Four Letter Words
Story Thus Far- Naruto has escaped the intolerance of Konoha and fallen in with a more relaxed crowd; mainly Zabuza, Haku, and Kin. Kin considers him her savior/master, though not to the god-like proportions of Leslie. Kyuubi through an expert manipulation of chakra managed to get a few houseguests. In the shadows of Konoha several different factions gather their information and suspicions. The word of Fire Country's animal rebellion spreads among nature, and with it new, dangerous, ideas.
A/N- Yet another chapter that flew out of my plans and changed the intended direction of the characters. Tenten's determined to get screen time, even if she has to turn angsty to do it!
Chapter Eleven: Lead
Zabuza sat with his back against the bed's headboard, one knee up to support his arm. He was watching the tiny slits of morning light filter through the blinds and climb along the blankets. In another twenty minutes they would be on the girls face to wake her. At the moment, his whore was sleeping soundly, one delicate hand resting on his left leg.
He had a small headache when he had woken from the new information that downloaded itself into his brain when his clone dispelled itself. In the corner his beautifully restored cleaver sat innocently next to Naruto's katana like some meancing guard. The kid had been pissed, but not too much. If he knew what was good for him he would be practicing what the water bushin demonstrated.
Thinking of the kid brought to mind the curvaceous form he morphed into, which turned Zabuza's thoughts to last night's conquest.
On impulse the ninja brushed a strand of her silvery hair from her face. He had wanted a blonde. A deep gold like the sun, cheerful, but Ginger's Ale didn't have that. Apparently blondes were already rare enough and very few missed an opportunity to wed well. Keiko was the closest thing, her ashen hair a genetic quirk that popped up every few generations.
His hand followed the curve of her neck, pausing for a moment as he watched her pulse beat in the jugular, before continuing. She was still naked, having not bothered to dress after the third time and shivered as he touched her thighs. She had good, child-bearing thighs. Not many of the selection did, and it was one of the reasons he picked her.
For some strange, unknown, reason women of the last few decades had gotten it into their heads that men found slim bodies attractive. It was true, but only to a certain extent. Zabuza had always been attracted to women that had meat on their bones, something he could hold onto. He squeezed the sleeping Keiko's bottom in satisfaction and she curled up in response. Not like the skinny things that pass for models these days. I could break them in two with one hand.
Good behavior should always be rewarded. Or at least that was what one of his teachers once said. Zabuza stepped onto the wood floor and the mattress let out a relieved sigh. The bed was made of a sturdy wood, built to last. It also helped to keep things seem more private during the activities.
"Momochi-sama...?" Keiko muttered still half-asleep. When he had gotten up it shifted the mattress enough to rouse her.
Zabuza ignored the question as he was digging through his clothing, looking for his pants. The woman tilted her head and yawned, gesturing vaguely to the opposite wall where they had been thrown sometime in the night. He picked them up from under a leather newly upholstered armchair and found a small scroll in one of the pockets. "What's your favorite color?"
Keiko drew the quilt over her head and wriggled suggestively to the other end. She poked her head out from the quilt and gathered a corner of it to form a make-shift pillow. "Blue. Why?" She yawned.
The beams of sunlight had already passed the girls new headrest, and so Zabuza figured she would get another hour of sleep at least. Smart girl. "Blue, huh?" He unrolled the scroll and selected a patch of what would appear to the untrained eye meaningless scribbles. Zabuza bit his thumb on sharpened teeth and pressed it against the paper releasing a sealed hair pin.
As he moved to pick it up a shadow appeared in the window. "Zabuza-sama."
He recognized the ever-pleasant voice. "Haku. What are you doing here?"
Said boy flipped the latch on the window with a senbon and slipped in, watching as Zabuza placed the chosen sapphire-studded pin in the whore's hair. It was one of those multi-purpose pins that could be used to kill as well as decorate, and Haku envied her for a moment. Then he remembered he had already claimed one for himself, and that one had a moving dragonfly on it.
Haku held out a set of tissue wrapped clothing. "I bought you some new clothes, Zabuza-sama. Ours are getting a little worn-down."
Understatement. Zabuza mentally added as he removed the paper. Not too bad. He's even managed to get chain mail reinforcement on the jacket. "Find anything for the kid?"
"Not really. Naruto-kun is a bit small for a shinobi, and they didn't have anything I thought appropriate."
"Guess he's still borrowing your things then." Zabuza grinned and began dressing. "We'll need to get him something new though, and the girl, too. How she coming along on those seals?"
"I believe she can manage basic storing, if she can be patient enough to do it and not screw up." Haku was now smiling too. He remembered learning those, and the hours of washing his hands of the ink when his bloodline came out and splattered it everywhere. He had quickly learned getting mad while dealing with liquids was not a good thing.
