AN: I seem to say this every single time i update this fic, but never the less, my apologies for keeping you waiting.
~Eagleman - Noted on Tenten, having a little re-read, perhaps just a tad too blunt. I will minimize it in future chapters. Hehehe, I will answer the part of your question that Sakura and Tenten's declaration is not going to occur in Wave, but their little 'rivalry' [I guess you can call it that] WILL be kept for a potential future fic depending on a number of variables. (you should know what I am implying *wink*)
~beautiful-green-beast - thank you for your feedback! I will keep your suggestions in mind, hope you continue to enjoy reading this.
Chapter 9 Apprehending 'Michi'
"3...2...1...ACTION!"
Lee burst off in a sprint, running through the narrow trees, the needle like rain crashing against his face. With the cold air of the before dawn morning blowing into him, Lee felt a shiver run down his back, despite his flaming red Kimono keeping him warm. Shifting his eyes to look around him, Lee's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Sprinting towards a tree, he lunged onto the tree's trunk, then using his built up speed, bounced off it to flip over two black caped men that had revealed themselves.
The men were holding spears, and their faces were unable to be seen due to masks made of steel that resembled a dog and a cat. Connecting with a branch, Lee sprung off it to dive down between the two. Before touching the ground, Lee delivered two round house kicks into the faces of his stalkers, sending both men flying off in opposing directions, their masks both 'clanking' as they fell by Lee's sides.
When he stylishly landed, Lee quickly tilted his head to the side, but not fast enough to fully evade the sharp edge of a katana, the blade just cutting his cheek. However, Lee never even flinched from the minor cut. Spinning around, he skilfully evaded an onslaught of attacks from the swordsman, who was wearing similar attire to the other two earlier, only this one was wearing a steel mask that looked like a tiger.
Lee then span around an attempted stab to his abdomen, the blade not even cutting the fine silk of his red kimono, as Lee delivered a palm thrust into the man's chest. The strong hit sent him flying and crashing into a tree, which toppled over from the inhuman like force.
"Send as many men as you wish Raziel! The secret of the red dragon shall never be used for the greed of man!"
"CUT!!!!"
Lee dropped his act and stood at attention, rubbing off the red paint that was marked on his face from the fake sword. While doing so, he was unable to hold back his pride filled grin upon seeing Gai giving him the thumbs up.
The director then span Lee around, "Excellent work! But we have been through this already-err- Lee-san was it? It is Michi-san's job to deliver the lines!"
"I respect that director-san-"
"HEY! I HAVE A NAME YOU KNOW!"
"-however, it helps me fit the role of Leto-san to speak his wise and moving lines."
"...Oh whatever. Michi-san! You're up."
Elsewhere on the sides of the set, Sakura sighed, "I don't know what to think of this anymore, I either want to laugh, or cry."
"That sounds like a question I asked myself two years ago."
Chuckling, Sakura shook her head to Tenten who was next to her, "How do you manage?"
Back with Lee, Michi and him met half way, "Give it all you have Michi-dono, let your talent shine into to lens of the camera, and demonstrate to Raziel your resilience to surrender the red dragon stone!"
"Umm-...I will?" Michi didn't know whether to consider himself a bad actor that this shinobi showed more enthusiasm for his work than even himself, or if this kid had a few screws loose.
'If his dad is anything to go by, maybe it's in the genes.' He guessed, oblivious to the actual truth to Gai not being Lee's dad.
Reunited with his team, Gai was the first...actually the only one to barge in front of him with an ecstatic applause, "That was superb as always, Lee!"
"Thank you, Gai-sensei, but shouldn't we be shifting our concern to the coming danger. Had it not been for director-san seeing an opportune shooting in this place, we would have arrived in the Valley Of The End without a cunning strategy."
Gai was in awe, and then gave Lee a sparkling smile, "What a dazzling demonstration of my students focus on the mission! Sakura! Are you taking note of this admirable quality?! Be sure to mention his dedication!"
"Hai, Hai, absolutely Gai-sensei." Sakura sarcastically answered, opening up her pad and tapping on the paper with her pencil. Tenten poorly suppressed her giggle though when it turned out Sakura was not writing down anything.
