Author's Note: Oh my god I'm so sorry! It has been FAR too long since I updated! (Without giving away spoilers) I struggled for ages on a large part of this and the next chapter, fingers crossed it turned out OK! You may have a bit of a wait for the next chapters as I'm very busy with work at the moment (sorry in advance). As way of an apology here is a slightly longer chapter than usual :) so enjoy, you wonderful readers!
And as usual feel free to pm or comment your thoughts, I absolutely love reading them even if it's just short and sweet.
As a warning there are one or two mild swear words in this chapter
Thanks To:
Superboy99, IloveTeamSeth, annabannana98, wildcrazything, AnimeWriterFreak, Transformette, Dear U. x .U, Dinoluvr, DragonKecks, Nadeshiko291210, The Corrupted Hobo Ninja, kitsunlover, zoeh8, KirikaAndo, MsWolfGirl, Krilaia, xXxGhostingxXxKissxXx, epicotaku13, ArianaIsAWESUM, Wildbarbz, Morana - Goddess of Nightmares, Horsegirl987, Pineapple Roberto
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters, story, ideas that are associated with it. What I do own is my OC Toshiko Akatora and any other OC's that may turn up.
=^.^=
7
Team Tiger, as Ryo had nicknamed them, met outside the gates an hour later after packing their supplies. However, they were not the only team to be leaving the village at that moment. "Yo Kakashi!" Toshiko called out as she immediately recognised that perfect, silvery flame of hair. "I see you finally turned up."
The tall, nonchalant ninja turned towards the owner of the voice. "Oh, Tosh." His eye crinkled, betraying a hidden smile. "Well a black cat crossed my path so naturally I had to take a different road."
Her right eyebrow arched subtly of its own accord, "Of course it did, and I suppose there was no possible way you could simply walk around it."
There was a man standing with the rest of Team 7 who impatiently interrupted them with a gruff tone, "Hey Kakashi, kiss your girlfriend goodbye and let's go already, before I die of old age."
Toshiko went bright red and immediately waved her hands in denial, exclaiming "I'm not his err… and he is definitely not… I mean, we're not together!"
With a nervous chuckle, Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, "OK, OK Tazuna. Come on let's get going." With a final wave of his hand he added "See you when I get back, Tora."
The groups departed in opposite directions, Team 7 headed towards the village hidden in the Mist, whilst Toshiko and the rest of Team Tiger set off in the direction of Otafuku Gai, as the rogue ninjas they were tracking had made camp on the outskirts of the village.
=^.^=
The group travelled east, leaping through the trees to keep off the main roads; their destination would take them about a day to reach. They had made good time, as by sunset the village borders could be spotted in the distance, at which point Yasahiro used his Beast Shadow Jutsu to locate the enemy's camp. He sent the shadowy form of a bird soaring over the trees; it flitted and danced in the early evening sky, perfectly imperceptible against the darkening heavens. It kept them waiting for no more than a couple of minutes before the delicate creature landed once again on Yasahiro's shoulder. Turning to his team-mates he informed them of his findings, "We are three miles west of them, this should be a good place to set up camp for the night. All agreed we move at dawn?" The other three voiced their agreement as they started to unpack the tents.
A short while later Toshiko walked over to where Ryo sat by the fire. Taking a seat on the cool grass, she leaned back to stare up at the stars. "Tosh, you're OK right? I mean, you'd tell me if something was bothering you, wouldn't you?" Ryo inquired of her.
Slightly startled by the question Tosh answered, "Of course, why do you ask?"
He paused for a moment, considering how best to word his query, "It's just... you seem a little preoccupied today. You're just not usually quite so reserved."
Since they left Konoha her mind had been filled with the Hokage's stern words and the details of their mission, causing her to worry to such an extent that it had clearly made her far quieter than usual. She hadn't wanted to bother her team-mates with her troubles, but just as she was about to reply Ryo cut her off. "And don't tell me it's nothing, because you know I won't let it drop until you tell." He sent a half smile in her direction.