"Good. She can carry the brat's things then." Zabuza buckled his new jeans, which were rather baggy and so required the buckle. He didn't usually go for the heavy material as it became restricting in the most inopportune moments but Haku had picked a size that didn't look too big and still gave him room. It would hold up for a long time, too. And had several pockets. Zabuza had to give his protégé props for the pockets.
Iruka leaned against his crutch as he hobbled down the hallway. Ninja's were notoriously fast healers, some more than others, and Iurka was in the upper quartile. He smiled good naturedly at the few nurses he passed and continued on his self appointed morning exercise.
A few of the nurses, ones he recognized as the veterans, watched him with calculating expressions. Iruka nodded politely. If he tried to make a break for the door they would know. Like a sixth sense. That was fine. His goal was not escape from the anti-septic prison but something much more valuable. Information.
Most shinobi information gathering took place at night, as did infiltration as the cover of darkness was commonly considered a valuable ally. Iruka knew better. It was the early morning that a shinobi had his guard down with the haze of sleep and perhaps a changing of the watch. Iruka kept his eyes closed and a free hand on the wall. In his mind he counted down the steps to his goal.
Two more intersections, then a left as far as he could remember. His hand met air and he adjusted his estimations. Left at the next intersection. He continued hobbling, peaked his open his eyes and sent a short burst of chakra, before placing his hand back on the wall.
The chunin academy teacher came to the last intersection and turned, reaching into his pocket for the crushed paper cup his pills had come in. He could see the glowing form of a medic-nin exit his goal, holding a folder. The man turned, and jumped at the black and red eyes. "Ah, Iruka-sensei, you seem to be getting along nicely."
Iruka smiled and concentrated as the crumpled cup slipped down to the tips of his fingers. "Yes. I'm not as tired, a bit restless actually."
"That happens when you don't spend every waking moment manipulating your chakra!" The older man teased, glanced down at his folder, and looked back. Iruka had closed his eyes with his hands now empty but for the crutch.
"I was a bit hasty." Iruka admitted with a blush. "It was just that I felt so..."
The medic nodded in understanding. He reached forward and placed a hand on Iruka's head to do a quick diagnostic. "Well, your chakra coils are a bit taxed. Especially around the eyes but it's nothing I haven't seen before. You'll be fine if you keep up a light exercise, light! You're a teacher, Iruka. You should know this." He laughed and turned to leave with a quick good-bye.
Iruka strained his ears until he couldn't hear the medic's footsteps and moved to the door. He twisted the handle, noticing the light thud as his cup fell out of the latch and to the floor. His experience as a prankster served him well; he had managed to fit the paper cup into the latch before it locked enabling him to open it.
Iruka Umino slipped inside the records room and opened his eyes fully sending a series of quick chakra pulses around the room. I guess the nice thing about this is I don't have to turn on the light. He moved around the filing cabinets, not really sure what it was he was looking for. Opening one he peered down while the strain of chakra was beginning to hurt his eyes.
He needed to hurry. While sending out the pulses and getting back images was tiring, the control and amount need to see writing was quickly becoming dangerous.
Iruka's chakra vision collapsed when he saw a folder shoved in the back. Kyuubi. It had originally been labeled as Uzamaki, Naruto but had since been scratched out by an angry individual and replaced. Kyuubi. No one had bothered to correct it.
It was a large file, though most of it had been complied before Naruto entered the academy. Iruka doubted anyone would miss it as he shoved it into the back of his pants. He took a few minutes to rest before beginning the search again. He suddenly wanted to find Mizuki's file.
The aching soreness in his arms and shoulders was leaving, to the blonde demon containers contentment, but he still shot little glances at the wooden implement in his hands with some annoyance. Shadow clone Zabuza never gave his katana back, citing some ridiculous reason about learning how before he got a real weapon or some bull-shit like it. Naruto hadn't been paying much attention; instead focusing on the fact it was gone.
The puff of smoke from the replacement technique and the disappearance of the shadow clone with his sword underlined that fact. But he would get it back, supposedly, and when he did he would be even more kick-ass with it. Of course if the man did not return his now favorite weapon Naruto would just have to figure out a way to retrieve his shiny.
Probably something that would involve liberal amounts of pudding. Yes. I can stuff it down his pants. Then some firecrackers. Where could I get firecrackers? Naruto chuckled as his plan to liberate his katana developed in his mind, should it come down to a pudding-firecracker-watermelon rescue.
He stabbed his practice thing -he wouldn't dignify it by calling it a sword, or any variation thereof- into the ground and walked toward his temporary home. If Kin was there she'd have something for him to eat, and he had seen movement through the drapes so he was hoping. His fingers had only brushed the door when a small hand covered his mouth and jerked him backward.