This was the norm for Sakura on this mission. Gai was on her case literally if Lee breathed like a chuunin, and most of the time was leaning over her shoulder when she was writing down anything. It was borderline creepy at first, but now she just treated it as a joke and minor annoyance. One time he even criticized her for using a word that sounded too 'ordinary' or 'unremarkable'.
Moving on with what Lee suggested, Gai's face morphed to one of seriousness, "I have advised our clients of the risk ahead of us, however they are insistent to still record a scene there."
"They still are?"
Gai nodded to Tenten's question, "It is our duty to protect them, unless the situation was of upmost importance, we must do as they wish. This is why Hokage-sama has taken the precaution to assigning a four man cell with my presence."
"So what can we do to prepare?" Gai scratched his chin while thinking of a way to answer Sakura's question.
"Unfortunately without a specialist in observation like Neji with us, we truly are moving in blind. We could try scouting ahead, however, that would be leaving the cast and crew with less protection, even if it was only me who was scouting."
Sakura's brows furrowed, "Assuming Oto really does show up when we are there, I think it is safe to say that Michi-sama and possibly the other cast are the main targets they would aim for."
"That indeed is true, but to us, we should consider even one civilian being seriously injured or worse a failure." Sakura nodded in agreement, finding this side of Gai astounding considering how carefree and childlike the jounin usually acted.
'He really does know when it is time to not fool around.'
Tenten inwardly chuckled as she read Sakura's surprised expression, 'So many think that he is just plain crazy, which they probably are right. However, Gai-sensei would not be the jounin he is today if he really was an idiot. I can't blame her though...Both Neji and myself were caught off guard too on our first real mission.'
"So our best course of action is to simply remain alert?"
"It appears that way Lee, we will just have to salvage our current situation, and use it to our advantage. Lee, since you are working on the set, and are restricted mainly to that area, your sole purpose should be to protect our clients. Sakura, you will be assigning yourself to spectate Lee from off the set, in the case of an incident, both you and Lee will be protecting the cast and crew. Your duty is our defence. As for Tenten and myself, we will be patrolling a perimeter around the scene. If we are attacked by forces, we shall engage them, hopefully sorting the matter without issue."
"Hai, sensei!"
The Valley Of The End was a place that both amazed and struck terror into those that visited it. The history of many great battles that occurred here were still scarred on its walls. If you listened carefully to the water streaming off the great waterfall crashing onto the surface with a never ending roar, one could swear they could hear a battle happening.
Between the great waterfall stood two gigantic monuments of two important people. The one on the right was known by many, the Shodai hokage. The other face however was one that only a few people knew, being the founder of the Uchiha clan. The person's name was rarely spoken in today's society by the elders, and most of the young generation were completely oblivious of the individual's identity.
Lazily sitting at the toe of the Shodai's monument was a young man with pure white hair, that was tied in a pony tail reaching down to his back. The man was wearing an attire that looked very similar to what Orochimaru wore, with the only difference being his was wearing short sleeved fishnet top, covering his very muscular build. Just able to be seen through the mesh over his heart, was a strange tattoo that consisted of three curved lines shaped in a triangular pattern.
The man was looking up at the face of the Uchiha monument, his bored filled icy blue irises peering through his chin length bangs, "Who is that guy?"
"That is Uchiha Madara, taicho." Said the voice of another shinobi standing at attention nearby. This person was wearing thick dark coloured clothing, with his face mostly concealed by a mask, and was wearing the sound insignia as a forehead protector.
Narrowing his eyes at the statue, the man still held little astonishment, "Uchiha...the clan that the entire shinobi world knows about, yet so few even know of its founder...why is that?"
"From what we have been told, Madara out casted himself soon after Konoha came to existence. Something to do with the Shodai hokage being the chosen one to lead the new village. Years later, Madara and the Shodai fought a great battle here, where Madara's life came to an end as a result. Since the Shodai respected the clan's founder, he insisted on this place becoming a great memorial in his memory."
Focussing on his subordinate now, the man stood, "You seem to know a great deal don't you? However, in your history lesson, you did not answer my question."
