Chapter 9: Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place
(After a brief meeting with Asuma's team, he and his team join the Guard. That team stayed in the village to make sure no suspicions came up. Several days after Sakura and Ino's match, breakfast is already on the table when everybody comes in.)
Konohamaru: "What the hell!? She already did everything!?"
Sei:*sleepily* "Naw Konohamaru, Kakashi did."
Kakashi:*gave him a funny look*
Lei:*just walking out of the kitchen* "Oh, hey guys. I didn't think you'd be up this early."
Sei: "Are you kidding me? Konohamaru was jumping on my back, how could I not get up?"
Konohamaru:*smiles and laughs*
Lei:*sighs* "Little brothers and cousins. Can't keep 'em from killing each other can I?"
Sandaime: "These two, definitely not."
Lei:*sighs*
(Everyone eats and then goes about their business. Lei finishes off her training with Team 7 around noon. Once they're off and doing their thing, Lee approaches her at the lake. She's alone for once.)
Lee:*coming up from her right* "Lei-san?"
Lei:*turns to him* "Lee. Something up?"
Lee: "Not really. I just wanted to talk to you about something."
Lei: "And what's that?"
Lee: "Well, I just have a feeling that Gai Sensei's training is not enough. And-"
Lei: "You want me to help you."
Lee:*sighs. Feeling a little ashamed* "Yes."
Lei:*puts a hand on his shoulder* "Don't feel bad about asking for a little extra help Lee. Gai would've wanted you to ask me for help if you ever needed it."
Lee: "Seriously?"
Lei: "Yes. He may be a bit of a pervert, but he knows when he can't get a job thoroughly done. You want to be a Taijutsu master, if you ever want to achieve that goal you'll have to train under more than one person. True Gai is good with Taijutsu, but you're better at it than you think you are. You just need a fine tuning."
Lee: "You make it sound so easy."
Lei: "Oh it won't be, that I can assure you. Taijutsu isn't mastered in a day; it takes practice, perseverance, and patience."
Lee:*looks at her and smiles.*
Lei:*returns the smile* "We'll start first thing tomorrow, after breakfast. Considering I'm the only decent cook around here."
Lee:*laughs*
(Later still, Lei approaches Naruto and sends Sakura and Sasuke inside. He looks confused.)
Naruto: "What's up?"
Lei: "There's something I have that belongs to you."
Naruto: "Hm?"
Lei:*pulls a wooden medallion out of her pocket and holds it out to him* "This. It's the amulet that I use to keep Trudgen under control."
Naruto: "Wha? Why are you giving it to me?"
Lei:*gently smiles* "It was left to you Naruto. I was to keep it until you were ready to handle him. He's yours to care for now."
Naruto:*gingerly takes the amulet. Looking over it.* "What's with the funny symbols?"
Lei:* "Ditz."* "Never mind them. You don't need to know what it says. But here's some advice for you: Keep it close at all times, you never know when you'll need him."*heads inside; leaving Naruto confused beyond belief.*
Naruto: "Eh, I'm so confused."
Lei: * "You'll understand when the time comes. Believe me you will. As much of a ditz as you are, you'll figure it out eventually."*
(Later that night, Lei is sitting in her room playing with a small fan similar to Temari's [no purple dots]. First she flips it between her index fingers and closes it with a quiet snap. She slowly opens it again and ink seems to spread across the fabric into the kanji for wind and fire. She closes it again and sits it in front of her.)
Lei: "That jutsu is so old. How it survived the rewrite process is beyond me, and this fan for that matter. It's almost four hundred years old."
Obito:*talking to her from the kunai* "That's an old fan."
Lei: "Stuff it Obito. It was my mother's. She handed it down to me as her mother did to her. It's part of the Oratagi family bloodline limit. I'm stuck between Mortagashi and Oratagi."
Obito: "Therefore, you can use both families' techniques, right?"
