"Talking"
"Thinking"
'Jutsu'
"Tailed Beast Talking"
"Tailed Beast Thinking"
Don't own anything except my OC character. Don't own anything manga/anime, etc.
Chapter 10: Second Mission
-Unknown Location-
"UWAAAHHH!" Came a scream in the middle of the night. The moon was full, and the screaming figure's room was filled with it's light. Running could be heard from the hall, but the screaming figure couldn't hear it.
The door slammed open, and a woman called out the figure's name. "Christa! Calm down!" The woman yelled, as she grabbed the girl's shoulders. It took her several more minutes, before the girl finally calmed down enough. Once she was done screaming, the older woman held the girl in her arms.
"Mommy! It...it was that dream again! The one with the giant fox, killing lots of people from a strange place!" The girl cried, scared of her dream.
"Shhhh! It's alright. It's alright. I told you, it happened in the Leaf Village. A place far away from here. And you don't have to worry. That fox will never have a chance to harm you. I promise." Said the girl's mother. "This is getting ridiculous! She's been having these dreams for like six months already!" She thought, complainingly.
"But, mommy! This time... it looked like the fox was...was right in front of me! IT WAS SO SCARY!" Christa cried, shouting into her mother's chest.
"Cwista? Whatwong?" Ask a young boy from the door way. The boy appeared to be 2-3 years old.
"Sean? It's ok. Your sister just had a bad dream." Said the mother.
"Bad dweam? You ok?" He asked.
Turning toward her little brother, Christa replied with a smile. "Yes. I'm fine. Go back to bed."
Sean just stood their, for a moment. "Ok. Godnight." He said, as he turned and left.
"Goodnight." They replied. Turning to her daughter, the mother spoke. "Are you alright? You've been having those nightmares for months now."
"I... I don't know. I don't know why I'm having these nightmares. What's wrong with me?" Christa asked.
"Nothing is wrong with you. Just because we don't know why you're having these nightmares. But just keep in mind that these are just dreams. Alright?" She answered/asked.
"Alright. I'm fine now. Goodnight, mommy. I love you." Said Christa, as she lied down.
"I love you too. Goodnight, Christa." She replied, kissing her daughter goodnight. She then got up, and headed toward her own room. As she walked down the hallway, she couldn't help but think about her daughter's dreams.
"She doesn't have a reason to be having those dreams. And twin telepathy can't be the answer. The Hidden Leaf didn't take him away. And... I don't want to think that he might still be alive. Because if I do, and it turns out he is dead. *Sob* I wouldn't be able to bear it." She thought, as she laid herself in her bed. "Bryon."
-Next morning, Bryon-
Bryon woke up after having another nightmare. Looking around he instantly recognized the room he was in. He woke up in the guest bedroom at the Inuzuka Compound. "Kakashi must have brought me here, after my mission." Said Bryon to himself. Suddenly, Bryon remembered the events of yesterday. Fighting the man known as Kouichi, Hitomi being in danger, and then finally, taking the man's life. He then sat up slowly, and stared down at his blanket covered lap. Everything after that moment seemed like a blur.
That's when he suddenly remembered being caught in Kakashi's Genjutsu.
-Flashback, Genjutsu-
Even with in his own mind, Bryon was having difficulty coming to terms with what happened. Suddenly, he felt calm. He then started to look around, and soon realized that he was in his own mind. "There. You're calm now. Think you can listen to what I have to say." Said Kakashi, causing Bryon to turn around.
"Kakashi? What are you doing in my mind?" Bryon asked.
"So, you know where we are. That's good. As for why I'm here, I placed you under a Genjutsu."
"A Genjutsu? How come?"
"You need to know that what you did was necessary."
Bryon then looked down, suddenly remembering what he did.
"Bryon." Said Kakashi, causing Bryon to look at him. "You remember that Hitomi was in danger, don't you?" Kakashi asked.
Bryon's eyes widened, at the memory. "Y...yeah. But..."
"Bryon. How do you think you would feel if Hitomi had died?"
Bryon thought about it, as he looked down and to the side. The thought of it actually made him feel much worse.
"If you hadn't killed Kouichi, then that's exactly what would've happened." Said Kakashi.
"Wait a second. You got back here before this whole thing happened. You could've stopped him from attacking Hitomi! That way I wouldn't have to kill him!" Bryon yelled, finally realizing what was going on around him during his fight Kouichi.
"Hmm. It seems he needs to learn how to use his sensing ability while he's fighting. Then again, that would be difficult even for an experienced ninja." Kakashi thought. *Sigh* "Well, you're right about that. But what do you think would happen if it was only you that was there to save Hitomi?... The exact same thing would've happened. That's something you'll have to except as a ninja. People will die in battle. You need to remember that, or else you or your friends will be killed. Understand?"
Bryon looked down again, as he let Kakashi's words sink in.
"You know I'm right. Your parents, had to kill in order to survive the enemies they had to face. If they didn't, they would've lost many more comrades than they did." Said Kakashi.
"But if I get stronger, I can protect my comrades and friends without killing anyone right!?" Bryon asked, looking Kakashi in the eye and desperately wishing that could be the case.
"Don't be naïve, Bryon. No matter how strong you get, there will always be someone that's going to die. Especially, in war. You need to accept this, or you and your friends will die. You will likely go to war at some point in the future, Bryon. And in war, there is no room for compassion for the enemy. Show them compassion and they'll use it against you. If that happens, you can be killed." Kakashi lectured.
Bryon, again, looked down at the ground. He had no idea what else to say.
-Flashback, Genjutsu End-
*Sigh* "Kakashi might be right. But... I'm afraid I might like killing." Said Bryon, to himself.
"Heh. I wouldn't worry about that." Said Tsume, from the doorway. When Bryon turned to her, she continued. "You felt guilty about killing that man, right?" She asked, earning a nod in response. "Then you have nothing to worry about. You're not the blood thirsty type."
"I'm not?" Bryon asked.
"No. But remember this."
"Remember what?"
"You will find people you might think, that actually deserve to die. Those people are people who enjoy killing others who can't defend themselves. Hitomi may be a ninja, but she froze. That meant she couldn't defend herself. That won't always be the case with her, but it will be with innocent civilians. On your missions, it'll be your job to protect them. If you can't, they'll die." Tsume explained. She actually felt sorry for him. Having to kill while he's so young. It's a good thing she could prepare for this talk, thanks to Kakashi having explained what happened.
"But, I don't like killing." Bryon stated.
"I know. I don't either. Your parents didn't like it either."
Bryon's head shot up. "They didn't?" Bryon asked.
"No, they didn't. But they did what they thought was necessary. Always remember that, alright?"
Hearing that, Bryon smiled. He was happy to hear that his parents, although adopted, were still a lot like him. Or rather, he was a lot like them. "Right. I understand. Thanks, Tsume." Said Bryon.
"Heh. No problem. Now, let's go get some breakfast." Tsume replied.
And with that, Bryon got dressed and headed downstairs. Bryon moved without any trouble, not even remembering his injured left leg. Once downstairs he met with Hana, who was already eating. "Hey Bryon! How was your mission?" She asked, as Bryon sat down next to her.
"Ugh. Don't ask. I don't want to talk about it." Bryon replied.
"Huh? You didn't fail the mission did you?"
"No, he didn't. He succeeded. He just doesn't want to talk about it. He'll tell you when he's ready." Said Tsume. She didn't want her daughter to be unreasonably afraid of her friend, just because he had killed someone. Who knows what would happen if she found out before she was ready to.
"Aw, but mom! I wanna know what happened." Hana whined.
"Well, too bad. Bryon doesn't want to talk about it. So don't pressure him. Understood?"
*Huff* "Fiiiine."
