Chapter 2: To Train or Not To Train?
Yuki woke up in a bed at an Inn in a village a little further north than the one he was in before. His hair was a mass from sleeping, he looked half asleep still, and he was only wearing some gray shorts. Yuki pushed his covers off and got up scratching his head and yawning while he was headed to the bathroom.
"That was a strange dream last night... no that was a nightmare." Yuki said arriving at the bathroom door.
Yuki turned the door knob and opened the door. He walked in closing the door behind him when there was suddenly a girl's scream. Yuki quickly looked towards where the scream came from and saw Ayaka behind the shower curtains.
"Get out of here!!" Ayaka shouted hiding behind the curtains motioning for Yuki to get out.
"Oh! Sorry!" Yuki shouted quickly getting out of the bathroom and closing the door behind him. "You have got to be kidding me, that wasn't a nightmare – it was real?"
"What was real?" Kazuki asked scratching his head walking up to Yuki wearing some blue shorts.
"Nothing, just this hell you Genin have put me in." Yuki said starting to walk away when an idea crossed his mind. "Oh, the bathroom is free now." He said walking away with a grin.
"Okay." Kazuki said heading over to the door. "Did he say something about hell?" He thought before opening the door.
"Kazuki, you idiot!! Get out of here!!" Ayaka shouted angrily having a clothed shadow clone kick him out of the bathroom forcefully and locking the door before it disappeared in a poof of smoke.
"Yuki sensei, I thought you said it was open." Kazuki said looking over at Yuki while on the ground.
"I guess she beat you to it. That girl is a fast one." Yuki said lying back down in his bed. "Don't wake me up until you three are leaving and don't make any noise." He said covering up and closing his eyes.
"Huh? Didn't you just wake up, Yuki sensei?" Kazuki asked confused.
"No and stop calling me sensei, I'm not training you!" Yuki stated while still lying down with his eyes closed.
"Come on! What else are we going to do if we're supposed to follow you around?" Kazuki asked pouting.
"Kazuki, keep it down! Some of us are still trying to sleep!" Takeo shouted half asleep in his bed.
"Still trying to sleep? You're a ninja, aren't you?" Kazuki asked looking over at Takeo.
"Yeah but I'm not sure about you..." Takeo said getting quiet towards the end.
"What was that last part?" Kazuki asked not hearing the last part of what Takeo said. "Anyway, you should be fully rested with this amount of rest! Now get your lazy butt up!"
"Why can't they just keep quiet?" Yuki thought trying to sleep some more.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" Takeo shouted as Kazuki started pulling him off his bed.
"Get up you lazy bum, we have training to do!" Kazuki stated pulling Takeo to the ground. "Oops, you were supposed to stand up with you got off the bed..."
"How was I supposed to get up when you had me by my legs!? You idiot!" Kazuki shouted standing up and tackling Takeo right on top of Yuki.
Kazuki and Takeo rolled around wrestling on top of Yuki for a few seconds before Yuki put his hands together and did some hand seals: Horse, Boar, and Rat. Nearly instantaneously, Kazuki and Takeo were being lifted off one another by what looked like a tornado. It pulled them apart to opposite sides of the bed while Yuki sat up.
"Okay, if you two are going to fight – take it outside! I want to get my sleep as long as Ayaka is in that bathroom. It was a tiring day yesterday." Yuki said annoyed by their fighting.
"What jutsu is this!?" Kazuki asked surprised.
"Idiot, can't you tell it's just Genjutsu?" Takeo asked disappointed and shaking his head.
"Hmm, interesting you can tell... thought it was a weaker version." Yuki said releasing them from his Genjutsu.
"So he is skilled with Genjutsu as well?" Ayaka asked standing in the door of the bathroom completely clothed but with wet hair.
"Good, she's out. I'll leave you to deal with their fighting." Yuki said vanishing in a puff of smoke and appearing inside the bathroom. "Have fun." He said closing the door and locking it.
"Huh?" Ayaka asked confused turning towards the door as it closed. "What's this about fighting?" She asked looking towards Kazuki and Takeo.
"Nothing." Kazuki and Takeo said simultaneously with their arms crossed while facing away from one another.
