I was surprised at how massive Senshu's house was! It was huge!
"Woaah! Please show us around, Senshu-san!" I pleaded. Senshu smiled and opened the door for us, like a gentleman. I walked in, the other three followed. Everything inside was very tidy and seemingly dust free. "I've never seen such a big house!" I exclaimed.
"No? Then let me give you a tour." He said.
"This place is lame." Daisuke grumbled.
Senshu just gave a polite smile, as if trying to ignore Daisuke's remark. "Now, hm.. Setsuki-san, this is the room you'll be staying in." Senshu scanned the room in thought. "That couch over there folds out into a nice bed. The three of you could sleep on it."
I could feel the 3 of them glaring towards him. "Um.. I think Daisuke-kun should sleep somewhere away from them two." I suggested.
"Oh my goodness, thank you Setsuki-chan!" Daisuke sighed of relief. Senshu pointed towards a second couch on the other side of the room.
"Will that do any good?"
"No. I have an idea." Lee spoke up, gaining everyone's attention. He stepped over to me. "I will sleep with Setsuki-chan, Gai-sensei can have that couch, and Daisuke-kun can have that one over there."
"Us? Sleep together?" I asked.
"Yes!"
"But.. Uncle Takashi wouldn't approve of that.." I said.
"Yes, but he is not here!" Lee mentioned.
"No no please, I'd like to keep my sheets clean..." Senshu said, scratching the back of his head.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Um... never mind." Senshu turned around. "Oh! Let me show you my garden."
"Oh? A garden! Let me see!" Daisuke said, suddenly showing interest. Senshu lead through a small hall, before showing us outside to a beautiful Zen garden. Daisuke's eyes widened.
"Are those bonsais?" He walked over with complete interest. I watched, I never knew Daisuke had such a thing for plants.
"Yes, please don't touch them." Senshu said, trying to lead him away from the bonsais. I scanned the garden, and my attention was immediately turned to a small pond filled with lotus flowers.
"Aww! Pretty!" I gazed upon them.
"Aren't they?" Senshu let out a small chuckle. "I'm glad you like it."
"Can I touch this?" Daisuke asked, pointing to a very tall bonsai.
"No. Get away from it. Now. Please." Senshu said, pulling him away.
"Those lotus flowers remind me of you, Setsuki-chan." Lee said, suddenly standing beside me. I looked at him, we made eye contact. We both smiled at each other.
"Aw, what's this I see?" Gai-sensei walked over, and put a hand on our shoulders. "Burning love between two of my most youthful students? It's a beautiful sight!"
"T-Thank you Gai-sensei.." Lee said, looking the other way modestly.
"I wonder if there's any swimming pools around, this heat is intense." I said, fanning myself with my hand.
"You folks clearly aren't used to our desert heat, huh?" Senshu smiles.
"Yeah, cuz you're wimps!" We heard a feminine voice say. We looked around curiously.
"I was wondering when you were going to reveal yourself.." Senshu said, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if irritated.
"Haha! I am totally invisible! You couldn't pick me out of- WAH!" Suddenly there was a crash. We all looked over towards the noise, and saw a girl laying amongst a broken vase.
"Oh my! Who's that?! Are you okay?!" I questioned.
"Ichie! For the last time! Stop following me home!" Senshu whined.
"You didn't notice me, Senshu!" She stood up and brushed herself off.
"You broke my favourite vase..." Senshu lowered his head.
"I... I will fix it!" She spoke, kneeling down to the broken shards.
"Who is that, Senshu-san?" I inquired.
"Her name is Fukasugi Ichie... she's an acquaintance of mine."
"Just so you know, I have no idea how to fix this." Ichie said.
"You need to be more careful! I know how terrible your coordination is." Senshu grumbled.
"Hey!" She stood up furious. "My coordination is not bad at all! My foot slipped!"
"Bad coordination."
"Slipped! It was an accident!"
"And you're bleeding all over my porch..."
"What?" There was a shard jabbed into her thigh, and blood was dripping all the way down her leg. "Oh.. ouch.."
"Don't worry, I'm a medic." Daisuke approached her with a small medical kit.
"You're not one of those perverts, are you?" She narrowed her eyes with distrust.
"Excuse me?" Daisuke narrowed his eyes back. "A pervert? What the hell do you take me for? I'm a well trained medic! If you want me to fix it, don't be such a bitch about it."
"I don't know dude.. you Leaf ninja are pretty shifty.." She said.
"Shut up and sit down."
"I already don't like you."
"Fine, I wont be gentle." Daisuke pulled the shard straight out, then applied a sanitised gauze.
I turned to Senshu again. He was rubbing his forehead, grumbling.
"So why are you Leaf ninja here? Wasn't your village wiped out?" Ichie mentioned.
"We are rebuilding! It is our mission to take medical supplies from here, and take them back to our Hokage! She is very ill!" Lee explained.
"Well if it's a mission why are you wasting your time here?" She asked.