-Later-
After breakfast, Hana had asked Bryon if he wanted to do a little sparring. Bryon replied that he wasn't really in the mood, which confused her because Bryon has always accepted before. But her mother simply said that because he was a ninja now, it wouldn't be right from him to spar with her anymore. But they could still be friends, and play when they both had time.
Bryon had asked if he could go out and walk around by himself. Tsume was reluctant, but allowed it. She figured that he wanted some time to be alone and think. She also had confidence the Kakashi's Genjutsu and her talk with him this morning would be enough to help him.
Now, Bryon was walking through the village deep in thought. He still found it hard to believe that he had taken a life less than 24 hours ago. The more he thought about the man, the more he came to accept that what he did was right. "That man killed the Mayor of Bassai. He tried to take a little girl hostage. All for money. He even tried to kill Hitomi. *Sigh* I hope she doesn't hate me for killing someone." Bryon thought, scared that she would actually hate him.
Before he knew it, he was right in front of Ichiraku's Ramen. He figured he'd at least see how Hitomi was doing. He knew what it felt like to see someone die right in front of you. He just hoped that she didn't hate him for it. Bracing himself, he walked past the curtain, unable to reach it with his young age. He hopped up on one of the stools, and greeted Teuchi. "Morning, Teuchi."
"Hm?" Teuchi said, before turning around and seeing Bryon sitting at the counter. Smiling, Teuchi replied. "Bryon. Good Morning. Doing well?" He asked. His reply was a solemn look from the young boy, as said young boy turned his head away. As his smile shrank some, he continued. "Yea, I guess it wouldn't be after what happened yesterday."
Bryon's head shot up with wide eyes. "You know?" Bryon asked, shocked.
"Oh, yea. Hitomi told me all about it." Teuchi answered, causing Bryon to turn away again. "You saved her life. She knows that." He said. Bryon looked up, and Teuchi saw that he looked somewhat relieved. Teuchi then went over and leaned over the counter. "Listen, Bryon." He said, causing Bryon to look him in the face. "You did what you had to. And I'm eternally grateful for that. If it wasn't for you, Hitomi would be dead. And her mother and I would have to plan a funeral. Now, I know that the life of the ninja can be brutal. And there may be a day that she'll die. But thanks to you, that day has been delayed. I'm glad you became a ninja, Bryon. I'm sure you'll be a great one."
Teuchi's word brought a slight smile to Bryon's face. "Thank you, Teuchi. Is she around?" Bryon asked.
"Heheh. No problem. And she's at the Training Grounds. She said she wanted to train harder, so that she won't freeze up like she did yesterday." Teuchi answered.
Bryon took a moment to focus, and quickly found her chakra signature. "Ok. I'm going to go help her train then." Bryon said, hopping off the stool.
"Alright. I'll see you later." Said Teuchi, returning to his duties.
Bryon walked out of the ramen shop, and made it only twenty feet before he heard his name called. "Bryon!" Bryon then turned around, and saw Hitomi's mother and sister. It was Ayame who called out his name. Ayame quickly gave him a hug, holding him tight. Pulling back, she said. "I heard you in a big fight yesterday. Are you ok?"
Realizing that she didn't know all the details, Bryon replied. "Y...yeah. I'm ok. Thanks for asking, Ayame."
"Hello, Bryon. Are you doing alright?" Miu asked, as she walked up to the two children.
Looking up at her, Bryon replied with a slight smile. "Yes, ma'am. I'm fine."
Miu frowned slightly. *Sigh* "I wanted to thank you. For what you did yesterday." She said, her statement confusing Ayame.
"You're welcome. She's a friend. I wouldn't want her or any of my friends get hurt." He said, causing Miu's frown to be replaced with a smile.
"That's good to hear. Now. Do you want some ramen?"
"No thanks. Teuchi said that she was training. I thought I would go and help her. She'll get stronger faster, with someone training with her." Bryon said, smiling.
"Well, then get going." Said Miu. And with that, Bryon ran off to the training fields.
-Fifteen minutes later-
Heading toward Hitomi's chakra, Bryon finally made it to the training field. Bryon slowed down to a walk, so as not to scare her. As he walked toward her, he saw that she was training her Taijutsu. From what he saw, she had gotten a little better since he fought her during his Graduation Exam. She had stopped to take a break by the time he reached the tree line. "Hey. Hitomi." He said, getting her attention.
"Bryon? You're alright? How's your leg?" She asked, as Bryon walked closer.
"Yea. I'm fine. Still a little shaken up, but I'm ok. The same for my leg. Kakashi must have put a bandage on it yesterday, or something. And you?" Bryon asked, concerned.
"I'm fine. You saved my life! You have no idea how grateful my parents are for that!" She replied.
"Eternally grateful. That's what your dad told me. He also told me you were training here to get stronger, so you won't freeze up again. So, I thought I'd come and help you." Said Bryon.
"Really?!" She asked, receiving a nod from Bryon. "Ok. But how? We're even in Taijutsu."
"What's all the Ninjutsu you can do?" Bryon asked.
"Just the Academy jutsu. Why?"
"Then I can teach you some on the Jutsu I know. But what chakra nature are you?" He asked.
"Chakra nature? You mean like Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth and Water?" She asked, getting a nod from Bryon. "I don't know. I know about all of that, but I don't know which one I am." She answered.
"I suppose I can help with that." Said Kakashi, appearing right beside the two.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Hitomi asked, surprised to see him.
"I happen to have a couple chakra papers with me. I keep some with me, just in case."
"Chakra papers?" They asked.
"They help determine a person's chakra nature." He answered, taking out a piece of the chakra papers. He then channeled some of his chakra into the slip of paper, causing it to wrinkle. "As you can see, you just need to focus your chakra into the paper, and the reaction tells you what chakra nature. In my case, it's lightning." He explained.
"Kakashi-sensei. Why are you helping?" Hitomi asked.
*Sigh* "I could've prevented Kouichi from attacking you. And I could've kept Bryon from having to kill him, but he need the experience. You both did. But I needlessly put your life in danger. And I'm sorry for that." Kakashi answered.
Hitomi was silent, shocked at this revelation. She had no idea that he was there. And in truth, she was more than a little angry. But he was willing to make up for it, by helping them. *Huff* "It's fine. Just don't you it again."
"I won't."
"You better not." Bryon mumbled under his breath.
"Now, why don't you take a piece and let's see what your chakra nature is. You too Bryon." He said, as he handed them a slip of paper.
"You first, Hitomi." Bryon said.
"Ok." She replied, channeling her chakra. It split in half.
"That's interesting. Your and Wind chakra type. I'm afraid I can't really help you learn that, I'm sorry. Perhaps your sensei can help, considering he has wind natured chakra." Said Kakashi.
"Really?" Hitomi asked, earning a nod from Kakashi. "Cool. What's yours Bryon?" She asked, as she turned toward him.
Bryon hesitantly focused his chakra into the paper, causing it to catch fire and burn. "Fire." He said. "Fire is the only element I know. Last time I did this, it was weird. And I don't want them to see it, so focusing fire chakra is my only option." He thought.
"Well, that I can help with." Said Kakashi.
"I already know how to use a coupe Fire Style jutsu." Said Bryon, surprising Hitomi.
"What? Really?" Hitomi asked, earning a nod from Bryon.
"Yea, I used the 'Fireball Jutsu' against Kouichi's 'Flame Hound Jutsu'. Speaking of which." He said, as he turned to Kakashi. "Did your Shadow-Clone copy his jutsu?" Bryon asked.
"Yea, he did. It was an unusual jutsu, so my clone decided to copy it. I assume you want me to teach it to you?"
"Yea. It's faster than the 'Fireball Jutsu'. " Bryon replied.
"Alright. Let's get started then." He said. Suddenly, an ANBU appeared and informed Kakashi that the 3rd Hokage wanted to see him. And then the ANBU vanished, leaving the three there. *Sigh* "Sorry, Bryon. I'll have to teach it to you later." He said, vanishing the same way the ANBU did.
