I didn't bother to sleep last night. I spent hours further planning the ambush, and decided to force a stop instead of waiting for one. Nothing violent, though- after all, what better road block is there than a cliff? I've been waiting all morning, scanning the fork in the road with my Byakugan, waiting for Taizo and his company to come by.
As the time passes, I think of what Ibiki said to me: that for someone who knew where to look, it would be easy to see my hand in the recent events in Tanzaku Quarters. I'm not sure of where to go, though. Staying in Konoha would sort of be like hiding a stolen cookie in the cookie jar with the other cookies, and defeat the purpose of hiding it. Perhaps, maybe, Naruto could convince Lady Tsunade that we could go on a training trip to Mount Myoboku. I like this option, as it gets me time with Naruto and it has a purpose besides hiding. Besides that, the only other thing I can think of would be infiltrating the daimyo's court by posing as a tutor for his daughter, which would be like hiding the stolen cookie in a pit of vipers. Hmm... what would she be tutored in? Yusei mentioned that she is more intellectual than her brothers, but that isn't too hard. That wouldn't be an official mission, though.
It's close to the time that I estimated last night- the early afternoon- when I see more than just a lone horse or cart riding towards the fork in the road. I focus my Byakugan, and can make out two carriages, and after a second recognize them. They're the same ones the Akiyama Group took on their trip to Tanzaku Quarters. I get ready to move, and with a sigh of relief see that they are going to take the smaller road leading to me. Quickly I dash out of my hiding place and perform the Optic Delusory genjutsu, projecting the image of a rocky cliff across the road. I walk away from it closer to the fork, and get in place behind a tree. A minute passes with tense silence, and then off in the distance I can hear the pounding of hooves. The carriages come into view, Nurari pointing up ahead, and someone leaning out of the back carriage to look. They come right up to it, pulling to a stop.
"...This just isn't possible! If an earthquake did this we would've felt it earlier..."
The carriage Nurari's driving opens, and Taizo steps out. He's almost a mirror image of his father. "Why don't we stop for a moment before we turn back? We've been going all night, and I need to take a piss and stretch my legs." A few of the others who have come out to look murmur in agreement, and Nurari shrugs.
"Alright. Five minutes, and no more. I've got a bad feeling about this..." After a deep sigh Nurari puts the reigns down beside him, and hops off. After a glance back at Taizo he heads towards my spot, presumably to relieve himself. I check the positions of the others: some have crossed to the other side of the road to do their business, and some are walking around the carriages. Just one has come to the same side of the road, but he went farther down, and there are a couple trees between us. Though it's disgusting, I know this has to be the moment- people are at their most defenseless when relieving themselves. Silently I creep over to Nurari, then in a whirl spin around the tree and hit him with a single strike to his heart point. I might have done more if the circumstances were different, but this is what I get today. I lean him against the tree and close his eyes, before checking to see if anyone is looking. They aren't. I use the Transformation Jutsu to take Nurari's appearance, and undo the Optic Delusory genjutsu.
"I knew it! Ambush, let's get going!" The others scramble for the carriages as they hear me and see the cliff is no longer there, and I see Taizo coming over from the other carriage, and prepare myself for the strike. It's to his conception point: a Gentle Fist hit to the point affects the prostate, which causes a number of problems, up to and including infertility. If I'm not going to be able to kill Taizo, this is the best I can do. I don't worry about being seen, as to the others it would just look like I was pushing him up into the carriage. As I run past the horses around to the other side I cast the Optic Delusory genjutsu again- this time to give the illusion of a clear path and Nurari up on the driver's bench- and punch one of the horses on the flank, startling it into motion. As the carriages head off I don't look back, and open up my hip bag to take out a soldier pill, throwing it into my mouth. I'm going to need to run full speed back to Konoha if I want to make it there on time.