch Kaira by himself, before she landed, but they'd never say anything about it.
"My suspicions just keep growing." Kimiko nodded, her arms crossed. Kaira looked over Zai and shook her head.
"We'd better get going too." Kaira said. "C'mon, Zai, you're not that beat up." Kaira urged.
"I-I'm sorry for making you two fall." Zai said.
"Eh, it's in the past now. Beside," Kimiko smirked. "Making us fall gave us a run-in with Squad 8 and a moment between Kaira and Kiba." Kaira blushed, something that has been happening more than ever before lately.
"S-Shut up, Kimi, I told you nothing's happening!" Kaira insisted.
"Sure, sure." Kimiko waved it off. "You can restore chakra, huh?" Kimiko asked Kaira, who just nodded. Kimiko walked over to Zai and took his hand in hers. Her light blue chakra started turning a brighter blue as it entered him. Kimiko was turning her chakra into his and changing it into energy for him.
"Thanks, Kimiko." Zai said, instantly healed when she was finished. He looked spotless now. Kimiko huffed as she took Kaira's hand now. Kaira began healing her chakra. When they were finished, they continued off.
.:1 Day Later:.
"Meow!" Mei screeched. Team 9 immediately stopped when Mei did that.
"Mei, are you alright?" Kaira asked, worried.
"Meow, meow, meow, meoww!"
"Sasuke?" Kimiko asked.
"What happened to him?" Kaira asked, urgently. Mei then closed her eyes, falling asleep right away. "Something bad." Kaira gasped, falling to her knees.
"How does Mei know?" Zai asked curiously. Kimiko nodded, wanting to know.
"Mei always knows if something bad happens to the ones she likes. So far, she's watching Kimiko, Zai, Shizuka, Sasuke, Kiba, and me. If anything happens to anyone of those, she gets a feelings. It's strange how she knows, but she just does." Kaira explained.
"Look at what we have here." came a voice. Kimiko, Zai, and Kaira jumped as they saw three ninja land on a branch near them. They wore stone insignia. They were from the village hidden in the stones.
"They must be one of the rookie teams; they look weak." laughed the girl of the three. "Want to take care of them, Moto?" the girl asked, looking at the last of the three.
"If you and Ritsu don't want them, then I'll gladly take them." Moto smiled, pulling out a kunai.
"You think you only need a kunai to beat us?" Kimiko mocked. Kimiko helped Kaira up, who held the sleeping Mei.
"Maybe we could let you live, if you give us a Heaven scroll." Ritsu, the leader, compromised. "Of course, if you don't have one, then we'll kill you then."
"Kaira, they need a heaven scroll." Kimiko whispered. "Meaning they have an earth scroll!"
We have two heaven scrolls, so we could give them one and they'll leave. They look tough, I actually doubt we stand a chance, even with Kimiko's amazing jutsu and Zai's awesome accuracy, expect for his new jutsu… other than that! We could always win, but, this squad looks like veterans. Then again, they have a earth scroll and we might not run into one again, so we must take our chances. Kaira thought, glaring at the other team.
"Go get them, Moto." the girl said.
"Naggy as always, I see, Tone." Moto mumbled.
"What was that!" Tone screeched. Zai looked at Kimiko, thinking they were similar. "Hurry and do it, or I will, like the last squad." This, made Team 9 freeze in their spot.
"Alright, alright, I'm going." Moto said, landing next to Kimiko. Kaira jumped as she turned to see him grab Kimiko and the scrolls. "It's so easy to figure out who carries the scrolls." He attempted to attack Kimiko, but she used her substitution jutsu. "Clever one, huh?"
"Zai!" Kimiko called from above them. Zai nodded.
"Ninja Art, Acid Rotation!" Zai said, aiming, close range, at Moto. Kaira jumped out of the way. Zai toned down his original acid, not really wanting to burn their opponent.
"Wha-?" Moto turned, but it was too late. Zai's acid sprayed on Moto's torso area. It burned Moto as he yelled and fell back.
"That idiot." Tone hissed, catching Moto from falling off the edge. She was so quick to him. Moto kept yelling from the pain. "You're so useless." Tone hissed, tossing Moto over to Ritsu's feet. "I got this." Tone said, quickly turning around, grabbing the back of Zai's head, and kneeing him in the stomach.
"Zai!" Kimiko cried as her brother spat out blood. Tone released him and he fell to the branch, gripping his stomach. Kimiko jumped down and went to her brother's side. "Are you alright? Can you breath?" Kimiko bombarded, looking over her brother with worried eyes.
"These rookies are no problem." Tone laughed, gliding over to Kimiko. "You worried about your big brother?" Tone mocked, bending over and grinning. Kimiko looked up to Tone and started shaking.
