The Path A Ninja Walks...
Chapter Fifteen
Executing Phase 1: Sucess
A/N: WARNING-The character known as Sage Amesawa uses a lot of profanity and colorful language as part of his "colorful" personality. Be prepared if you are sensitive to that. Please note it is not because I condone such manner of speech, and also the character does not mean to use it as a way to be harmful, it is just his personality.
"All right...is everyone in position?" Kokoua's voice hissed through the ear piece of the multi-way radio they used to keep in contact as the waited for the enemy to strike.
"Roger that." Kankuro was in charge of keeping an eye on the traps as well as triggering any others, should they fall in position.
"I'm ready too." Said Temari, who stood as a line of offensive defense.
"No body will get passed me!" said Sage, who had his seven color clones positioned strategically around the area, ready and waiting.
"Hmph...as if you can do much." Hana huffed. She was placed opposite of Saseme, who stood in position for a head on attack, with Gaara in the wing to provide her defense, a skill she clearly lacked in.
"We're on stand by." Said Saseme, referring to Gaara and herself.
"Good." said Kokoua,"According to the intel we collected, they should definitely be preparing to strike any time now." she stated,"We'll just beat them back before they even get the chance."
As expected, Temari's intel was right on the money. just beyond the boarder a caraban of thieves had gathered, hoarding weapons and stolen goods as prizes from other villages they raided, as well as trophies of victory for how many times they had previously succeeded. This time however would be different.
Hold on a second...
Kokoua thought to herself as she quickly surveyed the approaching threat. Among them were the common thieves and bandits, however, there were others sporting ninja gear and headbands.
Those are collected rougue ninja from surrounding villages...
She thought to herself.
Among them are Chunin and Jounin alike!
She clicked her tounge.
Genin can't take on that kind of enemy without a solid battle plan...
"Change of plan!" her voice hissed through the radio way,"Regroup and change formation, there are ninja in that caraban!" she stated,"I repeat, there are ninja in that caraban that out rank genin level! We'll have to form up and-"
"Hmph! I'm not afraid!"
"Hana, you crazy bitch, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"
Though Sage's cry fell on deaf ears as the ginger haired girl took off ahead, desperate to prove herself useful to the group, if not more so, than Saseme Uchiha.
"...Dammit." Saseme heaved a heavy sigh and charged in tow of her reckless team mate. Love her or hater her, they were in fact a team after all. She certainly wasn't going to let Hana fall alone...
Besides, doing things head on was more Saseme's style anyway.
"Not you too, Saseme!" Kokoua scolded through the ear piece and huffed as she quickly prepared to take on position to get her two more reckless students out of trouble.
"Well...so much for the plan..." Temari sighed.
"Quickly, now, let's help her out!" said Kankuro.
"Already on it!" beamed Sage,"Love'em or hate'em those are my girls out there!" he stated,"Like hell am I gonna let those two crazy bitches have all the fun~"
Just like that, the unit was moving in, far sooner than the inititial plan. This of course was easily picked up by one of the more elite ninja of the caraban. He held up a hand to halt the group as he began to analyze the area. In the middle of a desert, a lone flower petal fluttered down in the wind...
Certainly that rose suspicion as he rose toward the direction from which it flew he was met quickly with the smiling face of Koko Sensei.
"Hello~" She said with a grin before giving the man a straight knock out punch to the nose. The followers all gasped in a murmer as they rose their weapons for battle, only to be met with confusion as the area surrounding them suddenly burst into full bloom.
"Hmph...child's play!" said the rougue Jounin after a quick recover from the punch. He then placed his fingers together and with an intense focus shouted "RELEASE!" breaking the genjutsu mid completion, leaving Hana with a frustrated huff and a click of her tongue. But it wasn't in vain. As the illusionary flowers cleared, a raging Saseme burst through the fadeing with a flaming fist that slammed down into a group of the head Jounin's lackeys, leaving an explosion behind that shot them back a few feet.
"Saseme!" Kankuro called out,"Try to beat them back into one of the traps!"
But She was already ahead of the game. Swinging full force in rapid taijutsu technique. The more experienced ninja were of course able to evade each swing more easily than she could aim, but her aim wan't to land hits in the first place, but to lead them into one of Kankuro's carefully placed trigger traps.