His heart raced as Naruto's lips peeled back and he made ready to bite his aggressor, when the fresh scent of pine hit his nose. It was weak, but after a moment he realized just who it was. Kin dragged him away from the door and into the woods. Her hair was wet and hung loosely around her from a recent wash.
Naruto thought it made her like a vampiress, the way her pale skin contrasted with it. She pointed up and the two of them climbed into the safety of the canopy. "It's a Mist Hunter-Nin." She whispered while looking through the leaves with caution.
"Hunter-nin?" Naruto asked, vaguely getting the idea that they must be like ANBU, only after his newest friends. He chewed on his lip and strained his neck to look into the small window. "Kyuu-chan and Usa-chan are still in there!"
"Hopefully that will work in our favor, Naruto-sama." As Haku had left in the early morning, and Zabuza neglected to return the hunter might leave quickly. "He may conclude that it's only the house of a small family, sheltering some strangers for the night, and move on."
"But what about Kyuu-chan?"
"I doubt he would be interested in a stuffed animal."
Naruto crossed his arms and sat on his haunches, wishing his ears were just a tiny bit better. Then he might have been able to hear what the intruder was doing. He had not forgotten the ANBU's threats to his plush, and the so called hunter-nin reminded him too much of them for comfort. Naruto decided they were to be avoided at all costs. After he got his things back.
"Wait, why would he be after Haku and Zabuza?"
"It's a long story, but I think we should find and warn them." She looked like she was about to say more when the door opened. Both tree borne youths went into stealth mode, such as it was, and watched silently as the hunter walked around the grounds once before taking off after an invisible trail. Kin wracked her brain and realized it was the one Haku had taken to town the day before. "Come on, we should get everything and then find Zabuza-san. We may need to make a quick exit."
Naruto was a bit curious of the warm surge in his stomach as his conscience whispered something about being predator and not prey. He glanced at his hands, remembering the blood that until recently he would have been hesitant to spill, and wondered why he could only feel sick anticipation.
He followed Kin into the small cabin and began throwing his things together, occasionally helping the girl pile culinary implements on a long rolled out scroll and watching them vanish into smoke. It was Haku's but Kin apparently learned how to use it. Brown eyes scanned the room unsatisfied but unable to do more. She held out her arms and the white snow rabbit in the corner hopped obediently into them. "I think that's it. Do you know where Zabuza-san would have gone?"
Naruto thought. "Somewhere he could go 'a-wenching'."
Kin blinked before blushing. The term was archaic but accurate. "Let's go."
Onna jerked on the drawer handle causing its contents to spill on the floor with the rest of the mess she had been making during her search. The Umino's small apartment had revealed nothing besides future lesson plans and, occasionally, a jounin level scroll that had seen better days. While unusual for an academy teacher it was not a crime. The logical conclusion she could make was that they were either left over from a time when the chunin had considered trying for jounin or he had been looking at specific techniques to help a student specialize.
If she was the type to bet Onna would have gone with the latter. Her lips pressed together in a small show of frustration as she practically turned a dead man's house upside down searching for something that would incriminate him. So far he had just as much miscellaneous school related things as the Umino, if not more.
What are we missing?
Mizuki had not possessed many friends when he had been among the living, though many people could remember the light haired academy instructor. Several of those people commented on how he had been 'cursed'. On almost every mission out of Fire, someone died. On the rare occasions that the body was able to be recovered the obvious cause of death, was not.
Growing more annoyed with the puzzle, Onna thumbed open an old folder and began skimming over the pages. Why would someone keep so many old notes? Why would they need the information on a student six years out of the academy?
The answer crept up on the woman like an unwelcome relative. It was the same reason she kept pictures from her genin days, despite not having any attachment to them. The same reason her closet was filled with colorful casual dresses that didn't appeal to her. He wanted to appear normal.
It should have been the first thing she thought of, being a shinobi and all. Onna glanced back as the mess of things on the floor and nudged it with a boot. The collection of scrolls, notebooks, bits-and-bobs seemed so much more dangerous.
A smile wormed it's way onto her face, the one that only saw the interior of the torture chambers of late. She had a new subject, one that kept his secrets locked away better than the toughest enemy ninja. Dead men tell no tales, but their relics do.
Onna kicked a space clean on the floor and reached out to pick a sheet of paper. There were clues hidden about, something would have to trigger his memory to remind him of his plots. The short haired woman held the paper to a window, pleased as a pattern emerged highlighting certain sections of words. The record of a students progress was, infact, a message. What little joy collected in her eyes vanished as she finished reading it.
Konoha was contaminated.
Onna glared coolly at the rest of the objects and stood. She would need to go through them all, but first she needed a new notebook.
She couldn't begin to guess how far the contamination spread.