Lei: "Yep, that about sums it up. How my mother found the time to tell me or my dad about that is beyond my comprehension."
Obito:*teasingly* "There's a lot of things out of your comprehension."
Lei: "Shut up. The same goes for you pirate boy."
Obito: "HEY!!! Don't go there."
Lei: "You started it."
Obito: -_-*sighs* "Why do I bother half the time?"
Lei: "You now you love me."
Obito:*frowns* "But speaking of love. How well are you and Kakashi getting along, eh?"
Lei: "Just fine thank you. Matter of fact we're engaged."
Obito:! "Really?"
Lei: "Yes. And tell my father if you wish, and sensei. See if I do anything to you, except maybe let your soul float around in limbo for awhile."
Obito:*sarcastically* "Haha very funny. Why am I always the butt of your jokes?"
Lei: "Your not. It's mostly Sei and Gai."
Obito: "Why am I not surprised?"
Lei: "Cuz they're idiots. And that's being nice about it."
Obito: "I'm guessing that Kakashi called Sei a blonde again."
Lei: "You better believe it."
(Meanwhile, Orochimaru and Nokki have been training non-stop since Nokki laid the challenge at Lei's feet. Both of them are using kendo sticks, as such not to knock the hell outta each other [They're doing that anyway], Nokki's getting most of the beating because he's so slow. Nokki's knocked back at least seventy feet. Orochimaru shoulders his kendo stick.)
Orochimaru: "Getting tired already?"
Nokki:*standing up* "No, you just caught me off guard."
Orochimaru:*smirks* "Shall we continue then?"
(The two of them get back at it.)(Back at the mansion, Lei is getting into her pajamas as Trudgen scratched at her door. She ignored it and pulled her hair out of the braid and into a bun. Trudgen scratched again with a whine.)
Lei:*sighs.* "It's open."
Trudgen:*nudges the door open with his nose and comes inside. He sits close to her.*
Lei: "Are you here to yell at me or to tell me Naruto is standing right outside the door because he wants answers."
Naruto:*outside the door.*! * "Busted."*
Trudgen:-_-; "I told you it wouldn't work."
Lei:*sighs* "Come in."
Naruto:*comes inside obediently. Without shutting the door*
Lei: "There isn't a lot I can tell you. He is the only thing that I know of that was able to be left behind for you."
Naruto: "What? You're kidding right?"
Lei: "Nope. I wish I could give more information than that, but I can't. Besides, you shouldn't even be out of bed. Kakashi'll ream you a new one if he finds you up this late. And Gai'll ream me for the same reason."
Naruto: "Why's he gonna ream you? Not like your training with that pervert."
Lei: "No, but I am starting training with Lee tomorrow after breakfast."
Naruto: "Oh." O_O "WHAT!?!?"
Lei: "Shut up you loud mouth. You wanna wake up the whole village?"
Naruto: "No."
Lei: "Then shut the hell up. Now, off to bed with ya, both of ya."
Naruto Trudgen:*They head to their room*
Lei:*sighs* "He knows better than that. Being up at this hour."
Kakashi:*coming from the closet* "So do you."
Lei:*jumps* "How the hell did you get in there without me noticing?"
Kakashi:*steps out* "How do you think?"
Lei:*teasingly* "Closet pervert."
Kakashi:*closes the closet* "I am not. That title rightfully belongs to Ebisu." *playfully dusts himself off*
Lei: "You're hopeless."
Kakashi: "No. That'd be you smart mouth."
Lei: "How much of me and Obito did you hear?"
Kakashi: "The whole thing."
Lei: "Oh. Okay."
Kakashi: -_-; "And that doesn't matter to you in the slightest does it?"
Lei: "Nope."
Kakashi: "I might've known."
Lei: "You're suppose to be a genius and your fiancée is outsmarting you. That's saying somethin Kakashi-san."
Kakashi:*unexpectantly picks her up, his arms around her waist* "Oh really?"
