Chapter 23

"You seem surprisingly happy brother" said the broad but not fat man, as he walked towards the figure sitting on the still horse. "Considering Harima is dead, and the mission seems to have been a failure."

The man paused for a moment, looking towards the forest, engrossed in its beauty before turning back. "Dear brother, the mission was a success to me. Several men may have been lost, but he that held several secrets was prevented from ever revealing them."

A scream caught their attention, the man turning and watching as someone ran from a burning building, clothing on fire. His lip curled slightly as he watched the entire village burn. The horse moved slightly.

"Idiots, I told them to make sure the buildings were empty, we only need to kill those who oppose us." He fell silent for a moment before turning to his brother. "I assume I can trust you with that particular mission can't I?" he asked.

"Brother, I will take the entire village, and alsughter any who try to fight."

"Very good Kuraigu."

--

"We're home guys! Lets enjoy the hero's reception!" said Tomo running into the village. She slowly came to a stop. What was this? No banners, no cheering…no people. Some guy a bit too close physically with his sheep slowly looked up at her and scuttled away.

"What the heck?" she asked out loud. "Where's the welcome party? We just completed out first major mission!"

"Don't expect such things" said Kimura, appearing beside her. "We accept a mission, go out and do it, receive whatever payment there may be to the village. Unless it is a truly momentous event people are unlikely to even realize you did anything."

"Hmmph" said Tomo frowning and crossing her arms. "Where's the fun in that?"

Kimura shrugged. "Now I guess you know why Yukari didn't decide to become an out in the field trainer. Being an academy teacher gets her more attention."

Tomo nodded slightly and then made an odd look with her face. She frowned and reached up, scratching her face. Kimura paused.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh I just get…these weird hairs. They kind of look like whiskers. I normally shave them off but haven't been able to recently" said the girl. "They're itchy."

"Hmm I wonder why that happens" said Kimura in a knowing tone.

"Because I have the spirit of the nine tailed demon within me, yadda yadda yadda" said Tomo dismissively.

Beneath the mask Kimura's mouth dropped…further. "You know about that?"

"Of course I do. How do you think I kicked that guy's ass?" asked Tomo.

"By kicking him in the no-no spot?" replied Kimura. "That's what I recall happening."

"Tomo got angry" said Osaka. "She was scary." The girl paused for a moment. Suddenly she had a look of realization. "I could have died back there."

"Er…Osaka…all of that happened about six days ago" said Tomo.

"Sometimes it takes me a while to comprehend things" said Osaka.

"But six days!?" asked Tomo.

"You have hairs on your face" said Osaka looking at Tomo with a surprisingly intense stare. It only lasted for a few seconds before the girl became aware of dirt specks. "Are you feeling right?"

"Of course I am!" said Tomo, turning away and covering her lower face with one hand. "I need to find a razor" she muttered to herself.

"I think it would look cute" said Kimura. "Get some fake ears and you could be a cat girl. Mmm…Tomo the cat girl."

"Don't make me kick you in the no-no spot" said Tomo waving a fist.

"I'm sorry, I just zoned out there for a minute…cats don't possess clothing…"

"Don't you even think about thinking about me being naked!" said Tomo.

Kimura shrugged. Quietly he spoke to himself. "I can't unthink what I have thought." As Tomo sprinted into the town and Osaka tried to follow her, holding her arms out desperately in front, Kimura turned and held out a hand. Still not fully recovered, Sakaki took hold of the hand (after intense thinking).

"T-thank you."

"Not a problem Miss Sakaki" said Kimura. "You did a very brave act back there, protecting Miss Takino."

"What?" asked Sakaki quietly.

"Tomo told me all about the brave Sakaki, who threw herself in harms way, almost gave up her own life."

"W-well I…" said Sakaki.

"You didn't even think about it did you Sakaki" said Kimura. "You saw a friend in danger, and before you knew it you had stepped in front to protect her."

"Well…yeah."

Kimura nodded. "Having that sort of comradeship is good. Definitely better then chucking Tomo in the way of the attack."

"W-would you do such a thing?" asked Sakaki.

"Well, if she was annoying me…"

--

Yukari walked along the pathway, humming a tune to herself loudly. A loud, familiar voice caught her attention and she turned to see Tomo running down the road, followed by Osaka. A large smile crossed her face, which she quickly hid with a neutral look as Tomo spotted her. She stood waiting, gripping a collection of vegetables tightly, waiting for Tomo to say hello. A frown etched its way upon her face as Tomo ran straight by her. Osaka paused, looked at Yukari, had a blank look and then tried to run after Tomo.

"Hey you idiots!" yelled out Yukari. "Don't you even recognize your own teacher?!"