Konoha existed in a gigantic forest created by the first Hokage, or so history claimed. The sole female on team seven knew this and if not hated, disliked the Shodaime with a passion that only her inner self could claim. Not many of her peers knew that the main reason for Konoha's humidity lay with the giant trees. This is sooo gross. Sakura wiped the sweat from her forehead as she took a break beneath a hated tree.
Her teammates were busy picking up litter from around the river. Sai was just as emotionless as always, his pleasant if weird smile plastered on his face as he placed a can in his trash bag. Her love and future husband preferred to wade in the river and stab at trash with the pokey-stick as it floated by. For sure, that way was marginally more interesting.
Sakura moaned in disgust as a drop of dew fell from a leaf above her and landed on her arm. Trees, basically plants in general, trapped water and if they had too much would re-release it. Hence the perpetual humidity in the woods. "And the rain doesn't help... why can't we get a good drought?"
"What was that, Sakura?" Kakashi asked as he lounged on a branch a few tree's over, his perverted book open.
Sakura hypothesized that he didn't actually read it, and simply stared at the pictures. Her angry side sneered and claimed that he in fact couldn't read and pretended in order to save face. "Nothing, sensei." She claimed and pushed off the ground. Who knew D-rank missions could be so miserable? They don't have to be...Inner Sakura crooned.
Wading into the icy water shocked her into a better mood. Cold wet was better than hot wet in her modest opinion. "Ne, Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke grunted and scooped up a cardboard cup. He didn't turn to see her but shook his head causing a few droplets of sweat to fly. Sakura saw it as incredibly sexy. She pressed forward giving thanks that her sandals were designed for gripping on slick surfaces. She reached out and tugged the Uchiha's shirt, hopeful. "What?"
His tone was annoyed. Maybe it was just the heat? It had certainly gotten her irritable. "After we complete the mission, would you like to go eat with me, Sasuke-kun?"
"Not really."
The reply had been instant, without a moments hesitation to symbolize thought. Sakura's face went red as her world dimmed. Rejected again! Why doesn't he want to spend time with me?! Our love must not be denied!
"O-okay. Maybe tomorrow. You must already have plans." The girl called with false cheerfulness and backed up, absently collecting a plastic spork caught between moss covered rocks. Her feet sloshed with water as she climbed out onto the bank, upset. Seeking comfort from the other genin on her team, Sakura slowly made her way over.
It would have been nice to have another female to talk to and rant on, or someone to hit and release her frustrations, but neither was available. Sakura speared a candy bar wrapper with more force than necessary, her face scrunched up as her logic fought with her emotions. Ego and SuperEgo were getting a work out.
"Ah, Sakura-san. Did you injure yourself?" Came the cool whisper of Sai as he took notice of his new partner. He had been keeping tabs on the others covertly but felt that they were close enough he could mention it without being to obvious.
Green eyes glanced up blinking away half formed tears. "No. No, I'm fine." She whispered back reassuringly and attempted a smile. It looked exactly as Sai's did.
The pale boy's gaze whipped over to their lazy sensei meaningfully. "Are you sure, Sakura-san? You may confide in me, if you desire. I shall not spread your worries." At least not to anyone you know about.
Sakura lowered her head and dug a partially buried can tab out of the ground. She shot her eyes to Kakashi, knowing how he would just brush everything off to the side and make her feel stupid. Most grown-ups did that. He's not a girl but... Sai is pretty nice. Her false smile faded. Inner Sakura cheered, not at all disturbed by the prospect of starting a new relationship with the slim but oh-so-sexy artist. "It's just that, I've always kinda had a crush on Sasuke-kun."
Sai nodded as his books told him to. When a girl is speaking it is best to nod and smile. The girls comments recalled to him Danzo-sama's orders. Encourage it's spread. The kunoichi was willing. He just had to find how to turn the Uchiha on to the idea.
"I just don't know what I'm doing wrong." Sakura continued whispering. Her hands went up in defeat. "Sasuke-kun has never been mean about it, but he never wants to do anything with me. I had thought after..." She sighed and looked around for more trash; her mood lifted somewhat with the confession.
She wasn't expecting the carefully crafted reply. "It seems to me, from what I've heard, Sasuke-san is not like most boys."
"I know! That's what makes him so... so..." Sakura giggled. Inner was beginning to put together the theory that Sai might possibly be bi. Sakura nearly got a nosebleed before pinching the bridge of it taking a deep breath. Fantasies of three ways were not conductive to health during a mission.
Sai was twisting his trash bag closed and securing it with a small wire. "What you think would work on other boys will not help with Sasuke-san. He does not strike me as the romantic type."
"Got that right." Sakura mumbled, staring into her own bag. It was only three-fourths filled at best.
"Sasuke seems to value strength and training more than looks and food." Sai whispered directly into her ear as he walked over to where their masked jounin was reading to turn in his sack.
