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Chapter 5 - Journey to the Land of Waves: Part 1 - Losing Innocence

Amaya and Kakashi led Team 7 into the mission room so they could return Tora to her owner and receive their next assignment. Naruto glared at the cat cradled in Amaya's arms, annoyed that Tora had let Amaya-sensei pick her up without any fuss while he bore numerous scratches.

Several weeks had passed since Team 7's bell test, and since then, they'd done a number of missions, all of which Naruto was displeased with. He was sick of catching cats and babysitting; he wanted a real mission. The two Jonin told him time and time again that these missions were meant to give him a variety of experiences, but Naruto never paid any attention to their lectures.

His gaze drifted to Amaya's tattoos. All three Genin were fascinated by the designs that decorated their new sensei. The day after they'd officially become Genin, Kakashi took them to get their first mission and Amaya had been there, waiting to join them. The Genin, upon seeing her tattoos for the first time, had openly stared. The auburn-haired shinobi had allowed it for a time, but after their mission, she'd told them to get used to the designs quickly. She wouldn't tolerate them staring; staring led to distraction. And a distracted ninja was a dead ninja.

Amaya separated from the group to return Tora while the others received their next mission. She felt sorry for the cat, who was being squished with love by her owner. The Fire Daimyo's wife droned on about how she didn't understand why her precious Tora kept running away. Amaya only smiled, wondering which poor Jonin had drawn the short straw to pose as Tora this time

After the woman left, the auburn-haired shinobi returned to Kakashi. "So what's Naruto done this time? I heard him complaining."

"He wants a real mission. We're to escort someone. He's coming in now."

The door behind them slid open and in walked a grey-haired, dark-eyed, bespectacled man with a beard. He wore a sleeveless v-neck shirt with an obi, pants, and a pair of sandals. He also carried a towel around his neck and sported a pointed straw hat. Taking a swig from his bottle of sake, he introduced himself as Tazuna, a master bridge builder from the Land of Waves. Amaya smiled when he called Naruto short. Naruto threatened to demolish the old man and Kakashi had to remind the orange-clad ninja that things didn't work that way. Tazuna told Team 7 that they were to escort him to his home. Kakashi sent the Genin off to gather their things, telling them to meet by the gates in half an hour.


Amaya readjusted her pack and waited with Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna for Kakashi to arrive. The shinobi knew he was visiting the Memorial Stone, as he did before leaving for all but the most urgent missions. Tazuna, Sasuke, and Sakura stood under the shade of a nearby tree while she and Naruto waited on the road. Naruto was bubbling with barely held-in enthusiasm. Amaya glanced at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "This your first time leaving the village?"

"Yeah! I'm a traveler now! But Kakashi-sensei's holding us up! Where is he anyway?"

Amaya debated how much to tell the young blond. "You remember what Kakashi-san told you during your bell test? What he told you about the Stone, about teamwork, and about bending the rules when necessary to save a comrade?" The boy nodded, so she continued. "Well, he learned much of that from a very dear friend of his whose name is engraved on the Stone. Kakashi visits the Stone before he leaves on all but the most urgent missions to pay his respects to his friend, thanking him for what he taught him." Amaya left out the part about how guilt-ridden the silver-haired nin still was about Obito's death.

Naruto said nothing, taking in his sensei's words, looking concerned about his other sensei, having guessed that wasn't Kakashi's only reason for visiting the Stone.

The auburn-haired shinobi noted the concern on her student's face and offered a reassuring smile. "He'll be fine, Naruto. I won't let anything happen to him." Unintentionally, some of her old feelings for the Jonin slipped into her voice.

Sakura, curious about what Amaya-sensei and Naruto were talking about, came over, heard the Jonin's statement, and asked with immense curiosity. "Were you and Kakashi-sensei close?"

Amaya frowned at the young girl. "That's not really any of your business."

Sakura ducked her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, sensei."

"Don't be," Amaya waved away the pink-haired girl's apology. "Just remember that not everyone wants to talk about their past, Kakashi-san included. But I don't mind, not really. Yes, he and I were close, but I left and that all ended."

