Indo laughed to herself as she flipped through the pages of the book she was reading. The book she was a rather interesting one. The continuation of the one she previously read. She chuckled again then started to flip to the next page but stopped when the sound of something whipping through the air caught her attention. With a swift movement, she outstretched her arm and caught a Shuriken between her index and thumb.
Her misty grey hues cut off in the direction in which the weapon had been thrown and quickly tossed it right back. "You're gonna have to come a little harder than that, Setsuko.."
Said girl grumbled. The Shuriken her sensei tossed back at her pinned right above her head in the tree. This was an impossible mission. Perhaps it wasn't meant them to get the bells.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Hanzi shouted as he jumped out of a small patch of bushes to the left of his Sensei. He was never slick about anything he did, which served to be a big problem. Two clones appeared around the young boy. Each of the clones pulled either a Shuriken or Kunai knife from the pouch strapped to their leg and dashed at full speed towards Indo as they threw the sharp weapons at her.
Never taking her eyes from her book, Indo performed a quick dash to the right. The sharp objects had no contact with her body and all hit a tree. Little did she know that it was a diversion.
"Byakugan!" Hanzi assumed his fighting stance then dashed off at his sensei. "Eight Trigram Twenty-Eight Palms!" The boy shouted as he thrusted his fingers at certain points on his sensei's body.
Indo smirked under the mask that covered the bottom half of her face and maneuvered her body swiftly to avoid the boy's movement, still reading through her book. Afterwards she raised her foot and kicked the blond boy into a tree. She yawned and glanced over at the boy who was face first in a tree. "Keep trying."
"Eight Trigram Twenty-Eight Palms!"
"What!?" By the time Indo had time to react, it was all too late, Hanzi's clone attack connected, hitting every chakra point in the girl's body, the last blow sending the girl slamming into a tree.
"No way!"
Eriya and Setsuko both watched from their hiding spots in amazement and envy as their ditzy teammate took down their sensei with ease. Using the shadow clone technique to his own advantage. They honestly didn't think Hanzi was that bright to come up with such a plan like that. He wasn't a dumb as he appeared after all.
"Alright haha! I did it!" Hanzi celebrated with a few fist pumps into the air. "Oh wow look there!"
Hanzi's eyes glistened when he noticed that the bells attached to Indo's belt were now lying upon the ground. The blond sprinted towards the prize in excitement. "To bad for you guys seems like I'll be the only one accompanying Sensei on the mission to Suna!" But just seconds away, from the bells, Hanzi's body froze in place. "Wh-what!?" He tried to move his body but he couldn't. His limbs were stuck in place, like he was petrified. "What is this!?"
"My Shadow Imitation Shiruken." Indo stated as she walked out in front of the boy and retrieved the bells from the ground. An unseen smirk stretched across her face while an angered one was present on Hanzi's face.
"But I-"
"You were-"
"After I-" In his state of confusion his words came out jumbled and made no clear sense. He growled and grinded his teeth together out of sheer anger. It was obvious that their sensei thought of this a some type of game. She didn't seem to be stressing or taking this nearly as serious as they were. "You were knocked out after my attack!"
"You mean, you thought you knocked me out." She said and pointed to the unconscious clone before it went poof. "You're not the only one excellent with Shadow Clone Technique Hanzi." She walked to the back of the boy and picked up the Shiruken that was stuck in the boy's shadow. "So am I."
Hanzi fell flat on his face after the girl pulled the Shiruken from his shadow. Just when he thought he had it he winded up taking two steps backward. He was starting to think that there was no way possible to outsmart her. But everyone had a weakness. So what was hers? He stood from the ground, spitting dirt from his mouth as well as wiping it from his face. "I'm gonna get those bells sensei!" He said said pointing a finger at the girl who went back to her book. "Believe it!"
"I highly doubt that Hanzi, you have no intentions on killing me so your success in retrieving the bells are slim to none if you ask me." She stated simply.
