Chapter Six
Rhianna and Matt are as prepared as ever. I have never seen them in combat now that I think about it. I feel nervous even though now is not the time.
The other ninjas started to attack, but I was surprised to see that they weren't all too good. I guess whoever sent them thought numbers would over power the three little ninjas in the woods, probably excluding Makoto. They had skill of course, but not enough.
Matt and Rhianna were taking on at least ten ninja that were all wearing the same thing their leader was. Matt was throwing punches and kicks knocking at least five out in less than a few minutes. He did a front flip over two ninja and landed behind them, quickly knocking their heads together and knocking them unconscious. He looked amused until another ninja came up yelling a battle cry from behind him, almost knocking Matt out with his fist if Matt hadn't dodged and did a low kick tripping the ninja onto his back where Matt punched him in the face a few times before moving on. I didn't know Matt could be so…well…hard core.
Rhianna was amazing as well. She was throwing punches and kicks when she got the chance, but her dodging and blocking was amazing. She threw a few kunai that hit three ninjas in the leg knocking them down in pain. Rhianna was amazing in her fast hand seals using a bunshin to counter at least four ninja while she used hand seals to take them all out with incredible speed. I didn't know Rhianna was so strong and fast in battle. She seemed to finish those ten without much difficulty and her sudden combat skills increased. I didn't even know she could do a back flip like that. Matt and Rhianna though used up quite a bit of chakra, so they looked worn out and were breathing heavily.
While this was happening, Akano and Makoto were deep in battle. They were clashing swords at incredible speed with incredible strength. I could hear bits of their conversation, but I was preoccupied with the ninja trying to take me and my charge out.
A ninja came charging at my head with his fist my own hand and blocked his attack and then did a side swipe kick knocking him down and into another ninja.
"Stay!" I yelled to Saniiro as I threw a shuriken at a ninja trying to come up from behind Saniiro. He nods with a frightened face.
I run towards a ninja and do a flip over him landing behind him to knock him out with a sharp side swipe with my hand to his neck. I take out two kunai and throw them at two more charging ninjas. I see another ninja heading for Saniiro after I just punched one down and I use my hand to make a small shield behind him. I should have been closer because now I feel a bit more tired. The ninja however smacked face first into it knocking him out completely. I didn't see another coming up from behind me but I hear a short gasp as something lands into the oncoming ninjas back and he falls forward. I turn around and see the ninja laying face down on the ground a few feet behind me and Rhianna looking over with a smile on her face. I nod with a smile and run back to Saniiro's side.
"Are you okay?" I ask the man who is nervously holding onto his kunai.
"I guess…" he says, but he looks at his arm where he has a cut. The whirling kunais and shurikens that were flying every which way must have scraped him.
"Hold out your arm," I say with an 'I don't have time for this' tone and he obeys. I use up some chakra and heal the wound. It wasn't bad anyway. He looks immediately happy. Now everyone's attention is turned to Akano and Makoto.
"Akano, who are you working for!" Makoto shouts as their sword clashes. Akano does a back flip and lands behind Makoto swinging the sword to bring his head clean off when Makoto dodges and low kicks Akano knocking him over. Makoto tries to bring the sword down but Akano dodges and quickly gets up. They face each other and there is tremendous tension.
"Come on Makoto, you can do better than that," Akano replies with a smirk still holding his sword.
"Who Akano," Makoto says with a demand.
"You really think that I would tell you?" he responds with a chuckle. Their swords clash again and it's getting to be an even heavier battle.
"Should we help them?" Matt says dusting off his hands and getting off of his victim in which he punched the life out of.
"And do what?" is Rhianna's response. I sigh and look at the two older men fighting. Who is Akano?
"Saniiro," I say with authority. Saniiro looks up, "Who did you piss off?"
"Err…his name is Genji Kimura. He works as a drug dealer for opium poppies and gets a lot of business. I found out a lot of information on him from a bar one night when he was drunk out of his mind. He told me everything. With me and my writing, plus my job, I had some truth to get out, so I said it. Well that sure as hell pissed him off quite good. His men attacked me at home one night, but I got away with help from an ANBU member," he summarizes looking a bit ashamed.
"A drug lord? Whoa…" Matt says looking back at the battle.
"Well that explains a lot," Rhianna says as she also turns her attention back to the fight.
