Ayame- Iris- Fem Harry Potter

Shiriusu- Sirius – to-san/father

Ryu – Dragon – Draco- itoko/cousin

Miya – Beauty – Narcissa – oba/aunt

Asebi – Andromeda- oba/aunt

Takeo – Ted – oji/uncle

Maiko - Nymphadora– itoko/cousin

黒い村 Kuroi mura- Kuroimura- Black Village

Chapter 52

The merchant train set out slowly from Konoha, it took an hour from when team one arrived at the western gates to the last caravan leaving Konoha. It had taken that long for the civilian merchants to organise themselves and make final decisions on which towns across Fire country they would be stopping in along the way to the Land of Rivers. Most of Konoha's key exports were represented within the caravan, herbs, medicines, flowers, pottery, metal work, weaponry, even a jewel crafter. Takeo-oji had been considering attending the caravan but had decided to keep his products within Konoha for the time being.

The first day's journey was at a pleasant pace for the genin, they were able to walk comfortably along side the train and were easily able to reach the front of the train, when Hizashi had them run drills that aimed at large scale protection detail. Ayame had created a few shadow clones to scan the forests to either side of the road as an early warning system, Hizashi was impressed with her initiative but informed the Hime to always check with the squad leader before preforming any such actions. The squad leader in this case being Jonin Miyamoto Fumiaki, jonin sensei to the more experienced and older squad of genin that were also apart of the mission. There was also a 3-man squad of Chunin who followed Miyamoto-san's instructions but otherwise kept to themselves.

"A bit soon for a rookie genin team to be on a C-rank mission, Hyuga-sama."

"Class-S"

"Are they really that advanced?"

"Hai, they really are, Miyamoto-san. Just watch them, you would never believe they were only two months out of the academy."

Miyamoto did watch them. He watched how much more cohesive these 'rookies' were than his own genin team, how the were always within sight of each other, continually passing silent messages that Miyamoto saw but didn't understand, as it wasn't any Konoha Code that he knew. Hizashi signed for his team to change formation and the pre-tens flowed smoothly from their current formation to the new one, something his own team could not do so well.

The day passed quietly and they managed to make up the time lost in leaving Konoha before they stopped for the night. Hizashi instructed his team to set up camp by themselves, he would be using this whole mission as a testing ground to see what their survival skills were like. In a few days he was going to make them camp without their supplies but tonight was about seeing how well his genin packed and used their supplies.

Each pre-teen set up their own tents quickly and in a tight semi-circle. Itachi then began digging two fire pits, one large and one small, before lining the pits with stones. Ryu slipped into the forest edges to collect fire wood. Ayame removed a few scrolls from her bag and then proceeded to amaze all those watching the camp set up as she unsealed a short-legged table and a whole range of kitchen equipment, knives, cutting boards, pots and pans, and fresh ingredients from another scroll. She then proceeded to prepare a full dinner while Ryu built and lit the fire and Itachi 'set the table'; he unsealed a second table with accompanying cushions for seating and all other assorted cutlery and crockery needed for a meal.

"Will you be joining us sensei?" Ayame looked up from where she was slicing some chicken breast into strips.

"Hai, I would enjoy a meal with my team."

Hizashi seated himself at the table Itachi had set up and watched as Ryu filled a teapot with water and placed it over the smaller fire pit to boil. Ayame continued to prepare and cook their dinner over the larger fire while Itachi placed seals on trees and rocks surrounding Team one's camp. Once they were placed Itachi charged the final seal he placed and the all connected to form a barrier around their camp. This barrier was very similar to the ward scheme that the Kuro's used when the travelled around Fire Country in that it hid the whole encampment from outside view. NO smells sights or sounds escaped. Miyamoto-san was amazed when the camp disappeared, it was something he'd never experienced before; the complete loss of something to all his senses that he knew had to still be there.

Walking towards where he knew the pre-teens camp had to be Miyamoto found himself re-directed to go around the area he knew he wanted to enter. It took an immense amount of concentration and focusing on the fact he knew a camp was there that allowed him to step past the barrier.

"How on Earth?" Miyamoto looked around at the barrier, he could now see everything that was going on outside the barrier, and it didn't even seem that there was a barrier there when you were inside it. The strong smell of stir-fried chicken reached his nose as he looked around at the ridiculous set up the children had produced.

"Would you join me for some tea, Miyamoto-san?" Hizashi asked from his seat. Miyamoto wandered over in an almost daze.

"How on earth is all this possible with how little your team were carrying?"

Hizashi nodded towards where Ayame was removing the stir-fry from the fire, "Uzumaki Fuinjutsu Mistress."

"I knew seals were versatile but to manage all this? And that barrier, I've never come across anything like that before."

"Barrier?"

"This whole encampment disappeared after a chakra flare, sight, smells, sounds, the lot, and even knowing this was here it took a lot of concentration for me to get past the barrier and not be re-directed around."

