Chapter 4
A month passed and I grew attached to the three 'stooges' they were comical all their personalities. I worked often with Shino's team and occasionally Ino's. I noticed that as the difficulty of the mission increased their true determination came through. We received a B ranked mission. I tried protesting to Tsunade but she wouldn't give in. She was sending my team and Shino's away for the mission because we were the strongest. I protested but insisted that Shikamaru or Ino come as well. She flat out refused. Man, I hate that woman's stubbornness. That's why now I'm walking right now to the Waterfall Country to receive an important document from their Shinobi Village about the moving about of the Sound Nin and Orochimaru. It was going to take about a week to get there and by was it going to be boring. We were already four days through the journey and two days from the boarder of the Fire Country. I sighed again and stopped. The whole group stopped and looked at me.
"Let's stop for a break," I announced,
"No we keep going" countered Shino
"No, my team isn't built for stamina and it's MY mission I'm leading," I replied angrily,
"We keep moving it's too dangerous," he retorted, I sighed again and stood up and let Shino lead for a bit. We started jumping and running to get further for nightfall. After a few hours I noticed Yuki was lagging behind I slowed down and went next to her.
"Are you alright Yuki?" I asked, she turned and nodded although I noticed she was wincing every time we jumped onto a branch.
"Hai sensei, I'm fine," she replied grinning slowly.
"Keep going I'll be back in a minute," I said, she nodded and I vanished re appearing next to Shino. He didn't even look shocked.
"Shino, we have to stop, I think Yuki is hurt," I said
"We have to keep going," he ordered, I growled at him and grabbed his arm stopping him and the rest of our team.
"Nani?" he shouted at me,
"I said I think Yuki's hurt!" I shouted back at him. He growled and I grabbed his pack and dropped it on the ground then motioned for everyone else to come down. TaiKan lifted Yuki up and brought her down carefully. She sat down and I removed her shoe and looked at her foot. I was right she had damaged her foot and her tendons in her leg.
"What happened?" I asked softly while the others just turned green.
"I didn't want to stop the mission, it happened while we fought the bandits two days ago," she muttered. I sighed and took out a few bandages. I nodded and bandaged her leg. Shino jumped down and looked down at Yuki.
"How come you never told us," he said coldly, she cowered closer to me as he said this. I glared at him.
"Two days," I said standing up and meeting a glare, even though he was a good three inches bigger then me. I glared and then looked away and helped Yuki up. She winced and I lifted her up onto my back.
"Come on, we'll get her to a healer when we get there, hurry up and lets go," I ordered, they all nodded and we carried on. By nightfall I was exhausted and Yuki kept insisting that she would run herself. I wasn't going to risk permanent damage to my team. We stopped around 10. I flopped onto the ground. Exhausted from carrying Yuki. Kaito and Kumo collected wood; Shino went to check if there was any enemy taking Isamu with him, leaving me and my team with me.
"I want everyone to set up the tents, like I taught you," I announced, they nodded and TaiKan kindly set up Yuki's for her as Akane took over another from Shino's team. When we were done I sat down. Kaito and Kumo came back with wood and started the fire. We sat down and were quiet and I started humming. They looked at me and shrugged then turned back. Yuki was the first to fall asleep, and then TaiKan took her back to her tent but didn't come back. I sent Akane to look and he said he fell asleep in there. I shrugged and carried on. Next were Kaito, Akane and finally Kumo. They were spread out across the ground in a disorderly manner.
"We're back!" cried Isamu bravely followed by Shino but he stopped short when he saw everyone asleep.
"Shhh, go to bed now, we have a day of traveling," I said softly as he nodded and walked off slowly to his tent. "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu," I whispered and created three replications and had them put Akane, Kumo and Kaito into their tents. Shino sat down on the other side of the circle. I looked up at him then back down.
"You know this mission might take a week?" said Shino quietly
"Hai, I understand," I replied my face an emotionless face equal to his. I stood up and looked around. "I have to go move TaiKan then go to bed. Don't go to bed too late, we have an early start in the morning." I finished, he nodded and I got to Yuki's tent and moved TaiKan into his own tent. As I went to go to my tent I noticed Shino drawing something. I shrugged and went to bed.
The next morning I woke up to have all the genin shouting. I stumbled out of the tent half changed and putting my jacket on.
"What the hell's going on?" I shouted at them, Shino was looking amused slightly. I turned and saw Jiraiya standing there with Naruto looking amused and smiling. Naruto was cowering slightly from them.