Lei:*smiles. Slips down his mask and kisses him*
(Early the next morning, Lei gets up before everybody else and goes into the kitchen. Once she starts cooking, the smell of eggs, bacon, pancakes and coffee fills the house. The first one to enter the dinning room is (believe it or not)Smicha, followed closely by Akamaru. Both of them look over at their empty food bowls, then at each other confused. Then Trudgen walks in seeing his empty dish, he scowls. Lei soon walks out of the kitchen with two plates of eggs in her hands. She places them on the table, and heads back into the kitchen [the table is already set]. Akamaru and Smicha exchange looks of confusion. Trudgen shrugs and lies down by his bowl. Lei comes out again with the bacon and lays it on the table. Akamaru paws at the hem of her pants. She looks down and smiles.)
Lei: "Hey Akamaru."*kneels and scratches his ears*
Akamaru:*pants happily and wags his tail.*
Lei:*stands back up and heads back into the kitchen.*
Akamaru:*looks at the door*
(A second later, three doves fly out of the kitchen and grab the bowls)
Akamaru:*starts barking at them*
(That's what woke Kakashi up.)
Kakashi:*half opens his eyes and looks around. he gets up and starts for the dinning room. Walking in.* "What the?"
Akamaru:*continues his barking, not noticing Kakashi*
Trudgen:*seeing Kakashi, barks once and Akamaru shuts up in fright.*
Akamaru:*whine*
Kakashi:*picks him up and scratches his ears*
Akamaru:*enjoys his scratch*
(The three birds fly out again carrying the bowls full of food and put them back in their places.)
Akamaru:*leaps from Kakashi's arms to the floor and charges at his food*
Smicha:*stops him before he hurt himself. goes to her food and eats*
Trudgen:*doesn't bother to move and starts out of his bowl*
Akamaru:*starts eating his*
Lei:*comes out again with the pancakes* "Oh, hey Kakashi. I didn't hear you come in through Akamaru's barking."
Kakashi: "He was barking at the birds."
Lei: "My doves? That figures."
Kakashi:*shrugs* "What on earth do you have planned for breakfast?"
Lei: "Eggs, bacon, pancakes and coffee. Why?"
Kakashi: "Just asking. I could smell it all the way from your room."
([Don't take that the wrong way. He has to walk past her room to get to the dinning room.])
Lei: "Is it that strong? Yeesh, then Naruto and Iruka will be up any minute if not already."
Kakashi: "I'm betting on Kiba first."
Lei: "Don't underestimate Naruto's nose. When he smells food, he'll be out in a heartbeat."
([speaking of which] Naruto has just walked into the dinning room.)
Lei: "What'd I tell ya? There's the loud mouth now."
Naruto:*scowls* "Very funny."
Lei:*fake laugh* "Of course it was."*one of her doves lands on her shoulder. It quietly chirps in her ear* "Excuse me."*heads back into the kitchen.*
Naruto:*turns to Kakashi* "What's with the birds?"
Kakashi: "They're her summon."
Naruto: "Oh kay. Birds?"
Kakashi: "Technically they're doves, birds of peace."
Naruto: "Peace?"
Kakashi: "Yes." *sighs* "You can be as bad as Sei sometimes."
Naruto: "At least I can put two and two together."
Kakashi: "That depends on your point of view."*sits at the table*
Naruto:*sits down.*
Lei:*walks back out with the coffee and puts it on the table*
Naruto:*looking up at it* "Don't let Konohamaru get that. Caffeine makes him bounce off the walls."
Lei: "You would know that wouldn't you. Grampa won't let him have any, one because he's too young, and he knows that."*one of her doves comes of the kitchen and perches on her shoulder. She gently strokes it*
(As Gai walks in the dove chirps at him)
Gai:*looks up at it and smiled* "Been awhile since we've seen you."