"My humble apologies taicho! I do not know the answer."
"Hmm...what do you have to report?"
"As our spies informed us, we have confirmed the sighting of Konoha's clients heading this way."
"Do we know who these shinobi are that are protecting them?"
"We have confirmation on one of its members being once a teammate to Sasuke-sama, otherwise we have little information on the others except for one being a jounin."
"Spies so skilled to infiltrate into Konoha, and gain access to Konoha's missions...and all they have to offer me is something as useless as that?" The man said rhetorically in a dismissive manner.
The subordinate stood firmly at attention, "Forgive me for speaking disrespectfully taicho, but in order for their presence to remain unnoticed, there is so little that they can do. We should praise their efforts."
The shinobi's blue-grey eyes widened when a wave of killer intent literally fell over his shoulders, finding himself frozen under the man's cold but otherwise unchanged gaze, "Is that so?" The shinobi said flatly, as the subordinate was struggling to even speak.
The man taking a step forward made the subordinate's entire body jolt, but he didn't move. He knew that if he so much as flinched from his standing position, he was dead. Coming up to mere inches away, the subordinate felt the entire force of the murderous intent weigh down on him, making his knees buckle.
"Very well then. Inform the others, and remember my instructions, we are to capture this Michi, not kill him. Killing a client alone is a failure, but capturing them alive for ransom is even more of a failure for Konoha. It proves their incompetence, and literally is a spit in their faces. This is Orochimaru-sama's will."
"H-Hai!"
"I will be waiting at the rendezvous point, use this scroll to make use of my summoning contract. It already is marked with my blood. Simply point it in Michi's direction...it will do the rest."
His icy eyes glimmered for a moment as he dropped the scroll into the trembling sound shinobi's hands, "Is that understood? Or should I explain it to someone else?"
"N-No-I mean-H-Hai, understood perfectly taicho!" The subordinate stuttered out, as the man still hadn't changed his expression, and walked past him, heading out towards the river. Confirming he was still alive by looking at his captains retreating back, the subordinate gasped for the air he had held in, as several other similarly dressed sound nin walked up to him.
"W-What the hell is with that guy?!"
"Shh! If he hears you talking about him behind his back, you are dead."
"B-But what is his problem?! Does he understand how hard it is for our spies to even remain hidden in Konoha?"
"It should be expected from him, after all, he is from 'that' war ridden village-"
"I will say this to you all now."
The neutral voice coming from the river made all the sound nin jump and turn, while those icy irises met each and every one of them, "...If you are unable to defeat the Konoha shinobi, then do not waste Orochimaru-sama's time and patience. Just capture Michi from under their grasps, it shouldn't be too overly complicated, since they are aware of our intentions."
"H-How is that a benefit to us?!"
The man finally changed from his flat lined face to then form a pride filled smirk, "Because their awareness means they are very concerned with the security of the client, they may even be very paranoid about the slightest thing amiss. Little do they realise, as a great man once said, 'Security can be the greatest enemy.' Both where it is too little...or too great."
Without saying further, the man turned and now left them from their sights. "What the hell does that nonsense mean? 'Security can be the greatest enemy'?!"
"Who knows, but we better not screw this up, everyone knows he is just as unforgiving as Orochimaru-sama."
One of the sound nin then shifted his hand in his weapon pouch, and brought out a photo, "Anyway guys, this is our target Michi. He is playing as a monk in this film, and will be wearing a red kimono."
"So how are we going to take this guy captive? Assuming a jounin is truly with them, this is not going to be a walk in the park."
"What are you talking about? There is eight of us here, nine if you include our crazed leader."
"Do not underestimate the strength of a Konoha jounin. Even the late sound four had to give it all they had to defeat only two...and neither of us except for our taicho are at or above one of the sound fives calibre."
"If that guy is so strong, why the hell isn't he helping us then. Isn't this for Orochimaru-sama's will?"
"Because you must prove your worth to Orochimaru-sama." It was amazing how that flat tone from behind made several trained shinobi jump back in fright. True to their horror, the same leader they saw walking off earlier had now returned, and was standing behind them.