"Wow, the air has really gotten stiff in here." Ayaka said looking at the two of them. "Okay, so what did he say about the training?" She asked changing subjects.
"That would be a no!" Yuki shouted from inside the bathroom.
"Okay... never mind that." Ayaka said making her way over to her bed and to her backpack.
"I'm going to get a little air." Takeo said getting his clothes on.
"Okay but make sure not to go too far, we don't know when Yuki will be on the move." Ayaka said while Takeo waved walking out the door.
"So Yuki doesn't only know Ninjutsu but also Genjutsu and he's fairly good at it... I was barely able to even see through that one. It felt so much like a Ninjutsu and he even said it was one of his weaker ones... he was most likely just bluffing though." Takeo thought walking out of the Inn.
After everyone finished their morning routines, Yuki left the Inn with the three Genin following him in the shadows. Yuki stopped to talk with a villager for a few minutes before moving on again.
"What do you think they were talking about?" Kazuki asked quietly.
"Probably just looking for a job right now." Ayaka replied following along side Takeo and Kazuki.
"From what I read from that man's lips were something about going to a pub." Takeo added leaving the three of them confused.
"So, he's just going to go to a pub and drink?" Ayaka asked shaking her head in disappointment.
"Maybe he just needed a drink; I mean we all did just wake up after all." Kazuki said standing up for Yuki.
"Now, there's supposed to be some kind of gang at the local pub and they're making the villagers pay protection fees? Looks like I'll be having a little fun on this job." Yuki thought walking over to the pub with the three Genin in pursuit.
Yuki walked into the partially lit pub and looked around to see the place was completely filled with ninja but they were not of the Leaf Village nor did they have any headband plates in view. They all were wearing pale peach full body suits similar to that of some bandits – well all but one. Towards the middle of the ground was a tall man standing a few feet taller than Yuki. He has a crew cut with blond hair and light brown eyes. He wore a gray sleeveless shirt with some gray ninja sweat pants all nearly fully covered by a black trench coat like coat and a black ninja headband over his head covering his hair but with the plate ripped off.
"Looks like this place was even more infested than what that guy said." Yuki thought looking over the place again and noticing the door had been closed behind him and two rogue ninjas were standing there blocking his exit.
"Yuki Takashi, the S-Ranked criminal going for one billion Ryo. What a lucky day it is." The Leader of the group said standing up from his seat.
"You know, the bounty has been dropped since I left the Akatsuki, right? Hajime Hashimoto or should I say the Demon of the Sound Village?" Yuki asked while trying to asses his situation.
"So, you remember me – Yuki." Hajime said with a smirk. "You left the Akatsuki just as Lord Orochimaru did? Seems those rumors were true then. No matter – you will be dead shortly. I know why you are here and we don't plan on leaving this gold mine of a city." He said slowly making his way over to Yuki.
"Who would forget an annoying underling of Orochimaru? But as I remember it you were never able to defeat me." Yuki said finishing his assessment of his current situation.
"Ha! That was before Lord Orochimaru presented me with a... gift. The Cursed Seal of Earth." Hajime said with an evil grin.
"I heard reports on Orochimaru's Cursed Seals but I never got to see one in action myself." Yuki thought to himself surprised.
Outside the pub, the three Genin stand at the door trying to listen in but unable to hear anything coming through. They moved back a little to start discussing how they were going to get in there without being seen when suddenly Yuki flew out through a window.
"Ha-ha! Is that the best you've got now, Yuki Takashi?" Hajime asked chuckling while standing inside at the window.
"Sensei!" Kazuki shouted rushing over to Yuki as he started getting up.
"Get back, Genin. This is beyond anything you can handle." Yuki said pushing Kazuki back when Hajime clapped his hands together sending a wave of sound at Yuki.
"Damn, the kid is too close still. Ice style – Ice Wall." Yuk thought quickly making some hand seals: Tiger, Serpent, Tiger, and Horse.
A large wall of ice slammed down in front of the two of them taking the hit of the sound wave reducing it to chunks of ice. Yuki looked over to the three Genin and back at Hajime as he was coming through the window and noticed some of his ninja were coming out of the front door of the pub looking at the three Genin.