Hanzi blinked several times bewildered by his sensei's words. Why would she want him to kill her or even try? That sounded very rash and violent. This was training not survival of the fittest. "What are you getting at sensei, that's a little over the top don't you think. You're our instructor not our enemy so if I were to kill you then who's gonna instruct us?"
Indo closed her book and slipped it into the pouch behind her. How could someone be so simple minded? She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That's not the point Hanzi, the first instinct of a Shinobi is to always be ready to kill no matter who it is. Suppose one of your teammates were to turn on you. Do you think for a second that the thought of you being their friend will stop them from doing whatever it is they need to do?"
"We'll I would hope it-"
"No it won't!" She said sternly. "Think of me as your enemy. Do whatever it is you need to do to get these bells. Even if it mean killing me. That goes for all of you!"
He nodded. "Right!"
'So she wants us to try and kill her. No problem there.' Setsuko thought to herself while still in her hiding spot. It was time to act. attacking from this tree was getting her nowhere. Hanzi was already closer than her and Eriya to getting those bells. No way was she going to allow either of them to out-do her. Especially not Eriya. But she had to think first. Their sensei was fast, Shuriken or Kunai didn't seem to work no matter what direction they were coming from. Then for all she knew it could be a shadow clone.
"We have to create a diversion.." Eriya said, startling the girl from her thoughts. He sat on the branch of the tree beside the Uchiha but it only seemed to irritate her.
"Go back to your own hiding spot this one is taken!" She said in an angry tone towards the boy. But it didn't faze him in the least he just sat down beside her.
"Don't you see," he started. "She's playing with us only because we're not being aggressive enough. On top of that, no one person can catch her. I figured that after Hanzi used his shadow clone technique to trick sensei, even though it was a clone. And if Hanzi was really using his head he would use the Byakugan to determine the real from the clone. But of course, Hanzi isn't that smart of course. In order to get those bells from sensei, we need a plan that she won't see coming."
"And how pray tell are we going to do that? Because it seems that even when she doesn't see it coming she is able to stop it."
"Don't worry, you'll see. I'll explain the rest when we get Hanzi away from sensei." He explained.
"No problem there.." She said and pointed to the boy who was tossed by Indo into the tree they were occupying. Setsuko reached down and grabbed the boy by the collar to pull him into the tree with them.
"H-hey what's the big idea here what's going-"
Eriya put a hand over the blond's mouth to shut him up. Hanzi still continued to speak but his words came out muffled. "Would you shut up you idiot and listen to me!" He said in a high whisper. "We have a plan."
When Hanzi calmed down, Eriya removed his hand from his mouth and started to explain. "Setsuko and I were talking. And there is no way that just one of us are going to get those bells. We need to attack as a group.
"Hanzi!" Setsuko called out.
Said boy froze upon hearing his name called. "Yeah?"
"You're doing a poor job when it comes to utilizing your dōjutsu. You could have easily determined that sensei was using a clone earlier had you taken the time to think properly and not rush in!"
Eriya nodded in agreement and Hanzi lowered his head in disappointment at himself. He knew they were right he just had to do better next time. "But don't worry, you can make up for it in this plan that we have alright? Now," Eriya began. "Hanzi your job is to point out the sensei clones as well as tell us where the real Indo-sensei is located. You and Setsuko will handle the clones while I distract sensei. Afterwards, Hanzi will lead the two of you to my location and when I give the signal which will be a whistle, you two grab the bells, mission accomplished."
"Wait, you're going to allow us to get the bells?" Setsuko asked.
He nodded. "Yeah, remaining a Genin can't be that bad can it? Besides, a title means nothing. I may have to stay with the title Genin for the rest of my days but that doesn't mean I am one. If you understand what I mean."
"No." Hanzi shook his head. "I'll give you mine Eriya and-"
"Don't worry about it alright! It's not that serious you two. Now lets get this over with already!"
"R-right.." Hanzi turned and looked down at their Sensei from the tree. "Byakugan!" With his dōjutsu activated it gave him the ability to see at a greater distance than usual. "Ah, east from here 700 ft away in a tree, there is a clone."
"Got it!" Setsuko said an took off into the woods.
