While I Looked through the divide of the wooden wall, Amoroto warned me against spying on the girls but this is serious!
"Hakari could be in trouble" I whispered as to not alert the attackers on the other side.
"…But Argies" Amoroto waded beside me, dripping with sweat and steam, unable to finish his sentence.
"We won't know what is going on unless we look, the only other alternative is us jumping over this wall which if there is something wrong… prepare yourself!"
"…But Argies san, there is someone right there!"
"What, I don't see anyone…?"
…
Looking through the peep hole in the divide between male and female, Argies suddenly came away from the wall with his face a bright red and his lips quivering pink. Then as if punched in the face by an invisible fiend, his nose exploded with blood as he fell backwards with a splash.
A voice reverberated from the other side. "You got quite the eye full didn't you!" There stood the shadowy outline of a women blocking the strips of light that parted from the parallel planks, the wooden divide concealing her and all her nudity but not from peeking ninja.
Divided by a low rock face and a wooden wall on top it. Argie's mind babbled out the things he had seen beyond. "Boo-B-s" He floated in the water like drift wood with his eyes blinded and twitching, his innocence youth unable to comprehend what he could see.
Quick to take his hands to other tasks, Amoroto waded away from the beautiful shadowy figure that he now felt watching him in turn. Though as he swam away he worried for Hakari and in it how might he intervene on her behalf without breaking common civility. "Hakari…!" He called, realising remaining silent was of no use now as the enemy already knew they were there. Putting on his sheet towel to hid his nudity, he contemplated climbing the wall as Argies had insinuated if disaster had struck.
Getting out of the pool, concern then turned Amoroto's attention to Argies "Hey you aren't going to use your blood Jutsu here?!" He shouted only now seeing all the blood everywhere, the sickly colour to the water flashing in the dim moon light as the waves calmed to their turmoil.
"Blood jutsu?" The Shadow from behind the wall called with curiosity, and then without warning she stuck her head up over the wooden divide to stare down to the other side.
"No stop looking!" Amoroto darted to take cover. "Argies!" He called pleading with his team mate to do the same.
Recovering Argies composed himself, and with a half-smile he looked up at the lady he spied on earlier "Sorry about that, I thought Hakari was in danger…Hakari are you alright?" he said letting only the water conceal his nudity.
"I can't believe it, do you know who they are *squeal*" The crystal Konoichi screamed in delight.
"I'll take that as a yes" Argies chuckled to himself. "Well this is awkward… Amoroto I believe introductions are in order" The Blood ninja wiped away at his nose before waving a hand to the mystery lady behind the wall. He was too short to shake her hand and not to expose himself any further he was reluctant to stand up on the rock face wall to greet her directly. She remained standing tall, though the wooden divide still protected her from exposure, the shadows couldn't lie and yet she seemed unperturbed in spite of to their thunderstruck awe.
"Your friend mentioned a blood ability, I see plenty of blood but no ability" Her reddish brown hair mocked, Cascading down the length of the left side of her face, wet with water and steam, her gaze pierced… peevishly.
Argies couldn't help blush and turn away. "My name is Argies Ages" He swayed out his arms to the pool in front of him, trying his best to give her a demonstration of his ability. "I have the unique talent of being able to manipulate my blood to absorb and store chakra" A pool of red began to collect around him as he spoke, and soon enough as the steam lifted from the pool the waters started to clear and return once again to a clean hot bath.
"Impressive but not what I expected when I heard blood ability, I thought you meant it as a Kekkai Genkai but this is far more… interesting." Lowering herself from the wall and returning back into the pool, now that the demonstration was done, the lady introduced herself while Argies listened to the excited whispers of his teammate on the other side. "My Name is Patsumi, I'm a medical ninja… among other things"
"My friend over there in the corner is Amoroto Shizukana" Argies voiced loudly, hoping to lure Amoroto out. "Now I wonder, what has Hakari so excited and What was all this fuss about?" The last of Argies blood absorbed into his body which led to lead the meek Song style ninja back into the warm waters.
"Oh, just another fan, I'm more interested in you"
Blushing again Argies merely stammered "…."
Laughing lightly to herself, Patsumi began their conversation anew through the gaps in the wall. "Blood ability? You wouldn't happen to be that ninja from the Chunin games?" On Argies conformation The attractive Konoichi continued to whisper her aspirated breath through the divide. "I have always wondered, since that day, how do you manage to overcome blood poisoning?"
"Blood poisoning?"
"You mean you haven't thought of that?" The medical ninja's laughter echoed and burned Argies ears with embarrassment. "Blood transfusions require that a medic know the blood type of their patients, least their bodies reject the blood and your patient dies. When you absorb an enemy's blood, why don't you suffer blood poisoning?"
Amoroto, now next to Argies, squirmed "Could we change the subject?"