"Looks like we'll be fighting here, if you three Genin want to prove yourselves worthy of my training then you better be able to least against these guys while I take care of their boss." Yuki said thinking he wouldn't have to hold up his end of the deal since the ninja they were to fight were at least Chunin level.
"You got it sensei! We won't lose!" Kazuki shouted reaching behind his back and pulling out what appeared to be a Ninjaken with an ice looking blade.
"I suppose I could use a little training myself." Ayaka said pulling out two Kunai from the bag she had around her waist.
"If I were to be trained by this guy I might be able to learn some powerful jutsu's." Takeo thought and smirked. "Fine but if we take these guys out you better live up to your word!" Takeo shouted putting his hands together. "Thunder Style – Electric Eel Jutsu." He thought making the hand seals: Dragon, Ram, and Rat.
"What were those hand seals for?" One of the rogue ninjas asked walking up to Takeo.
"If you really want to know – I'll show you!" Takeo shouted punching the rogue ninja in the gut sending a large charge into him knocking him out with one hit. "You see, my Electric Eel Jutsu turns my Taijutsu attacks into thunder strikes that could turn an egg to a crisp. Anyone else want to try me?"
"Heh, that kid is a little too cocky for his own good." Hajime said with a slight chuckle while turning his attention back to Yuki.
"You know, you really shouldn't have let me outside." Yuki said putting his hands together.
"Oh? You think any of your jutsu's will be able to defeat me?" Hajime asked when something started glowing on his back.
"Ice style – Ice Shard Forest!" Yuki thought making the hand seals: Snake and Bird with his hands separated.
The area around Hajime suddenly became cold and suddenly ice spikes sprung out of the ground all directed at Hajime. There was suddenly a sound of ice crashing into something solid.
"I thought you said my jutsu's wouldn't be able to defeat you... looks like that was all wrong." Yuki said looking over at the Genin battling with the other rogue ninjas.
"Hahahaha! That pathetic – overused jutsu will not be enough to kill me!" Hajime shouted in a deeper tone than before.
The ice covering Hajime suddenly exploded sending shattered ice all around the area revealing Hajime's new appearance. He his entire body had taken the form of a humanoid Rhinoceros, his skin was gray with a slight horn above his nose and his body was more bulky than before the transformation. His skin was obviously a lot stronger than before since the ice had not been able to pierce through it and his hair was white ate medium length. His eyes were only a black slit surrounded by yellow – similar to cat's eyes.
"So this is the power of the Curse Seals?" Yuki asked surprised by this transformation.
"It is only a small look at it. This is level two of the Cursed Seal; I never got to test it out until now." Hajime said punching the ground sending a shockwave directly towards Yuki.
"I don't have enough time to dodge!" Yuki thought trying to jump to the side but was hit with some of it sending him into a wall near by. "Keh, this might be a little more difficult than expected." He said spitting out a little bit of blood.
"Hahaha! What's wrong, Yuki? Feeling the pressure of my new power?" Hajime asked laughing and suddenly appeared in front of Yuki punching a hole through his stomach. "How does that feel?"
"Feels pretty good actually." Yuki said standing behind Hajime when he made the hand seal for Ox to blow up the ice clone. "Die." He said walking away as it exploded.
"I knew you could do it sensei!" Kazuki shouted with Ayaka and Takeo standing next to him watching Yuki's fight since they had already taken care of the other ninjas already.
"What? You all are finished already!?" Yuki asked surprised.
"Of course, they weren't even that much of a challenge." Takeo said crossing his arms looking bored.
"Don't play me off like I'm some sort of weakling!!" Hajime shouted angrily flying out of the smoke charging full speed at Yuki.
"Too slow!" Yuki shouted appearing behind him and elbowed him but it had no effect.
"Oh? Did you just hit me? I was sure some fly landed on me!" Hajime shouted laughing while grabbing Yuki by the head and throwing him into the air. "Time to finish this! Secret Technique – Sound Explosion!" He shouted making the hand seals: Boar, Rabbit, Tiger, and Ox, followed by clapping his hands together to finish it off.
A large sound wave shot out from Hajime's hands and headed straight for Yuki but spread out at the last second and surrounded him. Just as it was looking like the sound wave was going away it turned around and quickly shot at Yuki creating a large explosion where he had been in the air.