"This is a test for you recruits. I am here strictly to evaluate and report back to Orochimaru-sama. Some of you may have great potential, while some of you may be just poor excuses for shinobi. As you said, I am as unforgiving as he is."
The subordinate who mentioned that fact earlier gulped as those emotionless eyes locked onto him, practically paralysing him in the process, "I...just like Orochimaru-sama, have no room for lack of ability, nor will I tolerate insubordination. Continue to disappoint me, and I will ensure to rid you of your incompetence...in any way I see appropriate."
Raising his finger casually in the air froze the group of shinobi, as it suddenly lowered, pointing sharply at the one that spoke out about him being a 'crazed leader', "You."
The young man disgraced himself by yelping like a child, "H-Hai!?"
The creepy smirk that moulded on the captains face made the grown man's legs buckle, "Congratulations, you will be acting as taicho for this group, depending on how this mission is carried out, you will take full responsibility for it. Both for its success...or its failure."
Before the subordinate could mutter a single coherent word, the mysterious man burst apart into water, and shot away, the liquid mixing with the stream nearby.
"W-Was that his home villages version of shunshin no jutsu?" Nobody was able to respond to the blurted question, as they were too afraid to the fact that he may still be here.
After several minutes of staring in shock at the spot where the man once stood, the new leader composed himself, "W-We better get to work guys."
The next day...
The rainy weather appeared to have followed the film crew all the way to their location so it would seem. It wasn't drizzling down, but heavy enough that Sakura openly welcomed the shade that was setup. While she was trying to give attention to keeping a sharp eye out, her interest had drifted to the area around them. They had spread themselves down the river line, where from her position, she could see both the monuments and the great waterfall between them.
'So this is where they both fought...'
"Now remember Lee-san, once you defeat Raziel's elite guard, he will then start to fight you. Every time Raziel waves his arm at you, you are to fly back as if the wind itself is smashing against you." "How is it possible Raziel can do that though?"
"Huh?...it's the power of the great red dragon stone of course, he attacks you by manipulating the wind to collide against you."
"So he waves his hand to release some invisible force to knock me away...not to be disrespectful or questioning your creativity director-san, but hasn't this happened before in another motion picture production?"
"Absolutely not! The red dragon stone is manipulating nature to fight at Raziel's will, it is fully original and unique. And for the last time, my name is Kurosawa! Now where did my producer get to?"
While the puzzled Lee was scratching his 'hair' with a single finger, he walked up to Sakura, "This whole movie business is quite overwhelming Sakura-san, I envy Michi-dono."
Sakura finally pulled her gaze away from the two great statues to give a half hearted smile to Lee, "It sure is confusing, Lee-san."
The miniature Gai did not miss her pause, "Is something bothering you Sakura-san?"
She at first showed surprise, but then recovered and nodded, "It's nothing really Lee-san, this place..."
"This is where Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun fought." Lee finished her sentence lightly, knowing that even though she didn't show anything, Sakura inwardly was anxious.
"Ah, that's right."
"You ok?"
This time her smile was more genuine, "I'm fine thanks Lee-san, maybe before we go though, I would like to just take a look around by myself if Gai-sensei and our clients do not mind."
"That sounds reasonable."
"Everyone get into your places!"
Lee excused himself after the directors announcement on the blow horn, as Sakura glanced once more at the monuments, then got to work. Reaching up to her neck, she pressed the button on her microphone that was attached to the small collar.
Sakura once again was both impressed and shocked by Gai's organisation than from before. He had issued out radios to all of them excluding Lee, and issued everybody code names. Sakura and Lee were in team A, and Gai along with Tenten were in team B. She also was instructed to keep a head count of everyone, and if anybody was to leave or arrive on the set, they had to check with her first.
She was to report to Gai the moment the number changed in any way, "This is A-One reporting in. Nothing of concern so far, A-Two is about to start his act."
A scratchy voice that sounded like Gai responded from the ear bud in her left ear, "This is B-One, nothing suspicious as of yet."
The radio clicked as Tenten then spoke, "B-Two reporting, same here."
"What is the head count A-One?"