"Hmpf! That sucks!" Bryon said, disappointed that Kakashi had to go.
"Great! Sensei said no training today. Now how am I supposed to learn to use my Wind chakra?" Hitomi asked, frustrated.
"That's easy." Said Bryon, shocking Hitomi. "Just take a leaf from a tree, and cut it using your chakra." He explained, causing Hitomi to look skeptical.
"Oh? And how would you know?" Hitomi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I looked it up. It could take years to master any change in chakra nature though. That's what the book said." Bryon answered. His answer was truthful, he had looked up the training methods for chakra nature training in a book called 'Change in Chakra Nature Training'. He looked it up in the Uchiha Clan's library, while he was training with Itachi in using Fire Style Ninjutsu.
"Oh. So, I guess I should get started then. Oh well, should be easy enough." She said, as she went to go get a leaf. Bryon in the meantime, decided to try and learn the 'Flame Hound Jutsu!' on his own.
-Hokage's Office-
Kakashi arrived at the Hokage's office. And judging from the glare he was receiving, he wished he wasn't called here. "Kakashi." Hiruzen said, in frighteningly calm tone of voice.
Steeling himself, Kakashi responded. "Yes, Lord Hokage."
"According to Ichiro's report. You deliberately put his student, Hitomi, in unnecessary danger. Care to explain." He said. His words along the lines of an order, rather than a question.
"Lord Hokage, you told me to ensure that Bryon gains the necessary experience. So that he can be placed in the AAS, without worry." Kakashi answered.
"I said something along those lines, yes. But never, and I mean never at the price of putting comrade's life in danger! Understood!" Hiruzen growled.
"With all do respect, Lord Hokage. I believed it was the right decision. On the warfront, Bryon will be placed in those kinds of situation. And not just once. He'll face that kind of situation, almost countless times. I did what I did, to help Bryon. I couldn't think of a different solution at the time, so I was left with that. Practical scenarios like that, are better suited to teaching than theoretical scenarios. Theory only works so well." Kakashi explained.
"I'm well aware of that, Kakashi. But, that's still no excuse for putting a fellow Leaf Ninja in danger! You will not do such a thing again! Am I clear!?" Hiruzen asked, his tone holding no room for argument.
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Kakashi replied.
"Good! Now. Tell me your assessment on Bryon's skill." He ordered.
-Training Ground-
Hitomi was having a difficult cutting through the leaf with just her chakra. She had only managed to get a small knick on the side of the leaf. And she was becoming increasingly frustrated with her current progress. "Grrrr! This is ridiculous! How hard can it be to cut a leaf, using chakra!?" Hitomi asked, asking no one in particular.
"I read that it can take years to master change in chakra nature. And Wind is supposed to be one of the hardest." Bryon said, as he watched Hitomi train.
"What! You tell me that now!? Why didn't you tell me that sooner?" Hitomi asked.
"Sorry. I forgot." Bryon said, sheepishly.
"Your forgot?" She asked, dumbfounded.
"Heheh. Yup." He replied.
"Great. Just my luck. I just had to have the hardest element." She complained.
"Don't worry. Wind Style is pretty powerful. That's why it's so hard. When you're done, it'll all be worth it when you're done." Said Bryon.
"He's right about that, you know." Said Kakashi, as he reappeared. "I see you already got started." He said, noting the leaf in Hitomi's hand.
"Yea, but it's really hard. I only made a small knick." Hitomi replied.
"I see that. You could probably as your sensei for a hint." Said Kakashi.
"Yea. But I think I'll call it a day today. I'm wiped out." Said Hitomi. "I'll see you later, Bryon." She said, before running home.
"Well, shall we get started?" Kakashi asked, once she was out of sight.
"Huh?" Bryon asked, confused.
"Didn't you want my help to learn the 'Fire Style: Flame Hound Jutsu'?" Kakashi asked.
"Oh. No, not anymore. I already got it." Said Bryon, smiling.
"You already got it?" Kakashi asked, skeptically.
"Yea. It's not as hard as the 'Rasengan', so it was kind of easy." Bryon replied.
Still a bit skeptical, Kakashi decided to test him. "Alright. Then try using the jutsu on me."
"Hmmm. Ok." Bryon replied, going through the hand-signs. Kakashi quickly backed away, so to have a chance to counter the jutsu. "Fire Style: Flame Hound Jutsu!" Bryon called, exhaling flames from his mouth. The flames quickly formed into a large dog, and charged toward Kakashi.
"Well, he definitely learned that jutsu on his own. That's impressive." Kakashi thought, jumping into the air. He quickly pulled out a kunai with a paper-bomb, and threw it at the jutsu before it could jump up after him. The following explosion, effectively neutralized the fire style jutsu. Kakashi then landed. "Good job. It seems you really did master that jutsu. I guess sensei's training was truly effective." Kakashi said, praising Bryon's skill, and his sensei's training.
"Thank you. I'm going to go get some lunch now, ok?"
"No problem." Kakashi replied, as he saw Bryon running off. "He's going to be one hell of a shinobi, when he gets older. To think he could master a C-Ranked Ninjutsu so quickly." Kakashi thought, as he suddenly started to recall his debriefing with the 3rd Hokage.
-Flashback-
"Good! Now. Tell me your assessment of Bryon's skill." He ordered.
"Yes sir." Kakashi replied, before he began." Bryon's sensing ability is actually better than originally thought. He can tell what they're doing, as far as walking within a few steps at least. He was able to tell whether the bandits were on the road or on the sides. And he can easily tell how many they are. But, he needs a little practice before he has full mastery of his abilities. He hasn't completely grasped to learn how far away someone is, even when he knows what his own sensing range. He's close, but still a bit off. He can only give a rough estimate." Kakashi explained.
"I see. From what Ichiro has told me, Hitomi said that Bryon believed this Kouichi was a liar. She claims that Bryon said that his chakra acted up on two separate occasions. The first, was when he supplied you with information about them being on the roads and collecting toll fees. The second, when he told you the bandits were rumored to be in the opposite direction that Bryon had told you. Were you aware of this?" Hiruzen asked.
"No. This is the first time I'm hearing about it. After Bryon had killed Kouichi, I had to put him under Genjutsu to calm him down, because he had gone into shock. He was unconscious the entire trip back. I just happened across him this morning. I was about to help him and Hitomi with their training, when you called for me." Kakashi replied. Hiruzen was about to speak, but Kakashi cut him off. "I had apologized to her. She's angry, but she said it was "It's fine. Just don't do it again."" He said, figuring that this is what he was going to bring up.
"I see. Well, you better not. That's not what a Leaf ninja does." The 3rd said, with a silent and underlying threat in his voice.
"I understand, Lord Hokage."
"Good. Dismissed." He ordered.
Kakashi didn't hesitate to leave that office, he really didn't want to be in there anymore. He realized he messed up, but he was lucky to not even get a slap on the wrist.
-Flashback End-
Kakashi simply stood there, as he recalled the whole thing. Once he was finished, he said to himself. "Well, I better replenish what ninja tools I did use." He then left the training ground to do just as he said.
-Ichiraku's Ramen-
Bryon was helping himself to some ramen, as Ayame sat down next to him. "So, Hitomi's learning Wind Style now. That's something, huh?" Teuchi asked, deciding to get a conversation going since he only had one customer at the moment.
"Yea. It's really hard to learn, but I'm sure she can be a master it." Bryon replied, blowing on his next bite.
"Haha! I'm sure she will."
"What is Wind Style?" Ayame asked.
"Basically, it means your sister will one day be able to control the wind using Ninjutsu. But that'll take years until she can do that." Teuchi answered, before turning around and seeing his younger daughter's eyes. Ayame had a look of utter admiration, for her sister, in her eyes.
