-1Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of those characters. Kishimoto does.
Ch.6
"The ferry is up ahead," Osamu's, the young medic, voice called out from behind her . He apparently had superb eye sight, much better than her own, for all Atsuka could see through the thick fog were the trees that were growing farther apart as they went.
"Good," Nami muttered besides her, while Shinji said naught in the lead. Over the last two days, Atsuka concluded that Osamu was the nice, well mannered one. Nami was the short tempered and head strong one, and Shinji was the quite, yet, respectful one. She herself was quite, but enjoyed putting her say into things and helped Shinji, their group leader, discuss their mission and how to approach it, while Osamu would suffer onslaughts of stories from Nami, who he knew through family friends, while the group would stop and rest.
But the latter words were true as the three then spotted a man standing before his manageable ferry that was tied to a post at the water's edge. He wasn't the most attractive man, but was in top shape from what Atsuka could see under the slightly open top of his simple yukata. His feet were bare and what looked liked a woven hat people wore while harvesting the rice patties was set atop his head of not so clean locks of deep hair.
"It's about time you four got here," he told in a gruff voice as the group of ANBU clad shinobi landed in a semi-circle about him. Rubbing the end of his stubbly chin, the other rested on the shaft of what the four decided was the ore he used to push the ferry along the water, or at least to get the craft going until they hit deep water.
None of the four made a move to lift their masks, and the man was about to ask why until one stepped forward, his mask painted in two black stripes rimmed thinly in red that shot up from each jaw line, through the eye slits, to a tapered point on the brow. He brought out a pouch, which the man then discovered was a money purse after a moment of observation, and stared at the man's mask, seeing how it was impossible to see through those menacing slits to the possessor's eyes.
Atsuka thought idly that the man before he was luck he did not have to endure Shinji's cold gaze. The other two both had similar thoughts. Untying the flap to the purse, Shinji revealed a hefty sum.
"Our Hokage had informed us to ask you if you'll be willing to wait in the water country and take up back home. If you do not, we can always find another means, but seeing how the Hokage has paid you in advance, you will still take us across. If you refuse, we have been given permission to subdue you and take the ferry across on our own."
The man said nothing for a moment as he started at the money the man before him held. It was a good deal, the group thought, and surely he'd accept.
"Alright," the man said at last as he slightly tipped back his hat with a wide grin. "You've got yerself a deal, pal," he told Shinji he then stowed away the money.
"We've been told to give the money back once we've returned to this very spot in the future week or so."
"That's fine with me, don't expect anything less," he told as he then turned to the craft slightly bobbing along the water's surface. Walking onto the meager wooden dock of only about ten yards long, he called them over. "Besides," the man said as he began to untie the ferry from the dock. "I can got you there quicker than anyone… it'd probably take the four of you weeks to navigate through the fog," he finished with a hearty laugh, and the four all nodded their agreement.
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He's right… I'd never find my way through this mist without going insane, Atsuka though as she sat at the prow of the ship, leaning against the rail with her arm draped over the side. As much as she wanted to, something stopped her from running her fingers through the water. A slight noise made her whip her head about.
"Oh… Shinji, you startled me," she breathed out from behind her mask. He came and sat beside her, back against the short railing.
"Sorry. I just can't stand Nami's rambling." She could hear the grin in his voice.
"Exactly why I'm up here," she commented. Nami and the boat man, who called himself Shiro, took quickly to simple conversation. Not in the mood to join, Atsuka had immediately come to sit where she was now. Their voices still could be heard past the wooden cabin in the center of the ferry, mostly Nami's high pitch tones and Shiro's deep ones.
"Hmm… Have you ever been to the Water Country before?"
"No… Only different parts of Fire and Sand," Atsuka responded to his question. With a nod, he fell silent. The sound of the rain pattering upon the simple eave like roof above them was lulling almost, along with the many small slaps the drops made against the water's surface.