Dove:*chirps*
Gai:*takes his seat at the table*
(After a few minuets, everyone starts to come in, responding to the smell of food, Lei's food [yummy]. Once they began to eat, there was immediate conversation. Lei finished up her breakfast and headed out, Kakashi not following her.)
Sei: "How come you stayed?"
Gai:*rolled his eyes with a groan*
Kakashi: "Never mind Sei."
Lee:*was staring confused at Sei with his fork in his mouth. His took his last few bites on his plate and headed out after Lei*
Sei: "And where's he heading?"
Naruto:* "Man, he's dumb."*
Konohamaru: "You're such an idiot Sei."
Sei:*vein* "What was that, shrimp?"
Konohamaru:*vein* "Who you callin' a shrimp, blondie?"
Kakashi:*holding his hands up innocently* "That was not me."
Kiba:*is trying not to laugh*
Sei: "You shrimp."
Tenten: "Might I suggest running?"
Naruto: "Little late for that."
(Shooting each other evil glares)
Konohamaru:*tries to jump at Sei but couldn't get over Naruto's head, falls and knocks over Naruto in the process.*
Naruto: "OW!!! Can you leap any lower? Geeze! You almost took my head off!"
Konohamaru:*tries to leap again but gets his ear caught by Sakura*
Sakura: "Nice try. But your not going anywhere from here except to your room or the corner for a time-out."
Konohamaru: "OW!!! Lemme go!!!"
Sakura: "No."
Sandaime:*sighs* "Some things never change."
([Ahem, in the meantime] Lei is at the lake waiting for Lee. As Lee comes up, Lei spins her windmill shuriken on it's point)
Lei: "Ready to get started?"
Lee: "Yes, but what is the shuriken for?"
Lei: "I'll be teaching you a technique or two. These are to help you balance."
Lee:*utterly confused*
Lei:*sighs* "Let me put it this way, the first technique I'll teach you is called the Leopard Strike. It requires absolute balance from the user. These shuriken are perfect in this situation because the points are small."
Lee:*nods in agreement* "Then why do you have two?"
Lei: "I'm not letting you do it alone."*she plants one of the shuriken into the ground and the other about five feet away. She steps on top of one of them and balances* "Now you get up."
Lee:*looks at the shuriken, and heads toward it. He gets to the point of the shuriken and almost falls. He regains his balance and tries to stand like Lei*
Lei: "Ah, don't try and stand with one foot. Use both for now, that'll cover it."
Lee:*gulps and tries to balance. He nearly loses his balance but quickly regains it.*
(For the majority of the day, the two of them stay on top of the shuriken. Lee had a hard time staying up there. Lei didn't twitch. Lee was sweating in the afternoon sun. As the sun began to lower in the sky, Lei stepped down off her shuriken.)
Lei: "Lee, you can step down now."
Lee:*hadn't heard her*
Lei: "Lee, come down."
Lee:*opened his eyes which were tightly shut* "What?"*he lost his balance and fell off.* "Ow."
Lei:*helps him up* "You did fine Lee. That's all we need for today. Keep practicing on the shuriken."*helping him to his feet* "As of now, your coming inside whether you want to or not. You need to put something in you before you pass out of pure exhaustion."
Gai:*who had been sitting against a tree since noon* "I can get one of the other Genin to help him so you won't have to carry him."
Lei: "No, you go inside and make sure at least one of them is at the door to the dinning room. I won't be able to get into the kitchen with him."
Gai:*gives her a look of dissatisfaction*
Lei: "Don't give me that look Gai. I care about Lee just as much as you do." *catches him as he about falls* "Unless you'd rather take him."
Gai:*slightly surprised. He steps over to her and takes Lee from her grasp. He keeps Lee up until he gets to the dinning room*
Lei:*follows*
(Once in the dinning room Gai sits Lee at the table. Lee leans over trying to keep the weight shifted from his feet and legs. Naruto and Kiba walk out of the kitchen with a stack of plates each ready to set the table. They both almost drop the plates seeing Lee.)