"The girl is right. Hokage-sama is counting on us!" Gai-sensei said.
"Oh, I didn't realise your mission was that important!" Senshu said, showing a somewhat guilty expression. "You should get going, then.."
"Can I come?" Ichie abruptly asked.
"Why?" Senshu turned to her.
"If they need to get back there quickly, they'll need a guide to get through the desert in half the time." She smirked, gaining quite a smug posture.
"Oh, you have a point. I'll go, then."
"What? You? No! I said it first, and besides, I'm definitely more than capable."
"Why don't you both come with us?" Daisuke offered, then continued to mumble something else that none of us heard: "It'd give me a break from those two bastards hovering around my Setsuki-chan like flies.."
"What do you think, Gai-sensei?" Lee asked.
"I think that is a very splendid idea! The more the merrier!" He chuckled.
"So it's settled. We leave.. right now!" I grinned.
"You guys must have really struggled through this desert coming here. It's mid-summer, so the desert is at it's hottest!" Ichie mentioned, walking with her hands behind her head.
"That's true." Senshu agreed.
All this talk of the heat was making me worse. I was already dehydrated, slouching as I walked with my tongue hanging out, panting like a dog. The others all seemed fine, a bit sweaty, but fine. Ichie and Senshu acted like this heat was nothing.
It was probably about an hour after our departure in that devastating desert. I could feel myself sweating all down my legs on the inside of my trousers, my gloves were causing my hands to sweat and dry up quickly, and especially beneath my forehead protector. The salt in the sand was making that even worse, by draining all the fluids out of me and causing my skin to dry up. I had the last water bottle in my hand, and kept drinking mouthfuls at a time. I couldn't understand why the others weren't suffering as much as I was.
"Hey... uh... guys..." I panted, I was walking behind them all, so they all stopped and looked over their shoulders.
"Setsuki-chan! You don't look so good!" Lee said.
"I.. am.. too... hot.."
"Ah, yes, well, this route is usually the hottest. But it's a shortcut." Senshu mentioned.
"You're also wearing pretty long, thick clothing there." Ichie said, tucking her long side fringe behind her ear.
I looked down at my ankle-length trousers, and triple-layer of tops. "Ahh.. yeah..." I know I packed some black short spandex shorts in my bag, perhaps I should put them on, and remove these shirts beneath my Chuunin jacket. "Could you... turn.. around?" I asked. Gai-sensei and Senshu nodded, then turned around. Lee was a little reluctant, but still turned, and Daisuke was extremely reluctant, but knew better. Ichie walked back to me, and stood in front of me, like a guard. I also turned the other way, before removing my shoes, trousers, putting the shorts on, removing the jacket, both shirts until it was just my bra, then putting my jacket back on. I stuffed the rest of my clothes back in the bag and threw it over my shoulder. The warm wind blew against my now bare legs and arms. But the problem was, it was still really hot.
"Okay.. I'm ready... lets.. keep going.." I took another mouthful of water, before we continued.
Less than thirty minutes later, the sun was roasting my skin like a strip of bacon in a fry pan. My legs and arms, and possibly my face as well, were all red. My feet were numb from the heat of the sand, even though I had shoes on. I felt delirious, very delirious.
"Ma... I.. awai.. ti.." I made incoherent words, as I struggled to take another step. I swear there was an earthquake just now, and I fell over because of it.
Lee rushed over as quickly as he could. "Setsuki-chan!"
"Wa... hot.."
"She is not looking too good.."
"Well Lee, you must carry her the rest of the way. It will be good training for you, especially under these rigorous conditions!" Gai-sensei mentioned.
"We'll be there soon, just keep enduring." Senshu stated. Lee picked me up, and kind of just threw me over his shoulder.
"Did you hear that, Setsuki-chan? We will be out of this desert soon!" Lee reassured, however I felt way too dizzy to understand. The ground was upside down and all over the place as far as I was concerned.
"Bu...rrn.. ing... wa... wah... whie.. why... spin... why's.. it spin-ing.." I closed my eyes to try and make it stop, but ended up just passing out.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw a dark room. "My head.." I sat up slowly, but something had my wrists stuck behind my back. When I looked, it seemed to be chains.
"What..?" My mouth was so dry from a lack of water.
"Setsuki-chan! You're awake!" Lee's voice sounded. I squinted my eyes and looked up. He was standing over me. "I did not know if you were going to make it, but I believed!" I gave him a confused look. Why was he standing up there, and I was chained up?
"Good work, Lee!" Gai-sensei stepped over as well, giving his pupil a big pat on the back.
"G-Gai... sen.. sei.." My throat hurt to talk.
"Now that the culprit is awake, we can begin interrogation!" Gai-sensei sat down with his legs crossed, staring at me, eye to eye. I gave a questioning look. "Now tell us what you have done."
"Me...?"
"You betrayed us! I cannot forgive that!" His expression became rather serious. Lee sighed sadly, and sat down beside him. "We trusted you!" Gai pointed behind him, three bodies lay on the ground, motionless.