Ignoring his team mate the blood ninja gave his answer unsure of himself "I don't really absorb the blood of my enemies, I usually just absorb their chakra or nutrient from their blood but not actually their blood…. though" He thought back to the ninja guarding the gates of Konohagakure, the ninja who died fighting against the Beastly brothers, and the blood he took there. "Even when I do use other peoples blood" Amoroto whimpered. "I don't internalise it, but rather use it as an external extension of my ability"
Sighing lightly to herself, Argies couldn't help feel uncomfortable to the sound of pleasure in her breath before she concluded "Well that is a little disappointing, now I've lost all interesting in you"
While Argies held his tongue mute, it was Amoroto who spoke this time "M-am… You said you were a medical ninja and…"
"Speak louder, I can hardly hear you" Her voice aspirated again, pleasant but not sweet, she had a bite of intolerance to her voice. It was apparent she had little patience for kids, especially not the dirty mind of adolescence even if they were twelve and younger.
Startled Amoroto raised his volume mid-sentence "my Friend… Argies has some bruises!" He turned to Argies with wide eyes, a little mortified to be shouting his proclamation of friendship out loud. "Could you have a look at his injury, I'm concerned he needs to visit the ninja hospital"
"*Huff* Well, Mimiko seems quite sated with her new friend. I suppose I have time." breaking a smile across her face she had a proclamation of her own. "Get ready boys for a full medical examination!"
…
Amoroto and I made a mad dash for the shore of the hot pool, while in our minds Patsumi relentlessly pursued us. Of course it was quite a while before we heard her scale the wooden divide but that didn't stop us arguing over who should go first.
"No you, I'm fine honest"
"What? I'm not going first!"
"Come on, it can't be that bad… just be a man already"
"Don't you dare use that one on me, why did you have to call her here!"
"Hey, you were the one spying on her!"
"No… I didn't on purpose ok!"
Before long I was shoved to the front while Patsumi leisurely sauntered towards us like the looming threat of a tailed beast. Covered by only our sheet towels, I have never felt more exposed to the threat of a tickle attack but such is life. I stood there darting my eyes left to right at all the places I could run to hide, but holding fast to my towel I remained standing.
"So… ergh… how is this going to work?"
In an instant her palm glowed false-fire green, the light reflecting off the curvature of her body. She was covered but by no means concealed. I looked to my right and bit my lip, fearing the worst as her hand glowed over me. Then with a hum of chakra I felt my ribs warm and click as her power pulsated through me.
Patsumi scowled from the corner of my eye. "How did you managed to damage your ribs like this?" Taking my jaw in her other hand she forced my attention to a particular injury.
With her hand hovering over a bruise, I gazed down on myself. "Well… Hakari, my team mate currently engaged in conversation…" I halted explaining further to the shear disinterest in Patsumi's expression. Tightening my throat and swallowing down the details I explained. "Hakari's brothers beat Amoroto and I up one particular day, it was… something" I let any further explanation go unsaid.
"This was quite the injury, you say her brothers did this to you?" She arched an eyebrow before I felt a snap in my chest. With her hands softly pressed against me my breath left, the sudden pain reset my bones, remaining me unable to answer her question. "With a few more days, fluid would have collected in your chest. If you still refused to visit a medic you would have likely died. Now I just wonder what exactly you did to warrant such a beating. They broke a rib, did you know that?"
"A rib!" I felt a sweat droplet form on the side of my face, and I knew I had to be two faced about my explanation since it wasn't Hakari's brothers who broke that rib. "…My blood also accelerates my healing, maybe I didn't feel it because of that?" Or maybe it was the beastly brothers breaking free from prison and escaping, but not before breaking me. My ribs healed by Kinjo's hot springs not by my blood.
"Should we have reported them?" Amoroto asked from my side and before he could get a response I quickly shoved him in front.
"Your turn!"
My hands shook, the half-truths drumming at my chest as my heart gave flight to my lies. I do not like it, but it is better to silence the storm before it arrives. Even if Ibiki knows of the truth of it I do not know how well such information might spread among my peers. There are already unwelcomed rumours about my loyalty to the Leaf, my Guardians disappearance and my stay in court, there were too many bad reflections of my character walking about. I've only been Chunin for a few short months, a dark reputation can attract the wrong kind of attention from both friend and foe... and I want none of it. To remain unseen is the way of the ninja, and that I would rather have.
"Look Argies, my eye is fixed!" Amoroto jumped around and I wondered when his personality became so cheerful, long gone is the boy who ran away from me but I really do not know where this new one has come from.
I ruffled his wet hair before looking up at our Medic "Thank you Patsumi.. ergh… Patsumi…." Amoroto bowing with me nudged me for forgetting her family name, but what was it?! We were stuck in a bow we couldn't properly complete…
"Patsumi Sarutobi" The medic completed for us.
Straightening Amoroto mouthed "Sarutobi, but that would mean…"
"You are related to the 3rd Hokage?" I concluded straightening myself. "What title should we address you by… S-sama Saratobi, Dono… Senpai?"