Naruto: "What happened?"
Lei: "He's just exhausted Naruto. The training is taking a nasty toll on his body."
Kiba: "Geeze, and we thought he could withstand anything."
Lei: "You couldn't last half an hour in the training he's doing. Lee lasted most of the day."
Naruto:*puts the plates on table (still in a stack) and heads back into the kitchen. He comes back out with a glass of water. He hands it to Lee*
Lee:*still trembling a little, takes the glass with a thank you. He gulps it down and places it on the table.*
(After dinner that night, Gai takes Lee into his room and lays him down. Lei sits outside on the steps, looking up at the moon.)
Lei:* "I've faith in you Lee. You can do this. It'll take a few days, but you'll pull through. I know you will."*
Sakura:*seemingly coming from nowhere* "Lei-san!"
Lei:*coming back into reality* "Yes? What is it Sakura?"
Sakura: "While your waiting for Lee to get the balance he needs, would you mind training me?"
Lei: "Of course not Sakura. Lee will obtain his balance, but I will remain in the same vicinity to keep an eye on him. If you don't mind."
Sakura: "Uh, no. Not at all."
Lei: "Good. Sakura, maybe now you'll advance in your fighting skills. You can't just keep standing on the sidelines watching what your teammates are doing. You have to learn to get into the battle too."
Sakura: "Hm, what do you mean exactly?"
Lei: "Life isn't a spectator sport. If watching is all you're planning to do, you'll watch your life go right past your eyes."
Sakura: "So I have to stop standing on the sidelines and get into the action."
Lei:*nods* "Yes, my point exactly. You did well in your battle with Ino, and that was your first step to mastering the Second Sight. It's not like a normal Bloodline limit, matter of fact it's not. I'm passing the technique to you because I can see in you a person who will never use it for the wrong reasons."
Sakura:*smiles with a light blush* "Thanks."
Lei:*smiles. She stares back up at the moon*
(After two days, Lee's balanced improves dramatically and Sakura learns to get a better grip on her Second Sight [pun was unintentional]. And Naruto [being the idiot he is] still hasn't figured out how to call Trudgen from a distance. On the third morning, Lei is up at her usual hour getting breakfast ready. Things are going normally until Konohamaru walks into the dinning room [no one else is in there].)
Konohamaru: "Lei."
Lei:*pokes her head out of the kitchen* "Yeah."
Konohamaru:*looks around a little confused* "Where's everyone else?"
Lei: "Not up yet. You need something?"
Konohamaru: ! "...Uh, no…"
Lei:*raises an eyebrow*
Konohamaru:*sighs* "No."
Lei: "Yeah."*goes back into the kitchen as a large dove flies past her with a pitcher of orange juice. The dove places it on the table*
Konohamaru:*sits at his seat and rests his head on his arms*
(Soon after, everyone comes in and takes their seats. They start on their breakfast of ham and eggs. After breakfast, they all head about their business. Naruto, Hinata and Konohamaru head out to the canyon on the north side of the village.)
Konohamaru: "Remind me why we're here again."
Naruto:*sighs, annoyed* "Because Lei-san asked us to pick up a few things from the canyon."
Konohamaru: "Why can't she do it herself?"
Naruto: "Oh brother. She's training with Lee."
Konohamaru: "Oh."
Hinata:*looking over into the canyon. She sees nothing but the sheer cliff and rocks at the bottom. She cringes as the other two continue to argue. She finally realizes they're arguing and turns around to face them*
Konohamaru: "I'm not goin' into the canyon. Who knows what's down there."
Naruto: "Coward!"
Konohamaru:*scowl* "I am not!!!"
Hinata: "Naruto-kun..."
Naruto:*turns to Hinata* "Hmm?"
Hinata: "Whenever you're ready to head down."
Naruto:*nods. He heads over to the edge of the cliff and looks down into the canyon. he gulps.* "It's a long way down."