It was as if a brush fire had been set off in the intellectually strong kunoichi. Of course! Inner Sakura shouted in triumph and pumped her fists. Sasuke-kun's goals... obliterating someone... he would need to train. She looked at her hands and turned them, examining them from every angle. Not a single blister or callous. Perfectly smooth and pretty.
Not the hands of someone who trained much, if at all.
She glanced at Sasuke who was trudging back to land, sack dripping over one shoulder. He looks so capable and confident. So cool. Sakura was blushing again. She lifted her unfilled sack and hit the bottom starting it spinning close. With Sai and Sasuke turning in the mission was over. With recent depressing thoughts packed away in a corner the Haruno turned to congratulate her love on a job well done.
Sasuke spun violently on his heel, a kunai launching from his left hand. Sakura gasped as the weapon flashed through the air and pinned a large trout to a tree across the river. Sasuke grunted. "Damn trout's been poking it's head out from under that log all day."
Sakura felt very small as Kakashi admonished Sasuke for killing a creature that didn't deserve it, while asking if the Uchiha intended to waste the meal. The girl's green eyes were mesmerized by the still flopping body of the fish as it struggled against fate, and the kunai. That was amazing. I've always thought I had good aim, but I never... I never would have been able to turn and hit just by hearing it break the water.
Slowly she dragged her gaze from the fish as Sasuke stared down their sensei and went to retrieve the fish and kunai. She looked at her hands again, Sai's comment driving deep into her psyche like a seed.
"Sasuke-kun wants a strong girl."
"Hey! Pinky! We're going!" Kakashi shouted, breaking into the young girls thoughts.
She blinked and wrapped her fingers around the trash sack, "Coming, sensei!"
Anger seethed in her stomach as the fragile line separating Sakura Haruno's two personalities began to blur. Damn it! He's supposed to be our jounin instructor! Why doesn't he ever help us train, or teach a new jutsu? All we do are these stupid boring-ass chores the civilians are too lazy to do themselves.
Sakura was glaring at the cheerful jounin's back, his book nestled in his back pocket as he lead them back to the village. "I fucking hate him." She groused unconsciously.
Next to her, Sasuke held his trash bags with one hand and the dead fish in the other. He barely detected her muttered words but nodded his agreement all the same. Sai, ever watchful of his fellow genin, noticed.
Zabuza was paying his tab when Kin entered the establishment wearing her poker face. Naruto followed behind her, eyes bright and curious as he took in the atmosphere. Kyuu was held in his arms, and the look he presented got several snickers from the testosterone oriented figures and coos from the estrogen ones. Kin was working her way around the bar trying not to appear obvious in her intent.
To an outsider it looked like a brother and sister just stopping in to deliver a message or get a drink.
"Ah." Kin stopped at the bar next to Zabuza while he nursed his last drink. She pulled out two stools and sat down, the blonde boy hopping up next to her. Both were looking at the large man curiously.
"Haku thought we should get something new." He answered the unspoken question with amusement.
Naruto made a noise of approval, though if it was toward the new outfit or the sudden drink the smiling waitress offered him was unknown. "It looks good." Kin offered, truthfully. A tight sleeveless turtleneck showed off the man's pecs and abs tastefully, while the blue and black jacket gave the suggestion of modesty. The familiar pattern of chain mail ran throughout the jacket for added protection. Kin noted the multiple pockets and straps on his pants, perfectly sized for the thrice-damned scrolls.
She envied and hated them at the same time, slightly jealous she didn't get into town to buy a new wardrobe before the Hunter-nin appeared. Naruto-sama needed new things too.
"A Hunter showed up at the cottage." Kin muttered casually leaning on the bar top.
The only sign he heard her was a slight tensing of the jaw. Fucking Mizukage. "How's Haku?"
"He's too pretty for his own good."
"He can take care of himself. When do the gates close?"
"Soon." The genjutsu user waved away a drink, compliments of the one-eye in the corner, and touched Naruto's shoulder. The demon container thanked the waitress for the free milk and hopped down to follow his 'sister' out.
Zabuza followed them shortly after. His two companions moved into step with him as he passed an alley. "Ne, Zabuza-san, where's my katana?"
"Safe. Haku should arrive soon," he spoke to the girl. "They're following him?"
"I think so. It was his trail he went after."
"There was only one, Haku can handle himself against that. He'll meet up with us later, we have a lead on a good job." Kin accepted the offered paper with a small amount of hesitation.
Naruto looked at them with a frown. "We aren't helping Haku-kun?"
"No. He suspected he was being followed, but thought it was a stalker." As odd as it is I'm relieved it's not. "This has happened before, he'll do better alone."