"Never address me as Sama!" Her eyes narrowed and with a finger under my chin she lifted my head as I darted my eyes in order to avoid the fury in her gaze. "...and never put off an injury. No matter how you got it or how well you can lie to yourself and your peers, an injury like that can kill and it doesn't care if your words are black or white." She took her finger away as I focused on the fear in my heart and the sternness in her expression, in a flash of panic my heart stopped beating because for an instant she reminded me of my Aunt Anisue.
Glum, I held up my chin before nodding my head "I understand" Apparently I'm not the Nation's best liar. Patsumi cares, that is why she is so strict, just like my Aunt and Uncle wherever they may be.
"Now what are you three doing here?" Patsumi looked around, with no one about it was quite obvious the onsen wasn't really occupied this time of year.
"Ninja holiday!" Amoroto cheered and I laughed along with him.
"Tsunada gave us time off so that we could train, it hasn't been going very well" I looked down thinking back to my poor attempt at forming a cloud.
Just then another Konoichi opened a door to enter along with Hakari.
…
The stone worked floor, cobbled together out of large slates of expensive rock and agate, echoed the crystal ninja's shrieks of excitement. The shower heads and low walls, pulsated with her over joyed zealous as she tipped toed wet and dripping with glee. The open sky at night, the stars and moon shining so bright, could not match her smiling cheer… no not this night.
"Look look, can you believe its Mimiko!" Hakari bounced on the spot, while Amoroto and Argies looked away from her general chest area. They were all in towels, with the cold air growing a little warmer every time someone moved around faster than their bodies could catch up.
"Psh don't be shy, introduce yourselves" Hakari teased.
"Ergh" Smiling with baffled glee Argies Introduced himself and Amoroto before reminiscing in Hakari's direction "This reminds me so so very much of early this morning. Hakari, wasn't it you who said 'being on a team is strange…' you almost never know who I'm talking about, and yet" He arched an eyebrow at her, mockery fully cocked.
"Hey? Hey!" Folding her arms Hakari huffed a breath of steam before rebuking Argies. "Come on you got to know Mimiko, she is the only surviving Female Uchiha, and a ninja chop sticks good one at that!"
"Hey Language!" Amoroto butted in between his teammates, pushing them apart playfully with still damp soaked fingertips, while Argies twisted his lips at the character the singer had become.
Frowning down on Amoroto Hakari questioned. "Sometimes I wonder about you guys, like how could you not know Mimiko and Patsumi?" The two ladies in question sat down on a nearby bench, lining the wall, while Hakari continued her admiration "They are basically famous!"
Folding his arms to match Hakari's, Argies turned his attention on Amoroto "…and sometimes I wonder if one of you isn't a spy secretly replacing our now deceased teammate?"
"How…. Uh…?" Hakari turned as well, squinting at Amoroto suspiciously.
"But… Don't look at me!" Amoroto turned and retreated towards our guests. "You have both been ninjas for very long, how have you survived all this time?"
"What an odd little question" Mimiko voiced, her face turning a shade of red before she muted her smile and reined the emotion back. "In such an early developmental point in your life, that should be a question reserved for your sensei who is meant to guide and train you while protecting you in the field, However…" Her eyes grew distant as she shifted into a guarded brace, her arms folded as the rest of Amoroto's team came closer. "In this Shinobi world there are very few you can trust, authority and guardianship are often overshadowed by betrayal and duty, and for this you can't always trust those placed over you. I survived because I could keep a secret, and then I survived because I was strong enough to defend myself when that secret was broken, but most of all I survived because of friendship and family." Looking to Patsumi, Mimiko let her pale skin turn a shade whiter as she fought against the past to look again at the future. "You are still young, all of you, and what you have to remember as a Shinobi is that the threat of death is all around you, but your team will always be there. Even when you are away on alone missions, they are the only people you can trust with both your conflict on the field and internal torment" her voice echoed a dark beat across all their hearts, and in their minds her words drummed in.
In a puff of chakra smoke, an ANBU suddenly broke the silence "Ms Patsumi, and Mimiko of the Uchiha. I have an urgent request from the Hokage who wishes to see you both at once!"
"Both of us?" Patsumi pushed past Amoroto, taking the sealed envelope that the ANBU instantly produced. "Mimiko!" Patsumi incited in confirm, she deemed the authentication of the seal to be a genuine request from the Hokage.
"Let's go"
In a snap of a finger the three adults fluttered to the wind, only shadows of where they went could be seen flashing across the open sky at night.
"Wow I wonder what type of mission request that was...?"
"Yeah they didn't even get changed"
"Do you think maybe we should take their advice… I mean our team training hasn't exactly been, 'team training'"
"Well they are famous, tomorrow we will work on actual team training"
"Well then, good night"
"See you guys in the morning"
…
It was early in the morning, after a light meal provided for by the onsen, the team headed out to the woods where they had trained the morning before. Taking their bags with them, they prepared for a day's training along with the possibilities that team training would bring them.
"I've got the medical pack!"
"I've got the Nasantot snacks!"
"I've got the kunai stacks!"