"The one right here in front if me is a clone as well. And the real one is northwest and 1 mile away at the center of the woods."
"Alright. Take care of that clone Hanzi!" eriya dashed off into the woods to find their Sensei. He was having second thoughts about what he was going to do in order for his teammates to get the bells but he couldn't come up with anything else besides his initial plan. It was harsh and would probably cause emotion damage to their sensei as well as damage to himself, but that couldn't be of concern right now.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said after performing the right hand seals to execute the technique. "Transform."
:::
"Oh wow what an ending, never thought it would come out that way." She closed the book and put it back in her pouch. "Guess they haven't realized that they are fighting a bunch of shadow clones yet." She laughed to herself. She loved it when she was able to outsmart others. She would have thought that one of them would have figured it out already but apparently they didn't. "Oh well," she reached into her pouch and pulled out another book. "Guess I'll continue with my reading.
"Imōto.." A dark voice called out from the shadows, grabbing the girl's attention. Indo lowered the book from eye level and looked around. That voice. She knew it. And that name..no one else referred to her as that except for-
Indo's book slipped from her hand as she drew five Shuriken and tossed them in the direction of the voice. The figure quickly moved and was now positioned in a tree, laughing darkly. "Is this how you greet all of your family members? With such violence and hostility."
Her face twisted up in anger. So it was him. "You're no family of mine you bastard! You have some nerve to show your face here again. I hope you're ready to die this time because you're not taking me down by your hand for a second time!" She performed the hand signs Ushi, Tora, Saru, Uma. "Lightning Style; Thunder Drill." Her chakra rushed to her right hand and a visible blue glow mixed with the essence of lightning spun around her hand in the form of a drill. She charged at full speed towards her enemy and thrusted her hand forward. "Die you bastard!" The attack connected and went directly through the male's chest. There was silence. He stood with his eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Blood spilled from the corners of his mouth as he fell forward onto her shoulder. He coughed violently and sucked in deep gasps of air before coughing blood on to the ground. "Y-you win I-imōto..." He uttered and fell to the ground.
Grey optics grew in size and stared down at the ground in complete shock. The body lying at her feet...it was. She couldn't believe it. "You think I'm going to fall for this trick..." She kicked the body twice and glared at it. It was just too easy. It couldn't be real. "Go ahead, disappear like you kept doing last time you coward! Stop toying with me!" She said, anger and irritation laced within her voice. Unlike last time he didn't fight and that bothered her. She knew him to be a fighter and he just stood there and allowed her to take his life.
"You think this is funny!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Her eyes scanned the forest scape. Looking for a trace of him anywhere. "Come out I know you're there!" Her voice echoed in the wind but there was no response except for the trees blowing in the wind.
Eriya watched on from a high tree as his sister's concentration was solely on something else and not him and his other teammates. He was a little worried that she would have caught on when he failed to have the clone perry the attack.
Knowing just how much she hated him, and how hell bent she was on destroying him, killed him. It didn't hurt him that she wanted revenge on that guy but the fact that he was using this method in order to manipulate her. "Sorry Onee-san.." He placed two of his fingers in his mouth and whistled to call his teammates.
Poof! The clone disappeared right before Indo's eyes. "I knew it..." She whispered. "Where are you!?"
"Got you now Sensei!" Both Hanzi and Setsuko tackled the girl to the ground and grabbed the bells with ease. "Hah! Like taking candy from a baby Sensei" Hanzi said and slapped high five to Setsuko. "That was almost too easy! What did you do Eriya!"
The boy hopped down from the tree and made a smooth landing to the ground. He walked up to his sister and looked up at her. She stared down at him, arching her eyebrow though it was unseen. "Sensei I-" He couldn't find the correct words to say nor was he able to tell if she was furious or not.
She chuckled and softly at the boy then rested her hand on his shoulder. "Why are you making that face? If anything you should be happy." She turned around and faced Hanzi and Setsuko. "All of you." The three Genin looked at one another confused. What was she talking about. "Happy? One of us is going to be a Genin forever, that's not nothing to be happy about Sensei.." It was Setsuko who spoke this time.
