Chapter 19
"What are you talking about Kimura-sensei?" asked Osaka, sitting down cross legged beside the man.
"Ha, the number of people who've asked me that" said Kimura, apparently amused at tales past. "I was just thinking about that hunter we saw."
"What about him Kimura-sensei?"
"It is their job to destroy all traces of a ninja's body" said Kimura, speaking his thoughts aloud. "Yet what did that person do?"
"He…er he disappeared right?" asked Osaka.
"Correct Osaka." The teenager looked across happily at Kimura, glad to receive praise. "He took the body and then vanished, holding said body."
"Perhaps he didn't want to cut up a body in front of girls?" suggested Osaka.
"These people cut up, destroy and dispose of bodies for a living. They don't care about sickening or mentally scaring a group of girls."
"Perhaps it was his first day."
Kimura shrugged off that comment. "Something is very strange. That person should have destroyed the body at the scene of death. Instead he took it away. It's very strange. I'm almost certain…"
"Of what?" asked Tomo reappearing.
"That Zabuza is still alive."
"What?!" asked Osaka and Tomo in horror. Nakasone spat out his drink in surprise and apologized profusely to Yotsuba, the only family member in the room at the time. She glanced down and rushed out, before returning with a cloth. She glanced across at Tomo- she was pleased that she was almost as quick as the older girl.
"What makes you say something stupid like that?" asked Tomo.
"You said he was dead!" scolded Osaka.
"For all appearances he was. Yet needles, often used for medical purposes were used against Zabuza. Of course with a hit to a vital point death would be ensured- but a ninja as trained with the body as they are could easily induce a death like trance. The hunter carried away the body- I believe he tried to create the illusion of killing Zabuza while actually setting out to rescue him."
"No way" said Yotsuba not understanding a word of what was said.
"I agree with the girl" said Nakasone, apparently believing the five year old knew about what was being said. "You're thinking far too much about this Kimura."
"Maybe. It always helps to be a little paranoid. However we can't afford to be caught off guard. We need to be aware of any possibility. As long as we have Keeler with us we can expect another attack."
"I would say something like leave him, but then again I am human" said Nakasone. He had hired the team, and he didn't want to put any pressure on them to leave the man. "I was the one that hired you. But Mr Keeler is the one who truly has his life in danger."
"We'll take care of both of you!" said Tomo.
There was a faint knock on the door and Jumbo stepped into the room. He quickly waved to the two girls, before waving enthusiastically towards Yotsuba.
"I hope you aren't talking about bad things in front of a young girl."
Kimura, Tomo and Osaka looked down at the ground. Death, dismemberment, killing…better not to tell the truth here.
"Girls, get your things together."
"What?" asked Osaka.
"We're going to continue with some essential Genin level training."
"But you can't even stand up" interjected Tomo.
"Fetch me some sticks for walking sticks. I'm not going to be the one doing anything" he said. "You will though."
---
Ignoring the orders of both her father and the odd man with the glasses Yotsuba gently pushed opened the door and stepped into the 'no go' room. A man glanced up at her as the creaking of the hinges woke him up.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" he mumbled, annoyed, disorientated and tired.
"I'm Yotsuba. I've come to give you some food" she said, placing a bowl beside him. She got close to him as she gently put the bowl on the floor. Right then and there he could have grabbed her- but left the small girl. He would not punish the girl for an act of kindness. Besides he could do with staying here a few more days. It'd be nice to sleep in a warm room for once. He slowly reached out a hand. Yotsuba looked at it, part scared, part intrigued. He gripped her hand and shook it.
"Thank you Miss Yotsuba" said Keeler.
Yotsuba nodded and grinned. "Thank you Mr Ass" said Yotsuba, reciting what Kimura frequently called the man. Not that he was jealous or anything.
---
Kimura stood wobbling slightly as he supported himself on his walking sticks. He stood with his two students in front of him. Osaka soon stumbled forwards from the settlement, finishing off her breakfast. Now three of his students stood before him. The group stood out in the forest close to the village. Nakasone, Koiwai and Jumbo were making sure Keeler didn't escape. Sakaki and Osaka stood waiting for orders, while Tomo fidgeted, bored. Finally she stuck up her hand.
"What are we doing here Kimura-sensei?" she asked.
"We are here to continue with your training."
"How?" asked Sakaki, looking around at the bare area. Nothing but trees, not targets, nothing but the forest.
"By climbing trees!" declared Kimura. His dramatic statement was met with an anticlimax as Tomo adjusted her headband and Osaka stared up towards the clouds above.
"Sorry Sensei?" asked Sakaki. Did I hear you right?
Kimura pointed to the vast trees behind him. "By climbing those. Trees, I take it you've heard of them?"
"Yeah" replied Osaka, "I have."
"Climbing trees? I use to do that when I was a kid" said Tomo.
"And you don't consider yourself a child anymore?" He looked away as Tomo directed unsavoury finger gestures towards him. "However this climbing of trees will be done- without the use of hands!"
"Hmm" said Sakaki to herself. That would be difficult.
"But how can we do that Sensei?" asked Tomo.
Kimura glanced across at the girls, a look of pleasure evident on his face at being required to give the students help- no sarcastic comments or retorts here. He tapped his sticks into the ground, and a look of deep concentration passed across his face. He turned away from his gathered students and stepped towards a close by tree. He pressed his sticks against the bark, then placed one foot on it. Without hesitation he placed his other foot on the tree, yet didn't fall- as though his feet were stuck to the tree. He began walking up the tree, parallel to the ground. Finally he reached the top, and for further show, stepped onto one of the branches hanging upside down. He let go of one of the sticks, waving to the three girls. The stick fell to the ground, along with his glasses.