"Did you guys really not know who they were?" Hakari voiced, twining together green grass in order to make a binding string for her wooden target. "I mean it has only been whispered about but still, they fought against the recent attack after the invasion"
Pulling his hands away from the target he tied to a tree, Argies Leaned out to look at his two teammates "There was an attack after the invasion?" His mind reflected to false Kabuto and the theft of the Iron Nation scroll
"Yes I heard about that" Amoroto muttered, his indecision returning somewhat as he told of mere rumour. "Two members of a secret group attacked the Village, I can't remember why but it took nearly ten of our Jounin just to scare them away!" He was adding to the number, as such was the nature of rumour, just as he was adding to the wall of targets around them.
"Well I'm not too sure about ten…" Hakari stood away, admiring the trees all around them posted with targets. "…but I recall Gai sensei, that copy ninja, uhm one other guy and Mimiko and Patsumi fighting them… or maybe just Mimiko alone? Hmm I'm not sure."
"Wow" Argies said both in how well put together their training range was and in all the information his team had gathered. "I didn't even hear about this at all!" In such a short space of time they put together quite a well suited training spot for their team training. "I suppose Shikamaru and I were too busy learning about the duties of a Chunin at that time, or when exactly did this all happen?"
"Meh, all in the past now" Hakari dusted her hands to ready them for her crystal. "As a Konoichi it is important to gather as much information as possible, you never know when it will be useful."
"Isn't that only for spy Konoichi" Amoroto pulled out his song style scrolls in preparation "When working in enemy lands?"
"Interesting you would say that Amoroto" Argies left what he meant unsaid, already implying the night before that Amoroto is a spy, he pulled out a kunai as his only weapon "Ready, set, begin!"
…
It was a basic training routine, turned disaster! I plunged my crystal into the ground so I could rest on it before barking "We are so not used to fighting opponents with each other in the way!" I huffed, my breath built out of frustration more than actual exhaustion… we did very little training and more bumping into each other.
Amoroto was the only one of us that knew how to work with a team, after all Argies and I are used to being alone on missions. "There were so many points where I nearly stuck a crystal right through you Argies, why do you have to jump around so much?!"
"Hey, If you don't jump around you are more likely to get hit!"
"Says the guy I nearly skewered six times!" At this rate we aren't going to become the great ninja team Amoroto dreams we will become. "Your tactic works both ways, if the enemy doesn't know where you are going to be how in Shippuden am I supposed to know?"
Amoroto snickered as Argies and I fought, so instead of focusing on me our Chunin directed his attack at our kid ninja. "What are you so happy about, you are only so easy to avoid because you stand still which also means you are an even easier target."
Argies gritted his teeth with a grim distaste for death while Amoroto stood silent before mouthing, "I've never had to defend myself before" numb by the sudden attack.
"You aren't on that type of team anymore Amoroto" I unearthed my crystal, my words vibrating false truths as I knew that medics rarely enter combat. "We might be classified as medical ninja now but that never stopped Patsumi from entering combat. Don't let your presumptions about our future, handicap your opportunity to learn new tactics now"
"It will be too late to learn in the field" Argies concluded my message, and in truth it felt like something he would say but my brothers have philosophies of their own and I can teach too.
"Ok we are getting nowhere like this" I cleared the air and gave up my fighting stance. "Being part of a team is more than just coordination, it is about meshing our abilities well together" I looked across the divide at them and my eyes lured them in, we gathered around my crystal. "My abilities are centred around close and middle ranged combat, Argies you're about deception and mid-range, Amoroto your ability has the furthest range of us all." Their eyes questioned where I was leading them to. "I can take a hit, my crystal is pretty strong for that, and I can easily capture or subdue my opponents, Argies can attest to that"
"That was the first thing I learnt about you yes" The Blood Ninja accepted, remaining very quiet to my end goal and conclusion.
"Amoroto can pack quite the punch when given time" I learned that from our HFO mission. I think he was the only one, besides that Sand ninja, to injure that creature. Amoroto inclined his head so I went on. "Argie's ability isn't obvious, I'm guessing when a ninja first injures you they don't much expect that you took the blow intentionally… What I'm trying to get at is that we all have our own strengths. As a team it isn't about surviving on our own but working together to complete our missions, developing set protocol for each of us to undertake so that we each know beforehand the MO"
"MO?" Argies echoed and I hummed intrigued as I look at the two of them, they were both oblivious to its meaning.
"Method of operation. If you know that I usually stick to scouting then you don't need to bother about it yourself, the same goes for in battle. If you know I take my targets on in direct hand to hand combat then you can support from afar"
"Wait… didn't we go over this already?" Amoroto interjected
"Yes I remember." Argies took command once again "During the HFO mission we talked and… Huh? Hakari didn't you say the exact opposite of what you are saying now? That in the ninja hand book it is taught that teams that know each other's abilities give the enemy the opportunity to interpret our role. From which abilities our defence, evade and attack can be derived."