"You really think that I was going to make one of you stay Genin? It was a lie."
They all gasped in shock.
"Heeey! So you're saying that all of this was for nothing! Not cool sensei!" Hanzi said and blew smoke from his nose.
She shook her head. "No Hanzi, this challenge was for a good reason. It was to test you three to see how well you all work as a team. And you passed. Congratulations. What you all need to know is that you'll always be sent on a mission as a team. And if you don't know how to co-operate as one then you'll only jeopardize your mission. Team work is one of the highest on the list when it comes to being a ninja."
"Alright!" Hanzi performed several back flips then thrusted his fist into the air. "So that means we're all going on mission to Suna as well?"
Indo nodded. "Precisely." She turned and looked up at the sky. The clouds were a pink orange color. She didn't realize how long they were out here. The night was on the way. "Well you all best get home and get a good rest. We leave early in the morning."
"I'll see you all tomorrow then." Setsuko said and sped off.
"She's always the first one to leave.." Hanzi mumbled to himself. "H-hey Setsuko wait up!" He shouted then chased behind her.
"You alright there Onee-san?" He asked her now that they were alone.
"Why wouldn't I be?" She said and cut her eyes at him from the question he asked.
"Well you know cause-"
"If you're referring to the fact that you used the transformation to trick me, that was a brilliant tactic. When did you learn that technique anyway?"
He smiled bright and brushed his finger across his nose. "That's my secret. However, it's the first time I really used it kind of wore me out you know.." He flopped down on the ground. I'm ready to go home.
"I'll race you there!"
"Oh come Onee-san you know I'm tired!" He complained.
She chuckled and flicked his forehead. "So!" She dashed off leaving behind a cloud of dust.
"Grr Onee-san!" He said and waved his fist through the air. He sighed and started a slow stroll through the forest he wanted to get home but he was in no rush. Then on top of that he was too tired he would only end up over exerting himself not that he hasn't before. Eriya folded his arms behind his head and glanced up at the moon. "Heh, would you look at that.." He sighed sadly as a feeling of nostalgia suddenly set in. "A Lunar Rainbow.."
The sky was pink-ish orange and the sun could be seen setting in the distance. A figure at the height of five-five, wearing a white fox-like mask walked down a long dirt path to the village entrance. "Nii-san!" a voice shouted out loud while chasing behind his older sibling. "Nii-san wait up!" He said again through deep breaths. The older boy came to a stop and turned around, giving the boy a small smile. He enjoyed spending time with his brother and it was even better when they sparred with one another. "Eriya, what's wrong?"
Eriya stopped and kneeled over slightly, trying to catch his breath. "Y-you said that you'd tha-that you'd tra-train with me today. Where are you going?"
The older male frowned. He was hoping that he'd gotten out the village before Eriya would notice him. "I know, but something came up and the Kage-"
"But you promised!" He pouted and folded his arms across his chest.
"I know I know. And I feel horrible about it. But look," he pointed up at the moon. Eriya was reluctant at first about looking but he eventually did it. "I'll be back on the night of the lunar rainbow. That'll be in a month Alright? Then we can train."
"A month that's too far away! I wanted to today..." He lowered his head.
"I know but I promise we will when I return."
He frowned and tightened his hand into a fist. It didn't matter how hard he tried to push the memories of him far to the back of his mind they somehow always found a way to the front. If he had the choice to pick and choose the memories all of those with him would be tossed away. He just wanted them to fade, vanish and be forgotten. But they were just there littering his mind and becoming a huge problem and adding more fuel to his hatred.
"Sharingan!" He heard a voice say out loud followed by the clashing of metallic objects.
The boy stopped and took a look around realizing now that he was back within the village limits. He really needed to stop getting so caught up in his thoughts and wondering around. It wasn't the smartest thing to do.
"That's enough for the evening Setsuko."
"Setsuko.." Eriya blinked. He was next to the Uchiha Manor. He always hated walking past here and never did. He'd usually cut down the alleyway and take the long route to his home. Eriya wasn't too fond of the Uchihas and they weren't of him either. Sasuke and his two sons at least. And attempting to use a forbidden technique on his daughter the other day probably only gave Sasuke more reason to look down on him. Of course he could care less of what people thought about him.
