Chapter 10

(Ozmone Plain, close to Jahara)

The sun set over the horizon, its rays of golden light painting the sky with an array of reds, yellows, and oranges. It was a breathtaking sight. The great Sogoht inched along its riverbed, unmindful of the infant Ichthons frolicking in its expanse. High above the river, a flock of Zu was heading back towards their nests after a long day of hunting for food.

The mighty river, swollen from the torrential rain in the Giza Plains, coursed through three separate regions. It was a place where the beasts of Ozmone gathered; it fed the imposing oaks of the Golmore Jungle, and sustained the village of people who were content to live in harmony with the land. Near this village was a desert-like area that reminded one of the Giza Plains during its Dry period.

A trio of warriors was currently crossing this seemingly-dry area. The first was a corpulent fellow with orange skin. He wore no shirt, revealing that despite his fat there was a large amount of muscle as well. He dragged behind him a large leather harness, complaining about its weight the whole time. He was known to his friends as Bansat.

The second warrior was a tall and graceful female. Her silver hair fell to her lower back, complementing her dark skin. A pair of long rabbit ears crowned her head, giving her an exotic appearance. The bow and quiver full of arrows on her back revealed that she was just as capable in battle as her companions. The name the mother Wood had given her was Synneva.

The third was the most interesting. He had long black hair that reached down to his mid-back and tanned skin. The man wore red armor as well as a metal-plated headband with a strange symbol carved into it. His eyes revealed a fighter who had gone through hell and come out on top. Friend and foe alike recognized him as Senju Hashirama.

These three had just finished a very tough mission involving a partially-petrified monster. The seeq was currently leading them towards the village. "We'll be there in a few minutes, *snort*. You can talk to just about anyone; the folks that live there are the real friendly sort. Just try not to draw attention to yourself, *snort*."

The shinobi and Synneva nodded. The viera knew of the Garif, and had even seen a few once; however, she had been fleeing the Wood at the time and thus didn't have a whole lot of time for introductions. Hashirama, on the other hand, didn't know what the Garif were; he had heard of their philosophies, however, and was looking forward to meeting them.

Eventually, they came to stop before an ornate wooden gate. Off to the left side of it were Gurdy and her portable chocobo stable as well as a Cartographer's Guild moogle. On the other side of the gate was an orange teleport crystal. The trio decided to heal up at the crystal first before heading into the village proper.

"Damn," swore Bansat. When his companions asked him what was wrong, the seeq replied that the guards were different from the ones he bypassed earlier. Getting in would be even tougher now.

Standing on either side of the gate were two men wearing strange masks and battle gear. The masks reminded the Senju somewhat of those used by the ANBU, but the guards' masks were much more ornate in nature. The pair stopped the group at the gate. "Halt. What business do you have here in Jahara?" asked one of the men, giving them a critical stare.

"We're here to collect our reward for the hunt one of you posted. I need to talk ta Sugumu," said the seeq. He looked back and forth between the guards, hoping for an answer.

"He has mentioned no such hunt, and you will treat him with proper respect. We cannot allow you to enter," responded the guard, crossing his arms.

"Why not?" asked the wood user.

"These are troubled times. War-Chief Supinelu has ordered us to be careful with outsiders; we shall not invite trouble if we can avoid it," said the other guard curtly. The absentee Hokage knew the procedure well; after all, he had given similar orders to the guards at Konoha's own gates. "Not to mention that you are in this group," they said, pointing to the seeq.

"Stand down, and allow them to enter. They mean us no harm," stated a somewhat-aged voice. The two guards immediately stiffened, which the Senju was quick to note. A man approached the gates from the other side. This man was different from the others; his mask was more ornate than theirs, and he wore a simple homespun robe rather than the tough leather gear worn by the warriors.

"Yugelu! What are you doing out here?" asked the guard, curious but apprehensive.

"I saw that these people sought entry into our village, thus I came to assist them," replied the man. He tapped the ground with a walking stick longer than he was tall. "I assure you both that they mean no harm. Sugumu did indeed petition them for aid. We elders wished to see what hunters could do on the battlefield; do you now wish to defy our orders?"

The guard on the left shook his head immediately, while the other did it more reluctantly. "Nay; we shall let them pass. But if they cause trouble, especially him, we will not hesitate to deal with them."

The aging Garif nodded his head. "As well you should. You three may proceed; I shall notify Sugumu of your return, Bansat. Your companions may relax for a bit and introduce yourselves to my people."

Synneva nodded while Hashirama bowed in respect. "Hai. I give you my word, esteemed elder; we shall not do anything to cause you or your tribe any undue stress."