"Who.."
"Gai-sensei. I do not think she remembers killing them."
"Oh I remember." My tongue spoke on it's own. I gasped. Gai-sensei's eyes narrowed. "I remember the look on their faces, the fear." My eyes were wide. What on earth was I saying!? I looked over at the bodies again, to identify them: Daisuke, Senshu and Ichie.
"To murder someone from another village without reason, is a serious crime in itself. But to also murder one from our own village, is unforgivable!" Gai-sensei stated.
"I cannot believe you would do something like this, Setsuki-chan!" Lee whimpered. "I.. I thought I could trust you.."
"You can!" I implored.
"Enough of this." Gai-sensei stood up, a kunai appeared in his hand. "The punishment to such a crime, is nothing but death."
"Gai-sensei.." Lee got a sad look, but stood up also.
"As leader of this mission, I will be the one.. to punish you." Gai-sensei's eyes became hidden beneath his hair.
"W-Wait!" I whimpered, my heart started racing.
He suddenly lunged the kunai into my chest. The pain was something immense. I felt the splash of liquid on my face. My blood. My lip quivered, and my breath became staggered.
"I'm sorry to have to do this. But this is the law." Gai-sensei said, his eyes still not visible. Lee was gritting his teeth, unable to watch. I could feel my chest burning, the blood running out. My breathing became lighter and quicker, gasping for air. My eyes watered, I couldn't believe it. Gai-sensei had just stabbed me. "One more will finish you off." He pulled the kunai out slowly. I cried in pain, because it hurt too much. He went and lunged it again.
"NO!" I screamed.
I sat up quickly, and heard multiple gasps. I panted heavily, my heart was racing. I looked down, no wounds.. I gripped my chest, it didn't really hurt anymore. Am.. I dead?
I felt the wetness on my face, and touched it. It didn't feel like blood, I pulled my hand down and looked at it. It was only water.
"Setsuki-chan?" I looked up and saw Lee's concerned face inches from might. I gasped and leaned back quickly, frightened.
"I-I didn't..!" I whined. "You have to believe me!"
"W.. what?" He blinked, confused.
"I didn't k-" I stopped when I saw everyone looking down at me, with surprised expressions. Gai-sensei, Daisuke-kun, Senshu, and Ichie. "Y-You're alive! Then... then it was all a dream." I sighed of relief, still gripping my chest. A hand plopped onto my head. I looked up, Gai-sensei.
"The heat can do some strange things to the mind. Don't worry yourself." He said. I felt reassured by his hand, and closed my eyes. "Keep up the water, Lee! You're doing a good job!"
"Yes Gai-sensei! Thank you Gai-sensei!" Lee reached over beside him, into a very small puddle with a cloth.
"Water..?" I looked around. We were in some sort of oasis.
"We ran as fast as we could, and Senshu-san guided us to this place!" Lee said, pulling up the cloth and ringing it out.
"You did that?"
"As soon as you stopped talking, I became very worried! As soon as Senshu-san pointed this place out, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me!"
"Yeah, he's right. We lost sight of him within a few seconds." Senshu shrugged.
"That's quite some speed if I've ever seen it." Ichie commented. My eyes watered a little.
"Lee.." I hugged him tightly, so relieved. He flinched unexpectedly, slipped, and fell int the water. I followed, of course. The water felt so nice. Lee was shaking, when I looked at him, it was clear that he didn't manage to take a breath before going under. "Ah! Sorry!" I pulled him up to the surface quickly, and he coughed up some water.
Gai-sensei only laughed. "A full recovery! Well done, Lee!"
Lee sniffled, spitting more water. "Thank you!"
"Ahh.." I went back underwater, and sank some. It was so relaxing, cool, quiet. I closed my eyes.
"She's uh, not surfacing." Senshu said.
"No no it' is fine." Lee said.
"She's probably drowning."
"No she is not!"
"Its been a few minutes now!"
"She is fine!"
"Aren't you her boyfriend or something?"
"Yes."
"But you don't seem to care that she's drowning?"
"She is not drowning."
I surfaced. "What's going on?"
"Oh.. she's not drowning." Senshu gave a strange look.
"I can't drown." I stated. Lee nodded knowingly.
"Why not? Are you a fish?" Ichie asked.
"I could be..." I said. Ichie narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Well now that you're definitely recovered, we need to keep on our way!" Gai-sensei said.
"Yes, Gai-sensei! You are so very focused! So inspirational!" Lee lifted me out of the water, and into his arms.
"Woahh! Lee?!"
"I will carry you across the scorching desert!"
"How much further is it?"
"Not long." Senshu replied.
"Only another 5 or 6 hours." Ichie replied. We all looked at her.
"I thought you- eh, he said this was a shortcut!" Daisuke hissed.
"It is. But if you lot can speed up, we could make it out of here in only 2 hours." Senshu mentioned.
"Challenge accepted!" Lee began running.
"Wrong way.."