Chapter 44: Trouble in Ceramic Village

After another day of traveling, we made it to the Ceramic village seeing people walking around enjoying the many clay creations. Hayner got us three rooms making sure his room was besides Tenten's and mine in case of trouble. He decided we'd split up into two groups as I walked beside Kiba and Akamaru, I hadn't worked much with them though I enjoyed their company.

"Man, I don't think you and I have been partnered together since that wedding." he said as I smiled saying, "Oh yea Meeka and Riku, I really need to visit them… last I heard they were trying to have a baby."

"That's cool, you know if this mission goes well we could see about passing through there." he said as I smiled wide replying, "You're right!"

Akamaru barked as Kiba cleared his throat saying, "Sorry Akamaru you're right we should focus on the mission."

Walking into a blacksmith's shop we saw a picture of a young girl asking for a reward for her safe return seeing a man hard at work by the fire.

"I just can't believe anyone would kidnap Kimi she's a hard worker and never strays too far from home." the man said clearly distraught about the loss of his daughter.

"Do you know if any strange new people have come into town lately?" I asked as he replied, "All kinds of people set up shop during this time of year to sell their ceramic art… our winters are harsh so once summer hits business is great for all."

"That doesn't help much..." Kiba said as Akamaru began sniffing around the shop before guiding us out of the shop.

It seemed his nose picked up her scent in a few different spots which meant it couldn't be pinpointed as we talked to another local whose daughter was taken. Everyone gave the same story that they were hard workers that didn't bother anyone. Deciding to check out some of the shops we walked into one that caught my eye.

It had a bunch of clay made figures including animals and humans as I looked at them curiously. The amount of detail on them was quite beautiful seeing one that was a butterfly clip.

"I see you like that one." I heard a woman say behind me turning to see a kind looking older lady smile at me as I turned back around replying, "It's really pretty."

"I work very hard to capture all the detail in my figures especially the more fragile creatures of the world." she said as I picked it up seeing Kiba look at it bored replying, "I'll never understand art."

"That's cause you're simpleminded." I said seeing him scoff as I smirked at him looking around at all the other figures seeing some of girls in elegantly dressed clothes.

"Ah yes I traveled to a few lands that had gorgeous princess and royals, they were more than kind enough to let me capture their beauty." she said running her hand over one of their arms saying, "They are quite lovely."

"My son is aspiring to follow in my footsteps, he's even made some things in the store." she said pointing to a younger man fumbling to carry a handful of things.

"Be careful with those Fuko." the older woman said sternly as I took my gloves off since it was feeling warm picking up the butterfly.

"My dear me are those scars?" the boy asked looking at my arm as I moved my glove saying, "Yes, but do not worry I'm quite alright."

"I see..." he said staring at them making me slip my glove up reaching into my pouch saying to the woman, "May I buy the butterfly?"

"A whole day of searching and nothing to show for it..." Tenten said disappointed as I sighed replying, "I just wish we had any luck, even Akamaru's nose couldn't pinpoint to a specific location."

"We did meet a few strange guys while going through some shops, I met one man in particular that said he was applaud of any women who get their hands dirty. I wanted to punch him in the face for that." Tenten said scrunching her nose making me frown replying, "I suppose it was a characteristic they all shared."

"Hayner said he would keep an eye out for him." Tenten said as I nodded, "Probably best, he's the only lead we have."

The next day we split up again as I was now partnered with Shino keeping our eye out for woman fitting the now obvious description. One woman was lugging some clay with an older woman who clearly couldn't do it herself. Hayner had a hunch she could be next, and I wanted to make sure we stayed close just in case.

"That clip is new." Shino said suddenly as I reached up to the butterfly clip that was keeping my hair out of my face saying, "Yea I bought it yesterday, I thought it was pretty."

"It is nice." he said making me smile lightly towards him before looking back at the woman.

Hearing something break a commotion broke out as Shino and I went to investigate seeing a broken statue and the older lady from yesterday.

"Watch where you're going next time!" she said angrily to a man who was leading a horse with supplies on it.

"It was an accident lady." he said grumpily watching more people gather as I looked back to where the woman with the slabs of clay had been.

"Shino." I said not seeing our target as he nodded replying, "Right let's go."

We began looking around as the old lady who had been with the younger woman began calling her name looking around worried. Seeing a flash of hair disappear behind a building I ran forward despite Shino's protest seeing a man holding his hand over her mouth.

"Let her go." I said taking a kunai out watching him hold her tighter replying, "You should have minded your own business little girl."

Smirking a shadow appeared behind him as Hayner hit him in the back of the head seeing the girl run off crying. Shino ran up beside me as the guy on the ground groaned looking up angrily towards Hayner.

"Where are the other girls?" Hayner asked sternly seeing the man look towards a kiln in the distance replying, "You're too late they're already dead."

He began laughing as I kicked him hard in the chest feeling Shino put his hand on my shoulder saying, "Do not worry he will get what's coming to him."

Meeting up with Kiba and Tenten we brought the man to the proper authorities as he kept spouting on and on about how those women got what they deserved.

"I feel like this was too easy… he was quite weak." I said uneasily hearing Kiba replying, "You're just being paranoid, they are going to check the kiln for any remains, and he will go away for a long time."

"I guess so..." I said seeing him leave Tenten and my room while Hayner said, "Get some rest we head back home once we find the evidence."

Tenten stretched lightly saying, "I'm pooped, we walked all over the village today and even around the surrounding forest for clues. If I had known that man was the creep that I had talked about I would have socked him then."

"I hit him for you." I said as she smiled while I grabbed a towel saying, "I'm going to take a bath before bed be back shortly."

She nodded settling into bed as I walked across the way to the bath house seeing no one else was in there. Shrugging off my jacket and gloves I looked over my scars sighing, I still wasn't completely over them but at least I was more accepting to them. Taking the butterfly clip out of my hair my red locks drifted across my face hearing the door open behind me. As I went to look though something hit me hard in the head as everything went black.