"You little brat!" the chunin huffed as he took a swing at the twelve year old, each one however, being blocked by random plots of sand that seemed to be wherever he swung his fist.
"Woah, how the hell is she doing that!?" asked Sage as he met with Kankuro to prepare to set off the first trap.
"She's not." said the black cloaked male with a grin as he motioned a directional gesture that pointed toward where the one called Gaara stood, hidden in shadows at a safe distance, seeming to manipulate the sand that worked as Saseme's gritty motion shields.
"Gaara isn't much for head to head combat..." Kankuro said,"But his defensive techniques are absolute...she's in good hands...let's hurry!"
"Uh...Right!" said Sage as he followed suit, glancing back once more at the two genin who, even at a distance, seemed to hold a connection.
So...Gaa-chan, huh~?
He smirked.
It seems he cares after all...at least a little bit...
Though leaving the two unsupervised still left him with a heavy weight of bad omen in his gut...
Just what the hell is with this brat!?
The rougue chunin thought to himself as he went toe to toe with the Uchiha Genin, still being blocked from making contact with her by random waves of mini sand shields that were hard as rock with each punch he landed against one.
How is she manipulating the sand like that!?
It was at this moment his eyes darted toward the shinobi in the shadows, motioning his hands in command with the sand that swayed.
"OVER THERE!" the chunin called out, chucking a kunai toward the desert child.
"No, GAA-CHAN!" Saseme cried out in warning, which snapped the brunette to change position and surround himself with a defensive barrier that shielded him.
"Now that your knight in shining armor is hiding, this next swing should hit!" the chunin grinned and thrust a punch forward that sent Saseme flying back with a pained cry.
"Saseme!" Temari called out. She removed her fan from its holster on her back and gave it a hardy swing, sending a full forced wind gale to break the Uchiha's fall and thrust her forward in mid air toward the cliff side.
"You're mine!" one of the other chunin sneered as he took to the air and prepared to slam her down.
"Not likely..." she smirked, which took him by surprise as she flipped mid air and touched the cliff with her two feet, with a quick swing of a kunai she cut a camoflaged rope that triggered one of the spring traps that Kankuro had set, which released a gathering of collected sand stones and boulders that pelted against him while she leapt off the surface in her momentum.
"Nice one!" Sage beamed,"I'll take him from here!" he then divided himself into seven color clones which pushed their way through the barrage toward their victim alonf with two other chunin that met to catch their fallen comrade.
"That was quick thinking, Saseme..." Kokoua sighed in relief as she watched the cooperation execute itself perfectly,"Purposely taking hit so that the enemy would drop their guard..." She smiled as Kankuro leapt to catch her.
"Student of yours?" the rougue Jounin smirked, which quickly changed Kokoua's face of relief into a crimson glare.
"And what of it?" she asked.
"Oh nothing..." he laughed,"Just not much to say."
"Hmph..." A fierce battle of Taijutsu between the two commenced as she did her best to drive away the clearly stronger of the group.
"I could have handled it without you!" Hana huffed as she met with Saseme, not at all pleased that she had come to her rescue yet again.
"Really? Because you're the reason it came to this in the first place!" Saseme huffed back,"What's the point of making a plan if you're not gonna follow it!?"
And so the bickering commenced. Which the gathered bandits thought would be the perfect opportunity to take a swing at the two little girls who seemed more interested in taking a swing at each other. All under ruse of course as the instant the man held his sickle the two girls, together, turned on their heel to face him and decked him straight on, sending him flying.
"Pound it!" they said together with glee each pushing their fist into the other in a bump.
They act like they hate each other, but they can make the perfect team when it counts-
"That's four down!" said Sage as he rangled in his three Chunin that he so proudly succeeded in defeating with help from his seven colors.
Now the bandits were getting scared as they watched their hired shinobi forces fall one by one.
"I can't believe we're losing to a bunch of Genin!" the rougue Jounin huffed in a rage.
Nice job, guys...
Kokoua thought to herself in relief.
I'm impressed at how well they handled themselves against higher ranked opponents...
She blinked.
Perhaps...they're ready...