"Well I see we know who he works for," I say to the group as I turn to the battle and yell, "Master Edo! Akano works for the drug lord Genji Kimura!" I would have to say that isn't the smartest thing I have ever done. The next thing I know I have a sword around my neck.
"Didn't I warn you about that mouth of yours?" he asks leaning close to my ear and smirking. His grip on me tightens.
"Akano! Our fight is here," Makoto says nearing us. Rhianna and Matt back away with Rhianna guarding Saniiro.
"Little girl, you know that I could easily kill you, but I am choosing not to, for now anyway," he says amused at my stiffness as he draws his sword away from my neck. "We will meet again," he says placing his sword in his holster and giving Makoto a smile and Saniiro a threatening look before disappearing from sight.
When he leaves I breathe again. Why didn't I sense him! URGH!
"You okay?" Rhianna says giving me a hug.
"Um, yeah," I say my voice a little shaky.
"Good job all of you," Makoto says placing his sword back into his holster.
"You have a sword?" Matt asks like an idiot. Makoto decides not to answer him as he checks on Saniiro.
"Hey, you alright?" Matt finally asks.
"Yeah, what about you guys? Any bruises or cuts?" I say examining them.
"Well, yeah, but we won't die," Rhianna responds.
"Well let me say, you two were absolutely amazing," I say to the both of them with high spirits, "I never knew that you two were capable of something like that."
"Yeah well…" Matt says rubbing the back of his neck and looking away with a little bit of blush. Rhianna beams, but I can see the tiredness and disappointment in her face anyway.
"Chelsea, anything on you?" Makoto asks examining me.
"Nope…" I say looking over our battle field.
"Alright then, let's get moving," is his response. All four of us look taken aback. Did he just say lets get moving? We are tired.
"But Master Edo…" Matt begins to whine.
"Matt, if we don't get as far away from here as possible, who knows what could happen. We need to get our client back home as quickly as possible. I knew that we would encounter something like this, and now our trip will take longer. Now gather your things and lets move quickly," Makoto states. I can see his fatigue and worry in his face. We nod and get our things. The kunais and shurikens that are in our victims we decide to leave this time. We can get more later. I never liked killing or hurting people, but that was my job, and the point.
Makoto lifts Saniiro up and they use each other as support to travel. Matt is leaning on Rhianna because he is tired and he may fall over. I told him to limit his chakra. We walk for some time and stop near a clearing which is starting to lose more and more trees and get bigger rocks with sand. I sigh at the new environment and we set up camp.
"Alright team," Makoto says after leading us behind a big rock and setting down his back and Saniiro on the ground before sitting down himself, "We will rest here tonight and it is still the same order."
"Right," we say in unison.
We all lay down for sleep, but besides my weariness, I can't close my eyes and keep them that way. I always end up opening them again and looking into the sandy distance. I can't stand sleeping like this, but Rhianna doesn't seem to mind much. Pucher, well, when he is tired, he can sleep.
"You should get some sleep," I hear Makoto state behind me.
"I know," I respond turning over to face him.
"What is on your mind?" he asks. I can see his weariness, but he is always alert. I am so glad I got him for a sensei.
"I just can't sleep, I just keep thinking about…" I trail off. What was I thinking about? An image of a raven haired boy pops into my mind and images of my ex. Makoto sees this sudden pause and sighs.
"Boy troubles?" he asks in all seriousness.
"Yes, major."
"Is Joey in this at all?"
"Yes…"
"Getting over an ex is tough stuff to do, I should know," he says with a chuckle, "now you have the Uchiha on your tail," he says looking over at me.
"Yeah, I don't understand him at all."
"Does anyone? His mindset is on revenge, not love."
"But lust is just fine I am guessing," I say with a sigh.
"Well, I wouldn't say that. You let him and that tells him you want him back you know," he replies.
"True," is all I could muster back.
"Get some sleep my young grasshopper," he says jokingly, "Tomorrow will be one heck of a day for us." I sigh and take his advice. I needed sleep.
"Chelsea," I hear a voice taunt me awake. I grunt and look up to see Rhianna again. I sigh and wake up although I don't want to. I sit for another two long, excruciating hours looking at nothing but sand and rocks and feeling the coldness turning into warmth. We are starting to head into a desert. The fire went out a long time ago and now I wish I could take off my shirt, but I fight that feeling so Saniiro won't do anything. It wasn't that hot out yet, but I knew that would change.
I struggle to keep awake. When I saw the sunrise, images of Sasuke filled my mind and I tried to rid myself of them taking Makoto's words to heart as well as using my own logic.