Konohamaru: "Coward."
Naruto:-_-; "Speak for yourself."*kneels at the edge and gives it a tap or two.* "It's sturdy, but we don't have anything to put the hook on to unless one of us stays at the top."
Konohamaru: "I coulda told you that."
Naruto:*ignores him*
Hinata:*pulling the hook and rope out of her bag* "There's a couple of rocks down that way a little. We could use them."
Naruto:*looks to the direction she's referring to.* "Good idea."
Konohamaru: "Hey! What about me?"
Naruto: "You're gonna keep watch while we're in the canyon."
Konohamaru: "But-"
Naruto:*crosses his arms*
Konohamaru:*huffs* "Alright."
(The three of them head over to the rock)
Hinata:*secures the rope to the rock* "There. It should stay if we don't bounce around too much."
(There's a dark shadow passing behind them. Hinata, turns to try and see what it was but it had disappeared.)
Naruto: "Something wrong Hinata?"
Hinata:*somewhat unsure* "N-no. No, I'm fine."
(The boys shrug. The shadow passes behind them again, Naruto and Hinata look toward where it had passed. Nothing.)
Naruto: "What was that?"
Hinata: "I don't know."
Konohamaru: "What are you guys talking about?"
Naruto: "Never mind Konohamaru."
(The shadow passed behind Konohamaru and lightly brushed him. He turned around seeing nothing.)
Konohamaru: "What was that?"
Naruto: "I couldn't see it."
Hinata: "I'm not sure what it is either."*forms her hand stance for the Byakugan and activates it.*
(Just as she activates it a rush of wind comes at her)
Naruto: "HINATA!!!"
(Just as she looked, the blast hit her and knocked her back several feet and onto her back. A wicked laugh came out of nowhere.)
Hinata:*sitting back up*
Naruto:*goes to her side* "Are you alright?"
Hinata:*nods to him*
Naruto:*looking to the direction where the blast came from* "Good."
Hinata:*lightly blushes*
Konohamaru: "Where did that come from?"
Naruto:*pointing ahead and away from Hinata* "There."
Konohamaru: *looks in that direction.*
(Jasmine is standing on a rock about 100 yards from them.)
Jasmine: "Maybe you're not so dim witted after all."
Naruto:*scowls*
Jasmine:*tauntingly* "Is he getting angry? I'm sorry if I offended you. Oh, where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself."
Konohamaru: "WE KNOW WHO THE HELL YOU ARE!!!"
Jasmine:*twitchy eye*
Konohamaru:*raspberry*
Jasmine: "Ooooh, so dead."*charges at him*
Konohamaru:*barley moves out of her way*
Naruto:*helps Hinata up* "Shall we?"
Hinata:*frowning at Jasmine* "Let's."*re-activates her Byakugan*
Naruto:*forms the three signs for the chakra bomb and plants it into the ground*
(As Jasmine continues to chase Konohamaru around, the mines position to projected areas to catch Jasmine. As she steps onto one of the mines, it explodes and sends her flying)
Jasmine:* "I don't think so."**her eyes turn a greenish color and she stops in midair*
Naruto: "What the?"
Jasmine: "It was a good idea, but not a great idea. A Phoenix can fly ya know."
Hinata:*scowls. a ball of chakra appears in her hand. she throws it up at Jasmine who can't dodge from just getting into the air. it hits it's mark and Jasmine hits the ground again* "Neither was yours."
Konohamaru: "YEAH!!!"
Jasmine: "Nuisance."* "I better do this now or Lord Orochimaru will have my head."* *she signs about 16* "Disengage."*a ripple flies across them* "So there. Now you can't use any of your jutsu's. Put that in your pipe and smoke it."
Hinata:*surprised*
Naruto: "No fair."
Jasmine: "It's plenty fair."*dashes up to Hinata and grabs her.*
Hinata: "Hunh?"
