Chapter 4
Mystery In The Forest
Their group joined the other small number of groups that had passed at a platform near the Ninja school Sakura met them there.
"You guys made it," she said relieved.
"Of course we wouldn't miss this," smiled Rusuta.
"I'm so relieved; I had a terrible dream last night. It was about Sasuke; I saw him in the forest before a cold fog rolled in and swallowed him up, he screamed in agony and when the fog lifted all that was left was his headband. I woke up and could hear a girl screaming until she just cut silent like someone had hit her. Last night was the night Sasuke disappeared those years ago. So far there are no reported missing persons," she told them and Rusuta felt cold again, the scream had been her could it really have been her that Sakura had seen destroyed by the fog? She'd had no idea Sasuke's disappearance anniversary was the same night as that of her meeting her father.
"If I'd have realised, maybe I wouldn't have," she thought before Sakura hugged her.
"Tsunade will be here in a moment to give you guys the mission, but please, I beg you, if you find any sign of Sasuke, please tell him to just come home, this dream has worried me greatly, I'm so frightened he's in danger and there's nothing we can do," worried Sakura.
"It's ok Sakura, if we see him we'll give him the message," said Koni and Sakura nodded thankfully and left them.
Tsunade came to the platform then accompanied by a female ninja, Tsunade's aide. The crowd became hushed as Tsunade revealed several scrolls from under her robe.
"There are many enemies within the forest and they each hold special items for which this task is designed to acquire," Tsunade said suddenly throwing the scrolls into the crowd.
"It's a map?" wondered Koni looking.
"These enemies are real and must not be taken lightly, if you can defeat them their item will help you find a special tower, only teams who bring back the tower's treasure will pass this test. You have two weeks, don't get sloppy the time is long for a reason. The enemy is dangerous, be wary," Tsunade told them sternly.
"If you are ready the scrolls will now show you your starting points," said Tsunade's aide. Rusuta and Koni looked at the scroll and a red dot suddenly appeared.
"The West Gate," said Rusuta.
"We know that area of the forest well," smiled Koni.
"Ready!" cried Tsunade ringing a gong, "Go!"
"Let's go!" smiled Rusuta taking the scroll and running towards the West Gate.
"She's so spunky," smiled Umani running after her.
"Hey wait for me!" said Koni following.
Rusuta stopped at the West Gate and waited for her friends, she looked at the map, there was no indication where their enemies were, she guessed it would be too easy to know. When Koni and Umani joined her they walked into the forest and started to search for any sign of an enemy. Up in the tree a black clothed and masked figure watched them enter, the figure nodded and rushed back through the tree branches to a temporary fort structure where he was met by two other figures.
"It's begun, they started at the west gate," he said.
"Good, we'll wait for nightfall and then make our first attack, we'll take them completely off guard," sneered one of the two other figures, it seemed this was the leader.
"What exactly are we looking for?" asked Koni looking around as the three walked through the forest.
"Anything unusual I guess," said Rusuta.
"We should make our way deep into the forest's heart, there is a lake there, a water source is a good place to look for temporary settlements," said Umani looking at the map.
"But if the enemy are against the village wouldn't their settlements be on the outsides of the forest?" wondered Koni.
"Do we really have time to check both, this forest is huge," worried Rusuta.
"Think about it this way, where is the easiest place to hide a secret tower? Within dense forest growth. We simply pick up any enemies we find on the way," smiled Umani.
"What do you think?" asked Rusuta.
"I guess we have time to try that, we crossed this forest when we were kids and it only took us a few days remember?" replied Koni and the three headed deeper into the forest.
As the hours passed the group came across neither unusual items nor enemies and it was getting dark.
"Should we stop for the night?" asked Umani leading them to a clearing.
"But we haven't found any enemies, how can we stop when all we've done today is walk?" asked Koni.
"Better to save our strength, besides, Rusuta looks exhausted," he pointed out; Rusuta was sitting by a tree looking a bit sorry for herself. She was really hungry and her body just felt too numb now to move another step.
"Rusuta, I told you, you were too sick to do this," said Koni worried.
"Please don't worry about me," she sighed, "I'm fine, I'm just a little tired, let's just rest for a little while, we don't have to sleep the whole night."
"You sure?" said Koni and she nodded.
"You kids don't think you can just sleep here do you!" came a menacing voice, Rusuta stood up alarmed in case it was the same voice as last nights.
"Show yourself!" cried Koni and out of the trees one of the black figures appeared.
"Well you got your wish, one enemy, this is wrapping up nice and neat," smiled Umani before having to dodge a kunai being thrown from behind him.
"Arrogant child you have no hope of defeating us," the kunai thrower said before the third appeared.
"There are lots of you," she laughed, "more fun for us,"
"Rusuta, you up for a fight?" smiled Koni and Rusuta unleashed her whip.
"You got it Koni!" she replied running at the leader.
"Sen Blade Jutsu!" cried Koni.
"Shurukin Shower Jutsu!" cried Umani and the two boys unleashed their many bladed weapons.