"Kimiko!" Kaira sobbed. I can't really do anything when Mei is asleep like this, but she won't wake up! Kaira set Mei down right by the body of the tree. Kaira had her cat instincts as she dashed for Tone.
"Ah," Tone said, spinning around and stopping Kaira's claws with a kunai. "A Nekoosa, huh?"
"Tone, take the cat, I'll take care of these two." Ritsu said, stepping over Moto and towards Kimiko and Zai.
"Sure thing." Tone chirped. She jumped away from Kaira. "This'll be easy, she doesn't even have her cat!" Tone laughed.
"You have the scroll, so hand it over." Ritsu said, standing over Kimiko and Zai. Kimiko had trouble getting up, but she did. She then helped Zai up. "I'm the leader of this squad, so if you think Tone is strong, then-"
"Uh, Ritsu?" Tone asked. Kimiko and Zai looked past Ritsu. When they saw Kaira, holding Tone and putting her sharp claw to Tone's neck, they smirked. Ritsu quickly turned around and saw the scene.
"It's only been a few seconds!" Ritsu moaned. "Tone, I had faith in you, but you lost it now."
"I take it you have the scroll then." Kimiko said. Ritsu jumped and grinned. "To be a team, you need teamwork." Kimiko lectured.
"You talked tough, but you were just bluffing." Zai shrugged. Ritsu then made hand signs.
"Rock barrage." Ritsu said.
"Hey! That sounds like my leaf tornado!" Kimiko said, excitedly. "Wait, then that means…" Rocks came all the way up from the ground and came up from behind Kimiko and Zai. "Not again…" Kimiko moaned, putting up her hands. "Mirror Barrier!" The rocks all fell atop the barrier.
"You do know that rocks break mirror, right?" Ritsu smirked. As soon as the rocks made contact with the barrier, it broke through it.
Zai cursed and Kimiko screamed as the rocked covered them.
"Kimiko! Zai!" Kaira screamed, throwing Tone to the side and running to the pile of rocks completely covering her team. Ritsu grabbed Kaira's arm and pulled her over to him, quickly putting his kunai to her neck.
"I'll kill you, then I'll take your team's scroll." Ritsu whispered. Kaira saw Mei moving out of the corner of her eye. Kaira then closed her eyes.
"Cat-Companion Body Switch." Kaira whispered, barely audible.
"What did you say?" Ritsu snapped. Kaira then opened her eyes and saw she was in Mei's body. Mei, as Kaira, whipped around and pushed Ritsu away in the blink of an eye. "What?" Mei used Kaira's instincts as she pounced on Ritsu.
"Ritsu!" Tone yelled, taking out shurikans and throwing it at Mei's back. Kaira flinched, seeing her body take the shurikans hit.
That's gonna hurt. Kaira thought in Mei's body. Mei rose her hand up in the air and swiped down, scratching Ritsu's face in the process. Mei! Geez, she's so harsh. Ritsu yelled and grabbed his face. Mei got up and looked at Tone, who flinched and took a step back.
"I wouldn't want to mess with Mei right now." Kimiko said. Kaira jumped and saw the tree branch forming into Kimiko and Zai.
That's right. Kimiko can sink into the earth. Kaira sighed. That scared me. I thought they were goners.
"Leaf Tornado." Kimiko huffed as Zai held Mei back from attacking. Leafs came off the tree and surrounded Tone, Ritsu, and Moto.
"You rookies are unstoppable." Tone muttered. Kimiko smiled.
"That's right. Then again, we have an impeccable teacher. She taught us all these amazing jutsu." Kimiko cheered. "now, your team has the earth scroll, correct?" Tone nodded, watching the leafs carefully.
"H-Here, just don't kill us." Ritsu said, sitting up and showing everybody three lines across his face, as well as blood. He was holding the earth scroll.
"This is too easy, it's no fun." Kimiko pouted, crossing her arms.
"Who cares, we need to get to the center of the forest." Zai replied. Kimiko stuck out her tongue and took the earth scroll and put it on her back, along with the two heaven scrolls.
Release. Kaira thought, closing her Mei eyes. When she opened them she felt Zai holding her back. "Zai, I'm back." Kaira said. Zai released her as Mei got up and ran over to Kaira. "Zai." Kaira nodded and Zai did as well. He made a few hand signs. Then when he was finished, it looked like snow started falling from the sky.
"Sleep." Zai ordered. Tone and Ritsu fell back and Moto closed his eyes. "That should take care of them."
"So, let's go." Kaira rushed.
"Wait up, Kaira!"
I have to get to the tower to see Sasuke! Kaira panicked. "We have both scrolls now, so all we have to do is steer clear for other teams and make sure we stay in good condition."
"Right." Kimiko and Zai agreed.
"Though, I gotta admit, I don't think we're getting close to the middle." Kimiko huffed, looking around. "Everywhere we go, it's forest, forest, forest. I don't see any signs of a river!"
