As promised, Chapter 5 is here!

Chapter Five: A Hero Emerges

Five days after his dream vision, he was released from the hospital. So far, the Kami he had seen was right, nothing had really changed. The people still resented him. He was still alone. He loved no one. Yet, almost to prove the Goddess wrong, he didn't want to die. The first thing he set to prove wrong was the team he was supposed to be on. He would be suprised if his name even made it to the rejected list, at least that would recognise him as a shinobi. The lists were posted and the day after he looked at it, almost smugly. That was, until he read his name under Team 9, comprised of Samui Tenrikyo as the Jounin leader, Ekiro Etsuna, Huurin Tenrikyo, and himself.

He stood there, slackjawed for a few moments before walking away. He was supposed to meet at the edge of the forest the following morning with his team for introductions.

Meanwhile at the Etsuna Mansion

"Dad! How could you let this happen!" An angry Ekiro demanded of his father.

"What? I put you on a team with your beloved Huurin" His father said, a slight mocking tone in the last few syllabols.

"Don't play dumb! You put me in a team with that Tsuki Scum!" He snapped.

"Well, I had to put him on a team, Kumorikage's orders. I just thought that two of the Shadow Village's finest young shinobi could balance out this degenerate. Anyone else might fall for his tricks, but not the two of you. Besides, you and Huurin may become close protecting eachother from this monster!" The Eldest Etsuna said, smiling broadly at his son.

"...You have a point father. You seem to have a point afterall, I'm sorry for doubting you" the young one said, bowing and exiting.

I wonder how Huurin's taking this

Plates crashed against an overturned desk as a young girl screeched at a hiding kumorikage.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO? DO YOU WANT ME TO DIE!" Huurin said, hurling more and more plates, vases, and other breakable objects.

"Huurin! Stop! It had to be done! You will be on this team, OR YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE ACADEMY!" Her Father Roared, instantly stopping her barrage.

"Fine...but I won't like it!" She pouted, stomping off.

Samui had been outside, laughing like crazy. She was a lighthearted soul, and the irony was killing her. She had given a full report about Huurin's savior to her father, who had instructed her to remain silent on the identity of the one who had delivered her. And now, her sister had been placed on the same team as the one who had saved her life, and she HATED the idea!

"Ahhahahahhahahahaha! oh...I can't take it!" Samui howled in the hallway. She had heard many a time what Huurin imagined her savior to be, even though she had never seen him she had invented physical characteristics. For instance, Yuremaru was ambidextrious instead of left or right handed, with the ability to write differnt things with each hand. And now, when she was going to meet him, she thought it would be HORRIBLE!

Samui finally shook off the laughter, instead doing the tedious work of planning the next day's events for the team.

She sighed and sat down at her desk, thinking aloud "well...they're defidently going to need some teamwork training before they go on any mission...gah. I can't worry about this now!" She said, standing up. She had long, flowing red hair that reached the middle of her back, and piercing blue eyes. Her body was different from her sister's slender build, she had fully filled out at an early age and her muscles were also improved over her sister's build. She wasn't outrageously buff, but her arms had the bumps and curves of a well toned bicep. She was the desire of many a fellow shinobi, but had remained single for most of her life. At one point she had 'dated' a prominent member of the Etsuna clan, but their encounter had left that member with a broken nose and fractured arm. She was indeed a hard woman to get close to. Also she was a very bright woman, she had broken the record for achieving Jounin rank the year before at the age of 16.

She wondered how Mato was taking this as she ran a brush through her long hair. Out of everyone on the team, I hope he learns to live with himself first...She thought, yawning.

Oh...well... she drifted off to sleep soon and didn't worry about it until the next day.

On the first day of them offically being a team, one of its members arrived three hours before scheduled. Mato thought that it would be better if they saw him first, that way they couldn't think he was trying to hurt them. Since learning about his murderous parents, he had been extra careful yo be non-threatening.

The arrogant Etsuna arrived thirty-two precise minutes early.

"Well well well...I didn't know that they ley Dogs join Shinobi teams without an owner." He sneered.

Mato remained uneffected. Ekiro's words didn't even phase Mato's thoughts, which were on the words of the spirit.

"You know, thanks to you, this entire team is disgraced by your membership. I envy all of the other teams, but I see the logic in the decisions: they put the weakest, most worthless 'shinobi' with the two strongest, most honorable ninja to balance it." Ekiro said, laughing haughtily.

Again, Mato didn't flinch.