"You might want to pay attention!" the Jounin huffed as he swung a fist forward toward Kokoua, which was then caught in her vice grip, without her having to even look up. In an instant, her sharp garnet eyes darted in his direction and seemed to take on a crimson glow that sent chills through him as her grip on his hand tightened.
"...Big mistake." she muttered, and like lasers her eyes took on a full red color as she made her final swing, the sound of bellowing clap of exploding red lightning shooting wildly around, sending the birds into a frenzy to escape the pending doom...
xxx
"That's the...LAST of them!" Kankuro huffed as he tossed in the last beaten down enemy into the carriage."
"Well done." said a sand shinobi that bowed in gratitude,"We will take them into custody for questioning right away." he said,"And hopefully get back the things that were stolen, as well." he smiled,"Thanks for the helping hand...we're a few ninja short so this was really appreciated."
"But of course." said Kokoua,"What else are allies for?" she shrugged,"I suppose we'll be off then, now that the mission is complete."
"Already?" blinked Temari,"Surely you're exhaused right?" she asked,"Why not stay and leave well rested in the morning?"
"While we appreciate the offer, it's really important that I get the report in right away." said Kokoua,"After all there are other upcoming events of great importance that require our assistance, and time is of the essence."
"Well...suit yourself." the blonde shinobi sighed.
"Looks like Saseme is leaving, Gaara." said Kankuro as he turned toward the gourd carrying genin who seemed to show no interest in weather their guests stayed or left,"...Don'tcha wanna say anything?" he blinked.
"...Hmph." was all Gaara gruffed before walking back toward their desert home while Kankuro heaved a heavy sigh.
"Fine...I'll do it for you..." he muttered as he pulled Saseme in against his chest and spoke in a low tone,"Thanks." he said softly,"You did good."
"Yes...Thank you...Big brother." Saseme blinked, a term of respect she used toward the older genin in acknolegement that he indeed was Gaara's older brother anyway. Kokoua watched and said nothing as Saseme's team mates took on a hint of confusion but thought it best not to question it at that time.
Kankuro's arms grew tightly around the small of the Uchiha's back as he whispered something to her, out of ear shot of her team mates and sensei.
"...You remember the plan, right?"
"...Yes..." she said softly with a light swallow.
"Good." said Kankuro,"Then I think it's best if you take this with you this time..." he said as he pulled away slowly and handed her the black scroll that held KuroKunai,"I went ahead and tranferred it into a more portable situation so it will be easier to lug around." he stated,"Be sure to practice with it...you might just need it."
With a simple nod, she reached out a gloved hand and accepted the black scroll that which carried her massive weapon.
"Until next time." she said with a polite bow as she turned to prepare leave.
"Sister..." she bowed politely to Temari as she passed, granting the oldest of the siblings the proper respect before meeting with her own allies to prepare for departure.
"Here's to workin' with ya next time!" Sage grinned as he waved, following suit in the ladies that had already begun their journey home.
"That was really reckless, what you girls did, you know." Kokoua huffed.
"Yeah yeah, whatever!" Hana sighed,"We won, didn't we!?"
Saseme walked silently with her head down as she hung back with Sage, drained and unresponsive...lost in the black canvas gifted to her by the middle sibling.
"...So...those friends of yours were pretty cool after all." he said softly, to which she replied with silence,"...You gonna miss'em?"
Silence.
"Hey..." he blinked,"Eeeaarth to Saseemee...YO!" with a sudden clap by her ear she startled upright and looked toward her male team mate at her side with wide dark eyes.
"You okay?" he asked her."You're actin kinda weird..."
"Oh...yes...I'm...all right...I just..." she spoke in bated breaths.
"You...just what?" blinked Sage with a flicker of concern in his blue green eyes.
"I...used a lot of...chakra." with that last sentence she froze midstep, which caught Hana and Kokoua's attention as well when the Uchiha girl suddenly fell silent, and then dropped like a dead weight.
"OH MY GOD!" Hana cried out, but before Saseme hit the ground, the thump that sounded was that of her unconscious body weight against the back of Sage Amesawa, who without a hint of struggle, lifted her up to his shoulders, letting her head fall softly as her arms draped over them while he carried her piggy back.
"No worries...you rest up then." he chuckled with a soft smile as he glanced back at her now sleeping face.
"...I got you, girl."
To Be Continued...