Ch 36

Two and a half years later things got crazy again. I'll ease you into it. Junpei of the Hidden Sand was a jonin, and the village's contact with Devon. He transported product from Devon to the village, and ensured the Pokemart's shelves were filled with the goods it needed. Part of my operation in the Sand Village was focused on the acquisition of legendary pokemon and Devon had been doing research for me.

I'd asked for a pokescroll with high level sealing script, and they'd delivered a prototype of what they were calling the Master Scroll. Junpei was just smart enough to recognize how valuable it was, and just stupid enough to try and steal it.

On another note, my spy network was always growing, and it was always on the look for high level sealing script. Junpei, to be forever more known as the fucktard, tried to deliver the Master Scroll to my network, but he wouldn't meet my contact. He'd meet Temari, Kankuro, and I.

That may sound like overkill, but… I needed that scroll undamaged, so Junpei needed to be taken care of in an instant, removing any chance of damage to the Master Scroll. The meet was scheduled for noon, at the dilapidated Temple of the Sun, north of the Sand Village. The Temple of the Sun had been the center of a religion in time before remembering, featuring wide open squares, now only recognizable by its mud-brick walls, just barely sticking out of the sand, and a tower of impressive height, at which we stood, waiting.

I'd changed a lot over the years too. My first ninja gear had been all red and black, but the change in village had demanded a change in outfit. My jacket was mostly black, with green stripes going down the sides of my arms, connecting a green pokeball print over my shoulders and my green, fingerless gloves. My pants were black, with green stripes down the outside of the leg, and I was sporting a black pair of shoes. I hid my swordsmen shark-teeth behind a metal plate which covered my mouth and nose, wrapping around my head to cover my ears which served as a sandstorm guard and underwater breathing apparatus. I had a new beanie which was like the old one, but green where the old one had been black and red, and I had a new pack which, again, continued the green pokeball print motif.

Kankuro lounged against the rail of the roof of the tower, sipping absently on a bottled water with one hand, and working his other hands fingers by manipulating a pair of tiny puppets to do the mambo. He had the same, black clothes, only with three puppet scrolls on his back, and one pokescroll at each hip. He looked over to me as I stood on the exact center of the roof. "So, if Junpei isn't going to be running supplies for us, who can we trust?" he asked, "You gonna put him under your sleeper jutsu?"

"Disloyal sleepers don't usually come back with information," I murmured and cracked my neck, "not much use if they don't tell me what I want to know."

Kankuro narrowed his eyes, and his puppets began to spar. "Yeah, but putting a worm like Junpei into an enemy organization could seriously undermine them when you undo your jutsu."

I nodded in agreement, "Good point. I'll consider it."

Kankuro's puppets subsided into a pile and he pointed behind me, "Look who's back."

Temari, riding her Pidgeot, Fuuton, wearing a black kimono with her fan over her shoulder, was gliding down towards us from the south. She landed and Fuuton landed on the rail near Kankuro. "He's about five miles out… Time to get to work?" she asked.

I nodded, and Temari summoned Suna, her Flygon. I leapt at its neck and spun around to its back in a seated position. "Mush," I declared, and its wings became a blur of flapping.

Suna went over the rail, and then straight down the side of the tower, and Kankuro was not far behind on Fuuton while Temari herself drifted down on the wind. When we touched the sand at the foot of the tower, Kankuro and I leapt off, and Suna and Fuuton went skyward to meet Temari. Kankuro went into my pack and pulled out a face plate and two go-goggles. I was already wearing my sandstorm faceplate because of my scary, pointy teeth, but Temari liked being able to see my eyes.

I pulled on the go-goggles as Kankuro pulled on all his and then gave Temari a thumbs up. Fuuton, Suna, and Temari then began to kick up sand with their combined wind chakra. Suna's wings flapped with such speed that they generated the sounds of a wailing woman, and in less than a minute, a sandstorm was born. Kankuro and I dove into its heart.

Two seconds into the storm, we clicked buttons on the sides of our go-goggles, and they began to display infa-red light. As the sandstorm began to move toward Junpei, we went with it. Eventually, a single dot of heat came into view, running away from us and the wall of sand. He may have known what was coming. I doubted it.