"Kimiko, quit complaining." Zai said.
"You're lucky you've been through a lot today!" Kimiko hissed. Zai nodded and shut his mouth. "It feels like we've been in here for a long time."
"It's only been one day tops." Kaira mumbled, not very focused on the conversation. "I wonder if any team has made it to the tower yet."
"Like a team has made it through this within one day!" Kimiko noted. "This place is like a maze."
"Hey, look, a river." Zai said out of nowhere. Kaira and Kimiko both looked down and saw they were standing over a river.
"Holy hat! We're near the middle!" Kimiko exclaimed.
You just said we're no where close to the middle! Zai rolled his eyes. "It's only been one day, so we made good time, Kaira."
"Yeah, well, we're not finished until we get into the tower." Kaira said.
"Kaira, Kaira! Can we stop at the river?" Kimiko asked, using her puppy-dog eyes.
"No, Kimi, if we stay here, another team may see us and it'll be trouble. We need to get to the tower." Kaira said.
"Kaira, we've worked hard dodging kunais and staying alive." Kimiko pleaded. "I'll put up my earth wall all around us."
"Kimiko…" Zai shook his head.
"Mei wants to stop too." Kimiko offered. Kaira stopped when she saw the tower. "See, the tower is right there, it won't take too long to get there, we're guaranteed a spot."
"Meoww."
"Fine! We'll stop for twenty minutes, then we're going." Kaira huffed, finding a way down to the ground floor.
"Yay!" Kimiko cheered, petting Mei before putting her feet into the river. "I love water." Kaira sat down on the ground as Mei jumped into her lap. Zai sat next to her as they watched Kimiko splash around.
"Why are you so worried about getting to the tower?" Zai asked, looking at Kaira, who was petting Mei.
"The thing Mei sensed about Sasuke. I'm worried about him." Kaira replied, hiding her face.
"Ah, I see. I'm sure he's fine. He seems strong and hard to take down. You know him better than me, don't you?" Zai asked. Kaira nodded and sniffed.
It's not about him going down, though… Kaira thought.
"It seems like you and Sasuke are close." Zai said shyly. Kaira nodded.
"We've been friends since we were children."
"I remember that. He used to follow you around everywhere." Zai recalled, smiling at the memory. Kaira smiled as well.
"Yeah, well, when we first met, he was weak and frail. Kids always used to pick on him back then. That's how we met, I protected him one day and he started following me. At first, I thought he was annoying, but he grew on me." Kaira looked down, clearly lost in her memories. "He was so different as a child; you wouldn't believe that was the child Sasuke, seeing him now." Kaira smiled again.
"You two met when you were both 7, right?" Zai asked. Kaira nodded. Mei looked down at Kimiko.
"Yeah, he invited me over to his house one day and his family absolutely adored me. I felt so loved with them." Kaira's eyes went hazy. Something I haven't felt since mom was alive.
"Aaahhh!" Kimiko screamed. Zai and Kaira looked down at the river and saw three ninja. The middle one was holding Kimiko, with a kunai to her neck. The one on the left had the three scrolls.
"Kimiko!" Kaira yelled, not knowing what to do. They have the scrolls too!
"Kaira, what should we do?" Zai asked, taking a step forward. As soon as he stepped forward, the ninja holding Kimiko tightened his grip and put his kunai closer. "What ninja are they?"
"Waterfall." The one holding Kimiko answered. They were all dressed the same, hiding their faces and totally covered up.
"We'll be taking these scrolls, and this girl too." first one said.
"Why would you want Kimi?" Kaira asked.
"So we can make her suffer before killing her."
"You got the scrolls, so there's no reason to kill her!"
"Unless you have an undying bloodlust."
Kaira and Zai flinched. They couldn't believe what they just heard. They were so close to the tower, but it looks like they won't be able to make it.
"Let's get going." one said, then started off towards the tower.
"Kaira! We have to go after them and save Kimiko!" Zai rushed, grabbing Kaira's arm and pulling her towards their direction. "Kaira!" Kaira was frozen in place.
"Meow?"
"We've come this far, but now…" Kaira uttered, staring into space.
"Snap out of it! We still have a chance to pass! We took down two teams already, so it won't hurt to take down another!" Zai tried his chance at pep talking. Zai sighed. "Didn't Kiba say he's see you at the tower?" Zai forced out. Kaira just shrugged hopelessly. "Fine, I'm going after her, you stay here." Zai said, releasing Kaira and starting off for the other team.
"Wait! I'm going too." Kaira finally said. I have to see Sasuke at the tower. Kaira thought, walking towards Zai. "Let's go save Kimiko."
"And get our scrolls." Zai smirked, giving Kaira a thumbs up.
If we even survive. Kaira finished, chasing after the other team.