"And I can already use Fire Style." Bryon commented.
"Really?" Teuchi asked, surprised.
"Yea."
"That's something. Didn't know you already could use change in chakra nature."
"Yea, well fire is pretty easy." Bryon said.
"So, does that mean you can control fire?" Ayame asked.
"Umm. It's more like I can breathe fire." Bryon answered.
"Whoa! Awesome!" Ayame said, looking at Bryon with the same eyes she had when she heard that her sister would be using Wind Style.
The look in her eyes flew over Bryon's head, while Teuchi just laughed under his breath. "Oh, she has such a massive crush on the boy. And he's completely oblivious to it. It's almost too funny. Haha!" Teuchi thought.
A few more minutes went by, and Bryon finished up his ramen. He was going to pay for his ramen, but Teuchi said it was on the house. Bryon tried to argue, but Teuchi was adamant about it. So, Bryon left without paying for his ramen. And headed back toward the Inuzuka Compound.
Upon entering the compound, he made a beeline toward the Main building. Once he entered the house, he went into the kitchen because that's where he sensed Hana's chakra. "Hey, Hana. Trying to play shogi?" Bryon asked, as he saw a shogi board in front of her on the table.
She popped her head up when she heard Bryon's voice. "Bryon!? Where have you been?" She asked.
"Just wen to Ichiraku's, so I could have a talk with Hitomi." Bryon answered.
"Hitomi?... Ayame's sister?" Hana asked.
"Yea. I went with her team and Kakashi on yesterday's mission."
"Oh. But why did you go talk to her?"
"No reason. Just felt like it." Bryon answered.
"So, you've been talking to her this whole time?" She asked.
"Well, I went and had some ramen afterwards." He replied.
"Oh. Ok."
"Yea. So, were you trying to play shogi?" Bryon asked.
"Huh? Oh, yea. But I don't have anyone to play with." Hana replied, turning toward the game board real quick before turning back at Bryon.
"Ok. Then, I'll play you." Bryon offered, as he walked toward the table.
"Ok!"
-A couple days later-
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen sat at his desk. It was another day of paperwork, meetings and even more paperwork. Currently, he was sitting at his desk looking over a mission request. It was a basic escort mission for a semi-successful businessman, who wanted ninja escort from the Land of Rice Patties to the Land of Fire's capital. They were to also remain there until his business dealings were settled, and then they were to escort him back to the Land of Rice Patties. The duration was expected to be about three weeks to a month. So, the pay was going to be on the high end of the typical cost of a C-Ranked mission.
Unfortunately, due to the war, the number of available ninja was down. Even more so with the AAS being put together, but it was a necessary step towards possible ending this war. He took a moment to consider who he would send on this mission. Eventually, he came to a decision. He called his secretary to send for the ones he wanted to be sent on this mission. Once his secretary went about her task, he set the mission request aside for later as he went about his paperwork.
-Inuzuka Compound-
Bryon and Hana had just finished a sparring match, which Bryon had one yet again. Hana may not like to lose, but she would like it even less if Bryon just let her win. After their spar, Bryon had taken a shower. As he was in the shower, his mind drifted to the nightmare he had last night.
-Nightmare-
Bryon had been fighting Kouichi. The fight had been going just as it had before, except with one major difference. That difference was at the end. Where Bryon had chosen not to throw his scythe, which let Kouichi kill Hitomi.
-Nightmare End-
Bryon had woken up upon seeing that happen, and immediately started to sense for Hitomi's chakra. He found it easily, and he guessed that she was sleeping. Taking a couple moments to calm down, he went back to sleep. But he found it difficult as he couldn't help but having his mind linger on his dream.
Bryon was snapped out of his thought, as someone knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey, Bryon! You have a visitor here to see you!" Said Tsume, through the door.
"Huh?" Bryon said, deciding to sense who it was. Knowing who it was, Bryon smiled. "Tell Hikari, that I'll be right there!" Bryon replied.
"Heh! Should've known you'd figure out who it was! I'll tell her, but hurry it up!"
"I will!" And hurry he did. After he was done cleaning himself, he turned the water off, dried himself off and put on fresh clothes. Once he was ready, he hurried downstairs and into the living room. "Hikari!" He yelled, as he ran up to her and gave her a hug.
Hikari returned the hug, and smiled. Once they pulled away, Hikari spoke. "Hey, Bryon. I heard your mission was a success. Congratulations." As she said this, she saw Bryon's smile fade slightly. She could tell that he was trying to be strong, but what had happened was still bothering him a great deal. Her smile soon faded as well. "I heard what happened. But, you handled it like a true Leaf Ninja would. I'm proud of you."
Bryon looked a bit shocked. "Really?" He asked. Truth be told, he was actually getting tired of conversations coming back to that same topic.
"That's right. You protected a fellow Leaf Ninja, and that's what Leaf Ninja do. But when you get bigger and stronger, you'll find ways to avoid having to do that. You can't always avoid it, but it helps."
"Really!? But Kakashi told me not to be naïve, and that there will always be someone that is going to die." Said Bryon, as he avoided eye contact.
"I'll talk to Kakashi about that. But I'm older than Kakashi, so I know better than he does. Ok?" Said Hikari, making Bryon look her in the eye.
"Ok."
"Good. Now, I have a present for you!" She said, excitedly.
"Really!?" Bryon asked, getting a nod from Hikari.
"That's right! I got you some proper ninja gear. I guess in all the excitement, everyone forgot to get you some clothes that's more suited to being a ninja." She answered, as she picked up a package that was next to her. "Here! Try these on!" She said, handing him the wrapped gift.
Bryon quickly took the wrapped clothes, and ran upstairs to go try them on. Bryon then came down ten minutes later, wearing his new ninja clothes. He was now sporting a black hoodie that had a large Hidden Leaf's symbol, in silver, over the left half of his chest. On the back was the Uzumaki Clan's symbol. He also wore black pants, and black ninja sandals. On his hands, he now sported a pair of black fingerless gloves.
"Wow! That looks pretty good on you, kid." Said Tsume, causing Bryon to smile bashfully.
"Heheh. She's right. You do look pretty good in those." Hikari agreed.
"Th...thank you, Hikari." Bryon said.
"You're welcome."
*Knock...Knock*
"Hmm? Wonder who this is." Said Tsume, as she stood up to answer the door. A few moments later, she came back. "Hikari, Bryon. Lord Hokage wants to see you two for a mission." She said, coming back into the living room.
"Already?" Bryon asked, surprised that he'd be sent out on another mission so quickly.
"Yes. There usually is a couple days of rest between missions. Sometimes less during a time of war. So, you're lucky to have had two days to rest. But don't worry, I'm sure Lord Hokage picked out an easy mission for us." Hikari said. "Hopefully, I'm right about this." She thought.
"Oh, ok."
"Go on, and grab your scythe." She said, as she got ready. Once she had placed herself back on the Active Ninja Roster, she had started carrying her kunai holster and supply pouch around with her.
"Ok." Bryon replied, quickly running up stairs to grab his weapon and it's holster. Tsume had told the Hokage's runner that they'd be at the Hokage's office shortly. The runner then left to relay his message.
Meanwhile, a runner had just left the Hyuga Compound after being told that Hikara would be at the Inuzuka Compound. Knowing that the other runner was already there, he decided to head back to wait for further orders.
Back at the compound, Bryon had come back downstairs with his scythe already sealed within the holster. "Ready?" Hikari asked.
Bryon nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"Alright, let's go." She said. They then left the Inuzuka Compound, and headed toward the Hokage Tower.
-Hokage's Office-
It took them about ten minutes to get there, and they went straight toward Hiruzen's office. They were told to enter a moment after they had knocked. Closing the door behind them, Hiruzen spoke. "Hello. Hikari, Bryon. How are you two today?" He asked, with a smile.