Though Yugelu's face was covered by his mask, the Senju could tell he was smiling. "Thank you for that, although the bowing was unnecessary. Please relax; no harm will come to you here."

Hashirama nodded and together, the four of them crossed the bridge into Jahara, Land of the Garif. "It sounds as though someone here is well-known. Honored Elder, if I may ask, why did those men respond so negatively to the presence of my fellow clansman?" This question came from the only female of the group.

Yugelu chuckled, the low sound causing his mask to vibrate slightly. "He has come here several times before. Many of those times, he managed to place himself into some very troublesome situations. I believe the last time involved a runaway nanna and an angry Zaghnal."

Bansat snorted. "That wasn't my fault, completely. Supinelu set it off first. I was just minding my own business."

It was the aged man's turn to snort. "Minding your own business? Is that what you call trying to get the monster to chase the nanna instead of Supinelu? I seem to recall you shouting about paying for the damages."

The seeq didn't respond, but a scowl crossed his face. "I have other things to do," he said, then split off from the group to find his client.

"He does not handle being the target of others' jesting so well," Synneva observed. "In the short amount of time that I have known him, he has always been somewhat temperamental when it comes to jesting with him. If you would excuse me, there is something personal which requires my immediate attention." She veered off to the right and walked to a secluded tent to think.

Both the Garif and the Hume watched her go. "Something troubles her," said the Senju. "She's been like that ever since she slew our hunt mark. It is as though there is something in her mind she doesn't truly want there."

Yugelu nodded and turned to face Hashirama. "Outwardly she betrayed no emotion; I know this since I know that all daughters of the Wood act in this way. Even should they become separated from their home, as your friend is, they maintain this mask of calm indifference. It is how they deal with their pain; they bear in on the inside."

Hearing this saddened the wood user. He knew from personal experience the results of repressing one's sadness and anger; it had happened to the man he had once been proud to call his best friend. He tried to go help her, but found that the Garif elder's hand was on his shoulder, preventing him from going any further. "Let her go. She shall receive counsel of her own. But as to whether or not she will follow it, is up to her."

Hashirama wanted to disagree, but found that he couldn't. The elder was wiser than he was, so it might pay to heed his advice. "Hai; perhaps that is the best course of action right now. Still, I wish there were some small way I could help her."

The elder patted his shoulder. "Your kindness speaks well of you. Come, for I can sense that you and I have much to discuss."

The shinobi raised an eyebrow; he had some misgivings about being unable to help his friend, and he hadn't been expecting that sort of invitation. However, the elder had only given him sound advice so far; just as Montblanc had informed him earlier that day, it might be worth his time. "Hai," he said, the followed the man to his tent.

(Jahara, later that night)

Synneva paced back and forth nervously. The entity inside the back of her mind had yet to appear, and she was getting quite anxious. Luckily, the tent she was currently staying in had the front flap closed for privacy, so no one could see in if they wanted to. There was a small fire going in the center of the tent, giving the place a warm, homey feel.

Suddenly the flap to the tent opened and a Garif walked in. this individual, like the others, wore an ornate mask, but his was marked by the sheer size of it: it was at least twice the size of the others and his regal bearing gave off an aura of great wisdom. The man looked at her for a minute or two and then sat upon one of the animal furs spread upon the floor.

She turned to leave when the man spoke to her. "There is no cause for you to depart. We have invited you to stay," he said, gesturing to one of the furs on the floor.

The viera sat on the indicated spot. Despite never having known this man, her sixth sense determined that he occupied a very important position within the community. "Thank you, honored elder. You keep a lovely home."

The old Garif looked at her with the same impassive stare that she herself was so used to giving. Several minutes passed before he responded, "Something has planted the seeds of doubt within your mind."

Synneva blanched. "I do not know what you are talking about. There is naught that causes me worry; perhaps it is merely the fire's light that gives the illusion of trouble."

Her statement was met by a slow shake of the head. "I have been known to be many things in my lifetime; however, I have never been known to be a fool. I can see that there is some issue beneath your calm exterior; your eyes betray you. I can offer the counsel you need; you have only to accept."

'That's a good idea; trust me, that fellow knows what he's talking about. I'd advise you to take him up on his offer,' said the voice, making itself known once again.

"I see that you are talking again. Now, I demand answers. Who are you and what are you doing inside my mind? I do not recall inviting any outsiders," she said in a firm tone of voice. The voice had told her nothing of whom it was and she was tired of it. She was unaware that she was speaking out loud and thus, the elder could hear everything she said.

