Chapter 11 – Mission: Escort to the Waterfall, Continues

The four launched several shuriken at the group. Jakken and Tenten acted, knocking them down with their own projectiles. Lee appeared in between the group, surprising them.

"Konoha Senpū! (Leaf Whirlwind)" he shouted and knocked them all except for the large one who blocked his attack. The man was about to counter but Neji struck him in the side with a Jūken (Gentle Fist) strike. The other three were taken out as well. Tenten immobilized two of them while Jakken knocked out the other, slamming him into the ground. Hurt and outnumbered, the man retreated back into the waterfall.

Lee looked ready to give chase but was stopped by Jakken.

"We don't know what's waiting for us. We also don't know how to get in. Right now, we are regrouping. Tenten, help carry the injured woman. Lee, help me carry one of these guys. We are going to make him tell us what is going on. Neji, keep an eye out and watch Shibuki." Jakken ordered. Everyone did as they were told.

XXX

Tenten was healing the woman while Lee and Neji kept guard. Jakken stood to the side, giving Shibuki a side-long glance. The old woman groaned as Tenten helped her sit up. Shibuki was to her side in an instant.

"Are you okay?" Shibuki asked.

"Y-Yes, I will be alright thanks to her. Lord Shibuki, there is danger within the village." The woman said.

"What do you mean?"

"Suien has returned." This stunned Shibuki. "He has taken the villagers hostage and has led teams of Amegakure (Hidden Rain) ninja into the village." She reported. Shibuki began to shake when Jakken spoke.

"Who is Suien?" he demanded. Shibuki looked at the chunin. "The mean I interrogated mentioned the name and who we are dealing with. Three teams who abandoned Amegakure are helping him to get the 'Eiyu no Mizu' (Hero's Water). They didn't know much about Suien so now I am asking you."

"S-Suien was a jonin of my village. He was also my teacher. However, he wanted one of the village's secrets and was declared a missing-nin when denied." Shibuki explained. Jakken let out a sigh after that. He really wasn't expecting this for his first mission. However, Jakken had come to a decision but first, he needed an answer.

"As I told my team, we will not enter your village," Tenten looked ready to protest but a look from Jakken stopped her. "but, you cannot defeat three teams and your old sensei alone. Not only is it suicide but I don't believe that you are capable of it." Shibuki looked surprised but coward at the look Jakken gave him. He continued to speak. "If you don't want us in your village, we will walk away. If you have any courage in you, you will accept our help." He said seriously. Shibuki looked at Jakken for a while. He then stood and looked at him.

"Very well, I will lead you into the village. I will accept your help. We need to keep Suien away from the 'Eiyu no Mizu'." Shibuki said. Jakken nodded and stood straight.

"Okay, we are going to have to split up. Lee, you're the fastest. Weights off and full speed back to the village. You run into any jonin, you inform them and you get them back here pronto." Jakken ordered.

"Yosh, I will go and return with haste!" Lee exclaimed. He threw off his weights and opened one of the gates. He took off with a shot, uprooting earth. Jakken turned to Tenten.

"You're the only one who has any medical skill. So, heal her up and protect the kids. Something tells me that you'll have visitors. Keep your guard up." He turned to Neji and Shibuki. "Let's get going." Jakken said. The three made their way into the village.

XXX

Jakken, Neji and Shibuki broke through the water. It was an interesting way into a village. If one did not know the way, they would die trying. The three stepped out close to where the 'Eiyu no Mizu' was. Jakken kept his guard up and it was a good thing too.

"Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu! (Water Release: Water Bullet Technique)"

"Hakkeshō Kaiten! (Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation)" Neji shouted and deflected the attack. They were them faced with a small army. At the head, a long, spiky haired man with small dark eyes and a goatee stood. He wore a dark blue Jacket, grey pants, sandals and a bandana that kept his hair out of his face. He smirked at the three, especially at Shibuki.

"I see that you are still a weak, scare little boy I trained. I also see that you dragged Konoha into this. I will gave you a chance. Give me the Eiyu no Mizu and I'll kill you quick." Suien said. Shibuki was shaking like a leaf. However, Jakken had other ideas.

"I have a different proposal. How about you and your men decide to try another day?" Jakken asked. Suien smirked at him.

"And why should I? Judging by the vest, you must be a newly promoted chunin. Do you really think that you can defeat a jonin of my caliber? Not to mention three teams of Ame-nin. Your teammate, the Hyuga, might be the only wrinkle but it is a minor one at best. Plus, I hold the villagers hostage. Why exactly do I need to try another day?"

"You make pretty good points but you have made two errors." Jakken said.

"Oh, what's that?"

"One, we're not inform of you. We're already inside the room where the Eiyu no Mizu is. Been inside since your attack." Suien lost all amusement and was truly surprised. "And two, you really think that I won't destroy the Eiyu no Mizu? I'm not your average chunin. I personally don't care if I get demoted for doing it. If it keeps you from getting it, then I will destroy it. So, you even touch a villager, if they get so much as a scratch, I'm going to destroy the Eiyu no Mizu and you can wait another hundred years for the tree to produce more." Jakken said before the images of the three vanished. Suien was not a happy person.

XXX

Tenten was putting the last bandage on the woman. She managed to stop the bleeding and now the old woman was comfortable. The kids were happy as well. Unknown, a figure with a black hat, black eyes and messy brown hair moved to intercept Tenten. He launched forward only to get three kunai lodged into him, two in the knees, on in the shoulder. He felt more pain as six more kunai were lodged into him at the joints. He laid on the ground, bleeding from his wounds, when Tenten appeared. She looked at the downed ninja before completely knocking him out.

Tenten secured him before meeting up with the woman and the two kids. The girl looked at Tenten with awe.