"Just fine, Lord Hokage." Hikari replied, with Bryon nodding in agreement.
"That's good. Are you up for another mission, Bryon?" He asked.
"What kind of mission?" Bryon asked.
"A C-Ranked escort/bodyguard assignment. Low probability of ninja. Think you're up for it?"
Bryon took a moment to think it over. Even though the probability of ninja was low, but their could be bandits that would attack. And if that was the case, he could always cast a Genjutsu on them. Feeling confident that he could do this, he nodded. "Yes sir."
Hiruzen smiled. "Very well. You two are to go to the border with the Land of Rice Patties. There you will meet the man you are to escort to the capital, and guard him until his business is finished. You will then escort him back to the border, and make your way back home. Understood?" He asked, as he explained the mission details.
"Understood." Hikari replied.
"Just the two of us?" Bryon asked.
"Bryon." Hikari said, getting Bryon's attention. "Our village is at war. We can only send so many people out on missions like this one. Most of us are sent to the frontlines to fight in the war. That's why it's just us two that are going on this mission. Understand?"
"Y...yea. I understand." Bryon replied, somewhat reluctantly.
"Good. Get ready to head out in an hour." The 3rd ordered.
"Yes sir!" Hikari replied, as she and Bryon left his office to make sure they would have all the necessary supplies for this mission.
-An hour later-
Bryon and Hikari had just left the gate half an hour ago. They were jumping through the trees, so as to make it to their destination faster. "The Land of Rice Patties is North of us, right?" Bryon asked.
"That's right. You've been paying attention to Mikoto's lessons well." She answered, proudly. "If we go directly North, we'll come up to the Final Valley. So, we'll have to take a slight detour towards North-East to meet our client."
"Yea, I remember Mikoto saying something about that place. Isn't that where Lord 1st, Hashirama Senju, fought against Madara Uchiha? And the battle created that valley?" Bryon asked, recalling his lessons with the Uchiha Matriarch.
"That's what they say. Those two also founded the Leaf Village." Hikari replied.
"Then, why did Madara leave? I mean, we was really strong right?"
*Sigh* "I don't know. That whole thing is a mystery to many of us in the village. Only Madara and Lord 1st would know. Or maybe, just Madara himself."
"Oh. Mikoto pretty much said the same thing." He said.
"Doesn't surprise me. It's like I said, only those two would know. Now, enough talking. We have a mission to accomplish." Hikari ordered.
-Next morning-
Bryon and Hikari made it to the next morning. There they meet their Client. "Akio Fukui?" Hikari asked, as a horse and carriage came across the Land of Fire's border. The man driving the carriage came to a stop right next to them as, a middle-aged man with grey hair and an obvious dark brown toupee covering his bald spot, stuck his hand through the curtain.
The man stuck his head out of the opening, and it was obvious that he didn't like what he was seeing. "A woman and a child? Is this all the Leaf can send me?" The man asked, sounding insulted.
"Mr. Fukui. I'm sure you are aware that the Leaf is in the middle of a war?" Hikari asked.
"Yes. I'm well aware of that. But you can't tell me that the Leaf can just send a woman and her son out to protect a man of my stature!" He replied.
"This man obviously doesn't know who they sent to guard him." Hikari thought, not liking this man's attitude. "Sir. I am of the famed Hyuga Clan. And this boy is not my son. But, he is the son of some very prestigious ninja from our village. And he has earned the right to be a ninja."
Suddenly the man's look changed, but not for the better in Hikari's opinion. Hikari could see a glimpse of lust in the man's eyes now. "I see. Well then, we might as well get going." Akio said, retreating back into his carriage.
After a few minutes of walking, Bryon decided to ask Hikari a question. "Hikari? Why did he think I was your son?" He asked.
Hikari smiled, as she replied. "He must've thought that we look alike. Children tend to like a little like their parents. It's a real complicated concept for a kid your age, but that's the gist of it."
"Of. If I knew that before, I would've found out that I was adopted a long time ago. Because I don't look anything like mom or dad." Said Bryon.
Hikari was silent for a moment, and her smile faded some. "It must've been quite a surprise when you were told, huh?" She finally asked.
"Yea. But..." He said, causing Hikari to raise an eyebrow. Bryon also looked up toward her. "...I'm glad they took care of me. And I know that they loved me no matter what." He said. Those words surprised Hikari, but she couldn't help but smile.
"I see. Jiraiya told you about your real family, didn't he?" Hikari asked.
Bryon hung his head. "No. He said he didn't know a lot about them. The village doesn't study them very much, they just say to stay clear of them. But, he said he would try and find out some information about them if he could. But, I haven't seen him in a long time." Bryon answered.
"Oh, I see. Well, after this mission I could tell you what Lady Biwako told me that day. If you'd like."
Snapping his head up, Bryon replied. "Really!?"
"Heheh. Yes, but only after the mission. Ok?"
"Ok!"
"Good. Now, do you sense anyone up ahead?" Hikari asked.
"No. Just the guy driving the horse carriage." Bryon answered.
-That night-
They had set up camp a while ago, and Hikari had gathered up some rabbits for dinner as Bryon watch over their client. Said client had complained about it, but Hikari assured him, numerous times, that Bryon would sense if any one else was nearby. Akio had, reluctantly, accepted what he was told. But only because his stomach growled, which he had blamed on Bryon.
Later, as Bryon slept and Hikari stood watch, Akio had come outside of his tent. "Good evening, Hikari." He greeted, with a smile as he sat down next to her on a log.
"Good evening, Mr. Fukui." Hikari replied, with a fake smile. But it obviously fooled her client.
"Please. Call me Akio." He said, scooting a little closer.
Hikari could see the lust in the man's eyes, as he did so. "I would prefer to remain professional, Mr. Fukui." She said, scooting herself away.
Scooting closer, the man continued. "Well, Hikari. Perhaps we should change that."
Hikari scooted a little further, till she was by the edge of the log. She was starting to become impatient with the man. "I don't think so. I prefer it to be professional." She replied. Akio, once again, scooted closer and placed his hand on her thigh. Which immediately earn him a kunai to his throat. "Listen here!" She whispered, harshly. "Bryon may not be my son! But I do have a husband and a daughter! And if you touch me ever again, you will be going home with a missing hand! Do you understand!?" She asked, meaning every word of her threat.
"Y...ye...yes." He replied, very afraid of the woman.
"Good! Now, go back from your tent!" She ordered. He then stood up. Slowly, so as not to inadvertently give her a reason to strike him.
He then made haste back to his tent, and entered it. "She'll regret turning me away like that!" He thought, had finally made it to the capital. Once there, they quickly got separate rooms at the hotel near the center of the city.
About few days later, they finally made it to the capital of Keishi. Keisha was about a day's journey from the Hidden Leaf Village, for a ninja. They quickly made it to one of the hotels near the center of the city, and reserved two rooms adjacent to each other. Two weeks past without any trouble. Except the few times that their client flirted with Hikari, and tried making a pass at touching her. But before he could, she always warned him of her 'promise' to him. Hearing that, he immediately backed off.
The flirts always went over Bryon's head, being that he's still a child. The movements the man made toward her while he was present on the other hand, didn't. He's seen him try that a number of times, but didn't see a big deal about it. All he knew was that Hikari didn't like it. And if she didn't like it, then he wouldn't like it either. He had asked Hikari about it, and she explained to him that she just didn't like it when their client did it. She also explained that when girls get older, they sometimes tend to like being touched like that. But only by boys they like. She also told him not to do so, unless he was absolutely 100% sure that the girl liked it when he did it. And not to do it until he was an adult, and even then, never in public. To which, he agreed.
A few days before they were scheduled to leave, Akio said that he had a letter that needed to be sent back to the Land of Rice Patties. They watch the messenger bird fly off toward the North-Western direction, rather than the Northern direction. This bothered the two, as it was the only bird that was sent out. And it flew off in the direction of the Land of Earth.