"Remember don't use your weapons or they'll give us away," whispered the leader before dodging Rusuta's blade. The two other figures nodded to each other before one grabbed some kunai and the other some shurukin and together they leapt at the two male members of Rusuta's group. Despite their fierceness it soon seemed that the black group were barely fighting at all, everything offensive came from Rusuta's team as the black group mostly dodged or countered.
"These guys are nothing, slam them hard Koni!" cried Umani swiping at his opponent with his ball of shurukin spikes. Koni swiped with his sword and the two black figures came together and started to fight as if they were one person, something quite off putting. Meanwhile Rusuta was fighting the leader and finding her quite a challenge.
"My vision, it's so blurry, I can barely make her out, I have to hold on," thought Rusuta flailing her whip around madly. The leader looked over to her cohorts who nodded back before the leader leapt into the path of Rusuta's blade. The swipe cut her and sent her spinning to the ground. The fighting stopped, the leader stood up holding her arm before swiping her other arm through the air signalling they leave, the three black members fled.
"Yay Rusuta, you did it!" smiled Koni but Rusuta was so exhausted she fell to her knees and flopped to the ground.
"Rusuta," he worried cradling her.
"I'm ok, I'm just," she said fainting.
"We have to make her eat something, she can't keep on like this," sighed Koni making her comfortable beside a tree.
"We can't right now, she's liable to choke, she fought well defeating their leader like that," smiled Umani kneeling beside her.
"I'll make a fire to keep her warm, you watch her, I'll make her some soup, at least she can drink that," said Koni setting up a fire. Umani smiled and then looked towards the bushes where a pair of mysterious eyes was peering at them through the leaves. Umani smiled and nodded and the eyes disappeared in the rustling of the wind.
"That was fun," smiled the leader of the black group back at their base, she took off her hooded mask, it had been Krysta all along.
"Gosh that Umani's cocky," said the second taking off his mask, it was Varundo.
"That shurukin ball's nasty though," said the last one, Jivana.
"Hey is Rusuta ok, I've seen her fight, and she's normally much more alert than she was tonight?" asked Varundo.
"That's why I decided to stop the fight, Rusuta couldn't see me straight, I could see her eyes were all glazy, she's looks terribly ill, I'm worried. I've been sensing sudden weaknesses in her body for months but I thought it was hormonal, but what if she really is sick," worried Krysta.
"She hasn't been eating," sighed Jivana, "I thought maybe my cooking had gone bad but Koni still shovels it down like he'll never eat again."
"I noticed that the other day, I hope in her state that the real enemies don't find her," said Krysta.
"Actually shouldn't we be continuing our mission to find them," said Varundo and Krysta nodded.
"Be safe Rusuta, please keep your strength up," she sighed leaving with her team.
Later that night Rusuta woke up, the boys were asleep and she was feeling a little better, next to her was a bowl, the residue of a thin soup was left at the bottom and some was by her mouth.
"Oh Koni, thank you, I just hope I can keep it down," she sighed to herself looking around their surroundings.
"That woman let me hit her, she jumped into my path, why would she do that. If she hadn't, she would have had us dead to rights. I hate to say Koni's right but, how can I get better if I don't know what's wrong with me?" she sighed to herself looking over Koni's sleeping body.
"I'm just as proud as my mother," she said going back to her spot having decided it was safe to sleep again.
The next day the group set off into the deep forest once again, Rusuta looked better now and was feeling more alert. The sun came through the leaves and bathed them in a combo of bright sun and shadow star patterns.
"The enemy has good camouflage today," said Koni.
"I wish we could tell where they are, they left in such a hurry last night," said Umani who'd had limited luck tracking the group.
"Rusuta, do you think your Projection Jutsu might work?" asked Koni.
"Projection?" wondered Umani.
"Rusuta can do this thing, she found our parents once and well, ok I can't explain it, Rusuta," said Koni.
"Koni that only worked because, mother and have, I don't know some kind of connection, I don't have any idea who our enemy is, such vagueness could cause me to go in the wrong direction and we don't have time to go in circles," worried Rusuta.
"I think we should try whatever this is, if you need to picture them just think of their black attire," said Umani stubbornly.
"Koni I can't," she whispered to him.
"Why what's wrong?" he replied.
"Mother isn't the only person I have a connection too, what if I just find where mother is now she's far away on her mission, or worse, Koni what if my projection leads me…" she dried up.
"You mean you've never tried?" he gasped amazed.
"I wanted to, but every time I went to I started to cry, it's like I really don't want to ever have to face him again, but I've wanted him to come back, anything can throw off my projection, nerves are a big obstacle," she told him. Koni looked at Umani, he looked expectant.
"I don't think Umani should know about this, but it doesn't look like he's going to agree not to try the move. Rusuta, can you just scan the forest, not looking for anything in particular?" asked Koni.
"Yes but how would that help?" asked Rusuta.
"Umani will never know the difference and at least you'll see all we need in the forest, just no people," replied Koni and Rusuta reluctantly agreed.
"Are we trying this then?" said Umani.