"But I'm-i'm n-not done yet Nii-san. I c-can still keep going!" She took deep ragged breaths as she stood up from the ground. She was over exhausted but she wanted to keep going. "How am I...am I supposed to get my Sharingan if I-I quit now."
Eriya took a few steps closer to the fence that surrounded the manor and took a peek trough the cracks.
"I know, but over doing it won't help either. Trying to force activate the Sharingan will not make it happen any quicker, you have to let it happen naturally."
Let it come naturally. She sighed and looked down at the ground. "How'd you and Ichiru get yours Sesume?" She sat down on the ground and folded her legs. Her confidence was slipping she was starting to think that what Eriya said the other day was true. What if she was unable to activate the Sharingan? What if the trait wasn't passed on to her?
The pink haired male sat down next to his sister and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well I'm not sure about Ichiru, but I was in the second stage of the Chunin exams when I got mine." He smiled up at the sky as the memory came flooding back to his mind. Me and my team members had obtained the two scrolls needed to proceed onward to the next stage of the exams, but were attacked by some ninja from the mist village. They'd injured both members of my team even me but you know me," he smirked and nudges her sides "Unrelenting! So I put up a fight. I held out as long as I could. Even used up a large amount of my chakra. I knew I had no strength to go on so I swallowed my ego and just gave them the scrolls. But Otōsan doesn't know that so don't tell him. He'll give me the whole Uchiha's never give up speech."
"Oh wow you shouldn't have told me that one..now I have something on you." She said sarcastically but in a dry tone.
He glared at her. "Very funny. As I was say, I gave them our scrolls but that didn't seem to make them happy. They stated that they were offended by my actions because they felt that I challenged and thought I was better than them because I was an Uchiha." He shook his head. "So they tried to kill me. Between the time they rose their weapons to strike me and the moment I seen my life flash before my eyes, was when my Sharingan was first activated."
"So you're saying that you have to be in a near death situation in order for it to be activated?" She said slowly standing to her feet.
"Not quite Setsuko I'm say-"
"Fine," she stood to her full height and stood in a position that showed she was prepared to fight. She new that her desperateness to activate her dōjutsu was lucid but she was sick of being the only one out of her other two siblings to not have the Sharingan. "Try to kill me then!"
"Wh-wha!?" He was taken aback by her words. "Are you crazy? No Setsuko. I told you, you can't force activate-"
"I don't care!" She charged at her older sibling for an attack but he simply raised his foot and connected it with her stomach. The girl grunted and her face twisted up in pain as she went tumbling back into the grass. Already fatigued and worn out from the training she had earlier that day along with the very little energy she mustered up to spar with her brother, she couldn't even pull herself up off the ground after that kick. Pain from her sore muscles and aching limbs rippled across her body. "S-sesume...please.."
He shook his head. "No, look at you. You've over worked yourself enough today. Go and get some rest Setsuko..we'll pick up where we left off another day." The older sibling said and walked into their home.
The Uchiha girl frowned and sadly stared up at the star littered night sky. Here she was showing her determination and no one wanted to help her. She remembered how her father would always train with both her brothers when they were young. He trains with her as well but not nearly as much as he did with them. A majority of the time she's training herself. Or on rare occasions when her mother isn't too busy at the Konoha Medical Center she trains with her. "It's not fair..." The girl whispered to herself. She crossed one of her arms over her eyes and started to weep quietly. "Maybe he was right.." She said a bit more loudly through her tears. "I can't activate it.." She shook her head as he cries became louder. "I give up!"
'Setsuko..'
Eriya stepped back away from the fence and twiddled with his thumbs. A pang of guilt built up in his stomach, remembering what he said to the Uchiha girl the other day when they had that bad altercation with each other.
'You're family is just another clan of average ninja just like any other ninja in Kanoha, there is nothing superior or special about the Uchiha clan, oh wait, except for that freaky thing your clan can do with their eyes. I haven't seen you use it yet, probably can't!'