The three of them had been team-mates on and off since their academy years; and Tosh had learned the hard way that hiding anything from either of them was futile. So she told him, it was just easier that way; he would only annoy her constantly until she gave up anyway. "-So I really have to stay alert, even more so than usual. I can't let anything go wrong this time."
A look of concern crept onto Ryo's face, the last thing he wanted was for his friend to leave, OK so it wouldn't be permanent but it also wouldn't just be for a couple of weeks either. "Ah. And I'm assuming you didn't want to put pressure on us or make us worry? Idiot, tell us in future, 'k?"
"Sorry Ryo." She smiled as a sigh of relief escaped her lips. "I just didn't want it to affect the mission or for you to worry about it. I should have known that wouldn't be the case."
"Yeah well, don't forget it affects us too you know… what if we end up with some awful replacement? Oh bloody hell; remember the time Hiro was off sick and we got stuck with what's his name?"
"Ebisu? As if I could ever forget that, he was a nightmare, treating us like his students when he's only a few years older." She laughed softly at the memory.
Ryo rolled his eyes in mock frustration "I thought he was joking when he tried to set us homework."
"Yeah, I think I just asked Kurenai to make him think I handed it in using Genjutsu." Toshiko mused.
"Really? You went to that much effort? I just gave him a piece of paper with naked ladies drawn on it-"
"Ryo! You didn't!"
He chuckled at her reaction "What? I thought it'd be funny, his nose bled all over it… the perv."
She shook her head in disbelief "Coming from the artist… Remember when Hiro came back?"
Ryo paused briefly, mentally recounting how they had greeted him, "Oh yeah, didn't we beg him never to leave us again? How pathetic!"
She laughed, shaking her head, "Completely and utterly. We begged, on our knees! I don't think he's actually taken any time off since then you know, obviously with the exception of when we've all been assigned different missions. I wonder if it's because of that?"
"Oh it's exactly because of that, I know he doesn't show it, like ever, but he cares about us deep down. So have more faith in us next time, yeah? Oh and, I win." He smirked.
"Oh and, shut up." Tosh said with a grin.
Manami and Yasahiro joined them once they'd finished putting up their tents, and they discussed Toshiko's meeting with the Hokage whilst they ate.
=^.^=
Manami, who had taken the last watch, woke the others before sunrise the next morning. After packing up the tents, and readying their weapons, they set off silently and swiftly in the direction of their target. Yasahiro took the lead, his senses were by far the keenest, and not even the minutest of details escaped him. Finally he motioned them to halt a little ways off from the edge of a clearing, and with a swift movement he raised his hand to signal the others to split up and encircle the rogue's camp.
Toshiko slipped off into position to the north of the encampment. Taking in one deep and silent breath, she felt focused; any nervousness she had felt prior to this point had temporarily dissipated. She sat hiding amongst the branches of a large and heavily foliaged tree, with a perfect view of the sleeping bodies of men sprawled out filling the clearing below. Her dark brown eyes darted towards the sky, waiting for the signal. It should be there, any minute now. But nothing happened; the heavens were as clear and still as always. *Something's wrong* she thought, *Hiro is never late; he's usually so anal about time keeping, especially during missions. I don't like this at all.*
She scoured the camp-site from her hiding place, searching for any indication that this could be a trap. *Wait... was that… a flicker?* one of the sleeping ninja had just vanished, reappearing almost instantaneously. It was a trap but there was no time to warn the others, as just at that moment the mirage of sleeping bodies vanished leaving the camp empty, and a group of people entered the clearing from the opposite side. Among which were her three team mates, their hands bound behind them. One of the men called out, "We caught this lot sneaking around the camp. What should we do with them, boss?"
A man appeared from the solitary tent in the clearing, his dark lank hair was worn swept up in a long ponytail and he had such an eerie presence that Toshiko had to suppress a shudder lest she be given away. The man with the ominous aura replied "They're from the Leaf. We could sell them to a rival village. We'd get good money for them I bet... but then again the Leaf are known to be more trouble than they're worth, so perhaps killing them is the best choice." His hand reached up and rubbed his rough, stubbly face, considering the options. "Put 'em over there for now, and make sure those chakra bracelets are secure."