"Shit it" he muttered to himself. Below Sakaki just about caught his glasses, while Tomo just about avoided the heavy stick.
"How did you do that?" asked an impressed Osaka.
"Your turn. Concentrate, focus your chakra to the soles of your feet and cling to the tree trunk. Then from there climb."
"How does this help?" called Tomo up to the man.
"Control over chakra is important for any who want to become proper ninja. This task is designed to aid you master control of your chakra. Preservation of chakra while maximising its usefulness is of critical importance. Focusing chakra to the soles of the feet is the most difficult task, the furthest point on your body. It's about control- perfect this and you can control your chakra to perform many Jutsu."
"Cool" said Tomo to herself.
"Of course, it also offers a way to build up stamina which is important in battle. You don't want to faint in battle or use up all of your chakra." He dropped down three knifes, Sakaki just about pulling Osaka out of the way. "Sorry 'bout that Osaka."
"What?" asked Osaka, completely unaware.
"Now it's your turn. Mark how far you get on the branch and try and beat it."
The trio stood together, closing their eyes as they all focused on concentrating their chakra to the soles of their feet. Tomo was the first to open her eyes, Sakaki soon following. Osaka stood with her eyes closed. Tomo pointed to the tree and ran at full tilt. Sakaki turned away. Smack! The girl energetically ran straight into the tree. She groaned and slumped back onto the floor. Sakaki ran to the tree, and climbed a short distance before she felt herself loosen from the tree and just about made a mark before falling and landing back on the ground. She was wracked by doubts, this was more difficult then she thought, she'd have to try and concentrate.
"What the hell?" called out Tomo beside her. With her eyes closed Osaka placed one foot onto the tree branch. Humming to herself she placed her other foot on the tree and slowly began to climb, still humming. This was nothing unusual to the girl- after the dreams she had had, trying to climb a tree without hands was nothing strange. She had no doubts, and merely focused on climbing. Finally she reached as far as she could climb up the tree and sat on a branch.
"Traitor!" called out Tomo as Osaka waved to her and Sakaki.
"Nice going Osaka" stated Kimura. "Now try again."
"What?" asked a shocked Osaka.
"This is a test of both stamina and control of chakra" replied Kimura.
"Yes Sensei." She climbed back down to the bottom, before realizing she'd left the knife stuck in a branch.
---
Harima stood beside Zabuza gently smoking a worn looking pipe. He looked down at the man who was sat up in bed. Zabuza returned with an equally scornful stare. He didn't know why this man insisted on constantly hanging around him. It was so annoying.
"I see you are in much better health now."
"Correct."
"So I take it you'll be able to complete your task soon Zabuza?"
"Correct" replied Zabuza in an annoyed tone. He didn't want to waste his words on this man.
"I hope so, as the man who hired you is beginning to get very impatient."
"Keeler will be dead before this week ends."
---
Osaka slowly walked down the street, Kimura beside her, Koiwai beside him. She greeted numerous people as she walked past the buildings and into the market. Kimura turned to Osaka.
"Why don't you find something for you and the others to have for dinner?" he suggested.
"Sure thing."
She skipped over and began walking past the collection of vegetables and meat. Koiwai joined her as he searched for something to prepare for himself and his daughter- as well as look at what Osaka chose, knowing he'd be doing the cooking.
"Hello Mr Koiwai" she said cheerfully, not turning to the man as she focused on an odd looking potato.
"Miss Osaka. So I was just wondering…what is your village like?"
"Huh? My village? Oh it's a nice place. There's loads of people and an academy and my house. There's this one place where those weird flowers that you can blow and make a wish grow. Why?"
"Just wondering. I'm thinking of moving there sometime."
"Huh?"
"This place is nice, but there's no place for Yotsuba to go and properly learn. And this entire place is open to attack…it's only a short distance away- and it'd offer much more for both me and my daughter."
"Wow. And just think in the future I could defend you" she replied.
"Yeah" said Koiwai uneasily as Osaka balked at a hairy looking carrot. "I've just heard about some bad things happening close to this place. It'd just be safer for my daughter to leave here."
"Yeah" said Osaka picking up a large potato and looking at it impressed.
---
Tomo and Sakaki stood close together, bent over as they breathed deeply. This constant attempt to climb the trees was tiring. Really, really tiring. Tomo glanced up looking from one tree to another. The scratches in the tree trunks were almost at the same level- but Sakaki's sat slightly higher. Tomo growled and ran towards the tree again. This time I'll beat Sakaki. She's getting tired. Energy, that's definitely one thing I have. She sprinted for the tree, gripping her knife tightly. She was going to do this now, nothing was going to stop her, she was going to finally beat Sakaki!
"Dinner time!" called out Yotsuba, who'd appeared with Kimura. Almost instantly Tomo came to a halt and then span around to face Kimura.
"Lets go" said the girl.
Author's note: This story is now officially cancelled! The final four or five chapters after this will be posted. The people have spok-no wait that's a lie. Meh oh well. Took me long enough to write through these two or so arcs, at least I don't have to worry about writing out the eight or so I'd planned.
I'd say I'd be willing to return if someone actually had interest in this story but I've decided I'm not going to waste my time anymore.