"Oh..." His lips slanted into a crooked frown and he looked back towards the fence where Setsuko's sobs could still be heard. He reached up and curled his fingers over the top edge and pulled himself up. "Hey, Setsuko..?"
The girl cringed and lowered her arm from over her eyes to see Eriya propped up on the fence. Swiftly, she placed her arm back over her face to cover up her teary eyes and crimson cheeks. Last thing she wanted was for him to see her this way. He'd probably use it to his advantage. "Wh-what are you doing here!?" She said trying to keep her voice in an even tone, unaware that he already knew she was crying.
He was hesitant before answering. "I just...I just wanted to say, don't give up." He rolled his eyes. He started to think Hanzi was rubbing off on him. His choice of words sounded like something the blond would say.
The girl sat up in one swift movement and glowered up at the male, dark irises narrowed at the boy atop the fence. Tears trickled down both cheeks. "What are you talking about!?" She stood up from the ground and pulled the boy from the fence by the collar and pushed him to the ground. "What did you hear what are you even doing by my house!"
"Geez! Someone's a little hostile!" He was starting to rethink his guilt but when his eyes locked with the dark haired girl's sad ones the guilt returned. He sighed and started rubbing the side of his arm. "I didn't hear much of anything okay, just the end of you and your brother's conversation." he lied. "And I don't think you should give up on your dōjutsu either.."
She huffed and turned her eyes to the ground. "What gave you the impression that I was going to give up!?"
"Uh..." He scratched the back of his head. "Because you said it."
"You-"
"Now, now." He raised his hands in defense and backed up when the girl raised her fist at him. "Let's not get violent. But maybe you should listen to your brother. I may not know much when it comes to a dōjutsu but I do know that forcing anything will not make it happen any quicker. If anything it'll hinder it. Like your brother said, let it come naturally."
She sighed. "Whatever, I never asked for your advice in the first place!"
He smiled. "I know you won't admit it but it was damn good advice."
They both stared at one another before bursting out into laughter.
"I still can't stand you!" Setsuko said, and pushed the boy into the fence.
Eriya smirked. "The feeling is mutual Uchiha!" He huffed then leapt over the top of the fence. "I'll see ya in the morning Setsuko."
"Hanzi be still for a moment and let me attach your sleeping bag to your travel pack." Hinata said in a soft tone to her son. The boy was hopping up and down, full if energy and excitement. Today was the day. The day he'd been waiting for. He and his other teammates along with their sensei would finally be departing on their mission but not just any mission. An A ranked mission. "I'm sorry Okaa-sanI'm just so excited!"
A door on the far left of the house was open and out walked Naruto. The male was dressed in his usual attire of all black shirt and pants under a grey flack jacket. Over that he wore a long short sleeved orange haori with black flame like designs at the edge. The older blonde stretched his arms over his head and let out a loud obnoxious yawn that drew the attention of both his son and wife. "Morning!" He place a gentle kiss to Hinata's cheek and rubbed his fist against an excited Hanzi's head.
"Otōsan!"
Naruto smiled merrily and while looking at his overly excited his son was. It reminded him of when him, Sakura, and Sasuke had gone on their first real mission. Now here he was seeing his son off on his very first mission. "Alright Hanzi you ready to go?"
That was like a rhetorical question to the younger blonde he'd been ready to go since the day his father announced it to him and his teammates. "You betcha Otōsan!"
"Now you be safe out there Hanzi." Hinata spoke out to her son. She could feel a wave if emotions begin to overwhelm her and her eyes began to burn and sting, a sign of tears. She grabbed Hanzi's arm and pulled him into her arms, embracing the boy as tight as she could like she didn't want to let him go. "You make sure you listen to your sensei you hear me?"
Hanzi smiled and gently pushed away from his mother's embrace. "Don't worry Okaa-san, I'll be fine. When I come back I'll tell you all about it!" He smiled and stared up at his father who nodded his head.