Kin tucked the paper away and began putting her hair up to keep it out of the way. The hunter was more trouble than he was worth. His sudden presence forced her to cut short her bath. "Why are we taking another job? I thought you had enough money, once the jewelry is pawned."
Zabuza's smile was eerie without the bandages to conceal his teeth. "This isn't for the money. If we complete it, he'll owe us. It's always good to have a noble in your debt."
Haku stepped off the path and turned, face expressionless. "How long have you been following me?"
"Since Mikado Village." There was pleasure in the voice. He was pleased to have finally cornered his prey, and it brought up dark memories in the boy. "Haku. Apprentice to the A-rank rouge jounin Momochi Zabuza. Your bloodline is of some interest to the Mizukage, you can be taken alive."
Can. Not required. "I am sorry to disappoint, hunter-san."
The voice now held a sneering quality. "You do realize he doesn't care about you? Take me to him and we'll all be better off."
Haku could make out the red markings unique to the village hidden in the Mist. The man was an enigma hidden under robes and masks, even his weapon of choice of an unknown. Surprise and concealment would not help him. "You have made two mistakes, hunter-san."
"Oh?" Sensing he wouldn't get out easy with the boy, the hunter shifted and prepared to fight.
"I am Zabuza-sama's tool. Only his. Your first mistake was thinking I would change sides." Haku's fingers twitched as senbon formed. "Your second mistake, was forgetting that you yourself trained me."
"I think I would remember that."
Haku reached into his kimono revealing the mask he kept close at all times. "I meant the hunter division as a whole." In a blink the mask was in place, and his senbon flying. The hunter deflected them and responded with a volley of kunai. Haku charged chakra into his legs and closed the distance, one of his senbon locking with a hastily drawn ninja-to.
Only one life would leave the clearing.
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
Two spandex clad ninja's cried out in joy at each other in such a way that those not immune would be drawn into the spectacle as hypnotic suggestion formed a sunset in the background. Though not confirmed Tenten was willing to bet that despite medical claims Rock Lee did in fact have the ability to channel chakra, it was merely locked away for all but specific uses. Like genjutsu. There was no way the sunset appeared on it's own, and Gai wasn't proficient enough in the illusion arts to make such a detailed picture.
Seriously, if she squinted she could see a group of dolphins frolicking.
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee, I'm so proud of you for mastering this oh-so-difficult technique. You are truly a genius of hard work!" The two males finally reached each other in tears. The hug would have been cute, if it wasn't so creepy. Tenten forced her gaze from her sensei and teammate to look at a large hole in the ground, testament to Lee's mastery of a high level taijutsu technique.
She walked over to the hole to inspect it, trying to glean some clue that would aid in her own attempts at the Omote Renge. Lee being the taijutsu specialist of their team (excluding Gai-sensei!) it made sense that he would figure it out first.
"Lee! I must stress, now that you know it, to never use this technique except under one condition!" Gai proclaimed, tears still streaming down his cheeks. The fire in Lee's eyes grew from the passion exhibited by their sensei while Tenten and Neji shared a look of annoyance.
"What is this condition Gai-sensei?!"
"That you only use this technique, in defense of someone you care deeply about!"
Tenten groaned, typical sensei. Neji's mouth quirked to betray his own feelings despite the Hyuuga shell of indifference. Gai looked up after Lee gave him assurance that he wouldn't turnip plant anyone, and seemed to take in his two other pupil's disheveled appearance. The brunette worked the spit around in her mouth and swallowed while trying to tune out her strained muscles. "Sen-"
"Ah! Neji! Tenten! It is clear that though your fires are far from banked, you should rest and rejuvenate! We will be resuming missions shortly, and it would be advisable that you be prepared for them! In celebration of Lee's success we shall drink, and then tomorrow, work!" Gai finished with a smile, a twinkling smile. Neji made some sort of affirmative noise in the back of his throat and walked off, presumably to clean up for the night's party. Tenten stared at her teacher as he took off to do a cool down twenty laps of Konoha.
She was annoyed, and bit her bottom lip as she looked from the hole in the ground to the rapidly disappearing backs of her team. What about us? Though more proficient with weapons, the girl had certainly found the technique interesting. She had wanted to learn it. Neji hadn't seemed to care for it, but he had his jyuuken, and only tried as Gai watched them practice. Tenten had been trying her hardest but quickly realized she didn't yet have the sheer muscle to use it in battle against someone, but at least she could have practiced the motions until then. Right?
What about me?
Neji had a family style to fall back on, and he was truly talented. A genius. He didn't want the help. Lee had enthusiasm and idolized their sensei. He worked himself to the bone, sometimes quite literally, and so she couldn't begrudge the fact Gai-sensei sometimes spent a little more time with him. Lee needed it, not being able to channel chakra normally.