Hizashi made a humming noise, he didn't know anything about a barrier but it does sound like something Ayame could create, he'd seen some of her work in action, the misdirection seal was an interesting one; it had caused him to overlook the genin who had been waring the seal, completely dismissed them from his mind.

"Will you be joining us Miyamoto-san?" Ayame carried the stir-fry over to the table as the boys carried the side dishes she had prepared.

"Thank you, but no I must return to my own team." The pre-teen nodded as Miyamoto stood up and left towards his team, and dinner of fish cooked on sticks around a fire.

The rest of the journey was uneventful, the stopped in 5 towns along the way spending half a day in each for the caravan to sell some of their wares. As they crossed to border into the Land of Rivers a group of Tani chunin met them at the border and escorted them for the last part of the journey through their country to the clearing that was used for the yearly market. As it was the dry season in the land of Rivers there were o problems crossing the rivers the country was know for, none of the bridges were broke, and the one ferry the had to use was an easy crossing. All the genin were made to practice water walking across each river, Ayame seemed to be walking on glass with how far her chakra spread from her feet and flattened the water around her.

When they arrived at the market place, team one immediately offered the Konoha caravan their services in setting up their stalls, Team Miyamoto followed their example as the Konoha-chunin made a quick camp and returned to sleep, preparing for the night shift. It was as they were setting up the stalls that the Suna caravan arrived, the Tani merchants having arrived before Konoha's. It was as they were setting up the last Konoha stall that one of the Suna horses got spooked and ran off through the market, knocking over stalls people and trampling one man that tried to stop the horse. Hizashi finally managed to stop the horse but not until after the damage was done.

Ryu immediately ran to the man wo had been trampled, hands already glowing green before he had even reached the injured man. Ayame and Itachi followed him, pausing only to unseal Ryu's medical supplies before dashing on to help the other less injured. Ayame stopping at an older woman who looked to have a broken arm, and Itachi heading towards a man with a large gash leaking blood down his face; Itachi wasn't too worried about the amount of blood as head injuries always bleed more but wanted to get it cleaned and wrapped before it could become infected.

Ryu concentrated on the feel of his chakra flowing into the injured man, following it along with his consciousness as he assessed the damage done. Two fractured ribs, extensive bruising to the side, severe concussion and slight swelling to the brain. Thankfully it wasn't too bad and well within the range of Ryu's capabilities. Gently and ever so carefully Ryu used his chakra to sooth the swelling to the brain, after he had got it down from dangerous levels Ryu moved his chakra down to the mans ribs and started encouraging the bones to repair. Pulling his consciousness back to himself Ryu reached into his medical bag and removed bandages, scissors and a pot of bruise balm cream.

"Are you particularly attached to this shirt?"

The man had watched first in shock and befuddlement but then in wonder as this young green-haired lad, cleared up the fuzziness in his brain and eased the pain in his side with only green glowing hands. He jolted in shock when the boy spoke it smooth cultured tones. Hissing in pain and with a confused furrow to his brow the man shook his head no. His confusion cleared when the lad took his scissors and in one quick cut split his shirt open.

"This will hurt a bit." Ryu pressed his balm covered hand to the man's side and as gently as he could while still being firm enough, rubbed the balm into the skin. Again, the man hissed in pain but watched in wonder as his bruises reduced before his eyes. Ryu then helped the man sit and removed the split shirt from his chest as he bound the still healing ribs with the bandage.

"You have a concussion and should rest, with plenty of sweetened drinks for today. Your ribs are fractured and I have started the repair process but you will be unable to do any strenuous work for at least the next week and should avoid heavy lifting for another week after that to ensure the bones heal fully and do not re-break."

The man's wife who had run over as soon as she had seen the accident, grabbed Ryu into a hug.

"Thank you so much, young man. How ever can we repay you?"

"It's my job ma'am, there is no need to repay me. Now I must see if there are any other injuries to attend to."

Ryu slipped further into the market place, heading for Itachi who was indicating for him. Hizashi looked over his genin team proudly of how quickly they had reacted to the situation. Umino Iruka had slipped in next to Ayame and she was talking him through what she was doing as she splinted the ladies broken arm. Miyamoto came to stand next to Hizashi.

"So, a Fuinjutsu specialist and a medic-nin only 2 months out of the academy, how'd you get so lucky?"

"It's actually very difficult to be their sensei, they are proficient in all of the basics a jonin-sensei would normally teach, and they all know where they wish to specialise, none of which is taijutsu. I actually feel unnecessary most days, but they need to gain the experience outside of Konoha and they do need me for that."

"We'll arrange some joint training sessions while we're here. The experience will be good for all of them."

"Hai."

AN: sorry its been a while and it's still a short chapter. I have this whole mission planned out and I know what I want to happen but I can't seem to get the events to flow together in a way I like. Hopefully the next chapter about the market itself will be easier to write. No Gaara wont be at the market, he's only a few months older than Naruto ie 5 please stop asking if he'll be there. That doesn't mean I don't have ideas brewing about him, just that he wont physically be in the market for Ayame to meet.

Hoping to post the next chapter soon

Ayame x