"Oi….Ero-sennin. What the hell are you doing here?" I asked grinning at the nickname I had picked up from Naruto during training.
"Hey, don't call the great Toad Sannin that. Its Jiraiya young Nidaime," he replied and I growled at my nickname. "May I talk to you and Shino in private with Naruto?" He asked I nodded and turned to the genin.
"Okay kiddies, time to train. I want you to run to that mountain 6 times and that's it for today," I called they groaned when they saw how far it was. I turned and grinned at them and motioned for them to come over to the breakfast that was made so I could eat. Suddenly Jiraiya's face went serious. I studied his face quickly.
"There is bad news," he said "I and Naruto were sent out to warn most of the ninjas coming in and out of the Fire Country about this." He added
"What is it?" asked Shino being dead serious.
"We received word by eagle about the sound. It seems they have built up an army BUT made an alliance with the grass and rain villages against the Fire country. Since the Sand is in our alliance they are helping us but the other countries are not in this war. The sound agreed to this as well." He finished "That means your mission is cancelled. You are to report back to Konoha. You Aiko are being put back into ANBU and Shino is going to go lead one platoon in the jounin army." He finished again. I stood up quickly.
"No! I'm not going back! You can't make me Jiraiya!" I screamed crawling away from them. I was in hysterics. It was horrible in ANBU much less ROOT. I didn't want to be a nobody again. I had just become a somebody. I had a happy team and a great family. I'm not exactly gonna give it all up. Jiraiya stood up to come over to me, "No get away from me, I'm not going back! I spent 5 years of my childhood there! I'm not going back. I'd sooner become a missing Nin or join the other side then join ANBU again." I screamed.
"Aiko-sensei!" screamed a voice behind me. I turned, tears down my face. It was Yuki. She looked horrified. She ran over and hugged me. Akane and TaiKan stood in front of me blocking Jiraiya.
"You think you have the guts to stop me?" he asked
"We can at least try!" hissed TaiKan. I stood up and looked at my team. It took guts to stand up to Jiraiya when he was serious.
"Its okay, I'm going, if it keeps my students. Wait no family alive then I'll do it." I finished. They nodded and I got my things ready. I packed up and was waiting with Shino by the camp fire.
"Look after them Shino, they're my family," I asked softly
"I promise Aiko," he said embracing me slowly and cautiously. I went into shock at this but hugged back. We pulled apart and I bent down to my team.
"Be good for Shino-sensei, I'll see you when you get back and be careful." I said before vanishing like Naruto and Jiraiya.
The next morning when we arrived in Konoha and at the Hokage's office. I stalked into the office and thumped down on the group.
"What's up your ass," said Anko who was sitting it there as well. I stood up and glared at the Hokage.
"How dare you put me back into ANBU!" I shouted at her, she merely shrugged and looked up. I was restraining myself from strangling my aunt.
"Because I had to," she replied calmly,
"BECAUSE YOU HAD TO THAT'S NO EXCUSE!" I screamed
"It will have to do because as a Hokage or a relation of a Hokage, you have to make sacrifices for your Village in order to gain respect and for the protection of its people." She shouted back at me. I immediately shut up "You are the great grand daughter of one of the most respected Hokage's ever; I am the grand daughter of the first Hokage. You are also my niece. It means you must show people how to be brave. Even if that means giving up your own freedom," she finished. I nodded my head. Inside I was seething with hate. It was in describable. The curse mark was starting to sting and a visible purple aura formed.
"I will not join in with ANBU. I will not join in this war. I will not obey my heritage!" I shouted slowly getting louder. I couldn't care so much right now. Anko had now realized the aura and stood up getting ready.
"Calm down Aiko!" shouted Tsunade standing up to face me. I just looked at her and smirked. I looked at my hands and saw the curse was the same three comma like marks growing up my arm and down my leg. It was the shape of barbed wire.
"No, Nidaime may have been my great Grampa but I'm not him! I'm Aiko. Not some guy who died for his Village. I do not care if you brand me a missing nin or a traitor, I will find a way to get back at you and Konoha if you put me in ANBU!" I shouted at her vanishing. I re appeared in my room. I moved swiftly through my room and the rest of the rooms. Inside I packed my clothes, kunai, shuriken, katana's, mask, cloak, arm guards and hand guard. First aid kit included. Anything I would need. I looked around to my pictures. The first was of me and Tsunade smiling and doing peace signs. The second, me standing proudly with me in front of Nidaimes head. The last was of my team. I was standing at the back with my hands on TaiKan and Akane's shoulders while the stood at the front holding hands with Yuki. It was a formal but casual photo. I smiled and packed the pictures away with me. I wrote a note and left it on my bed. On the bottom of the not I wrote a verse of a song.