"Ok yeah I remember that." I winced slightly to the news that I was repeating myself. This was partly why mission assignments were sometimes paired with mixed members instead of pre assigned squads. "I was talking about profiling what abilities your opponent has merely by studying how their companions react in correspondence to each other, but this is different. We aren't looking directly at ability but at protocol. We will still stick to an unissued role so that nothing can be derived from how we treat each other or use our abilities, but we will…"
"Follow a role?" Argies arched an eyebrow in question.
Taking out a few snacks Amoroto looked up at us in question "What? It looks like we are going to be here for quite some time so I thought, lunch break?"
…
"Oh boy this is a head ache" Hakari ran a hand through her hair, and I couldn't help smell the aroma of sunlight striking the natural perfume of her scent. "Ok so apparently we can't learn what we are each capable of, down to exact abilities at least, or else we feed the enemy details unintentionally in how we handle each other in battle." "…and we can't assume roles for the same reason because that will also give away what we are each best at."
Amoroto snaked on a single length of fried rice noodle sticks, looking between the two of us as we deliberate our ideas.
"Hmm, what if we… Ok here is an idea. What if we act in turns." They looked to me in question and in truth I was still mulling the idea over in my own mind. "When handling multiple enemies there is very little chance of friendly fire as we break off and pick targets, but when we have a single opponent we can always take turns attacking them. Not giving the enemy a chance to relax while we each have time to recuperate and build up chakra for our next attack."
"Oh that might actually work, but I have another idea" Hakari smiled and I knew that expression was born from mischief as she stretched her arms for when we would begin training anew. "What about developing team jutsu's. We might have little use for the technique when on solo missions but if we create a jutsu that meshes with our team then we can always use it when together. Meaning our opponents won't know our base abilities, but instead our team jutsu's which when in a one on one fight mean nothing anyway"
Amoroto looked glum between the two of us, before slamming his hand down on our Crystal rock eating table. "Shuppiden, I couldn't come up with anything and those are both great ideas. Taking on enemies one at a time is brilliant, and creating team jutsu means that our actual base abilities might be different from our team role." Buzzing like a cicada the song ninja musically can to his own inkling "Oh wait I've got an idea. There are probably going to be moments when we can't handle one opponent by ourselves, so we need to learn how to attack one opponent at the same time. Three VS one. That will probably be hard but it is better than trying to fight one guy none of us can survive fighting alone."
"Or a girl!"
"Ok then, we will practise all three ideas. This is our second day training. Let's make it count!"
"Right!"
"At least when tomorrow comes we will know what we are doing"
"All this thinking… lets cool off at the hot springs after training, before I blow a blood vessel"
"Pfft, don't you mean cool up at the hot springs…. Or is it hot off, hmm?"
"Oh no now I have to deal with hot springs logic agh!"
"No you don't, you have to deal with thirty wooden targets that can't fight back. Ready, Set, Begin!"
…
Amoroto and I undressed and got ready to wash off the grime of the day, the sun had already set and yet an orange glow could still be seen shining the light of the day silenced by the night, but tonight something was different about the hot bath… voices. We were not alone, there were other guests, other vacationers, going through our hot waters like a torrent of mayhem! They would destroy our tranquillity! The time for peace was over, now is the time for war!
My eyes flashed red when I saw who it was making all the noise and splashing… Naruto! Still worse was… my face turned white as my heart stopped beating… Sasuke. I slowly coiled my hands into fists. The last time we 'talked' he was a mess of emotions and so was I. Ultimately I felt betrayed by his public demeanour. I mean Sasuke isn't really a friendly person, he probably doesn't even have any friends, but in the forest of the Bukijutsu demonstration I felt like we shared a bond of a passing moment that now feels like a lie.
He searched me out in the middle of the woods, but not to make friends but to learn how I was able to defeat him in sword play. He sympathised with the disappearance of my guardians, but then when I offered to help him seek revenge for his own lose he rejected my proposal deeming me unfit to share his burden. I do not know what to feel for him, but I do know I don't like it.
I feel pity for him and a lingering pain, and yet at the same time he has hurt me with his rejection and spurned my sympathy. I feel anger towards his disjointed friendship, and yet still he has shown me compassion. A side I have never seen him show another.
"It is best just to ignore them" I looked to my side at the voice in my ear, like my subconscious had breached my mind and escaped into reality.
"Amoroto, do you know them?" I felt my internal conflict revealed, exposed and violated, but surely my heart isn't so plain to see?
"…the onsen attendants will kick them out"
While we washed off I thought again but this time about, Naruto. Agh Naruto, now there is someone easy to read. His emotions and thoughts so plain to see, because as an idiot he does not know how to deceive. Though I might not be able to disguise the finer details of life, Naruto has on occasion surprised me with an intelligence I never knew he had. Most importantly he is fun, though getting in trouble with reprimands both from the Hospital and Tsunada isn't exactly pleasant, with Naruto you never know where the adventure will take you. Still my Aunt warned me about making friends with buffoons as she put it, that they will lead you into trouble which is true, but at least I know Naruto is a friend. Probably one I won't be able to get rid of even if I tried, yeah that might be a problem.
