Beginning the Journey
Kakashi stood silently next to Naruto. Tsunade sat in her desk in front of the two, trying to think up a team with people good enough to get the Celia mountains who she could send off on a mission. They were still rebuilding from Orochimaru's last attack, making all the leaf-nin take on extra missions. Suddenly, the doors burst open. Gai was panting as he held the door open.
"I have heard that the lovely gem in the rough, the head of the Uzumaki clan, has fallen into tragic times! I have also heard that my eternal rival is going to try and save her! Honorable Hokage! You must allow the Green Beast of Konoha to go with him! I will take my team also!" Hokage blinked a few times as Naruto and Kakashi sweatdropped.
"Well, I do need high ranking ninja to go . . . but still, two jounin and four genin . . . not enough."
"Don't you mean six genin?" Sasuke asked as he stepped through the door with Sakura. "Kakashi is our sensei. Besides, you think I'd let the dobe get a chance to learn something important without me?" A blonde grabbed onto Sasuke's arm.
"Wherever Sasuke-kun goes, I go!!!!!!!" Ino yelled. "I'm not letting forehead-girl get the advantage!!!" Asuma shook his head at his student's actions.
"She's gonna drag us along anyway, so team eight is available if you need us."
"Add team nine!" Kurenai said as she passed the others in crowd to get to the front. "Setsuko is my friend. And a damn good one! Besides, she's the only other woman teacher there is! She is not going to leave me alone with these guys!" Hinata glanced at Naruto before blushing as she stared at the ground. Tsunade stared at everyone blankly for a moment.
"So, four jounin, twelve genin. That might be enough."
"Make it 15." Janghoon said as he made his way through the small crowd. "Setsuko-sensei opened her home to us when we needed it. And she beat up Riki. There's no way I'll let her go now!"
"Yeah, there's no way I'd let her leave us behind again!" Seung yelled. Riki rolled his eyes.
"She's the only decent sensei we've been given after all this time." Tsunade smiled.
"I think I have a right to say this since Setsuko can't. I've never been so proud."
Benefit. That's why she was doing this. For her benefit. Bensha knew that the world had changed drastically. But every time she tried to understand it from Setsuko's memories, she felt dissatisfied. The memories left her confused. Most things were a blur. She knew who to use some things in the modern world now, but still, Setsuko did not interact with the modern world much. She knew barely enough to get by. Her life had been isolated and distant. She was rarely in town and knew next to nothing about current events. They were of little use to her.
"Human, how much longer until I am able to summon?" Orochimaru glanced at her as he moved through the trees. Bensha used little effort to keep up with him and she was in her own little world of thought. It irritated Orochimaru that she could be so evenly matched right now, and she didn't even have the ability to use her more powerful skills. She was limited greatly, at least, from what she said, and still she would be an even match for him. But then again, this was an ancient demon.
"Once we reach my current base of operations, I'll start teaching you some of the basic jutsu you'll need for this world." Bensha repressed a grimace as she moved. She had no more skill than a mere demon child at this point, and it irritated her.
Naruto sat on his backpack. He was by the gates waiting for everyone else to show up. Kakashi was in a tree, planning out the journey. Sakura, Ino, and Sasuke had just arrived. Janghoon, Seung, and Riki were quietly waiting for everyone else by a store. Seung was playing tic-tac-toe with Riki while Janghoon watched for everyone else.
"N-Naruto-kun . . . ?" Naruto looked over at Hinata.
"Yeah Hinata?" She poked her fingers together as she blushed.
"I . . . I hope that when w-we get S-Setsuko-san back . . . that m-maybe things w-will s-settle down f-for awhile." Naruto nodded.
"Hai, things have been so tense." Hinata smiled.
"I-it seems that t-things n-never get to be p-peaceful f-for long." Naruto sighed.
"Yup. It can be a real pain." Naruto thought for a moment. "You stutter a lot." Hinata blinked in surprise and looked away embarrassed. "When you came and told me 'bout Setsuko-chan and when before she died while we were alone, you didn't stutter." She glanced at him through the corner of her eye. ". . . you're kinda quiet . . . that's ok I guess, but . . . you shouldn't stutter!" Naruto gave her his famous fox grin. "People who have some serious power don't need to stutter!!!" Hinata stared at him in awe.
"You . . . you think I have power?" Naruto grinned as he nodded.
"Hai! You can cut off chakra flow by touchin' someone! And you can see through things! I bet you can even do that fancy spinning trick Neji did in the chunnin exam!" Hinata blushed at the statement.
"Ano . . . I can't r-really do that." Naruto stared at her through squinted eyes.
"Nani?!" Naruto yelled as Neji appeared beside him.
"It's true. Hinata does not posses the power necessary for the Ka-"
"Shut up! Hinata can do whatever she wants! She's good enough too! Why do you think that she's coming with us?!" Hinata was bright red.
Bensha looked around the village Orochimaru had stopped in.
"What is the meaning of this?" Orochimaru ignored her as he walked further into the village. A few ninja came up to him and gave their reports. After a moment they left. Bensha felt her temper rise. "Will this be the way of things?" Orochimaru looked back at her confused. "I was once king of this world. And now I reduced to this. I was never confound to a single world. I would walk seven worlds at once. But now . . . now I am but prey to those worlds." Bensha glared at Orochimaru. "You summoned me too early. When the wind calls, I will answer. You must teach me how to call for the wind."
"Why are you so concerned for the wind?" Orochimaru demanded.
"I serve the wind but the wind serves me. I call it yet it calls me. I am the wind and the wind is its own entity. I listen to the wind yet I can not listen. I speak but I do not speak. I am part of the wind but I am not. I am connected to it and I am not connected. The wind is my power and I am the wind's power. I control it and it controls me. It is my soul but I have a soul of my own. That is the way things are. They have always been that way. The wind and I are the same but different."
"You speak in riddles." Orochimaru growled.
"I speak the truth. It is what I am. Yet humans will never fully understand it. You cannot. It is beyond you. Now teach me how to use this body." Orochimaru smirked.
"Very well. You know the price."
Kakashi was in front. He was the only one in the group that knew the way. They were leaping from tree to tree with chakra enhancing their jumps. It was the only way they would get there without too much trouble. Gai caught up with Kakashi.
"Kakashi, these . . . Celia mountains . . . what are they?" Kakashi sighed.
"It is better to wait until we rest. Besides, I want to cover as much ground today as we can. At this rate, it will be a week and we all need to train. This Bensha was able to deflect my attacks without even looking at me. She's stronger than us and I don't want to have to fight her unless I know that I will be able to do some damage." Gai nodded.
"Yes, this Bensha seems to be a great danger than Orochimaru. Let's just hope she doesn't get any better."
Bensha kicked the jounin out of the way without even looking at him. Her foot slowly lowered itself back to the ground.
"I do not understand how hitting filth with help me. Is you small mind so foolish as to think that I am bound to the same ideals as humans?" She demanded. Orochimaru smirked.
"No. I know that there is no way I can get you stronger other than teaching you human techniques for your demon powers. However, I noticed that you were still having trouble with Setsuko's body." Bensha narrowed her eyes.
"It is constricting. I do not like it. However I am fully capable of using it now. This body seems to follow the orders I bestow upon it." Orochimaru nodded.
"Good. I'll teach you those jutsu you want and remove the emotions now." Bensha stared at him.
"If anything should happen to me, you will die by the wind."