For many, the Sahara Desert is a place of immense heat and sometimes, death. However, for the people of the New Village Hidden in the Sand, it is home. To them the vast ocean of sand is their sacred grounds, their traditions, their hopes and dreams, their strength and will to live.
The sand village has existed for over three hundred years now. In fact, the entire village was preparing for its third centennial celebration. Men were putting up decorations in the streets, while women and children made cakes, pies and other treats. The streets of the village were extremely active with children playing and couples walking together, sharing each other's company. Merchants were preparing and cleaning their booths in preparation for the party later that night.
Akio Kankurō was minding his own business, walking down the street and taking in all the festivities. He was dressed in simple standard issue shinobi attire with the sand village headband tied around his left arm, just above the elbow. On his back were two large, gourd shaped containers. One was a sand color yellow, the other a simple brown. He was fairly tall and in his early 20's. He had long red hair and light green eyes. He wore sleek, rectangular glasses that turned to shades when in the sun.
He turned left into a side street and began to scour the back streets. He was looking for his students who were supposed to meet at the village HQ. 'You know, when they moved me up to the rank of jōnin and gave me my own genin squad to lead. I didn't think it would be this much trouble keeping them in line,' he thought with an irritated look on his face.
'Oh well... Guess it can't be helped. Besides, I was just as wild when I was in their shoes... I just can't wait to get back to Megan...' Akio reached for the pendant that dangled from his chest and opened it, revealing a black and white picture of a very attractive female with the warmest smile you would ever see. Megan and he had been dating for three years now, and next week was their anniversary. While looking for his delinquent students, Akio thought of potential gifts for his love. 'Flowers...? Nah, too cliché...A necklace maybe...? Crap! No, I gave that to her last year. Hmmm. Oh! I know! She's been dying to go on vacation! I'll head to the travel agency to try and book a trip. I'll have to take off work though... I hope she'll like that.' He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black ring box. 'In any case, good present or no, this anniversary will be one to remember.' He smiled at the thought, staring at the tiny box that meant so much more and then put the ring away to look for his students.
When he finally turned back on a main road, he heard sounds of chaos, crashing, and a lot of screaming coming towards him. He sighed, shaking his head, already quite aware who the most likely culprits were. He casually leaned against the alley wall closest to him. 'What did those idiots do this time!' he thought exasperated. Akainu was the first to reach him with Kirito and Kuzan at his heels. The short, raven-haired boy bowed deeply and pleadingly begged to him. "Akio-sama, help, please! It's trying to kill us!"
"What happened?" Akio asked, becoming more annoyed than he already was.
"We didn't hurt anyone," Kuzan, who was slightly taller than Akainu with blond hair butted in, " we were merely playing a joke!"
"Besides," Kirito, the shortest of the group with brown hair defended, "those melons weren't even fresh enough to sell. We just wanted to practice our Jutsu..."
"Where did you..."? Akio questioned before thinking for a second. When he finally (and unfortunately) put two and two together, he began to turn an alarming shade of white. "Wait a second! Please don't tell me you pissed her off! Did you?" he asked desperately, hoping his students weren't stupid enough to incite the rage of the most fearsome woman in the village.
Akio didn't need an answer when he heard a loud voice behind him screech,
"THERE YOU ARE, YOU LITTLE SHITS! OH! WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT! IF IT ISN'T LITTLE BRAT AKIO, HELPING THEM VANDALIZE MY STORE HUH? WELL THEN, I'll JUST HAVE TO BEAT YOUR ASS TOO!"
Akio jumped and turned around. His face fell as the familiar elderly woman came around the corner, running as though she was half her age and very, very angry.
The woman had thick curly white hair, blue jeans, a white T-shirt, a purple apron, and a broom, which was taller than her, in her hand.
"Old woman Kate..." Akio muttered, trembling in fear. Then with sudden courage, not noticing their teacher's sudden fear, the three boys jumped in front of Akio, ready to fight.
"Yeah!" they said in unison. "Now with our master here, you can't touch us. Akio is a jōnin and could easily wipe the floor with you old hag!" Akainu stated haughtily, standing up to the angry woman. The boys started to laugh. Akainu started to turn to his master saying, "Come on, Akio-sama, let's..." but when he turned completely, he stopped talking and quietly muttered to himself, "Oh, Shit." The others boys turned around as well. Akio had vanished.