I smiled to myself, shrugging my shoulders at Amoroto, standing at the entry to the pool. "Come on, let's join in on the fun. Let's show them that they aren't the only noise bunch, after all we did do a lot of screaming the night before… and the girls enjoyed it too"
Amoroto blushed but complied none the less "I'll get the blond, you go after the broody one"
"You sure you want the demon fox?"
"Wait what!?"
"Oh nothing"
…
I was already snuggly relaxing in the corner of the hot pool when I saw a pink haired Konoichi enter the steamy waters. Now I don't know many ninja but as a Konoichi I happen to know most of the other female ninja, since there are already so few of us.
Sakura was the classic girl trying to be a girl, the idea of a girl anyway. Following every stereotype imaginable because she thought it made her more girly and thus attractive. However to most of us it just made her annoying, because real girls don't need to pretend to be someone else in order to be themselves. The stereotypical girl is a lie, a means to oppress women in the field and in the home. I don't know why the ideal is still around because even Buddhism teaches that male and Female are equal. While men are naturally more physically powerful, women are better suited to endure both mental and physical work that the power of men can only manage for shorter periods. The same goes for chakra, men naturally have more chakra while women have more chakra control. We are better at sustaining our will on this world, while males can only create a big impact that soon fades.
By assigning gender roles you imply that one is weaker than the other, when in fact both can perform the task though for different durations and intensities. This makes me think of Tsunada as our role model. She showed that just because she is a great medical ninja with brilliant chakra control, the classic women ninja, doesn't mean she can't also have a large chakra capacity and a punch that can crack a mountain in two.
Now from my knowledge Sakura has zero ninjutsu, no accuracy with a kunai and hasn't ever defeated an opponent single handily. Useless, the ideal women as they would have us believe, and she is blindly playing right into their hands to make us all look bad.
I lifted my nose slightly out of the steam as her eyes locked with my glare…
"Hey I know you" She swatted her pink hair out of her face and looked up at the sky, as daisy headed as ever. "You are… you"
Apparently she's not a great spy either, with a poor recollection of the twenty names in her Konoichi class of five years, there is no hope for her remembering basic mission details.
"Hello Sakura, such a pleasure meeting you again" I wonder if she can even understand sarcasm, or is stupidity her one special skill.
…
That Argies character, I wonder what he is doing here. "*Sigh*"It doesn't matter. Naruto is such a pain, but… how did he… Kakashi needs to give me more training. I need to become stronger so I can face my brother. Nothing else matters, soon I will become strong enough to restore the Uchiha clan to is former glory. No one is going to stop me from that goal, not even Naruto's Rasengan, and if I have to I'll perfect Kakashi's Chidori myself. They will all see the true power of the Sharingan, and the Uchiha blood line.
"Cannon Ball!"
"What where?!"
*Splash*
…
After the splashing was at an end, and their horse play done, Naruto loudly fell into conversation with Amoroto, and Argies likewise tried to start up chatter with the Uchiha.
"Haha" Naruto rocked himself on the spot, a wide foolish grin on his face and his arms behind his head. "…so you are Argie's friend, I bet if I saw it coming I could have splashed the most water on you, but what is your name?" Before Amoroto could even begin to answer Naruto struck out his hand as if it were to be taken in a hand shake, but even before the song ninja could, Naruto pointed the same hand back at himself with a thumb at his chest. "My Name is Naruto Uzumaki and I'm going to become Hokage!"
Looking around himself Amoroto mustered up his courage to respond to such an outrages proclamation. "My name is, Am-moroto Shizukana … I'm going to be part of a strong team one day" He added his own dreams to his title, seeing Naurto's brash outburst as a strange tradition rather than the ludicrous reality. A custom that perhaps the song ninja had merely never been introduced to before.
Naruto brushed a hand through his blond hair, flattened by their water attack it now sprung up in all directions. "Am-moroto I've never heard the name, so How do you know Argies, I've heard of names that have fancy pauses so your name is cool in my books, hmm I wonder where I can get a name like that?"
Stunned momentarily speechless Amoroto held his mouth open still answering the first of Naruto's many questions. "My name is Amoroto, I'm sorry I stutt-er when I'm nervous" He held an arm across himself to comfort his shoulder on the other side, bracing against his shy nature while at the same time proud that he could admit that much. "Argies and I are on the same team, we are part of a new medical unit though we haven't had any experience training yet."
Grumbling Naruto pouted "I'm on Sasuke's team, we were in a big fight so Kakashi Sensei said we needed to find a hot bath to talk it over." His voice reduced to whispers and pauses as his mood changed from his upbeat personality "I don't know where my sensei is now, probably reading pervy sage's book. Sasuke was still in the hospital when we visited and he challenged me to a fight right in front of Sakura. Oh that reminds me, I have something I wanted to give Argies"
Glad that Naruto had added in opportunities for others to speak, Amoroto lightened up his own mood with interest. "You want to give my commander something?"