The day that they left, everything seemed quiet. They were walking on the road, with Hikari on one side and Bryon and the other side of the carriage. "Hmm? Hikari! Ninja just came into my range!" He said, as soon as he sensed ninja level chakra.
"How many? Which direction are they coming from? And are they heading this way?" She asked, as she came around the carriage.
"Four. They're coming from the North-West. And they're heading somewhere in front of us." Bryon answered.
"Do you recognize any of them?"
"I don't think so, no. They could be enemy ninja." He said.
"Maybe. For now, just stay on guard." She ordered.
"Ok." He replied.
Inside the carriage, Akio smiled as he heard them talking. "It's about time. I've been waiting for them."
-An hour later-
"Hikari. They're just up ahead, and they're not moving." Bryon said, informing Hikari of the situation.
"Alright. Stop the carriage. I need to check something out." Hikari ordered. The driver did as ordered. "Byakugan!" She said, activating her clan's Doujutsu.
"And? Is it enemy, ninja?" Bryon asked.
*Sigh* "Yes. Four Hidden Stone ninja." Hikari replied. "Something isn't right. They knew we were coming this way. We can't just go and fight them. Bryon's not ready. We'll have to take an alternate route. Luckily, there's a fork in the road before we meet them." She thought. "Let's go. There's a fork in the road up ahead. We'll take the left, swing around the Leaf Village and continue North."
"Absolutely not!" Akio yelled, sticking his head out the window. "Your job is to get me home, to the Land of Rice Patties! And you will do so, the fastest way possible!"
Turning to Akio, Hikari yelled. "Our job is to get you home safely! Not swiftly! And since I'm in charge, we will take the safest path! Now, let's go!" Hikari ordered, giving Akio a threatening glare.
"Did you tell them, that we were coming this way?" Bryon asked, suddenly. The sudden question surprised everyone.
"What!? Of course not! You stupid child!" Akio yelled.
Bryon quickly reached his hand behind his back, unsealing his weapon. He lunged forward, swinging his scythe. "Bryon! NO!" Hikari yelled.
Bryon stopped his attack, leaving his blade flush with Akio's neck. Akio was visibly sweating, having seen a cold look in Bryon's eyes. He certainly never expected to see such a look in a child's eyes.
Bryon *pant*ed, as he held his blade there. He wasn't sure why he stopped. It could've been because Hikari yelled at him to stop, or because he didn't know if the man deserved it or not. "Grrrr! He... He put us in danger on pur...purpose. We've been protecting him this whole time, and hE BETRAYED US!" Bryon yelled, putting a little more pressure on Akio's neck with his scythe.
"Bryon. How do you know he betrayed us?" She asked. She knew he was most likely behind this scheme, but she didn't know for sure.
"Dur...during my l...last mission. I had a feeling that this K...Kouich... that this guy was lying. When I got back, I asked Tsume and Hana to help me. N...now I can tell, when someone is lying. And he was LYING TO US!" Bryon yelled, still having a difficult time coming to terms with what happened during his last mission.
"I see. But, we still can't kill him. If we do, we fail the mission. And that would look bad on us if that happened." Said Hikari.
Bryon left his scythe in place for a few moments, internally debating on whether or not to kill this man. Eventually, Bryon pulled his scythe away from the man's neck and sealed it away. Giving the man an intense glare, he said. "I'm not done with you yet!" Bryon then started walking. As he came up next to one of the horses, he grabbed the holder and started walking. The horses followed.
Hikari walked along side the driver. "If you do anything that puts this boy in danger, you'll be in just as much trouble as he is." She threatened. The man *gulp*ed, and nodded his head.
Half an hour later, they had taken the long route toward the Land of Rice Patties. Hikari had her Byakugan active, watching for when the Hidden Stone ninja would decide to head their way. Bryon was keeping his own tabs on them, making sure when they decided to make a move.
-Stone ninja-
"What's taking them so long!? The should've been here by now!" One complained.
"Shut up!" Said another.
"If one of them is indeed a Hyuga, then they must've already spotted us and decided to take on a different route. We might as well head over their and head them off, before they get too close to their village." Said a third Stone ninja.
"He's right. Let's get going." Ordered the final Stone ninja.
"Right!" They all replied, before following her to the alternate route.
-A few minutes later-
Bryon sensed them coming. "Hikari. They're coming." Bryon warned.
"I figured that they might. There's no point in trying to avoid this fight. Bryon, you take the carriage and head back the other way." Hikari ordered.
"What!? Why!?" Bryon asked, shocked.
"Because, you're not ready to fight trained ninja." Seeing that he was about to interrupt, she cut him off. "Kouichi doesn't count. He had some training, but not nearly as much as these ninja coming for us right now. You can't beat them. But I have a much better chance at surviving than you. Understand?" She asked.
"But, you haven't been a ninja in years. You're going to need my help." Bryon argued.
*Sigh* "Bryon. You. Are. Not. Strong. Enough. You need time, training and experience. All of which, you are lacking. Now, go and head back the other way. I can handle this." Hikari countered.
Reluctantly, Bryon agreed. He took the horse, and turned around. Akio had heard the conversation, but didn't hinder their plan. He didn't want to get caught in the cross-fire. Besides, he was sure that with them separated, they would die a lot easier.
-Later-
Bryon had successfully brought them back to the fork in the road. Bryon had stopped because he was worried about Hikari. He could sense that they were fighting, and that Hikari was having a tough time taking on all four. He sensed they were keeping their distance from her, preferring to use Ninjutsu or ninja tools. He could hear the occasional explosion from paper-bombs going off.
"Worried about the woman?" Akio asked, almost spitting the last word.
His tone earned him a cold glare from Bryon, causing him to flinch. "This is all your fault! All because she didn't like you touching her, you try to kill us by telling our enemy what we are doing! You are a cold heartless, piece of crap!" Bryon said, beginning in a harsh whisper and ended with yelling at him.
Akio did his best to shake of the bit of fear that Bryon's glare was putting on him. "H...ha! Th...that whore should know h...her p...place in the w...world! And that is beneath a man in every sense of the word!"
Akio's words just made Bryon angrier than before, but also slightly confused. But he shook off his confusion, and struck at the man. He punched him right in the face through the opening, knocking him out cold. Bryon then looked toward the driver, and said. "If you move from this spot, we will find you and punish you! Understand!?" The man responded with a vigorous nod. Bryon then leapt toward the battle where Hikari was currently fighting.
-Hikari v.s. Hidden Stone-
Hikari was having a difficult time. Everyone of these Hidden Stone shinobi were keeping their distance from her, for fear of her Gentle-Fast attacks. And their long distance attacks, were having a hard time getting to her with her agility and her use of the Hyuga's 'Rotation'. The Hidden Stone ninja were showing great teamwork, by assisting the one Hikari was attempting to attack. Hikari was slowly getting frustrated, and she was running a little low on chakra.
"This isn't good. I've been out of action for too long, and I haven't had enough time to train and get used to this kind of situation. Oh, if only someone else were here." Hikari thought, as they took up positions behind some trees a few rows back. And as if her prayers were heard, she saw someone the one person she didn't want to see here. Bryon had entered her eyesight, and he was coming in as quick as he could. "I just had to think that, didn't I? *Sigh* Guess beggars can't be choosers. I just hope he keeps himself hidden." She thought, refocusing her sights on their enemies.
The Hidden Stone ninja were preparing for their next attack, when suddenly a the slight *thump* followed by a "Guh!" was heard. They all quickly turned to the source, and saw one of their comrades fall to the ground with a kunai in his skull. They looked around to see who could've thrown the kunai, but then another of them "Gak!"ed. As they turned toward him, they saw that he was struck down by Hikari's Gentle-Fist. Hikari immediately charged toward the single woman, who was obviously in charge.