Naruto slid open the front door and stepped out with his son following right at his side. He had to travel to the front gate to see them off as well as share some other important information with them.
It was a quiet morning for it was early. 7:00am to be more exact. A hint of the rising sun could be seen off in the distance. The early air was damp and slightly cool from the particles of dew that had fell over the nature surroundings over night along with a small amount of fog hanging over the village.
A few early birds of the village could be seen out in their yards tending to their early morning chores or the ones that owned shops within the village were headed out to start their day of business.
While the pair walked, Hanzi spotted Setsuko accompanied by one of her brothers coming from their homes. "Hey!" Hanzi shouted out and sprinted from his fathers side to catch up with his teammate. Setsuko heard the annoying boy's voice but she was really trying to ignore him but quite naturally the blonde didn't seem to grasp that concept since he continued to shout out the girl's name until he caught up to her. "Morning there Setsuko and uhm..." He looked up at her older brother and placed his index and middle finger under the base of his chin. He could never determine which brother was which since they were identical to one another.
"Ichiru." He said in a dry boring tone just like all the other Uchiha's.
Hanzi could never understand why they always seemed so cold and lacked life. Only one in their family that had some color and personality to them was Sakura. She always greeted Hanzi with a nice warm hello unlike the rest of the Uchiha's. He couldn't see how Sakura and Sasuke even mixed. Lively with boring. Not a good mix in his eyes.
"So you ready for today!?"
Setsuko rolled her eyes and she huffed. Hanzi's voice alone was enough to get on her nerves. "I'd be happy if you'd shut up.." Was her response to the boy's question.
"Ah!?" He only chuckled and folded his arms behind his head. Her rudeness never really bothered him. "Aww come on dont be like that."
"..." She still said nothing to the blond and just kept her eyes forward.
The four finally made it to the gate entrance where they had met up with Eriya, Indo and another, a young girl standing between the two. Long auburn hair that was pulled up into a ponytail and bangs that hung over her right eye. Piercing green optics that looked like they'd scare away any shinobi. She wore a black v-neck sleeveless shirt with black pants and dark blue Shinobi sandles. The village headband containing the symbol of Sunagakure hung around her neck. Setsuko and Hanzi recognized her to be the girl from the photo that they seen when Naruto presented them with the mission, the Kazekage's daughter, the one that they'd be leading back home.
"Good morning Indo, Eriya." Naruto said to the two. He looked down at the girl who looked up at him with a blank but icy expression. Naruto could do nothing but laugh to himself. "And how are you this morning?"
"Hmph..." She folded her arms and rolled her eyes in another direction. "Fine.." Her tone sounded like se was irritated.
"Eriya, Setsuko, Hanzi." Naruto called, pulling the attention of the three Genin. "This here is Ikari. Ikari this is Eriya, Setsuko, and Hanzi. Your body guards."
The auburn haired girl's eyes grew to a tremendous size. She looked over each of them for a few seconds before a smirk shaped her lips followed by a burst of laughter. "You're kidding right? They're damn near my age if not the same and they're my body guards? This is a joke!" She said continuing her laugh.
Eriya and Setsuko both could not stand it when they were either mocked or looked down on by others and immediately became offended by the girl's words. Setsuko was so close to taking her fist and connecting it to the side of the girl's head for trying to make a fool out of them but Indo quickly grabbed the girl's hand and hindered her from doing so.
"Ah..." Ikari said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Come on Hokage, this is a joke right? What are they going to protect me from a fly!?"
"I'll squash you like one you smart aleckey little-ahhgh!" Setsuko's remarks were cut short when Indo squeezed the girl's hand.
Naruto shook his head. "Not a joke Ikari, these three may be young but they've underwent intense training and are very skilled for their age. So please don't give them too much of a hard time."
"Pfft, no promises there!" She retorted. "Can we get going please!"
"Now you three, I trust that you will execute this mission properly. But I must warn you, I've received word that the stone ninja have been seen lurking at the border of the Fire and Wind countries so be weary and stay on your guard. It'll take three days to get to Suna from here. So with that, I'll leave you all to set out on your mission. Good luck.