The sand overtook him, and Kankuro and I surrounded him. Kankuro summoned Number 2, his Claydol, and I summoned Suiton. The pop of the pokescrolls caused Junpei to stop. "This wasn't the deal!" he cried, "I'll have you know that I've trained with the Demon of the Sand."

Suiton reached forward, and formed a cocoon of sand around Junpei, tightening his grip, and totally restricting him, but leaving his head free. "This doesn't matter!" he shrieked, "The Demon taught me twenty different ways to kill you even like this!"

I stepped forward, and Number 2 used its psychic powers to create a cylinder of free air. Junpei's eyes widened, and my face plate altered my voice to a mechanical croak, "Good thing I didn't teach you all my tricks then, huh?"

The sand near Junpei's crotch turned dark, so I avoided that area, but put my hand on his cocoon. I tapped my go-goggles with my other hand, and looked Junpei in the eyes. "Take the scroll," he whimpered, "Just don't kill me."

Suiton latched onto the scroll and removed it. It was about two feet long, and had a diameter of about a foot. I set the scroll down on the sand by my feet and said, "Don't beg. It's belittling. Don't think that because you lack loyalty and conviction that I lack either. I don't. You betrayed me, Junpei."

"I can be loyal!" Junpei pleaded, "I'll do whatever you want, please!"

I flashed through hand-signs that had become all too familiar over the year, and put Junpei under my sleeper jutsu. "You're a blank slate. Infiltrate Team Magma and await further instructions."

Junpei's head rolled back, and the sand released him. The storm moved by us, and died about a mile to the south, just before it reached the village. Temari landed between me and Kankuro. "Where are you sending him?" she asked.

"Magma," Kankuro said, "Ticking coward bomb."

Temari kicked his unconscious form. "I was considering him for a genin squad," she spat on him, "Bastard," she turned to the scroll, "This is the thing?"

I picked up the scroll and nodded, "Ordered with heavy duty seals for three legendary Pokémon."

I pushed it over my back so it was propped between my bag and my shirt. "I'll keep it in my Secret Base until we need it."

From the south came the familiar, almost feminine wailing sound of a Flygon tearing through the sky. We all turned to see a Flygon bearing a red sash with the word "Love" stitched into it with black thread at regular intervals. "Whiplash," I identified.

Gaara's Flygon descended and turned so it could write in the sand using its tail. Meeting with Tsunade and a red-eyed friend. Return immediately. Kankuro reached for the Master Scroll and said, "I'll take care of this. You two go on ahead. I'll book back once the scroll is safe."

Temari nodded, and we ran towards the village, while Kankuro peeled off towards the North East. The sentries did not stop us as we cleared the village walls and dashed to the center of the village and the Kazekage building. At the top of the building were Gaara, Tsunade, and Zinnia. Tsunade eyed me and then Zinnia, "You two don't go and pull any more coup d'états, you hear?"

Zinnia shrugged, "No promises. Brendan makes for boring conversation."

I smiled, and we tore off, leaving Tsunade, Gaara, and Temari to discuss the chunin exam. "So glad you don't have to go this year," Zinnia said, "Waste of time."

"My students aren't a waste of time," I retorted, "They're prodigies."

Zinnia rolled her eyes, "Can they Mega-Evolve yet?"

I choked back the sarcastic remark that came to mind, "No."

She grinned wider and stopped atop the village perimeter wall. "This should be isolated, right?"

I nodded, and took a seat, with my legs hanging over the edge, so Zinnia did the same. "How are things on your end?" she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, "I have an Aqua admin, a Magma Admin, Sasuke, Suigetsu's working on tracking Raiga, Lanette is trying to perfect Bill's teleportation machine, I'm makin' money off every Pokémon contest, Aarune is working to scout out more secret bases, and Scott is recruiting trainers to join the Hidden Sand's ninja academy."

"So things are going great," Zinnia assessed, "Why do I sniff a hint of grrr over there, buddy?"