"That was awesome Tenten! That trick with the mirrors was amazing!" the girl exclaimed. Tenten just grinned and helped the old woman to move to another spot.

XXX

Jakken, Neji and Shibuki were in the holding room of the Eiyu no Mizu. Shibuki held the bottle that held the water while Jakken and Neji kept an eye out.

"It does not look like that he is leaving. It also seems that they are angry about something." Neji reported, turning off his Byakugan.

"Must have been Tenten. If there is three teams, I only noticed two leaders. They third must have went after Tenten and thought that she was an easy target." Jakken said with some amusement. That's when he turned to face Shibuki. "So what's your story?"

"I'm sorry?" Shibuki asked.

"What caused you to become this way? It must have been something you witnessed that caused you to act like this. I'm not really judging you because those villagers out there seem to genuinely care for you. So what was it that turned you into the person today?" Jakken asked. Shibuki looked down at his feet before he began to speak.

"My father, Hisen, he was my hero. He was also the pervious leader of Takigakure (Hidden Waterfall). I truly looked up to him. Some time back, someone attacked the village. My father, he drank the Eiyu no Mizu to give himself the power to protect the village. He protected the village but died in the process. Seeing him lying dead like that, I feared for my own life. I don't want to die and I would do anything not to." Shibuki explained. It was quiet for a while before Jakken spoke.

"Well, I'm sorry that happened to you. I wish I can say something inspiring but I'm not that type of guy. What I will say is that your father made a choice. He chose the welfare of the village over his own. In my eyes, he's a hero. You will one day make that same decision." Jakken said

"Jakken, we have a situation." Neji said. Jakken turned toward the entrance and saw that Suien was demanding his attention. He looked pissed about something.

"Yes, can we help you with something?" Jakken asked mockingly.

"Enough! I want that water! I am giving you thirty minutes and then I start killing villagers!" Suien said.

"You do know that I will destroy that water if you do." He said.

"Shibuki would never allow you to do that! Now, give me the water!" Suien shouted.

"Don't do it Shibuki-sama!" one of them shouted.

"Don't worry about us! You have to keep the water safe! We will be okay!" a woman shouted. The two were hit by the Ame-nin for speaking. Shibuki saw this and was stunned. He was scared but he could not allow his villagers to get hurt. Shibuki stepped out of the cave, surprising the two Konoha-nin. He stood at the entrance, the Eiyu no Mizu in his hand. Suien was smirking while the villagers were shouting for him to get back in the cave. Neji made a move but was stopped by Jakken.

"You're making the wise decision Shibuki. Now, hand me the water." Suien ordered. Shibuki took a few more steps before he reared his head back and took a few gulps of the Eiyu no Mizu, surprising them all. He quickly fasten the bottle to his waist and did hand seals.

"Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu!" Shibuki said and fired a torrent of water. Suien dodged but some of the Ame-nin were taken out. Shibuki vanished and appeared in front of his and hit him with a punch. Suien hit the ground but moved out of the way as water hit where he was. Suien looked on as Shibuki landed in front of him, an aura surrounding him. He was also holding a sword made of water. This made Suien smile.

"The Takigakure-Ryū: Mizukiri no Yaiba (Hidden in a Waterfall Style: Water-cutting Sword). You seem to have improved on it. I don't know where this courage came from but it won't last. Just hand me the water Shibuki and I will finish you off quickly." Suien said.

"No. I am the leader of Takigakure and as it's' leader, I will defend my village with all of my ability. I am terrify right now but I refuse to allow you to hurt my people." Shibuki said.

"Heh, if that's what you want," Suien then formed Takigakure-Ryū: Mizukiri no Yaiba. "Let's see what you've got, leader." He mocked. Shibuki shouted and charged forward. The two clashed. Meanwhile, the Ame-nin were getting destroyed by the two Konoha-nin. They both managed to take out the shinobi around the villagers. Those who could fight, helped out in defending their village. Jakken and Neji were now facing the other two leaders of the Ame-nin.

"So, do you want the guy with the muscles or the chick?" Jakken asked. The decision was made for them as the taller of the two charged and engaged Neji. Jakken just blinked owlishly at that before dodging a whip made of water. He landed and held out his kusarigama. "So, who am I fighting today?"

"My name is Hisame and it will be the last name you'll know." She said and lashed out at him. Jakken once again dodged the strike and prepared himself to fight. The battle for Takigakure had begun.

XXX

Tsunade stood in front of the team that was gathered. She was also curious about this team as much as the team she just sent to Takigakure. It seems like the female of the team was also scared of one of Anko's chunin. She didn't know why but she really didn't care anymore. Every member of that team were crazy.

"Alright then, Yakumo, you will be the leader of this mission and the care of team Asuma is yours." Tsunade said.

"What is the mission ma'am?" Yakumo asked.

"It is ranked as a B-rank but it shouldn't really be that hard. The client is from Inaho Village. The son of a person named Genmai hired us because his father has gone missing. Your mission is to find him and return him to the village." Tsunade said.

"Ma'am, wouldn't team Kurenai be a better choice for this mission? They are better suited for tracking." Yakumo said.

"While that is true, team Kurenai is out on a mission with their sensei. Team Kakashi would have been my second choice due to Kakashi's summons but his team are still not ready for duty." Tsunade explained.

"Very well, we will get on with the mission now." She faced team Asuma. "Alright, prepare for a week. We leave the village in an hour."

XXXXX

Authors' Notes

Sorry for the late updates. I started a new job and I'm dealing with some personal stuff. Anyway, while I do not grauntee weekly updates, I will be writing more and updating more. So, I'm getting these up before the Super Bowl, so enjoy the new chapter.