"Sensei!" Kazuki shouted watching the explosion.
"Sensei? Yuki was your teacher?" Hajime asked turning towards the three Genin as the smoke was clearing.
"Not exactly... but we were going to be!" Kazuki shouted holding onto his Ninjaken about to charge when Yuki appeared between them and Hajime but his clothes were torn, his cloak had been shredded, and he had cuts from the explosion.
"Now how did we survive that?" Hajime asked looking at the tattered Yuki.
"I guess it just wasn't my time but you on the other hand – you're passed due. Forbidden Jutsu – Ice En...!" Yuki shouted getting ready for the hand seals when Hajime rammed Yuki stabbing him in the chest with the horn and sending him back into the three Genin.
"He was about to perform a forbidden jutsu?" Takeo thought surprised and unsure of which one Yuki was about to do.
"I got him!" Kazuki shouted catching Yuki. "Sensei, you perform the jutsu and we'll give you the time."
"You three are no match for him. Genin won't last against an S-ranked criminal." Yuki said spitting out some more blood slowly standing up.
"Then you should hurry with the jutsu." Takeo said running at Hajime with the tip of his hand crackling with electricity.
"That's nearly like... Kakashi sensei's Lightning Blade." Ayaka thought and shook her head realizing she had to help as well. "Secret Jutsu – Fire Dragon!" She thought doing the hand seals: Snake, Tiger, Rat, and Ox.
"My turn, I can do this!" Kazuki thought putting his hands together focusing his chakra. "Secret Jutsu – Hail Storm!" He thought running forward making the hand seals: Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Boar.
"Damn those kids, making me have to hurry my jutsu. No matter, Forbidden Jutsu – Ice Enclave!" Yuki thought starting the hand seals: Ram, Bird, and Horse...
Takeo hit Hajime head on with his electric fist but it bounced off having no effect other than nearly breaking his fist so he moved out of the way for Ayaka's attack. Ayaka formed a dragon out of fire with her jutsu and it charged directly at Hajime but he clapped his hands together making the sound wave cut the dragon in half and continued charging forward, Ayaka moved out of the way for Kazuki's jutsu. Kazuki stood there for a moment being the last one between Hajime and Yuki when suddenly the equivalent of a bucket of water splashed Hajime in the face.
"What!? That wasn't what I used!" Kazuki shouted confused. "Wait, it was Dog not Boar! Boar turns it into the Wet Face Jutsu!" He shouted remembering what he had done wrong.
"What was that?" Hajime asked confused stopping in his tracks not sure what to make of the weak jutsu.
"That last second was your last!" Yuki shouted finishing his hand seals with: Dragon, Snake, Monkey, Boar, Tiger, and Monkey with his hands clapping together to end the seals.
"What!?" Hajime shouted in shock when ice quickly formed around him freezing his limbs to the point he couldn't move.
The ice continued to cover him in powder form until he was a ball, basically a large snowball. That is when Yuki put made the hand seal for Tiger and four diamond sharp ice shards pierced through the middle of the snowball on each opposing end covered with some blood – Hajime's blood. After a few seconds the snowball melts away leaving Hajime falling to his feet with the Cursed Seal's powers fading away showing he was dying.
"To be defeated... by Yuki Takashi... again. Man, this sucks." Hajime said lightly laughing as he had blood running from his mouth. "Good fight... Yuki Takashi." He said fading away.
"You know, you really suck at remembering hand seals correctly." Yuki said looking at Kazuki as he fell forward out of energy.
"Sensei!" Kazuki shouted turning around and catching Yuki and put him on his back.
"What a jutsu... sending extremely sharp ice shards from inside a ball of snow like that. This guy really is the real thing – an S-ranked ninja." Takeo thought running over to Yuki along side Ayaka.
"He's still alive but he's passed out from exhaustion... and possibly from all these cuts." Ayaka said after checking to see if he was still alive.
"So that fellow actually took care of Hajime and his goons? I'll drop by the Inn you guys are staying at with the reward a little later. You kids just make sure he gets a lot of rest, he looks pretty beat up." The Villager from before said to the three Genin.
"Are you sure...?" Takeo started to ask.