Sakura's trained eyes shifted around the crew, as she counted them all in her head. Once finished, she counted them once again, and tensed after wordlessly mouthing out the unexpected number.
"...We have an extra person here."
"Did anybody report to you leaving or arriving recently?"
"Hai, two people arrived a couple of minutes ago. There should be twenty eight people...there is twenty nine."
"Do you need me to come help you Sakura-"
"-B-Two!-" Gai sharply cut in.
Tenten's sigh was heard over the radio, "My apologies...do you need assistance, 'A-One'?"
Sakura would have chuckled if she wasn't so alert, "It's fine B-Two."
"Inform A-Two, then search for the extra head. If you remember them, focus more so on everybody that has recently checked in with you. Chances are there may be others." Gai instructed.
"Hai, out."
Clicking the button to mute her microphone, Sakura walked out from under the shelter, and into the rain.
"3...2...-?" The director halted when Sakura rested a hand on his shoulder, and as if understanding what the gesture meant, halted his countdown.
Walking past the director and onto the set, Sakura continued heading towards the now curiously glancing Lee.
Walking up to him, she leaned in so only Lee would hear, "There is an extra person unaccounted for Lee-san. Gai-sensei has told me to look around for them, stay alert."
Lee responded with a quick nod and a semi salute, "Call out if you require my immediate assistance Sakura-san!"
Without word, she turned and walked off the set, which gave the director his cue, "3...2...1...ACTION!" While all eyes were on the shooting, Sakura's was lost amongst the crew.
On the set with Lee, he began his planned exchange of fists with an elite guard. Unlike previous staged events, this time he had to allow hits through his guard to make it appear he was losing. Something he by far was not used to doing, there was an irregularity however that confused him. The elite guard was not following what they had rehearsed from a couple of days ago. The look on the directors face though showed he was pleased though with this difference, being that the exchange was faster and more stylish then before, so Lee simply improvised.
Back with Sakura, she was glancing from head to head in the crowd, but she couldn't spot anything remotely amiss, 'Who could it be, maybe someone just forgot to check in?' A pair of men that was a little further away from the set got her attention. One of the men she recognised as the producer, and from what she could make out from here, he was scolding the other person about something in a relaxed manor. That person was wearing a costume similar to the elite guard's outfit who was currently exchanging in staged fists with Lee, the exception being he was not wearing the metallic dragon mask which the one on the stage had on.
'I wonder what is going on?'
While approaching, Lee now was executing the second part of his fight, ending it by delivering a feigned blow to the guards chest, knocking the man down, and then turning to face another person who was dressed in an expensive appearing attire, and had a fake goatee beard that reached down to the ground, "Is this what you see as worth it for that stone Raziel!?"
"CUT! I said no lines! Just skip to the fighting part...TAKE TWO, ACTION!"
Now only a few meters away, Sakura could see the clear spaced out and confused expression on the dressed up man's face, "I really don't know what happened. I was leaving the carriage, then I can't remember anything."
"Is something wrong here?"
Sakura announced, as the producer turned, "This guy didn't attend the meeting this morning, and didn't know he was meant to report to you upon arrival."
Mouthing an 'oh' at the producers explanation, Sakura nodded, "That explains the extra head then. Thank you."
While turning to leave, she paused when she was about to press the button to unmute the radio's microphone upon the pair exchanging words.
"Well I don't know what to say, I guess the director got impatient and got another one of the cast to sub in for you."
"But that was my specific role! I was hired for my martial arts talents, nobody else here except one of those shinobi could possibly sub in."
Sakura turned back now in interest, "Pardon me for intruding, but what is going on here exactly?"
Turning now to face her again, the producer showed his bafflement with a large shrug, "Listen to what he says yourself, it doesn't make any sense at all."
"Go on."
"Well I still don't remember it that well, I heard on the blow horn this morning we were having a meeting. I was the last to leave the carriage, but the moment I stepped out of the door..."
Sakura was about to press on the man, but seeing in his concentrated gaze that he was trying to recollect, she waited, "...I heard a sound."
"A sound?"
"Yeah, sounded sort of like a flute, but then after that...I only remember waking up again in the carriage."