"Guess so," sighed Rusuta, "you ready Homaru?"
"I'm ready," he replied.
"Koni, give me the map, I'll see if I can get the image to appear on it," said Rusuta and Koni handed her the map. Rusuta held it and closed her eyes. Umani watched in awe as her rune began to spark and Rusuta felt herself fly over the forest. She looked over and every now and then a tree would glow. Thinking this was enough Rusuta stopped and looked at the map, all the glowing trees were now little blue dots on the map.
"Looks like it worked," said Koni.
"Yeah I think its ok, I wonder if the dots will move?" she wondered and one of them suddenly did. There was a large green dot on the map where they were and the moving blue dot was coming straight for them.
"There's something coming!" cried Rusuta realising.
"Yes action!" smiled Umani.
"Let's hide, we can ambush them," said Koni and the three dove into the trees. They waited and Rusuta kept an eye on the map the dot kept moving closer and closer until suddenly she was grabbed from behind by a ninja covered in dark blue cloth. Even as she struggled Rusuta could not see the ninja's face but the noise alerted her group and they ran to her quickly. To Rusuta's surprise just as she saw the group coming to her the Ninja let go and turned round before blowing a black dust into the air and disappearing into the trees.
"Come, back, here!" Rusuta coughed breathing in the mist.
"Rusuta you ok?" said Koni.
"I'm fine," she coughed.
"He can't go far," said Umani running after him.
"Umani," Koni called.
"Come on, let's go," said Rusuta running after him.
"Krysta, Rusuta's team is on the move again," said Varundo having watched all this from a tree, he was back at the fort now reporting.
"Where to?" asked Jivana.
"They're moving towards the edge of the test area, a ninja attacked Rusuta so they're chasing him," he replied.
"Is she ok?" wondered Krysta.
"She's fine but, they're headed for the forbidden forest," said Varundo worried.
"The illusions," gasped Jivana. Krysta closed her eyes for a moment and could feel her daughter's life force was stronger than before.
"They'll be ok Jivana, whatever was wrong with Rusuta seems to have gone away, we will follow them, if this ninja was rogue then he may be part of the true enemy," replied Krysta.
"Right," replied her friends and they too disappeared into the trees.
"It's getting so dark," worried Rusuta as they ran. Suddenly Umani stopped in a small clearing.
"I know I saw him come this way, this is no use, Rusuta can't you feel him?" asked Umani.
"I'll try," said Rusuta but Koni went to stop her.
"I have a target this time, don't worry," she replied and her rune began to spark, "Projection Jutsu find the enemy!" Rusuta's arm sparked more than before and suddenly the trees around her began to glow.
"I can see where he went, come on," said Rusuta able to see the glowing trees again. Rusuta and Koni ran off but Umani lagged behind and took out a small firework from his bag.
"My work is done great Lord, the rest is up to you," he smiled setting the firework off and following the others.
"Rusuta, it's so dark now, I can't see," said Koni and they stopped; all Koni could see was Rusuta's rune.
"I can still see the trees, maybe there's light ahead?" she wondered before realising, "where's Umani?"
"He's not in front of you!" cried Koni worried.
"Oh no we've lost him!" worried Rusuta and then suddenly the spot where they were was washed white with a bright light.
"Ah, so bright!" cried Rusuta huddling down surprised. They could see the trees around them now, it was a dead end.
"Who's there!" cried Koni.
"You've fallen into the trap!" Rusuta heard a voice say, it was the voice from before, Rusuta screamed standing up.
"What is it?" worried Koni.
"No, no it can't be!" she cried and then she cried out again as a white fog started to roll into the clearing.
"The fog!" she screamed afraid.
"Fog?" wondered Koni looking around, Rusuta was scared stiff she couldn't move and the fog started to flow in faster until Koni could no longer see her.
"Rusuta!" he cried out.
"Koni, Koni! Koni help!" she cried out afraid feeling cold all over, "I don't want to die!" Rusuta felt her limbs get heavy again and she could barely stand, then she heard music.
"White is all that I can see, but you right in front of me, deep in the trees I wait for thee, protect and take care of thee, soon one day we'll meet again, in the darkness we are kin…" she heard the music play.
"The, the song…" she gasped flopping to the ground too weak to stand anymore, "I can't breathe, I'm so cold, so tired, my song, am I dreaming, why is the song here, I'm not afraid anymore… not afraid… not…" Rusuta closed her eyes and blacked out.
"Rusuta! Rusuta!" cried Koni but even as he ran frantically in the fog he could not find her, then he heard an evil laugh and the fog immediately disappeared and the forest was back to normal.
"Rusuta!" he cried but as he looked around all he found of Rusuta was the map and her headband.
"No!" he cried out afraid.
"No!" Krysta screamed suddenly flopping over by a tree.
"Krysta! What is it!" cried Jivana worried.
"Rusuta's spirit, gone…" she gasped wide eyed and shocked.
"Gone!" cried Varundo worried for his son.
"Rusuta no…" worried Krysta letting a tear fall from her eyes.