I've got my things packed
My favorite pillow
Got my sleeping bag
Climb out the window
All the pictures and pain
I left behind
All the freedom and fame
I've gotta find
And I wonder
How long it'll take them to notice that I'm gone
And I wonder
How far it'll take me
To run away
It don't make any sense to me
Run away
This life makes no sense to me
Run away
It don't make any sense to me
Run away
It don't make any sense to me
I was just trying to be myself
Have it your way I'll meet you in hell
It's all these secrets that I shouldn't tell I've got to run away
It's hypocritical of you
Do as you say not as you do
I'll never be your perfect girl
I've got to run away
I'm too young to be
Taken seriously
But I'm too old to believe
All this hypocrisy
And I wonder
How long it'll take them to see my bed is made
And I wonder
If I was a mistake
I might have nowhere left to go
But I know that I cannot go home
These words are strapped inside my head
Tell me to run before I'm dead
Chase the rainbows in my mind
And I will try to stay alive
Maybe the world will know one day
Why won't you help me run away?
It don't make any sense to me
Run away
This life makes no sense to me
Run away
I could sing for change
On a Paris street
Be a red light dancer
In New Orleans
I could start again
To the family
I could change my name
Come and go as I please
In the dead of night
You'll wonder where I've gone
Wasn't it you
Wasn't it you
Wasn't it you that made me run away?
I was just trying to be myself
Have it your way I'll meet you in hell
All these secrets that I shouldn't tell I've got to run away
It's hypocritical of you
Do as you say not as you do
Never be your perfect girl
I've got to run away
It don't make any sense to me
Run away
This life makes no sense to me
Run away
It don't make any sense to me
Run away
It don't make any sense to me
This life makes no sense to me
It don't make no sense to me
It don't make any sense to me
Life don't make any sense to me
By the end it seemed the verse turned into a whole song. I put it down and looked back. I heard voices and running down the corridor. I opened the window and just as the door opened I jumped out. They looked out the window but were too late I had vanished.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Shino and the rest of the two genin teams arrived back the next day. There was tension in the air as they arrived. He headed straight for the Hokage's office and went in. Inside was a wreck. Tsunade was passed out; Shizune was trying to clear up after her temper tantrum and the other Nin inside were looking petrified.
"Shizune-san, what happened?" he asked
"This morning Aiko was named a missing nin, for not supporting the war or ANBU. She ran away last night," she replied, he looked down. I never knew ANBU was quite that hardor horrible. Then again she's the first ROOT ANBU I've ever met he thought as he went out.
"Matte!" shouted Tsunade; he turned to face the woman. "I would like you, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chouji and Nara Shikamaru to set out to find her, bring her back and she will have her name cleared," she ordered, Shino nodded and left the room. Outside the genin were all lined up. Apparently they had heard everything. Yuki was crying with Kumo and Kaito trying to cheer her up while Isamu, Akane and TaiKan were holding their heads high and trying not to cry. It seemed his genin team had also become attached to Aiko, seeing her as a mother figure and him as possibly a father figure, not a teacher. Akane spoke first.
"Ano….Shino-sensei, where did Aiko-sensei go?" he asked curiously
"We don't know but me and other jounin are going out to find her, all of you return home to your families. If she is found we will notify you. If war does break out listen to Neji-sensei or Kiba-sensei." He finished but Yuki looked up
"Ano….I don't have a home, I usually stay with Aiko-sensei. I'm an orphan." She said quietly, TaiKan was the first to speak up.
"You can stay at the Hyuuga compound with my family." He suggested.
"Who's staying?" said a deep voice behind them, they turned and saw Neji with Tenten and Lee walking over.
"Ano….Neji-san can Yuki stay with us, she stays with Aiko-sensei but she's missing and….and….yeh….can she?" said TaiKan, Neji looked at Yuki and nodded.
"Hai, but go tell Hiashi-sama," he replied. Shino said good bye and left to go pack and get the others for this mission.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
I walked through the night until I was far enough from the Village. I found a river and settled down. Behind the waterfall was a cave. I checked it out for anything and I set my stuff up inside. It would be a good place to be for the war. I just hope that my students are alright. I sat outside of the waterfall for a bit that day and relaxed.