As those two fought, Hikari slowly brought her further away. Hoping to lure her away from Bryon. Unfortunately, her remaining comrade was still searching for Bryon. "I wouldn't be worried about you brat of a teammate! I'd focus on me if I were you!" The Stone kunoichi yelled, throwing a kunai with a paper-bomb attached. Hikari managed to leap up into the trees before the explosion rocked the area.
"You're right. Bryon can handle himself. He may be young, but he's the Hidden Leaf's most powerful sensor. You'll lose this battle!" Hikari said, with conviction in her voice.
-Bryon v.s. Stone Ninja-
Bryon was hiding behind a tree, not even bothering to look around it. He could sense the Stone ninja, on the other side about twenty feet away. "You must be the kid that's with that Hyuga bitch. You're not as green as we thought kid. You didn't hesitate to kill my friend. I didn't realize that the Leaf trained kids your age to be so cold hearted. I thought they were too much of a pussy village to do that." The man taunted, trying to get a rise out of the kid.
Bryon was confused by the words the man was saying, but he had a strong feeling that they were mean things that he was saying about his home. Bryon wanted to shut him up, but he wasn't stupid enough to think that he could go head to head with this guy.
"Staying quiet, huh? Smart kid. But not smart enough, otherwise you'd have run away. But we would've caught you anyway. Even now, it's only a matter of time before we kill you and that Hyuga whore." He said, listening for a reaction. "Still being quiet, huh brat? Well then, there's something you should know." He said, slamming his hands against the ground. "Earth Style: Earth Dome Prison!"
Bryon sensed the chakra heading his way, and he tried to dodge it. But because the lacked enough training, he was too slow and was captured by the jutsu. "Crap!"
"Heh! I'm a sensor too. I was just too focused on that whore to notice you. I was originally hoping to draw you out in anger, and kill you quickly. But now, I'll kill you slowly by draining you dry of chakra." He said, placing his hands against the prison.
It was only a matter of seconds, before Bryon started to sense his chakra was beginning to drain. "Uh oh. Not good. What should I do? This jutsu is taking away my chakra...Wait! That's it! My chakra is different! Mine has Nature Energy. I just have to focus on taking Nature Energy in just as fast, maybe a little faster, and he will absorb it and...and I'll be stuck inside this stupid jutsu! Ugh! At least he wont be absorbing my chakra." Bryon thought, as he sat down and focused on gathering Nature Energy.
Minutes passed, and Bryon was running low on chakra. He was starting to wonder if what Fukasaku said about Nature Energy was true, because he could sense that it was being absorbed by the Stone ninja. But he wasn't turning yet. But Bryon was being stubborn, so he just continued to gather Nature Energy. Soon, he started to hear the man screaming. "WHA...WHAT IS THIS!?" He yelled, shocked that his hands were turning to stone.
-Hikari v.s. Stone Kunoichi-
Hikari and the Stone Kunoichi heard the man screaming, and wondered what was going on. "What the hell is happening!?" The Stone ninja yelled.
Using her Byakugan, while keeping her sights on her opponent, Hikari observed what was happening. And to say that she was shocked, was an understatement. "He's been absorbing Bryon's chakra using Earth Style. I've noticed that Bryon has some sort of anomaly in his chakra, but it's been absorbed by this man. And now it's turning him into stone. But how!? How is that possible!?" Hikari thought, wondering how Bryon's chakra could do this. She's wonder about that later, for now though, she had to focus on her attention her own fight.
-Bryon v.s. Stone Ninja-
"AAAARRRGGH!" The Stone Ninja yelled, as he was completely turned to stone.
Bryon heard the man's screams come to an end, and it shook him to know that the man had most likely suffered through pain and/or fear. He didn't want to know if it was through pain. The only reason why he wasn't as shaken up about the other Hidden Stone ninja he killed, was because he knew it was quick and painless. But he was still shaken. Now however, he needed to find a way out of this jutsu. "I...*pant* think I *pant* have *enough* chakra for a *huff* final ju..*pant* jutsu." Bryon said, holding his hand out to his side. Focusing his chakra, he just barely managed to create his strongest jutsu. Before he could lose it, he rammed it against the side of the earth dome. "Rasengan!" He yelled, using the last bit of strength he had left. Luckily, it was enough to blast a hole in the wall to where he could crawl through.
Once out, Bryon took a moment to catch his breath. "I...*pant* got to *huff* help Hi...*pant* Hikari." He said, getting back on his feet. He then headed to where he could hear and sense the battle.
-Hikari v.s. Stone Kunoichi-
Hikari was now low on chakra, and energy. The only bright side of her battle that she could see, was that her opponent was in the same boat. "Damn! You're a tough bitch, aren't cha?" The Stone kunoichi asked, rhetorically.
"The same to you. In truth, I'm a bit out of practice." Hikari replied.
"Retired, huh? That was a bad move on your part." The Stone kunoichi smiled, thinking she has the upper hand.
"Heh. Can't argue with you there. But after years, I'm still holding my own against you." Hikari smiled back, wiping her opponent's off her face.
"You must really think you can win this. Well, you don't have a chance." She said, confidently.
"That's what you think." Hikari replied.
Before the Stone kunoichi could retort, she felt something land on top of her and sent her to the ground. Turns out, Bryon had landed on top of her. And as soon as they hit the ground, Bryon jumped off of her and made his way to Hikari.
"Good move Bryon. And that was actually an opportunity to kill her." Said Hikari, appraisingly but also giving him a tip for next time.
"Ugh. She's right kid. That was the perfect opportunity, and you blew it." She said, as she finally stood back to her feet. "Now. Where is Daisuke!?" She asked, with a glare.
"If you're talking about the one who trapped Bryon in that Earth Style prison, he's dead." Hikari answered.
"Grrr! You lie!" The Stone kunoichi yelled.
"See for your self, if you don't believe us." Hikari replied.
She was reluctant to believe them, but the fact that the boy was here and alive seemed to prove what she was saying. But to be absolutely sure, she pulled out a flash bomb and threw it into the ground. Bryon and Hikari were blinded, but instead of attacking the Stone kunoichi back tracked to where they all were when the boy first came and attacked them. It didn't take her long to find her last remaining teammate. When she did, she was shocked. The man had been turned to stone. "It was the boy! It had to be! I'd better report this to Lord Tsuchikage, otherwise we'll be in danger!" She thought, deciding that retreat was her best option.
And so she left, abandoning the mission in order to warn her village. She didn't have a summoning or access to a messenger hawk for her village, so her only means of communication was to return home.
-Hikari and Bryon-
"Phew! She's leaving." Hikari said, as she watched the Hidden Stone kunoichi run back in the direction of her home village. She then deactivated her Byakugan when she believed that there was no longer a threat.
"Yea." Bryon said.
Turning toward Bryon, Hikari said. "Thank you, for your help Bryon."
Turning toward her, he replied with a slight smile." You're welcome."
"How's the client?" Hikari asked, curious as to what may have happened there.
Bryon chuckled and put his hand behind his head. "Oh! Uh... He...he's ok. Just knocked out. Haha."
Hikari snickered. "Well, he deserved that at least. You might get in a little bit of trouble, but it won't be so bad considering the circumstances. Now, let's get going." She said, as she started moving.
"Right." Bryon replied, as he started to follow Hikari. But because of his exhaustion, and the amount of chakra that was absorbed, he collapsed.
Hearing something fall behind her, Hikari turned around with her Byakugan active. But all she saw, was Bryon lying on the ground unconscious. "Bryon!" She yelled, observing his chakra. Breathing a *sigh* of relief, she said to herself. "It's only minor chakra exhaustion. He'll be fine with some rest." She then deactivated her Byakugan again, and lifted Bryon off the ground and onto her back. Once she thought that he was secure enough, she leapt up into the trees.