"Huh-what?" said Tomo coming to a sudden stop, Osaka swerving to get out of the way despite being a good twenty paces behind her. "Oh Yukari sensei! I was…testing you!"

"Testing me my ass! You didn't see me did you?" asked the woman.

"No Yukari-sensei" said Tomo, bowing her head. "But now I do! And in the end doesn't that count?"

"Yeah" said Osaka quietly beside Tomo.

"No it doesn't!" said Yukari angrily.

"It doesn't?" asked Osaka quietly.

"I can't believe it. Here I am, the teacher who rose you from a lowly upstart, taught you everything you know…"

"Now I know who to blame then."

"Kimura" growled Yukari, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at the man. She spotted Sakaki. "So just what did you do to her then Kimura?"

"Ask her or Tomo."

"She jumped in the way of an attack to save me!" said Tomo. "Of course she didn't have to; I would have beaten that guy anyway!" continued the girl, waving her fists around in the air. "Bam, I kicked that guys ass!"

"Actually what you 'kicked' was on the opposite side" commented Kimura.

"Oooh. So what enemy? Where are they?" asked Yukari.

"Oh they're dead."

"Dead- did you?" said Yukari, taken back slightly.

"What? No not us" said Tomo. "The other enemy, who hired the enemy to kill a former enemy of ours killed them."

"What?" said Osaka and Yukari in unison.

"Basically all of the enemies died" said Kimura. "Without us really killing anyone I think."

"I killed someone I think" blurted out Osaka. She stood staring forwards as the others slowly turned to look at her. "I had to do it with my eyes closed."

"Yeah? Well I'd be able to do it with my eyes closed and one arm tied behind my back" said Tomo.

"You'd probably take everyone else out too" commented Yukari.

"So where are the others then? Can't wait to find Yomi, to show what a proper ninja looks like" said Tomo, "And show Chiyo brains don't mean everything!"

"Tomo" said Yukari. "I don't know how to tell you this, but Chiyo didn't make it back."

"What?" asked all four members of the group together.

"Ha, got all of you jerks!" said Yukari smugly.

"That's not funny!" said Tomo.

"Of course that wasn't- but the look on your faces were" said Yukari. "Now come on, Kimura's going to treat all of you to some dinner."

"I am?" asked the man.

"Yes you are" growled Yukari menacingly.

"Yes am I, of course I am" said Kimura regretfully.

"Yaaaay, food!" called out Tomo.

"Yay" added Osaka.

--

Together the three students sat together, overlooking the village. They sat in silence for a while, Tomo groaning and holding her stomach. Finally Osaka leant forwards.

"What are we supposed to be looking at?" she asked.

"Nothing" said Sakaki. Just enjoying the time together.

"Just look at that place" said Tomo, pointing at the entire village. She slowly stood up and turned to the others as the sun set behind her. "One day all of those people will know our names. They'll look to us with awe and thank us for helping them."

"Yeah" said Osaka.

"Together we'll defend this village from harm" said Tomo.

"Together" said Osaka sticking out a hand and surprising Tomo by placing it on Tomo's hand.

"T-together" said Sakaki, placing her hand on Osaka's.

The three stood and looked at one another, Tomo nodding. Together they stood overlooking the village, Kimura sitting outside ignoring gasps as he read hentai. Yukari was busy drinking down excesses of alcohol with Minamo, while her team, led by Yomi struggled with a random task Yukari had assigned them to give her time to drink with her friend.

Tomo stood grinning wildly, Osaka smiling dreamily beside her. Tomo glanced across at Sakaki, who paused for a moment before smiling herself. This feeling inside her was true, happiness, she'd found something.

Friends…

"And just imagine Sakaki, after this you can go back to your lover Koiwai!" exclaimed Tomo, Sakaki blushing wildly beside Osaka. Tomo started laughing, Osaka joining in but nowhere near as boisterously. Sakaki smiled again and started laughing with them, as Yukari slowly approached them to see what the commotion was about.

The end.

"What did you say?" asked Yukari, pointing towards Osaka who slowly turned around.

"The end?" muttered Osaka.

"Oh no" said Yukari, "This is far from the end." She grinned and looked towards the three, Tomo gulping slightly. Finally she pointed towards them. "To become a true ninja, and to actually have evidence to back up your claims Tomo, you'll need to pass the Chunin exam."

"Chunin exam?" asked Tomo.

"Oh it's no big deal, hardly anyone gets killed in them nowadays."

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Tomo.

"What's the matter, scared?" asked Yukari.

"Of course not, I'll take on any challenge, apart from some that Kimura might be tempted to provide."

"Well, it's not like you need to worry, you're still a young team, I doubt Kimura would decide to put his team forward just yet, he wouldn't be that stupid…"