"He's right, let's get Yuki back to the Inn." Ayaka insisted thinking about Yuki's state after that fight.
"I agree, let's get going." Kazuki said looking over at Takeo.
"Fine." Takeo agreed reluctantly walking with the other two back towards the Inn.
"That guy was really strong; my Fire Dragon was just easily cut in half." Ayaka thought walking ahead of Kazuki and Takeo.
Ayaka, Kazuki, and Takeo took Yuki back to the Inn and set him down on his bed when he suddenly opened his eyes. Yuki quickly grabbed Kazuki's arm thinking he was an enemy and about to finish him off when he noticed they were back at the Inn so he let Kazuki go.
"What happened with Hajime's body?" Yuki asked sitting up while wincing in pain.
"You should be lying down." Ayaka insisted trying to force him back down.
"No, I can sit up. Now, what happened to the body?" Yuki asked determined to get an answer.
"The villager you were talking with came over to us and said he would take care of it. So we left here to let you rest." Takeo enlightened Yuki of the situation.
"You just casually accepted the offer!? You idiot! You mustn't always trust someone like that; he could've been working with Hajime!" Yuki shouted getting up from his bed slightly in pain after every step but hiding it.
"Sensei, you should rest more!" Kazuki shouted chasing after Yuki.
"No time to rest, I have to make sure the body is still there!" Yuki shouted limping past the innkeeper.
"Sir, excuse me, sir!" The Innkeeper shouted to Yuki but he kept going. "Oh, sir!" He shouted trying to get Kazuki's attention to no avail.
"What is it, sir?" Ayaka asked stopping in front of the Innkeeper, who looked to be in his fifties at least and wore what appeared to be some farmer's attire.
"Oh, I was given an envelope to pass on to you folks. It was given to me by some man wearing a sedge hat but I wasn't able to make out his face." The Innkeeper said handing Ayaka the envelope.
"Okay, thanks, sir!" Ayaka shouted putting the envelope in her pocket and running off after Kazuki and Yuki.
"A man wearing a sedge hat?" Takeo thought to himself walking over to the Innkeeper. "By any chance, was this man wearing anything that stood out – other than the hat of course." He asked trying to figure out some clues.
"Actually, he was wearing a black cloak with some strange red clouds on it." The Innkeeper responded after thinking for a few seconds.
"Black cloak with red clouds? Okay, that should help some." Takeo thought as he left after the others. "I know I've heard of that cloak somewhere before... but where?"
When Takeo finally arrived to the pub the others were looking around because none of the bodies were left in the area. Even Hajime's body was no where to be found – the only evidence that there was even a battle was Hajime's blood and the broken window on the pub.
"It was just as I suspected... that villager you Genin saw was an impostor." Yuki said shaking his head standing on the area where Hajime fell.
"Impostor? There was an envelope left for you at the front desk of the Inn." Ayaka said pulling out the envelope the Innkeeper hand given her and she handed it over to Yuki.
"This was left behind?" Yuki asked confused opening the envelope to expose the bounty for Hajime – two million Ryo along with a note: 'Don't think we've forgotten about you just yet.'
"'We'?" Ayaka asked confused looking at Yuki.
"Sensei?" Kazuki asked turning towards Yuki as well but instead of saying anything he started walking towards the Inn motioning them to follow.
"Could they be planning something?" Yuki thought walking back towards the Inn. "If so – what?"
"This has to have some kind of connection with that man that gave the Innkeeper the envelope?" Takeo thought glancing at Yuki while he followed.
"Did the Innkeeper say who dropped the envelope off or if the guy had anything that stood out?" Yuki asked with the Inn coming into sight.
"I just heard he was wearing a sedge hat..." Ayaka responded thinking she should have asked more about the man.
"I was right behind you the whole time, sensei." Kazuki replied shrugging.
"Actually he said something about the man that dropped it off had a strange black cloak with some sort of clouds." Takeo said remembering what the Innkeeper told him.
"Looks like I have something to confirm with that Innkeeper then." Yuki said walking into the Inn and standing in front of the Innkeeper. "I have a question to ask about this man that stopped by before with the envelope but first I must go retrieve something. The three of you wait here as well." He said heading to their room.