"You know what, I'm in the mood for a little bit of sparring before the orientation. Stand up." he practically ordered his teammate.

Mato looked over at Ekiro to trap him in one of his Genjutsu. In this one, Ekiro was fighting an imaginary Mato, and winning quite easily. It was the same thing he had used at the academy.

The other two members of the team arrived in time to see Mato staring at the sky as Ekiro danced around, throwing punches and kicks at an invisible foe.

"Ekiro, what the hell are you doing?" Huurin asked bluntly.

"I'm kicking this Tsuki's ass!" he said, pushing the illusion that only he could see to the ground as the Tenrikyo looked at each other, confused.

"Uhh...your not fighting anything...he's over there" Samui said, pointing at the real one which of course Ekiro coudln't see.

"Oops...sorry I didn't see you guys." Mato said, releasing the genjusu that had held Ekiro.

"What the hell? How did you do that? Why aren't you hurt!" The confused Etsuna said.

"Its called Genjutsu Ekiro-baka. He tricked you into thinking you were fighting him by using his chakra to effect your senses. All it takes is one small little trigger, like looking into his eyes." Huurin said, trying to stop herself from bursting into laughter.

"I know what Genjutsu is! There's no way this weakling could get into a great mind like mine!" Ekiro protested.

"Gomen...You wanted to fight...and I was kinda tired. You seemed to enjoy it" Mato said, bowing to Ekiro, who threw a punch at his head. His punch made no contact, and he lost his balance, falling over. He was again the victim of Mato's genjutsu.

The foolhardy Etsuna would try this a whole five more times before Samui broke it up.

"Ok...now that we're done with that" The Jounin said, winking at the Etsuna with a bandaged scalp. (to get him to stop, she had whacked him so hard on the head that he seemed mildly cuncussed)

"Lets do today's lesson: Teamwork. This one is a classic, I have two bells, your job is to take one of them from me and you will be offically moved into the rank of Genin. Loser has to go back to the academy. Although this time...you have 30 minutes. Starting...Now!" she gave the signal to start and two of the three shinobi leapt out into the shadows.

"Why haven't you left yet? Aren't you trying?" She asked Mato, who hadn't seemed to move.

"I don't see why...I already have one of your bells" he said, holding up a bell.

Samui was shocked! She reached down at her side where the bells were, and saw that they were still there. She looked up, and he was gone!

Impressive...he actually caught me in a Genjutsu to distract me She thought, using a Genjutsu reversal jutsu and rechecking the bells. Yup...all there...

29 minutes later, Huurin and Ekiro were both caged and bell-less. They couldn't escape with any techniques, and Mato was no where to be found.

Just when she reached up to click her stopwatch and end the event, five clones appeared from the forest, charging toward her. Two released his teammates from their cages, and three rushed headlong. "Ha...Miraigan!" Samui said, activating her Kekkei Genkai. She forsaw all of the clone's attacks and prevented them easily. What she didn't notice was that one of them had made eye contact. Four more clones raced towards her, while the Illusion Cloaked original raced out from behind and snagged both of the bells.

"Samui-Sensei...I have them both" Mato said from behind, dispelling the remaining clone she hadn't disposed of.

"Impossible! you used such basic techniques! This must be another illusion! KAI!" Samui said, still defensive, using the jutsu to cancel illusions. He was still holding bells. She was still missing bells.

"How?" the Sensei demanded. She had never been bested! Especailly by a Genin!

"One of my clones. You probably didn't notice since it was just a brief moment, but you made eye contact, which was enough for me to catch you in an illusion and maintain it until I had completed the objective." Mato said.

"That's impossible! The Kumorikage is still working on doing jutsu like that!" The Jounin said. If he was telling the truth, she was very impressed with this youth.

"Well...Genjutsu is all I have sensei, so I use it wisely. I was kind of hoping you'd underestimate me and think I was doing the same attack twice, but usually the first attack is a feint, and the second attack is similar, but different enough to end it." He said, looking down almost in shame.

She lifted up his face by the chin and looked into his eyes. "You got talent kid" she said, beaming at him.

"Well, I want them to advance. Ekiro-sama and Huurin-sama...I do not think they will get along with me, and I don't want to burden you Sensei"

"Nonesense! Your a valuable member of this team! If the other two will learn to use your skills with theirs, Team Nine will advance faster than any of the others! Come on kid, I'll treat you to some Ramen! Huurin, you and Ekiro train some more, work on developing a bond with your jutsu" Samui said, putting an arm around Mato and leading him away. This kid looks like he could use a friend...and besides it'll be easier to unite this team in chunks. After these two get friendlier, all I need to do is connect this little one with them..