My watch beeps and I sigh. This time Makoto didn't wake up to the beep because he was both really tired and worn out, or deep in thought with something bothering him. I actually think it is both.
"Makoto," I say gently shaking him awake. He blinks a few times before looking at me and smiling.
"Good morning," he says with a yawn and a stretch, "Wake the others." I nod and I wake up Rhianna and Matt as Makoto wakes up Saniiro.
"What?" Matt says looking around.
"Um, yeah, GET UP!" I say poking him as he was about to turn over.
"Ow, fine," he says sitting up and yawning.
"I need coffee," Rhianna says unaware of anything and looking really tired.
"I need to go swimming," Matt says waking up to the heat.
"Yeah, don't we all," I say walking over to the bags. I take out an outfit more suitable for this weather. I had prepared myself for this before we left Konoha. I took out a black tank top shirt that defines me well with white shorts. I didn't want to wear a white anything because black slims you down, but it also attracts heat; so I went with a black top and white bottom. I took off my shoes and socks and put on sandals. I put my hair up in a clip and went to go behind a rock to change, beckoning Rhianna to come and help cover me so Saniiro doesn't see anything. We changed into our proper attire for the day, ate, and headed off on to our next day.
"It's so hot," Matt says. He has on a navy blue tee shirt with thick straps that show off his arm muscles. He has on tan shorts with sandal-like shoes on. Rhianna looks hot, but isn't complaining. She is wearing a red tank top with black shorts and sandals. Makoto and Saniiro have something similar to what Matt is wearing with Makoto in a dark green shirt with tan shorts and Saniiro in a white top with gray shorts.
"Stop complaining, we are hot too," Rhianna says a little grouchy without coffee and much sleep. I nod in agreement.
We walk for what seems to be hours without talking. We shared the water canteen and just walked with rests that lasted only a few minutes. The site of sand began to bore me, but it was a beautiful change from all forest.
"Are we there yet?" Matt says panting and using his hand for a fan.
"Um, yeah, sure, go inside," I say motioning my hand towards nothing as if it is a door. Matt realizes I am mocking him and he ignores me. I guess I am a bit grouchy too.
"Come on guys, just a few more hours and we are there," Makoto tries to motion us on with little success. In a few minutes we begin walking again. After an hour or so, we see buildings in site. Despite our tiredness, we cheer.
It took us another hour to reach the city's gate and we had to be cleared for entrance. The city was beautiful, but so, sandy and, well, desert like.
"Suna…" I hear Rhianna whisper under her breath. I glance at her without her knowing and smile. Maybe this won't be too bad.
We walk through crowds of people and children playing ball on the streets. We come to a house numbered 362 and go inside. It is a pretty big house with three bedrooms and everything we need. I am guessing it is something like a hotel type place. That means we are staying for some time; great.
When we get inside the house like place, we feel the A/C and praise it for its wonderful existence. Matt is saying how much he loves it before lying on the couch.
"Matt, move over," Rhianna says still in a grouchy mood while pushing Matt's feet off the couch and sitting down.
"This place is…nice," I say looking around. I get a grunt like agreement from my two worn out team members. Saniiro and Makoto disappeared somewhere in the house, and I am too tired to go looking for them.
"Where are we sleeping?" Rhianna asks. I sigh and look at Matt.
"Well obviously he is right here," I say looking at him. He is such a dork. He fell asleep sitting up on the couch. I wonder if I should leave him or help him to his room. I decide I should help him to his room.
"Matt," I say gently shaking him. My legs feel exhausted. He grunts and opens his eyes. "Would you like a bed?" I say offering my hand. He hesitates before taking it and Rhianna and I help him into the first room we see. The room has light blue walls and looks pretty plain. There is two separate beds and I am guessing that one is for Master Edo and one is for Matt. I thought maybe Saniiro would sleep with one of them, but I guess he needs his 'privacy'.
We lay Matt on the bed and he falls asleep. Rhianna lays back on the other bed, but I motion her to find our room so Master Edo can come in and sleep. At this, she grunted and walked out of the room. I turned the fan on and shut off the lights, slowly closing the door behind me. I look around and see Rhianna found our room. The walls are a light red color and it is also plain. Well, it is better than nothing. I sigh and lie down on my bed. Rhianna is already sleeping. I turn off the lights and turn on the fan as I slowly drift into sleep with exhaustion.