On a nearby street
Akio ran as fast as his legs would take him. The only thought he could process was "Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit." There was an explosion behind him, and when he looked up, he saw Kazan's crippled body flying 12 feet up in the air. "OH SHIT! OH SHIT! OH SHIT!" his cries escalated in fear as he forced himself to run faster. Another explosion came to his attention, this one right in front of Akio. It made him skid to a stop, startling him from his swears fest. When the dust settled, he stared in horror at Kirito's broken body, "She's throwing them at me!?" He ducked, trying to avoid the incoming projectile that was Kuzan, and failed. Kuzan's body impacted with his own, forcing Akio painfully into the dusty ground. "FUCK ME! FUCK ME! FUCK ME!" he screamed, panicking as he shoved his student's body off him. He was about to run when Kate suddenly cut off his escape route. She had her broom in her left hand and was dragging Akainu's bloody body with her right. Her eyes were bright with an angry red gleam. She stared into his soul and screamed, brandishing her broom,
"FOUND YOU, AKIO-BRAT!"
Akio sighed, staring in fear at the enraged monster in his path, "Well, shit..."
At Megan's and Akio's house
Megan had crouched down to grab her cat, Snuggles, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. She proceeded to put the cat down, brush off her bright, floral dress, and quickly fuss with her long, shining blonde hair. She opened the door and almost immediately regretted doing it.
'Oh dear,' she thought to herself, watching in awe as Old Woman Kate had Akio and his student, Akainu, behind her, bloody and sprawled out on the ground.
"Keep your man and his pets in check, or next time I won't go easy on them," the old lady grumbled, walking away with her blood stained broom.
"This was her going easy?" Megan muttered incredulously to herself, pushing up her sleeves in order to drag her boyfriend inside.
Later, Akio woke up to Megan making lunch. "Good afternoon, my dear," Akio shakily said, trying to relearn how to walk, as he slowly got up from the couch. "Hello, honey, would you like anything to eat?" she asked, turning her head away from the stove. "No, I'm fine. Thank you though," Akio said as he regained some of his motor function. Megan eyed him with worry and inquired, "Are you sure you're okay?" Akio laughed at this and spoke, "I'm fine, sweetie. She was way more vicious to me when I was young." She smiled for a split second, then turned off the stove and directly faced Akio. "I'm afraid I have some bad news," she said, as a small frown appeared on her face.
"The Kazekage has summoned you; it's for a B-ranked mission next week."
Akio rushed up to her, putting his hands on her smooth shoulders. "But, Megan," he started to protest, "next week is our anniversary! I can't leave you! No. I won't leave you. I'm talking to him; he has to reconsider." He tried to rush out in anger when Megan grabbed his collar, turned him toward her, and gave Akio a long, passionate kiss.
"You know more then anyone else that a direct summons from the Kazekage is extremely important, especially if he's personally assigning you a mission," she said with a weak smile, keeping her arms loosely wrapped around Akio.
"But, Megan..." Akio started attempting to protest.
Megan quickly interrupted, "No buts! Besides, we can always celebrate afterwards. Right? It's only one anniversary."
Akio sighed hesitantly at her reasoning, "Yeah... I guess you're right."
'But I was going to propose...' he thought depressed before his train of thought was derailed as Megan spoke up and shoved him towards the door. "Now get going, silly! He may not be Old Woman Kate, but he's still not someone you keep waiting." He chuckled at this, submitting to Megan's order. "Alright. I'll go there now. I love you," he said, right before dashing back to her and giving her yet another kiss.
As he pulled away, she looked into his eyes with a sense of calm and the most affectionate smile. "I love you too. Now don't be late!" she said as she turned to a side table and grabbed an apple, laughing before she then chucked it at his head, startling him. "Seriously. Get going," she smirked, pointing to the door. He laughed, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace, as he walked backwards toward the door. 'This mission better not take long. I want to get back home as soon as possible,' he thought to himself, as he turned, closing the door behind him, preparing himself for the mission ahead.