"I hate having to hurry up and wait for something to happen," I spat, "Let's make some actual headway in getting rid of the Akatsuki, Team Magma, or Team Aqua."

Zinnia chuckled, "I've actually got something for you. Mirages have been appearing. Just like the last time the Legendaries appeared in the Elemental Nations."

I steepled my fingers, and looked over at her. She continued, "Rumor has it that a tower mysteriously comes in and out of being in the dead center of the Land of Wind. Mirage Tower. Maybe it can give us a clue about what our next move should be?"

"I'll head there now," I said, "I'll grab my team. Can you go?"

Zinnia shook her head, "Itachi and I have something lined up. Two mirages near Iron Island."

I held out my fist, and she bumped it, "I'll send any updates you need your way."

Zinnia released her Salamance, Draco, and went back towards the center of the village. I stood up on the wall, and looked around. About a hundred yards along the circumference of the wall was a gap-gate, loaded with traps for the unwary. Each gap-gate was manned by a few jonin who could work the traps from hidden positions. The jonin would signal shift changes with a mounted horn and specific notes that could be heard throughout the village.

I ran over to the horn, removed my mask, and blew six high notes. I replaced my mask, and waited just outside of the gap-gate. The first of my chunin to arrive was Wikstrom. He was a knight-errant that had started following me while I'd been on a mission in Kalos. He eschewed the gear of other Sand ninja, preferring the metal bands of armor that he'd trained with in his birthplace. From head to toe he was covered in sparkling armor, meticulously polished, and a broadsword strapped to his back. He called ninjutsu sorcery, but had taken quite well to Taijutsu, and incorporated the Eight Gates Training to his swordplay.

He kneeled before me, touched my shoe as a sign of reverence, and then stood at attention by my side. "Could you not?" I asked.

A chuckle emerged from behind his faceplate, totally featureless with slots for his eyes, "No, my lord. Respect, when earned, must be given."

A grumble escaped me. Diantha emerged from the gap-gate at a trot. She wore a light, white kimono, patterned not accidentally after Temari's, but with armor plating along her forearms and forelegs. She wore a cape that flared out behind her like fairy wings, an easy smile, and her headband was tied over her forehead. She pranced on by me and asked, "Where we goin'?"

"Places," I answered.

She narrowed her eyes as we began our game. "What kind of places?"

I waved my fingers mystically, "Strange places."

"Any specific strange places?" she inquired.

Before we could continue, Cynthia strutted out from the gap-gate. She wore black pants, a black shirt, and a black trench coat that swished when she walked. "You know he won't ever answer, right?" she asked.

Diantha smiled, her eyes glimmering with mischief, "You'll never know if you don't try."

Cynthia blew her long, blonde hair out of her eyes, but her bangs settled over her left eye. "Don't start the mission out by irritating me fairy girl."

I cut my hand down through the air. "Let's get started. Mirages have been appearing in places. We're going to check them out, cool?"

I started running to the north-west and they followed. I'd describe it, but… desert is desert. It was hot. Sand was everywhere, including the insides of my shoes. A few lizards. Whatever man. Point is, three hours into the run, I stopped, and pulled out my pokenav.

Devon had painstakingly covered every inch of the Lands of Wind, Fire, Sound, Rivers, Grass, and Waterfalls, courtesy of Hidden Sand and Leaf genin of course, and compiled the data into a comprehensive mapping service, and courtesy of their new satellite, even calling services. It was a magic, little orange pod that made my life easier. Diantha looked over my shoulder and hummed. "We're in the middle of the desert. This is a strange place."

I shrugged, and started walking around, "About to get stranger, in all likelihood."

"What are we looking for?" Wikstrom asked.

"I've found sand," Diantha quipped, "Lots, and lots of sand."

I waved my arms around me, and found my left arm disappearing from view. "Think we found what we're looking for," Cynthia murmured, and walked over to me.

I turned, and stepped through the mirage, to find a mud-brick tower that squatted at five stories above the desert sand. "What is this?" Cynthia asked.

"Mirage Tower," I answered, "A clue about the Legendary Pokemon we're hunting."

Diantha and Wikstrom stepped into the mirage, and I stepped into the tower itself.