Ch. 10
Hano stared into the two fearsome red eyes and felts a it pierce her mind. Hano could not think straight something was bothering her. She did not have Ice Fang besides her. It made her uneasy. If she tried to run whoever those eyes belong to would surely attack her blind spot but she could not let Zenji be with Miyuki anymore.
From beyond those eyes Ten tried hard to calm down. Surely Zenji is not dead and surely this mist ninja couldn't have done it. It was no use. Ten just kept hearing this hateful voice that kept tearing at his resolve. His eyes began to take a toll on him and forced him to act like a beast. They engage into a short combat. His sharingon gave him the upper hand over Hano. Each of her attacks countered and with great consequences. Ten began to tire and Hano tried to attack him. Ten thought quickly and used his family's trade jutsu. He made the sign if the Tiger then Dragon to help him concentrate. Then he placed his fingers together making a small ring and blew. His breath turned into flame as it came out of the ring and launched at Hano with great force. Hano thought to dodge but the hut behind her would surely burst into flames and all of Zenji's collected books would turn to ashes. She could not let that happen and took the force of the fireball head on.
From a far Zenji felt a strange disturbance. The water near him ripple inside a pot. He was outside resting with a tired Miyuki watching the full moon. Suddenly he searched the sky and saw a cloud of smoke. It was near his hut he thought. Without saying a word he left Miyuki alone. He quickly rushed towards his hut with a confusing feeling of lost. As he arrived his heart dropped. The sight of his home in flames with a gapping hole were the door use to be. Inside the hole was burning rubble moving. It was Hano. Zenji rushed to save her. The flames took on to his cloak but he did not care. With his bare hands he removed the rubble. Under was and unconscious Hano not to badly burned. He was not worried about her burn but if she had breathe in the flames. He listened to her chest before he took her out of the burning building. Her lungs had not collapse. It was a good sign. He then rushed her to the pool and soaked her burnt body into the cold water. She moaned softly as he slowly lowered her. Zenji removed his burnt cloak and threw it behind him. Ten say from afar the worry in Zenji's eyes and did not make his presence known. Zenji tried to think of treatments to apply to her injuries. A night he worked on her skin to repair it. He had done the best that he can and rapped her body in bandages. Almost all of her body burnt but her head had little. Just bruises. She did not wake that morning but in the afternoon.
The smell of ash filled the air and the sound of the fire dieing down. The crackling woke Hano. Zenji had not left her side not once. She felt numb nothing but a strange cold around her arms and legs. She remembered only the two red eyes and the fireball that came at her. She tried hard not to let it near the hut but it was too strong.
"The hut" she tried to say. She felt a short of breath and coughed. Zenji slightly turned his head to look at the pile of ash but then turned back around. Her cough was not convincing of her health. Zenji placed his hands on her sides. She felt only pressure on her ribs then a mystical flow of liquid running to her lungs. She did felt her lungs inflating with more air and her coughs slowly left.
"Hano who did this?" Zenji asked when he was sure she was in no more danger.
Before she can answer Miyuki called out to Zenji. She cam from the trail pass the pile carrying a large amount of boxed lunches. She too was worried.
"Zenji is she okay" asked Miyuki placing the boxes down. Miyuki glanced at Hano and her bandaged body with such sadness. Hano could not help but embrace it. Zenji nodded his head and took one box. Inside was a small meal of rice and shrimp. Zenji took the two wooden sticks and grabbed a small ball of rice and held it to Hano's mouth.
"Hano you have been asleep for almost a day you must eat." Zenji said. Hano heard him call her by her first name and did not refuse. She slowly sat up to swallow the bite but didn't. The hut had brought her such sadness. "it is fine you must eat." Zenji urged her.
Hano saw Miyuki jealous face and began to eat the rest. "Thank you Zenji." she said.
Zenji did not eat but washed his raw hands. He was worried about Hano and forgot his own wounds. His hands stung as it entered the water but the pain would be nothing compared to Hano. When it comes time to wash she will feel the same pain almost triple his. Hano could not help but chuckle at Miyuki sulking far from her.
"Whats are you chuckling at" Miyuki asked angrily.
"Nothing just that I thought I had lost him to you" she answered. What she said angered Miyuki greatly.
"Well bandages you will not put much of a fight now" She turned away crossing her arms. She then realized what she had said. It was too late for Miyuki to take it back. She waited for Hano's reaction.
"What was that Mii-lugi" They continue to argue loudly as Zenji carefully listens from afar. Zenji wrapped his hands in knew bandages and placed his special glove back onto his right hand. It made his wrist stiff and careful.
The two stared into each others eyes and recognized their rivals. The angry tension quickly pass as Zenji pass to check the ashes. He kicked few chunks of blackened wood away and tried to scan it for survivors. They wondered what would have survived a fire like that.
"Zumiki who did this?" asked Miyuki with a change of tone.
"I don't know but I will never forget his eyes. When I get better then he's better watch it." Hano said raising her fist into the air. Zenji lifted a large black object then brought it with him to the water. He took a handful of water and let it run down the object. The water took some of the black dust away and showed a shiny interior. It was Ice Fang. Zenji cleaned it then stuck it near Hano.
"The sword survived." Zenji said looking at Hano's lightened face. "I was hoping" he continued "that you would be well enough to come on the mission but now I do not know."
Hano expression saddens. "No I am well enough to help" she pleaded.
"I don't think so bandages not for this mission." Miyuki said.
"What was that Mii-lugi" testified Hano.
"This one will be dangerous and will require three people at their fullest." said Zenji.
"Please I can still help Zenji-kun. With your medical skills you can take care of me. I will not let any one else do it." Hano refused..
Zenji knew it was no use seeing what kind of person she was. "Fine" Hano smiled then slowly stood using Ice Fang as a crutch.
"So what is the mission?" she asked.