Jasmine:*pulls her from Naruto's reach and over to the edge of the cliff* "Hope you enjoy the view from up here, cause you're gonna be seeing it from the bottom."
Hinata:*gasp*
Jasmine: "Bye bye girlie."*drops Hinata into the canyon.*
Naruto: "HINATA!!!!"* leaps after her [idiot]*
Jasmine: "Huh. Retard. But now for the pip squeak."*turns around only to notice that he's gone* "HUH? WHERE'D YOU GO SHORTY!?"
(In the meantime, Tenten has Konohamaru around the waist and running back toward the mansion.)
Tenten: "What did you think you where doing out there? You could've been killed."
Konohamaru: "She wouldn'ta killed me. Lei would've been after her for that."
Tenten:*stops dead and drops him on his butt, hands on her hips* "That's not funny Konohamaru. That's exactly what Jasmine wants."
Neji:*coming out of nowhere* "You especially should know that."*drops down next to him* "You were lucky Tenten and I even figured out where she was heading. Otherwise you'd be mince meat by now."
Konohamaru:*opens his mouth to say something, but closes it again thinking better of it.*
Tenten:*folds her arms* "So now what do we do?"
Neji: "Tell Lei-san and the Hokage."
Tenten: "Let's go then."*picks Konohamaru up again and puts him on her back* "You just have to hold on."
Neji:*takes off toward the mansion.*
Tenten:*follows*
(Once they arrive at the mansion, they run into Sei and Gai on the deck.)
Sei: "Where you three off to?"
Tenten:*puts Konohamaru down without and answer*
Sei:*eyes turn to slits* "What happened at the canyon?"
Gai:*completely and utterly confused*
Tenten: "Dunno exactly. Ask Konohamaru."
Sei:*fiercely* "Tenten."
Tenten:*cringes noticeably* "Jasmine attacked and sent Hinata and Naruto over the cliff."
Gai:*was drinking something out of a can. Spit take.*
Sei:*eyes narrowed further* "Where's Lei?"
Gai: "At the lake with Lee. Why?"
Sei:*has disappeared*
Gai: "Ugh. There he goes again."
Tenten:*a little scared* "What's up with him?"
Gai: "He figured something bad happened."*sighs* "Sometimes he just overreacts."
Konohamaru:* "He'd know that."*
Neji: "Hmm."
(Sei jumps out of the trees near the lake.)
Lei:*eyes still closed and keeping her balance* "What do you want otouchan?"
Lee:*opens one eye, keeping his balance*
Sei:*his voice is dark* "We have a situation."
Lei:*sighs. Opens her eyes* "What is it?"
Lee:*turns to Sei, both eyes open, maintaining his balance.*
Sei: "Naruto and Hinata, they've fallen into the gorge."
Lei:*pupils shrink* "What?"
Lee:*sighs* "Should we go after them Lei-san?"
Lei:*thinking. An inky black shape flies across her eyes and Yondaime's voice echoes in her ears*
Yondaime V.: "Wait at the gorge. Do not help him get out. Leave that to Trudgen."
Lei:*sighs* "We wait for them at the gorge, and let Trudgen handle the rest."
Lee:*taken aback by her comment* "What?"
Lei: "You heard me Lee."*steps down from the shuriken* "We should go now, before the sun gets any lower in the sky."
Sei: "What difference would that make?"
Lei: "You know what or whom I'm talking about."
Sei:*cluelessly* "No I don't."
Lei and Lee:*groan*
Lei: "I swear, you inherited mom's blond stupidity."
Sei:*vein* "I did not!"
Lei: "Enough arguing. Let's go Lee."
Lee: "Hai."*steps down from the shuriken*
Lei:*picks both shuriken up and puts them on her back. she starts off at a run*
Lee:*follows*
Sei: "Good luck. You'll need it."*disappears*
(Meanwhile in the gorge...Naruto is laying on his back knocked out. Hinata is a few feet away from him)
Naruto:*begins to stir. As he opens his eyes looking straight up at the sky* "Where am I?"*looks toward Hinata and his eyes widen* "Hinata."*he sits up and gently shakes her* "Hinata wake up."