"Ah, so that is the cause for worry. You have someone or something within the confines of your mind and it is causing you undue stress," said the Garif, nodding sagely. "The strongest foes are found not on the battlefield, but within oneself. Here, I shall make this easier for you," he stated, grabbing a small pouch he had on his hip. He reached inside and pulled out a pinch of some sort of silvery powder and threw it into the flames.

The fire seemed to burst before Synneva's very eyes as the flames turned a bright yellow. The man spoke in a strange language. The viera's eyes bulged out in surprise as she realized what the man was doing. Though she was unfamiliar with the language, she could instantly recognize shaman arts when she saw them. The powder's purpose, however, eluded her.

After a few tense minutes of the Garif chanting in that strange language, the fires parted somewhat to reveal a woman. The former wood dweller's jaw almost dropped to the floor; her boss Montblanc kept a picture of her in his office that he gazed at lovingly on occasion, though he never told anyone her name.

Like most viera, she had a lovely tan that was enhanced by the very feminine curves as well as powerful muscles. Her snow-white hair barely reached her shoulders and framed a face that despite it clearly belonging to a warrioress still possessed a cute demeanor. She wore clothing the color of the forest, and a great longbow was slung across her shoulders. Most interestingly, however, was the fact that her ears were bent slightly backwards, like those belonging to a hare.

"So you are the one inhabiting her conscious. I have not seen you in a great many years; what are you doing there?" asked the man in a tone that suggested surprise.

The woman gave him a sad smile. "Uball-Ka, it's been so long. Tell me, have you made Great-Chief rank yet?"

The now-identified Uball-Ka chuckled dryly. "Yes I have, after a great many years of course. But I digress. You have something to discuss with my friend here? I have noted that you inhabit the back of her mind."

"Oh, right. Well, Synneva, I guess introductions are in order. My name is Shara. I was a great friend to Montblanc; I'm sure you know who he is," said the woman. Upon receiving a nod, she continued. "I'm guessing you want some answers, huh?"

Synneva nodded. "First, I would like to know exactly how you managed to appear within my consciousness. I know from experience that it is exceedingly difficult and dangerous to enter a viera's mind, let alone inhabit it. And you said you 'were' a great friend to Montblanc; did something happen to make him an enemy of yours?"

"Wow, we're starting with a headrush. To answer the question of just how I ended up in here, it's a very long story and I hardly know the full details myself. As for the other question, it's not that we're enemies, it's that so much time had passed that he's probably forgotten all about me," she replied, scratching the back of her head.

Her 'landlady', so to speak, shook her head. "That is not the case. He believes that you have passed on, but not only has he not forgotten you, he has actually erected his own personal shrine to you. It is both endearing and slightly frightening at the same time."

"Really? Aww, that's so cute! He always WAS a hopeless little romantic. But anyway, do ya have any other questions you'd like to ask me?" she asked. Internally, Synneva wondered at the informal language Shara was using.

"How is it that you speak in the manner of a Hume? I do not know of any other viera who speaks in the manner that you do," replied the silverette. "I would also like to know just what is your purpose in guiding me as you have today."

The elder huntress put her hand to her chin in thought. It was a very familiar gesture to the younger of the two; she had seen Montblanc in that pose many times. "Well, it's like this: unlike other viera, I wasn't born in the Wood you're familiar with. I was actually born and raised in the quiet town of Muscadet. There were lots of viera there, plus folks from other races, so I learned how to speak just like them, much to my mother's dismay."

Shara then fixated her gaze on her 'landlady'. "My purpose in guiding you is to help you grow. See, I'm actually still alive, though just barely. I'm in the custody of a fellow named Shini something-or-other, and he promised that if I helped to shape the future of Ivalice then I'd have pretty much free reign to visit Monty whenever I want. So that's why I'm gonna help you become a great huntress, even more so than you already are."

"I can understand your motives, and I would like to thank you for your assistance earlier today. It is likely that the hunt would have had a less than favorable outcome had you not chosen to offer counsel. But I feel that I must warn you; there are many issues i have yet to deal with, and having a mental tenant shall not make them any easier," she admonished.

Much to her surprise, the shorter-haired viera smiled widely. "I don't mind at all! It's been so long since I've been able to talk with anyone living anyway. I love a challenge! So, are we partners now?"

Synneva agreed. They spent the rest of the night just talking to each other as well as to Uball-Ka, who the viera recently discovered was actually the Great-Chief of the tribe. As the hour grew long, the viera decided that it would be in her best interest to retire for the night. She (and her tenant) bade goodnight to the Great-Chief, who dismissed her with a kind smile.