"Yes, when we were at the land of rice paddies they had this big race…" Taking a breath, Naruto began his talk jutsu anew while Amoroto dreaded that prospect in all its details. "These two villages were seeing who could run the fastest or something, and we were assigned to make sure the one village won or maybe I don't know, anyway there were these two ninja" Amoroto quietly sank deeper into the water, relaxing his body against the wall of the pool while he set into the fact that he wasn't going to be part of this conversation any time soon. "…they had this lightning sword and Sasuke used his lightning jutsu on it but it didn't work, so I used my Rasengan and the sword broke. You know I think Sasuke is mad about that, you know?"
Realising he could now talk, Amoroto lifted his face out of the water and smiled charity at Naruto "You are probably right, that is why he wanted to fight you to see who had the better jutsu you or him… but Naruto, what do you want to give Argies san?" He felt his own mouth grow tired as he resorted to speaking as rapidly as the hyperactive yellow haired ninja.
"Oh when I hit the sword a piece of glass came out of it, it almost hit me in the eye but I found it in my clothing later when I was on the boat coming back. It looks like glass but it isn't, it isn't clear it is like a stone but it's a little see-through like it's something else. I wanted to know if Argies might know what it is."
"Hmm" Amoroto hummed looking at the ninja with a crystal around his neck, and the ninja in front of him likewise with a crystal around his neck. "I would like to see this glass, and I think Argies and you might be interest when you find out what it is."
"Believe it!"
…
Sasuke wasn't giving me a very broad range of emotions or topics to add to our conversation, but he was obliging and he wasn't being mean or disrespectful.
"Ok this is going to invade on your privacy a bit but Sasuke, but you are probably the only person that can answer this question for me."
At this his attention was captured, though he was quietly brooding with angry glares focused on Naruto, now I had him at both ears. "What is it?"
"They call you the only Uchiha but…" I looked to my either side wondering if I could speak secretively in these dark waters. "I've seen other Sharingan eyes besides your own and the Copycat ninja you call sensei"
"You don't mean my brother, where have you seen him!?" If I had clothing to grab Sasuke would have pulled me in, in his rush to question me we were face to face nose to nose eye to eye and I could feel his breath on me.
"No not your brother, but your sister maybe" I took a step back and he relaxed his stance. "During the Chunin games I remember seeing a younger girl compete who looked a lot like an Uchiha, but more importantly I saw an illusion that suggests there is an Uchiha in the ANBU"
"What of it, that proves nothing anyway" he looked away to glare at Naruto again, but I could see the focus in his eyes had changed. He wasn't think about Naruto anymore, I'm certain of that.
I gulped as I let my words leave my throat. "Yesterday I met someone claiming to be an Uchiha, apparently a well-known Leaf ninja." I feel as if I'm walking on unsteady ground, tempered by how he might react.
"Mimiko…" Sasuke whispered her name, his black hair shading his face in a way that made me question if their relationship was friend or foe.
"You sound like you know her, I mean that name isn't just a name to you… but if you know her then why are you still on this quest for vengeance? You have family now, isn't that worth more than revenge?"
"It's not worth it" I let lose a breath of relief, but then he looked up and the malice in his eyes caught my breath. "They weren't worth killing, that was why my brother left them alive. I am the last Uchiha because I am the last male heir. If my brother wanted to wipe my entire clan out he would have returned to finish them off, but they are nothing compared to the bloodline of a male Sharingan"
"Really now… I'm not going to talk to you anymore, I'm going to go over there now. Bye, you psycho"
...
"I mean why did they have to fight each other, Naruto could have walked away why did he have to be so stupid accepting the challenge of poor Sasuke who had just got out of his hospital bed…." Sakura continued to babble away while Hakari tried to ease her growing headache. The constant chatter overpowering the soothing saturation of the hot bath.
The crystal Konoichi had had enough, instead of being the sounding board to Sakura's complaints she spoke out with diversity. "Recently I met one of my idols, Mimiko Uchiha." the name of Uchiha silenced Sakura's coming interjection. "Mimiko is such a great figure of power, a skilled Konoichi not because she kept her true identity as an Uchiha secret for so long, but because she created her own identity as a strong individual and powerful female role model. Without exposing her forbidden 'give away' Uchiha Sharingan eyes. She showed that even without relying on clan heritage she was able to become a powerful Konoichi that could best any man. She is a Konoichi, and she doesn't let that title harm her reputation as a shinobi. Mimiko is my idol because she turned the title of Konoichi into an honour, to bare with pride, that by being female we are no less than any other shinobi that wears the head band of the Leaf." Turning her face away from Sakura to hold her chest out with pride, she reflected back and a darker mood descended as her eyes locked on the pink haired ninja want to be.
