Inner Destruction: Chapter Four

"Good morning, team!" Gai said loudly when he appeared the next morning. "I hope you all had a good nights' sleep!" He gazed sternly at Izanami and Neji. "And I hope you two have learned how to get along better."

Neither one of them replied.

"Well, we have our first mission today! I felt we should start our new careers with a bang!, so I got us a more exciting one!"

"What is it?" Lee asked eagerly.

"We will be escorting the son of an emperor back home!" Gai said proudly.

"Where's the emperor's son?" asked Tenten.

"Right over here! Come on out now, you bashful youth!"

A boy stepped out from the shadows. He was around their age, maybe older. He didn't look bashful at all; more like arrogant.

Tenten nudged Izanami. "He's cute!" she whispered.

Izanami didn't dignify that with an answer.

"Why don't you introduce yourself, O Prince?" Gai suggested.

"I'm Takeshi," the prince said. "I hope you guys are actually strong enough to be real ninja."

Izanami narrowed her eyes at him; Neji stared coldly; Tenten pursed her lips; Lee looked appalled; and Gai pretended not to notice the remark.

"I take it that you aren't," Takeshi continued when no one disagreed.

"I suggest you bite your tongue before I cut it out." Izanami muttered venomously.

Takeshi raised an eyebrow. "At least now I know you can talk and aren't a bunch of uneducated country folk."

Tenten pointed a kunai at Takeshi's face. "Hey. I'd listen to Izanami if I were you. Or you might just end up without a tongue and an ear, too."

"Girls!" Gai muttered. "No threatening the person we're supposed to be protecting!"

Lee gave Takeshi a disapproving look, but didn't appear angry. "Gai-sensei, let's start the mission already!"

"Patience, my dear boy, is one of the greatest virtues!" lectured Gai. "We'll have to make a stop at everyone's place so they can pack a few essentials for the trip!"

Takeshi sighed loudly, but didn't object.

They stopped at Tenten's home, and then Lee's, and then Neji's. Gai was already prepared.

Finally they came to Izanami's house.

"She lives here alone?" Tenten whispered when they entered.

"Her family disappeared a long time ago," Neji answered sharply.

"Oh," said Tenten.

Izanami disappeared for a few minutes. She reappeared carrying a bag.

"Don't touch that," she said to Takeshi.

Takeshi dropped his hand from the porcelain vase he had been fondling. "All right, all right." He said crossly. "Only looking," he added under his breath.

x.X.x

"So, Takeshi, where are you from?" Lee asked after they had been walking for an hour.

Takeshi shot a glance at Gai. "I thought you knew. You are escorting me back, after all."

"Sheesh, just answer the question." Tenten defended Lee.

"My father is the emperor of an empire in the Cloud Country." Takeshi answered. "I, as the firstborn son, get to become ruler when he dies."

"And do you want that?" Izanami spoke for the first time since they had exited Konoha.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Takeshi said offensively.

"Just what I asked, do you want to become emperor?" Izanami said calmly.

"Of course I do! It's every boys' dream!" declared Takeshi. "Not that I would do anything to harm my father, of course." He added hastily.

Izanami didn't say anything.

Suddenly, she felt sharp metal at her throat.

"Hand over the prince and she doesn't get hurt." A voice growled.