When she had gone, Uball-Ka shut his eyes and contemplated the situation. 'I hope that you know what you're getting yourself into, daughter of the Wood. The path ahead of you will surely be fraught with danger and grief. Ah, to be young again…' With that last thought, the ancient Garif closed the flap to his tent and did not emerge until later that morning.

(Jahara, the next morning)

Hashirama and Bansat stood at the front gates to the village, patiently awaiting the arrival of their friend. At least, the shinobi was waiting patiently. The seeq was somewhat less patient, however. "Where is she? She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago!"

The Senju shook his head at his comrade's impatience. "Calm down, sempai. I'm sure she will be here soon," he reassured, leaning on one of the gate posts. "Ah, here she comes now."

Right on cue, the viera walked calmly down the path with her bow slung over her shoulder. The wood user noted that she seemed far different than she did the previous day. It seemed as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

She smiled at them briefly before walking forwards. She turned back and waved at the village, then continued to go forwards, back into the Ozmone Plains. "Come, we have other places to be. I am sure you two do not want to remain behind," she said in a tone that to anyone else sounded mildly amused at best. However, to her companions it sounded like she had sent them a parade complete with balloons.

They quickly rushed over to where the viera was headed, and departed Jahara together.

OMAKE

Tobirama, Daisuke, Isaku, Makoto, Mito, and several other important clan heads sat in the large room they used for emergency council meetings. The white-haired man attempted to calm the panicking shinobi and civilians, but was having no luck (as usual) until Isaku used his Big Head no Jutsu to forcibly calm them down (as usual).

"Everyone, it is important that you listen to me. It has recently come to my attention that there is a rather frightening phenomenon that will surely threaten the stability of Konoha should it continue to go unchecked. This phenomenon is responsible for extensive property damage as well as the cause for several cases of extreme paranoia among several of my clansmen," said Daisuke, who was noticeably shaky with fear.

"What sort of phenomenon?" asked Chokichi. He was curious as to what could possibly arouse such a negative reaction in the Hyuga, of all people.

"I am talking about a dreaded scourge that has plagued the Hyuga, Senju, and Uchiha clans for many years now. It had even affected Hashirama-sama and Madara-san. I am talking about the wild, ferocious, and above all deadly…fangirl." When he mentioned the word 'fangirl', he shuddered in fright.

"Fangirls? Just how are they dangerous?" asked Isaku. He'd never heard of such a thing.

"They are essentially unstoppable," said Tobirama. "They feel no pain, and their obsession drives them to come after you with a single-minded fury rarely seen anywhere else. If they are able to capture you, you will not leave in the same condition that you arrived in. this enemy most commonly targets the group of males known as 'bishonen', but they have been known to come after attractive females as well."

"How do you know this, Hokage-sama?" asked Yamanaka Midori, the head of the Yamanaka clan.

"He knows it because Hokage-sama and I have been attacked by those creatures before. Just like Daisuke-dono said, they're almost invincible. Kill one, and two more take her place. The whole thing gave me nightmares that I STILL haven't recovered from," Makoto said. "We've gotta do something, otherwise we'll be overrun by those things and believe me, it won't end well for ANYBODY."

At this, all the council members except Tobirama (who was busy coming up with a plan), Mito (who was nervously trying to calm a panicked Kyubi), and Makoto (who had somehow procured a giant uchiwa fan and was currently brandishing it like a sword) were sweating bullets, writing their wills, or gearing themselves for battle.

Then they heard a sound that chilled them to their very core. The heavy doors to the council room were suddenly blown off their hinges as a swarm of teenage girls invaded the area with cries of "Tobi-kun!" and "Kurama-chan!" The council members instantly panicked.

The scene was utter chaos. Left and right, shinobi battled against the fierce grip and unstoppable lust of fangirls. Makoto was back-to-back with Mito, brandishing the uchiwa fan and a katana, respectively. Their teamwork was flawless, but the enemies just kept on coming. Eventually they fell and were swarmed by the enemy.

Several hours later, the fangirls had finally had their fill and left. The carnage was apparent; while there were no deaths, many of the clan heads would likely be traumatized for life. Tobirama had somehow managed to hold them off with his famous Suiton: Suijinhekki (Water Release: Water Encampment Wall), but suffered severe chakra exhaustion as a result. Makoto and Mito were unconscious and covered with bruises and what appeared to be hickeys. Daisuke and his wife Setsuka were hugging each other for comfort, surrounded by a pile of Jyukened fangirl corpses.

It would take a long time for any of them to recover.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Next chapter, the journey to Bur-Omisace begins! Unknownbyself, away! *gets on a rocket*