"By playing victim you caused the rift in your team, instead of being a squad they only see each other with you caught in the middle. You are no match for their skills and because of that they fight each other because you don't count as competition." Stepping forward as Sakura stepped back to the shorter Konoichi, Hakari continued her assault. "As part of their team it is your job to act as mediator, they wouldn't be fighting all the time if you weren't so one sided and weak. You should feel ashamed to call yourself a ninja, to play such a trivial role in the whole ordeal between the fight of your two team mates… I just dread imagining what you do on a mission."
"But I'm just a girl…"
"I'm going to strangle you!"
…
"…If you were a real shinobi you would know that vengeance is perfectly acceptable but disloyalty is not, that is why my brother needs to be punished and why you will never be a real ninja." Sasuke cast his voice around the pool uttering his final words in deep foreboding. "You are a spy"
Thrashing in the water while Amoroto an Naruto held him back, Argies spat his words with a grimace. "Maybe I am a spy, maybe I'm writing up scripts on how to kill every one of you" he looked to his either side disgruntled with the Genin holding his arms. "but I know the value of friendship and I know the value of family, you are an moron if you can't see that you brother doesn't matter anymore. Your sisters, you have family and you have friends, why waste your life for a brother that doesn't even care. You are spitting in the face of your family!"
"Ha you would never last on a real mission, you can only exist as a spy because you've hid in the Leaf your whole life." Sasuke cocked his head flicking his hair up. "Isn't that what all Inter-village ninja do."
Amoroto levelled his gaze with Argies, assessing the turmoil bubbling under the Blood ninja's skin. Looking to Naruto the song ninja hummed conformation as they both held down Argies tighter.
"He isn't worth it" Naruto bite, holding back his own grimace. "Believe it, I want to hit him as much as you"
Winking this time Sasuke delighted in aggravating poor Argies further. "I wouldn't admit I am working on ways to kill every ninja in the Leaf. My brother sure didn't have any trouble keeping that secret from me. You make a terrible spy" he uttered his words with a smile.
Calming himself, straining a little less, Argies looked deeply into his reflection in the pool. "Well maybe it is a double bluff, maybe I'm pretending not to care so you think I have nothing to hide." …but the vision of himself would not remain calm in the rippling waters. "When really I'm just lowering your threat level so I can gain all the hidden secrets I need to kill you"
Sasukes dark indifferent eyes dully looked over the scene of anger in Argies, inspiring fire to glow in his own heart. "Your guardians are fools, or were they smart to leave you behind. Either way they gave away all the information the Leaf needed and yet still they haven't arrested you, they are probably waiting for you to do something real stupid probably like now." He activated his Sharingan as predictably Argies made his assault.
Amoroto's arms burned with pain and an instance later Naruto's arms burnt to, they let go as the Blood ninja dived forward in attack towards Sasuke, but then…
their motions stopped.
Her feminine voice echoed, disorientating their intent with shame and confusion "Hey Sas-gay!" Hakari stood there in a dripping towel "Your hair looks like a ducks butt!" a pink Konoichi standing a step just behind her.
"I think you hair looks fine Sasuke kun" Sasuke waved her hand, red in the face and for good reason
The crystal ninja slowly turned her head to face the Konoichi "Sure if you like ducks" she managed to restrain herself masking her sneer with a smile.
...
Setting up their training field with all they had learnt, and what they had in preparation to practice, Hakari opened to the start of their training with a call to arms.
"Ok this is our last day training, lets show those A class losers what us inter-village ninja are all about!"
Hakari learnt from her meeting with Patsumi and Mimiko that to master her crystal ability just yet wasn't as important as learning to adapt what she knew for her teams benefit. Using this final day she promised herself to develop a new jutsu with what she could do now not with what she knew was possible.
Argies conceded to the fact that he too wouldn't be able to develop a new ninjutsu in only three days. During the period before the Chunin games he had a full month, time he knew he didn't have now as the Leaf was still on high alert. Deciding that he would not be satisfied with merely honing their still as a team, he focused his time into learning to master the veil and gentle breeze technic he used two nights before. There just had to be something he could use it for.
Amoroto finally rejected the ploy he had been playing all through their vacation, in his brief time with the demon container he could see through the disguise of laughter Naruto hid behind. Faking emotions wouldn't change who Amoroto was and nor would it help his inspiritment ninjutsu. No seeing Naruto and remembering the message of Patsumi and Mimiko he realised that in helping others, though they may have wronged him in the past, he is truly in turn helping his friends. That with the love for his friends alone, he can overcome his heart's emotions and personality to focus his supportive jutsu.
As the last bit of light, that was the day, disappeared into night, Argies, Hakari and Amoroto looked across the field of devastation they caused, and they knew one thing for certain. They had a lot of cleaning up to do before they could leave the forest. No wooden post stood unscratched, with the earth pierced by kunai and crystal while broken branches and scattered leaves dotted the remainder, all had succumb to the unity and might they found in each other.
"You know…I think we are ready for our next mission"
"Might as well enjoy one more night of hot springs"
"Then to the m-mission desk, Tsunada is probably waiting"
"Oh this is going to be fun"
…And at that Argies flashed his dreaded half smile to the coming storm ahead
…