But what about me?! Tenten resisted the urge to stomp her feet like a little kid. She was more mature than that; she was kunoichi. Stiffly, the girl walked away from the field and over to a set a training logs. Everything ached from earlier, and it seemed all of her hard work was for nothing. It was obvious that since Lee had already mastered the omote renge they wouldn't spend anymore time on it.
Tenten flicked open a storage scroll, oblivious to the small tears gathered in her eyes. It was too dangerous to practice the taijutsu technique on her own, and so she was certain she'd never get it. There was only one thing she could really practice alone.
Something twitched painfully as she her arm swept back again, reaching for a sickle, and she cursed immediately dropping the weapon. Tenten rubbed at her shoulder, slowly working her way down her arm, and watched as a muscle in her calve spasmed.
What about me?
She suddenly didn't feel like going to the celebration, instead favoring the idea of throwing her weapons till she could see the real sun set over the tree tops.
"Shovel." A rare, around Konoha at least, squirrel called out as they watched the human female toss different types of teeth at the wooden posts. Most of them were hitting.
"Needles." A more common breed of the bushy tailed tree rat replied. Next to them a raccoon, a young one that had been born in the city, corrected them with a yawn.
"Bo shuriken."
The three furred mammals were enjoying the silence since the pale-eyed human had scared their feathered companions off. The silly birds had gotten it into their heads that they were being watched and took to the sky screaming. While the squirrels and raccoon and felt something similar, they didn't jump as it wasn't bearing down on them. "Oh! I don't recognize that." The rare flying squirrel muttered.
"It's a, let me think, Kusa... Kusarigama?" The unnamed raccoon offered. She was only present because she was bored, not to mention young and foolish as her mother had said. Why ruin a perfectly good set up with the humans? They eat some food, they throw it out, we eat the food. "It's just like the little harvest tooth that they use just with the rock and chain."
"Aaaaahhh." The brown squirrel began climbing down, showing off the recklessness the species was known for. "Can we, maybe, maybe, do the hole thing?"
The lighter squirrel remained in the tree, not liking the idea of exposing itself in unfamiliar terrain. "No, no, nononono." The flipping alone had looked idiotic to the flying squirrel, a master at gliding and maneuvering in the air. "Too dangerous." The only way I gonna try that is with teaching, and no fire-breather is going to do that for us.
"We're stopping here tonight, Kotaro-san." An aged merchant with liver spots under his eyes called to his guest, the infamous Kotaro Suzuhara, puppet maker extraordinaire and escape artist. His name was something of a legend in the right circles, like Lady Tsunade the Legendary Sucker. Unlike the notoriously in-debt gambler he had no title; simply mentioning that Kotaro-san and any traveling merchant knew who it was.
"Ah? Isn't it a bit early to turn in?" Kotaro asked curiously, head whipping around to check for unwanted visitors. He had meet up with the caravan going to Tea country shortly after leaving Suna and quickly talked his way into their good graces. Not to mention most merchants found amusement in thumbing their nose at the Kazekage. If there wasn't so much money to be had the merchants would gladly skip over the dessert city. "There hasn't been any trouble?"
"No, no trouble. Your 'I'm just a box' routine was perfect, the border guards didn't suspect a thing."
"Soooo, why are we stopping so soon?" The puppet maker hopped off the wagon and breathed deep. No damn sand. Just the refreshing clean air of Fire country, named so for the dry summers and plentiful wood to make fires. Not to mention the lovely hot springs.
The old merchant climbed down and handed his reigns to a boy as he cracked his back. "Just a bit of superstition, you see. A few years back they say a great nine tailed demon fox was sighted in Fire, I don't know if it's true or not but they say the shinobi population gets real touchy whenever kitsune are mentioned."
Sounds like a cover-up. But, Kotaro old boy, it's none of your business. Suna's got it's own demon problems. "Interesting, but what does this have to do with the early stop?" He asked and grabbed his bedroll from the wagon as the horses were led away.
The merchant pulled a pipe from his sleeve and lit up, pausing to observe the efficiency of his people as they set camp. Several mercenaries left for a quick patrol. "Demon's can't be killed, Kotaro-san. Disembodied, maybe, but not killed." Someone started a fire. "Night has always been the time when spirits are at their strongest."
Kotaro remembered all the rumors surrounding the Kazekage's youngest. He was at his most hostile at night, especially on full moons. Only the quick or the dead ventured out at those hours. Gaara..."You suspect something?" This is too heavy for me. Too bad Ji-ji doesn't keep any young girls in his entourage.
Ji-ji smiled, though his eyes betrayed him. "I'm just an old trader, Kotaro-san. What would I know about the affairs of shinobi? But you are headed to Konoha?"
"Got a request to make a leg."
"Of course."