"A flute, and then you don't rem-!"
"This is B-Two, I have contact." The voice of stern voice of Tenten suddenly interrupted. Placing up a hand to signal 'wait' to the people she was talking to, Sakura then covered her ear to block out other noises.
"How many B-Two?" Gai instructed.
"I see three, possibly four. They are concealing themselves within the trees...I am seeing Oto insignia."
Tensing at mention of the village, Sakura then heard what sounded like a weapon being unsheathed over the radio. After a heavy moments silence, an annoyed groan was heard.
"Just bunshin...wait!"
Sakura's interest was torn away as she snapped her gaze in the direction she heard and felt a sudden explosion not far. Sakura wasn't the only one who noticed, as the entire filming crew now were looking in puzzlement at the smoke rising.
The static hissing into her ear piece stunned her, "B-One moving in! Come in B-Two!"
Despite Gai's shout, static was all that was heard, so he repeated now more stressed, "Tenten!"
"I'm fine, just a poorly placed explosive note by them."
Hearing Tenten allowed Sakura to breathe again, "Are you hurt?"
"No, I am completely fine, but I need help Gai-sensei. They no longer are playing hide and seek. Five confirmed targets!"
Sakura's interest no longer was on the radio conversation, as now her current situation had taken priority, 'Wait a second. If this person is meant to be in the shooting, then who's...'
Her musing was cut off in memory to what the actor behind her had said, 'But that was my specific role! I was hired for my martial arts talents, nobody else here except one of those shinobi could possibly sub in.'
Gasping, she looked back at the set where Lee was still standing, The guard behind him now was standing, and holding something that looked like a scroll, which was stained with blood.
"BEHIND YOU!"
Her scream never made it in time, as the scroll was flung open, revealing a large kanji character reading 'summon'. Lee had turned only to see the smoke cloud, but before he could react, an elastic like tongue that was as thick as his body shot through the smoke, hitting him dead on.
Lee could do nothing as it enwrapped around him, secreting a fowl thick and sticky saliva all over his kimono, as it in the fashion of a rubber band, pulled him into the thick smoke.
"LEE-SAN!" Sakura cried, as she started running, but two outfits lifting into the air was seen at the corner of her eye. Pulling back, she just missed the sharp edge of a kunai cutting her nose, and halted when two similarly attired Oto-nin now were in her way.
"You aren't going anywhere." One declared.
Cursing, Sakura pressed harder than necessary on the microphone, "Team A in trouble!"
A loud 'poof' drew her interest over Gai's sudden words on the radio, as she looked over one of the sound nin's shoulders. Whatever had grabbed Lee couldn't be seen, only the disguised sound nin and the now closed scroll remained.
There was no signs of the miniature Gai anywhere.
The elite guard then turned, and made a break for it.
"Sakura!"
Gai's shout from the radio pulled her out of her bewilderment as she charged towards the pair in front of her, "We have got a serious problem Gai-sensei!"
One of the Oto-nin met her half way, twirling a kunai in his hand as he tried to stab her, which she effortlessly evaded. Sakura countered with a sweeping kick from the side which the nin blocked with his forearm. His sudden grunt voiced his regret for doing so. Taking advantage of the sound nin's staggered form, Sakura span her kick around to hit his unprotected side, feeling something break upon her foot's connection. Continuing her onslaught of attacks, the Oto-nin was recovering poorly from each strike. She nearly felt guilty upon ending her assault with a chakra enhanced backhand to his face, effectively knocking the grown man off of his feet.
Sakura was half expecting a Kawarimi, but she was surprised when the body crashed against the rocky floor, and let out a moan before falling unconscious. Brushing her surprise at how easy that was off, she turned her focus on the other one, who had a sudden hesitant expression on his face that almost read like a 'uh-uh'.
She blinked when the sound nin dropped a smoke bomb at his feet, and ran for it. 'What the hell? These Oto-nin...are hopeless amateurs!'
"Sakura! What is going on?" Gai's voice again shouted into the radio, as Sakura covered her ear to block out other noise.
"Gai-sensei! Lee-san has been kidnapped!"