Toshiko's mind was working overtime to come up with a plan, *There's too many of them to take on when they have my team-mates captive, it'd be far too risky. Our best chance of survival is if my target is freeing the others rather than defeating the enemy alone. Hmm what if I...? Yeah… that should work, but I'll need to cause a distraction. OK I can do this, I can do-*
*CRACK*
*Oh shit.*
The branch, which had been straining slightly under her, gave way causing it and the clumsy kunoichi to fall to the ground. The noise of the chaos was stamped out by the most awkward of silences, as all faces snapped in her direction.
Wide eyed and tangled amongst the fallen branch, all she could say was "Well… that didn't exactly go to plan."
She heard Ryousuke let out a quiet groan.
=^.^=
She sat there with leaves caught in her hair, crestfallen that her brilliantly sneaky entrance had not been quite as graceful as she had originally intended... or brilliant... or sneaky for that matter, at least she had the element of surprise on her side.
The man in charge turned his back on her and started barking orders at his men, "Jin, Nori tie the prisoners to those trees over there, Yoshi, Osamu and Jurou..." Were they ignoring her? Completely and utterly paying no attention to her what so ever? "... Oh and Yuu? Get that incompetent idiot over there and tie her up with the rest."
Toshiko stood, brushing off bits of tree, facing the smug looking man who ran towards her brandishing a samurai sword. She slid a hand into one of her weapon pouches and grabbed a set of shuriken, sending them flying at the ninja's feet; it forced him to leap backwards, buying her enough time to arm and ready herself with a couple of kunai.
A clang of metal on metal rang out as the blades collided; she'd used both to block the initial force of his attack but switched to one as her right hand flipped her blade around and shot up to his open and vulnerable neck. He darted away, escaping with a mere scratch. Tosh lunged at him before he had a chance to prepare an attack, but the man blocked her advance at the last minute; she smirked at him as she said "Time to wipe that smug look off your face."
Slight confusion crept over him as, in one swift movement; she twirled around him and kicked the back of his knee, sending him to the floor where she lodged the kunai in his back. *One down* she thought, *But I haven't got their attention yet.*
The ninja named Yuu let out a yell as he fell to the ground, causing the others to turn around. A few of the other ninja's shouted and ran for Tosh, her fingers hastily made hand signs and five shadow clones appeared by her side. Each clone performing jutsu after jutsu; trying to find an opening to take down her opponents.
One man fell, then another. There was a soft popping sound as one of her clones took a hit and vanished. More and more of the men came to their fallen comrades' aid, finally realising that this kunoichi wasn't the push over they had first assumed. *This isn't enough of a distraction; I've got to get all of them to focus on me or my plan won't work. I think I've got enough chakra for a few more clones.* She mustered all her energy and yelled "MULTI-SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"
*I'm no Naruto, but not bad!* she allowed herself a little praise at the 50 or so pissed off looking clones that had just appeared. A beautiful but deadly chaos ensued, the remaining rogue ninja were left little choice whether or not to join the fray, and those who didn't were forced to by the extra clones.
A notion came to her at this point that maybe, just maybe, she could finish them off by herself, but alas it turned out to be a premature thought. She had succeeded in thinning their numbers, however by producing so many clones she had stretched herself too thin and the rogues began to overpower the small army of Toshiko's. One by one they dispersed, until there was just the one left, the original. Toshiko looked around; they were down to the last 15 men, including their leader. Her clones were gone, and she no longer had an adequate amount of chakra left in order to perform a jutsu powerful enough to take them all on alone.
The 15 stood before her, and the tall man with the overwhelming aura of authority walked slowly and menacingly towards her. "Silly girl, you should have just fled when you had the chance. I must admit, you surprised me, but you're a fool to think you could ever take us all on and survive..."