"Ji-ji!" The boy who took the horses returned running. His eyes were bright as he brushed dust of his clothes. "I heard you talking about Kyuubi-sama? Are you telling stories again?"
"And if I was?"
A strong woman, Kotaro would guess she was in her early thirties, turned towards them. She held a spoon dripping with water and bits of rice. "What's this I hear about Ji-ji-sama telling stories? You're turning into an old man, grandfather!"
"Silence! That is blasphemy!"
The mercenaries returned and gave a quick report to the wrinkled merchant. Ji-ji nodded and motioned for everyone to head towards the bubbling pots. One of the mercenaries had brought back some sort of bear and the meat was roasting over a second fire.
"Oh, tell us, Ji-ji-sama!" A hired man called as he stuffed his face. Slowly the old man gave in. What was it with kids? Never wanted to sit still when a story was told but demanding it when the speaker wasn't.
Ji-ji tapped out his pipe and stored it to take a plate from the woman. Kotaro found a seat near the rice pot for easy access to seconds.
"They're exists a being some say is older than time. I myself think that's total bull-"
"Get on with it!"
"Silence, Val, or I'll have you sleeping on the dirt! As I was saying, this very old being is also very strong. A single swing of it's tail could bring down a mountain or form a tsunami. It is a creature of ancient myth, with the form of a nine tailed fox! Some say it is a demon, a few claim it is a god, but all fear it." A shadow fell across the old man's face. "To anger that creature is to bring it's wrath, and though it may not be immediate it will always come. Once, a nation angered it, and now all that's left of them is a small island. That nation... was Wave."
Several people sucked in breaths at the news. Ji-ji had been from the small country, and they all knew the current situation was the reason the merchant had not returned. As if he didn't hear them Ji-ji continued. "They say the fox will not return until shinobi are accepted by the people, and when it does it will either destroy Wave entirely or forgive them."
Stupid and childish, maybe, but Kengi liked to think of it as in tune with himself in the universe. Currently his childish side was screaming at him to get the f-word out!! "Why are we doing this again, Eiki?" He asked his friend and leader.
"For the money of course! How often do you think we'll get an opportunity like this? Imagine! All we got to do is find some stupid scroll and we'll be able to get out of our shit-hole of a village." Eiki replied as he kicked at an old abandoned glass bottle. Said bottle rolled along the cold grass for a few feet while Kengi followed it with his eyes.
His skin was getting goose bumps as they walked though the streets of the defunct town. Grass had reclaimed most of the streets and shrubs grew wildly out of their gardens. A bleach white stone reflected moonlight, but it only took a few seconds for the nervous teen to recognize it for what it really was. Bone.
He reached out to his friend who was peering into a window. "Y-yeah. I know, but couldn't we come back in the morning?"
"Kengi, Kengi, Kengi... you know what would happen if we did that? We would be questioned, the others that are after the goods would want to 'help us' and then get part of the take. No. It's much better just me and you." He pulled his head out of the window. "Nothing in there. Guess it was a storage shed."
"I wouldn't mind."
"That's your problem! You're too used to letting people tell you what to do! Gotta take charge! Take things into your own hands!" Eiki shouted, annoyed. The two of them had been trying to get enough money for a trip to the capital for months and then this deal comes along but Kengi's too scared of the dark to go through with it. Eiki snorted. "I'm going down to that field we saw earlier. There was some structures behind it. Keep looking around here."
Kengi just grunted, wide eyes moving from shadow to shadow. He could have sworn he heard something like laughter. Grams used to tell all sorts of bad stories about this place. The fog rolling in didn't help his nervous state any.
There! I know I heard something! Kengi turned to an alley and walked around debris from a collapsed wall. There was a rustling, almost like cloth. There was cool breath on the back of his neck. His heart skipped a beat. "T-this isn't funny, Eiki."
"I'm sorry. Eiki isn't here right now. He's entertaining the old man." Smooth. Like silk.
He wanted to turn around and question the voice, but it sent shivers up his spine and the part of him that had always been more aware screamed at him not to. If he did, he would die. Whoever it was wanted to play with him. They would stop playing if he saw who -or what- they were. "W-what happened t-to Eiki?"
The voice was amused. "I don't know, yet. The old man hasn't had anything to feed his plants in soooo long. Your friend is probably helping him."
Kengi would have asked more, desperate to buy time, when a high pitched scream echoed through the town. The scream turned to a whine and started up again with requests for help. Eiki was sorry, Eiki didn't mean it, and please for the love of god would Kengi help him.
Kengi couldn't move. He was too scared and his senses were screaming too many different things at him.
From behind, icy fingertips reached toward him. "Welcome, Kengi, to the Town of Shikyo."
The town of death.
Somehow he started running, but he doubted it was fast enough.
END.