Hinata:*opens her eyes slowly and looks around* "What happened?"
Naruto:*looking up* "By the looks of it, we fell into the gorge."
Hinata:*looks up, then back down*
Naruto: "C'mon, we should try to get outta here."
Hinata:*nods.*
Naruto:*stands and helps her to her feet*
Hinata:*stands up. A sharp pain shoots through her right ankle and she falls into him*
Naruto: "What's wrong?"
Hinata: "It's my ankle. I can't stand on it."
Naruto:! *pulls her into a bridal hold* "You better stay off it then."
Hinata:*lightly blushing, she rests her head on his shoulder*
Naruto:*heads toward a small cave ahead of them. Inside he puts her up against the wall* "How's your ankle?"
Hinata: "It hurts pretty badly."
Naruto: "You want me to take off your shoe?"
Hinata:*nods*
Naruto:*carefully slips off her shoe. when it comes off, it's swollen to about the size of a grapefruit and black, blue and other 'pretty' colors[sorry, inside joke]* "That's not good."
Hinata:*shakes her head* "That's broken."
Naruto: "Uh, yeah..."*he slips off his jacket and folds it up. He slips it under her ankle*
(At the top of the gorge, Lei and Lee are looking over the edge.)
Lei: "This is the gorge. I just don't see them down there."
Lee: "They might have taken shelter in a nearby cave."
Lei: "Maybe."*looks up at the sky.* "Hmm..."*whips a scroll from her pocket, then puts it away thinking better of it. She bites her thumb and draws blood* "Summoning Jutsu."*the symbols come around her hand as she slaps the ground. There's a puff of smoke and as it clears there's a dove about the size of a swan on her shoulder*
Shinsei-Na: "Yes, what do you want now Lei?"
Lei: "I just need a weather report. Three miles in every direction so we know it's coming."*sets him off to fly* "And report any strange activity."
Shinsei-Na:*sighs and flies off*
Lee: "Not very enthusiastic."
Lei: "He's rather lazy. Like Shikamaru."*takes a shuriken off her back and plants it into the ground and the other directly in front of it* "Ready?"
Lee:*nods and gets up on one of the shuriken and keeps still*
Lei:*gets up on the other and balances, both eyes open while Lee's are closed*
(About three miles away, Shinsei-Na is scouting the area)
Shinsei-Na: "I hate it when she interrupts my naps like that."*looking over the land. There's not a cloud in sight so he flies back to her* "There's not a cloud in sight."
Lei: "Good, now anyway. We may have rain or something later on."
Shinsei-Na: "Perhaps. Now can I get back to my nap?"
Lei:*raises an eyebrow* "I suppose lazy bones."
Shinsei-Na: "Hmph."*he disappears*
Lee:*lightly quivers but retains his balance*
Lei:* "His shaking has reduced to but a light quiver. This is good."*
(Once the sun has set, clouds have quickly moved in and pose the threat of rain. At the mansion…)
Sakura:*looking out the window* "Looks like rain. I hope the others are alright."
Ino:*who was visiting* "They'll be fine, even though Naruto is a flat out idiot."
Sakura: "That's not what I'm afraid of."
Ino: "Then what are you afraid of?"
Sakura: "Jasmine attacking again in the night. If one of them is injured the other will have a hard time fighting her."
Ino: "Those two'll make it."
Sakura: "I hope so."
(With Naruto and Hinata...)
Hinata:*has fallen asleep with her and Naruto's jacket's elevating her foot and in a bandage.*
Naruto:*not to far away keeping a small fire burning, every so often looking up to check on Hinata. He started to fiddle with the medallion out of boredom.* "Why do I even have this thing? I don't know how to call Trudgen to me."*sighs and lies back, feet toward the fire.*