Sakura was about to ask another question, and Amaya, guessing what it might be, knew she would have to draw the line. Thankfully, Kakashi joined them, delivered one of his famous excuses, and the group started on their way. Naruto, annoyed by Tazuna's jibes, walked ahead of the group while Amaya walked a bit behind. About half a day into their journey, Sakura began asking questions about the Land of Waves and about other Hidden villages and Kakashi indulged her in a rather long explanation. Amaya was only half listening; she was more focused on her surroundings. She knew this was a C-rank mission, but something felt...off. Walking up close behind the other Jonin, she gently touched his arm. "We're being followed. Two of them."

Kakashi turned the page in his book, not wanting to scare the Genin. Amaya saw, in the subtle way he shifted his weight as he walked, that the shinobi was ready for trouble. Well, not that he hadn't been ready before, but with Amaya near him, Kakashi knew he didn't have to remain on such high alert; she had his back.

Nothing happened until the group was a day from the village. The Genin and Tazuna paid no attention to the puddle on the side of the road, but both Jonin noticed immediately. Amaya suppressed her chakra, to avoid undue attention, not until the time was right. She moved a little closer to the group but swiftly retreated as chains wrapped around Kakashi. The two nin, bearing the symbol of Mist, pulled viciously on the chains, slicing through Kakashi with ease. Seconds later, a puff of smoke revealed slices of log instead of flesh.

Ignoring the auburn-haired woman, for they could feel no chakra in her, the two nin instead went for Naruto. The young boy froze, terrified, but Sasuke acted quickly, though not before one of the enemy shinobi scratched Naruto's hand with a claw. The Uchiha threw a shuriken, pinning the Kiri nins' chains to a tree, and sent a kunai chasing after to make sure they couldn't get loose. Landing on their large, clawed gauntlets, the raven-haired boy solidly kicked both shinobi in the face. Amaya cursed as the Kiri ninja activated quick releases on their chains and were free, heading straight for...Tazuna.

Now knowing their target, the black-and-red-clad Jonin moved swiftly. In a split second, Amaya was in front of Sakura and Sasuke, who were valiantly trying to protect the old man. She caught the nin by their throats. Kakashi appeared beside her and took the dazed shinobi from her. With several hand signs, the auburn-haired woman formed chakra chains in her hands. Quickly, the two Jonin tied the Kiri nin to a tree before they could regain their senses.

"Sorry, Naruto, I didn't mean for you to get hurt," the silver-haired Jonin said nonchalantly. "I just didn't think you'd freeze up like that. Good job, Sasuke. Very smooth. You too, Sakura."

Amaya, seeing Naruto bitter at his own failing and about to jump at Sasuke, went to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't move if I were you. Those ninja have poison in their claws. We need to remove it before it spreads." Sakura made a comment about how, if they returned to the village, they could get Naruto's wound treated. In response, Kakashi said that maybe they should go back, that Naruto's hand would be a problem. Amaya glared at the silver-haired shinobi but was too slow to stop the young nin from digging a kunai into his wound. Naruto wondered aloud why he was so different, vowing that he would never run again, vowing that he would never lose to Sasuke.

"Naruto, that was cool how you got the poison out and all," Kakashi said, "but if you lose any more blood, you'll die."

The blond paled, but Amaya once more laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Ignore him. Give me your hand and we'll get you bandaged up." She knelt and the young shinobi offered her his bleeding hand. As Amaya began winding the bandage around Naruto's hand, she realized the cut was already beginning to heal.

The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra was starting to slip through the seal.

She said nothing, only finished tending to Naruto. Afterwards, the auburn-haired Jonin turned to the bridge-builder. "I think we have something to talk about."

The old man said nothing, guilt clear on his face.

Kakashi gestured to the Kirigakure shinobi. "When were you going to tell us you had ninja after you?"

"What does that mean, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura chimed in.

"It means we are now beyond the scope of this mission."