"What could he be getting and who wears a black coat with red clouds?" Kazuki asked unaware of the Akatsuki since they mainly had nothing to do with the Land of Snow.
"If I remember correctly, there was some organization or something that had those cloaks... Uh! What was their name!" Ayaka shouted annoyed she couldn't remember too much about the organization.
"Now that you mention it, I know I heard of that organization as well... but what was their name!?" Takeo shouted just as annoyed as Ayaka.
"The Akatsuki is their name." Yuki said walking into the room wearing his Akatsuki cloak over his other clothes. "Is this the cloak you saw that man wearing?" He asked walking into view of the Innkeeper.
"Yes, that's the one! I would never mistake the red clouds!" The Innkeeper stated sure of himself.
"So that Akatsuki was behind this...?" Ayaka asked a bit bewildered.
"Yuki has an Akatsuki cloak!? Does that mean he was a member or that he killed a member!?" Takeo thought shocked. "No – if it were that he killed a member for the cloak he wouldn't be wearing it unless he was severely mentally disturbed... the only other explanation is that Yuki is or was a member of the Akatsuki!" He continued thinking putting the pieces together.
"Wait; if you have that cloak... doesn't that make you a member of the Akatsuki?" Kazuki asked looking at Yuki.
"Yes. I was a member of the organization... that is all in the past though. I have severed my ties with the Akatsuki but this was a threat. Innkeeper, did the man that left this seem to have some kind of orange mask on?" Yuki asked looked over at the Innkeeper.
"Actually – now that you mention it – he did have a kind of swirling orange mask on." The Innkeeper responded as it was coming back to him.
"Wait, you said you weren't able to see his face to me!" Takeo shouted angered about not getting the full disclosure of the man.
"Sorry, I was a bit hazy about it until now. That mask was the reason why I thought I couldn't see his face." The Innkeeper said with a slight laugh.
"I thought so; Tobi came himself... which means he is in the Fire Country at this moment. What in the world could he be planning on doing?" Yuki thought out loud.
"Tobi? Do you think it's a member of that Akatsuki?" Kazuki whispered over to Ayaka.
"No doubt if Yuki is talking about this guy like this." Ayaka whispered back while Takeo moved in closer.
"I wouldn't doubt if this guy turned out to be the leader the way Yuki was saying it." Takeo added conversation while whispering.
"I agree with Takeo. That Tobi guy Yuki was talking about does sound to be the leader; why else would he say something like: 'what in the world could he be planning on doing?' That was exactly right on the money." Yuki whispered standing next to the three Genin.
"Yuki?" The three Genin asked surprised jumping back a bit.
"Anyway, we'll need to rest up for tomorrow." Yuki said turning towards their room about to start walking.
"Tomorrow? What's so special about tomorrow?" Ayaka asked confused.
"The training you three barely earned. I'm still not happy with you three losing Hajime's body but you all were able to handle those ninjas and even slow Hajime down... even though it was only for a second or two." Yuki said and started walking looking at his sleeve. "I never thought I would wear these again, I need to find myself a new cloak." He thought waling into the room.
"Yes! He's actually going to train us!" Kazuki shouted happily.
"What a great mission we were sent on. We don't have to sneak around and we get trained by the one we're supposed to be tailing." Ayaka said happy about the situation they were in.
"I don't think that is the real reason he will be training us." Takeo said looking towards Yuki.
"What do you mean by that?" Kazuki asked not sure what he was getting at.
"Oh, I think I get it." Ayaka said thinking she figured it out.
"By all means then." Takeo said allowing Ayaka explain it.
"Basically, Yuki will train us only because we'll be a target for the Akatsuki if we continue to travel with him and he doesn't want to have to protect us all on his own and I'm sure he doesn't want us dead." Ayaka explained putting together what she had come up with.
"Exactly, that would be the only reason why he would train Genin after saying he would never train any Genin, especially us." Takeo looking towards the room.
"At least we know what kind of person he is." Kazuki said looking towards the room as well.
"Those Genin don't know what they've got themselves into but I'll be damned if I end up being the cause of their death. These will be the only exception to my not training Genin rule." Yuki thought taking off his Akatsuki cloak and getting ready for some rest after his battle.