It wasn't long before she made it back to the carriage, with Bryon in tow. As she came up, she saw that Akio had left the safety of his carriage and was yelling at his driver to get going. But said driver was refusing.
"It seems Bryon should've hit you harder, Mr. Fukui." Said Hikari, as she jumped down from the tree. She could see the color draining from the visible parts of his skin, as he immediately stopped yelling.
Akio turned around slowly, praying that he hadn't heard what he thought he had. However, he swallowed in fear as he saw his own bodyguards. "Hi...Hikari. You...you're alive. Wh...what a relief." He stuttered.
"That's Lady Hyuga, to you!" She said firmly, causing the man to flinch. "And don't give me that load of bull, either! You were hoping that we'd die! In fact, I'd be willing to bet you believed it was the only way it was going to happen!" She saw him flinch with every sentence she spoke, which told her that it was all true. "Fortunately for you, it's still our mission to protect you. But if you pull a stunt like that against any of our other comrades, you wouldn't have survived as long as you have! In fact, you would've been killed by them!"
Akio nodded. Then he saw that Bryon was being held up on Hikari's back, leaving her vulnerable. Thinking he could still get away with this, he pulled out a knife he had hidden on him. He only ever used it as an absolute last resort, in case of being attacked. But he figured that after a tough battle, and having an unconscious/possibly dead kid on her back, would leave her vulnerable enough to be killed by him. As he pulled out his knife, he charged.
Hikari saw him charging, and simply kicked the knife out of his hand followed by a kick between his legs. After he knelt to the ground, holding his nuts, she kicked him onto his back and placed her foot on his throat. "Not a bad idea attacking me, while I'm exhausted and holding an unconscious child on my back. But even then, I'm not that vulnerable. And if you try something like this again, I will kill you. Understand?" She asked, coldly. Akio did his best to nod with Hikari's foot against his throat. "Good." She said, removing her foot.
That night, Bryon regained consciousness. He ate some of the rations that Hikari had brought. She didn't go hunting, because she didn't trust Akio not to pull anything. So they settled with rations for dinner. Not the best tasting, but better than nothing.
The whole time, Bryon hadn't said a word. It worried Hikari, so she figured she'd go ahead and talk to him. "Is it still bothering you? Having to kill someone I mean?" Hikari asked.
*Sigh* "Yeah. Is that wrong?" Bryon asked, looking up at Hikari.
"I would be more concerned if it wasn't bothering you. If it does, come to me. Ok?"
"Ok." Bryon went back to being silent. After a while he asked Hikari a question. "Hikari?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"We're mostly fighting the Hidden Stone and Hidden Cloud, right?" He asked.
"On occasion we are fighting with the Hidden Cloud. But, we're also fighting with the Hidden Sand as well." She answered.
"And if the Tsuchikage was killed, would the war end?" Bryon asked, hoping for a yes.
*Sigh* "Even if the war ends, you'll still have to kill people on missions. The assassins that are after you, people like Kouichi, etc. The killing won't stop. And you can't quit being a ninja, because you'll have to defend yourself."
"I don't want to quit being a ninja. I like the entire fighting part, but..."
"You just have trouble accepting the whole killing part, right?" She asked, receiving a nod from Bryon. "I understand. I had trouble with that too, when I first started out."
"Really?" Bryon asked.
"Mm hmm."
"You didn't answer my question. Will the war end if the Tsuchikage is dies?"
"He's old, but he's not a pushover. It could stop the battles with the Hidden Stone Village for a time. At least until a new Tsuchikage is officially decided. But... If we're lucky, then the war with the Hidden Stone will stop. But the chances are very slim at best." Hikari replied.
"But, we should take the chance right?"
"I guess, but only if a chance ever presents itself."
Bryon smiled at this. "It did." He replied, confusing Hikari.
-Four days later-
In the Hidden Stone Village, the woman returned and reported straight the Tsuchikage to inform him of what happened. As soon as she was authorized to enter his office, she did and knelt before him. "Lord Tsuchikage." She greeted.
"Hmm? Where are your teammates?" He asked, seeing as she was the only one who returned.
"They're dead, Lord Tsuchikage. That Hyuga whore managed to kill one, but the brat killed two. One by ambush, and Daisuke by..." She cut herself off, still having difficulty believing what she saw.
The Tsuchikage frowned. This was not the news he wanted to hear. His spy inside the Hidden Leaf had informed him that the 4th Hokage's son had become a Genin, but he was unable to give any information on when or where he'd be out on missions. It was only good fortune that said boy was on a mission who's client was upset with his two bodyguards, and wanted them dead. It was even better when he only had one person to guard him. And that one was the Hyuga's Matriarch, who had been retired for approximately six years and had just given birth only five months ago.
And now, the boy had managed to kill two of their Chunin? Even with the Hyuga as a distraction, it didn't seem likely. But he wasn't about to question that. "How did the boy kill Daisuke? He's a sensor, so he should've been on guard against him. Especially at that point."
"Sir. The Hyuga managed to take advantage of our distraction to take out one of us, after the brat's ambush. I then took on the Hyuga alone, while Daisuke took the brat. The brat eventually came after me, and I questioned what had happened. They told me Daisuke was dead, and I refused to believe it. Daisuke didn't come. So I pulled out a flash-bomb, and checked up on him. Lord Tsuchikage, the brat somehow has the power too..." She yelled, before a large explosion took place within the Tsuchikage's office.
-Days later-
Bryon and Hikari finally made back to the Leaf Village, after dropping Akio Fukui off at the border with the Land of Rice Patties. They were in the Hokage's office, and had just finished their debrief. Just as Hikari finished, a messenger had come in stating that they received information that the Tsuchikage's office in the Hidden Stone Village had been bombed two days prior. After hearing the details, Hiruzen dismissed the messenger.
Letting out a deep breath, Hiruzen decided to wrap up the debriefing. "Is there anything else?" He asked.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. I'm the one behind the bombing." Said Bryon, surprising both the Hokage and Hikari. Hikari didn't question why Bryon had smiled after she had answered his question. She just assumed she had somehow given him some sort of hope.
"That's quite a bold claim Bryon. How could you have managed that?" The 3rd asked.
"When I attacked that woman from behind, I placed an 'Explosion Seal' on her. I hoped that she would run away instead of fight us, and she did. I guess we got lucky on that. I set it to where it would go off in about four days, since I guessed it would take her that long to get to the Hidden Stone Village. I only hoped that she would be in the Tsuchikage's office when it went off. Again, I guess I got lucky. But not lucky enough to kill the Tsuchikage." Bryon explained. He was having a hard time to keep himself from laughing at the shocked look on the Hokage's face, and he didn't dare look at Hikari.
A few moments of silence went by, before Hikari finally managed to speak up. "Is that why you didn't kill that woman when you could've?" She asked.
Without looking, Bryon nodded.
"Even our ANBU has had difficulty even getting an attempt, and yet a six-year old boy managed to get closer than anyone of them. And now that it failed, despite that the idea was beyond genius, they'll be much more cautious now." Hiruzen thought. "That was genius. But because it failed, any chances has gone down to perhaps zero." He said, letting Bryon know that another attempt like this would now be impossible.
"I know. But I had to take a chance." Bryon replied.
"I know. Just don't take anymore chances like that. Understood?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
"Good. Now, if there is nothing else. You're dismissed. And Bryon, you're to go to the Uchiha compound."
Bryon nodded, before bowing. He then left the office with Hikari.
That's chapter 10. For future reference, I'm using " art/Elemental-Nations-Geographical-Map-317422439 " this map as my reference for the Elemental Nations. It's not mine, but hopefully the creator won't mind. If they do, then I'll make changes to this chapter and others that will be using this as reference. Anyway, please review. Thank you for reading.