"S-sensei? What are we doing?" Mato asked, his own silver eyes meeting her sharp blue eyes as she led him away.
"You and me are going out for Ramen! And maybe a little Sake for the sensei..." she smiled at him and giggled. They entered the best restraunt in town and imediatly got a seat, and some very strange looks from the other customers. ("Is that the Tsuki boy Samui-sama is sitting with?" "Look! A Tenrikyo eating with that monster!")

"Sooo...what will you have Mato-kun?" Samui asked, scanning the menu herself as a waiter came by.

"Um...just a bowl of white rice for me thank you..." Mato said, folding his menu. He was trying to be polite and not order a large meal for himself.

The waiter began marking that down when Samui interrupted "Nevermind that...We'll each have a plate of the spicest curry in the house, chicken and shrimp ramen, and some fried rice. Also, I'd like a bottle of your finest sake" She said, smirking at her guest.

"Samui-sensei...you really didn't need to order so much food for me...I don't want to be a burden" the Kegaregan posessing youth said shyly.

"Ahh...Nonsense! You deserve it! Its the least I can do for your brave offer to escort a beautiful lady home after she has drunk sake!" She said, smiling mischevously at Mato.

"Are you planning on getting drunk Sensei?" He blurted, and then blushed in embarrassment.

"No! Not at all! But its something that could happen, and as a shinobi you need to be prepared for anything! Yay!" A happy Samui said as the waiter placed the said bottle of sake on the table. She tore through the first bottle rapidly, and Mato could see how the night would end: he would end up carrying her passed out body to her Father, who would probably assume he had given the sake to her, and he'd be hung. Well, probably not hung but he didn't feel that there was a plesent future instore for him.

They enjoyed their meal, and she greatly enjoyed he sake. She hadn't passed out, but she was pretty wasted by the time Mato had decided it was time for them to leave.

Also, he didn't need to carry her home, he just had to have his hands ready incase she stumbled, which happened a lot.

"I'm glad I took you out for this Mah-toh-kun" she said, tripping again into his arms. Their faces were inches apart as he steadied her. "Your kinda cute ya know that Mah-toh-kun?" she said, smiling widely and standing up again.

"Sensei...we need to get you home fast..." He said, blushing at her comment. He had enjoyed the dinner with her, and he had that same feeling of friendship he had before with Huurin. He felt normal with her. Although he did not have time to reflect on these feelings, as the people who were also walking at that night shot them strange looks. Samui doesn't really respond well to that sort of thing.

"HEY! SCHREW YOU! HASN"T YOU PEOPLES EVER SHEEN A WOMAN BFORE!" She screamed at the staring people in a drunken firestorm of anger. Mato placed his hand over her mouth to silence her, and it worked, until she bit him and started giggling like crazy.

Mato shook off his hand and looked at his sensei.

"Hey...hey..hey...I know!" she said, snickering as she talked " I know your secret Mis-ter!" she poked him in the chest on both syllabols of Mister.

"What secret? Everyone in this village knows who I am..." He said somberly, only to smile as he looked at the drunk jounin who had been smiling at him.

"No...I mean I know...you saved my sister! and you almost died! YOUR SOO SWEET!" She started off whispering to him, then yelling the last part loudly, stopping all other pedrestirans with her words.

"Please...Stop Sensei! I need to get you home now!" Mato said, picking her up and rushing up to her family's estate.

"Hey...hey..hey where we goin'?" Samui asked, her eyes shifting left and right.

"Gomen sensei...you are drunk. I am taking you home." Mato said, adjusting his grip slightly as her house came into view.

"You dooooo care!" the drunk sensei said, kissing Mato on the lips softly. This stopped Mato in his tracks. The sake on her lips burned his a little, but as soon as he knew what was happening, he pulled away.

"Sensei! What are you doing!" He said, chalking it up to the booze. She couldn't really care about him.. He was a Tsuki.

"I dunno...your a cute little genin..." she pinched his cheeks and then finally passed out. She was a seventeen year old Elite Class Jounin, and he was a Fifteen year old disgrace-to-the-village Genin. She couldn't possibly know what she had done to him just then with that simple act. But it was almost as painful as the spear that had pierced his side.

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Gah! I just can't stop! Chapter Six on the way!