Scarlet Justice - ep. 72
"Trenchtown Rock"
[Hidden Sand Joint Mission: Recon]
I gently wake everyone up, and we do equipment checks while having a light snack. Once we're ready to go, we erase our presence at the camp site and continue through the desert once more, travelling southward. Roads and paths become more visible and defined, meaning we're heading in the right direction. But the signs of civilization are...slow to develop.
"Have any of you been here before?" I ask.
"Never even heard of the place," Makoto answers from behind me.
"I've never heard of it either," Aiko says.
"No, not at all," Suketsune answers.
"Curious. It's supposedly an important area, but these homes leave much to be desired."
"Not all of us are fortunate enough to live in castles."
I roll my eyes. Makoto is getting tiresome, but it's not worth getting into it. "With enough resources at their disposal, people can build perfectly serviceable homes outside of village centres. I've seen many of them while out on missions. While Fire Country has a different economic situation in comparison to Wind Country, it doesn't excuse the quality and the state of these lodgings."
"So they're bandit homes," Makoto replies.
"That doesn't follow with modus operandi at all. The homes we're passing by are meant for individual use. Bandit bands tend to be more communal and mobile in nature. They've been abandoned."
"What does that mean for us?" Aiko asks.
"I don't have a clear idea. Just musings at this point. At any rate, our main job is reconnaissance. The rest will be left to other teams, presumably. Bandits and other unsavoury characters may be in the area, so stay alert. Anyone else, approach smartly. Do nothing unless you're truly in danger."
"Yes, ma'am," they all reply.
We head deeper into the area, which is now free of sand. The streets are fairly clear, with buildings very similar to that of the Hidden Sand in place. Simple, sturdy structures that can be modified to serve a variety of functions, and protect against the incoming dust storms and desert heat. They're in much better condition than the ones on the outskirts.
But it's too quiet. The number of people I can see has this place rivalling a ghost town. There are wagons moving to and fro, some covered up and loaded with mined material from what I can smell, with others containing furniture and personal effects. What's of interest is the town structure here, something like a large grid that clearly stretches back towards the main feature, and presumably the reason we're here: the mines. There are different resources that have come out of this place. One is gold, the other is water. Both top of the list when it comes to value, for different reasons.
"So. Where do we start looking, Captain?"
"..." I turn to Aiko. "Looking for what, exactly?"
"Here we go. Guess it was only a matter of time before our peerless leader here fucked up."
I turn and give Makoto the most exasperated look that I can muster, then hold it until she slowly starts to squirm. "Alright, alright. Sorry. I get it, so...could you stop?"
"Aiko," I say as I turn back to her, "what item are you searching for?"
"It's supposed to be a scroll. The location data is in three pieces. I have one, Makoto has one, and Suketsune has one. We're supposed to survey the area and then grab it from a section of one of the mines."
"I can only assume it's buried somewhere."
"Yeah, probably. They...didn't tell you about this part?"
"No."
"You don't seem mad about it."
I shrug. "I have no reason to be. That's just how business is done."
"I don't quite understand," Suketsune says. "Isn't it a problem if you don't know exactly what's going on with your team members?"
"At times, yes. But this is a natural consequence of working as a shinobi, especially in cross-village missions. Your superiors have no obligation to tell me everything that is going on," I explain. "It might be important information that needs to be kept secret at all costs. Even teammates from the same village might have concealed motivations, depending on what type of mission it is. They're usually A or S class missions, if they're even listed publicly. ANBU have a complex web of things to consider each time they're in the field."
"That doesn't explain why you're not pissed off that we kept you out of the loop," Makoto says.
"I'm extending courtesy to you and your village. Again, this is just how business is conducted. You have things that you wish to keep hidden, and if it doesn't put us in danger or compromise the integrity of the mission, then it's perfectly fine. This sub-mission qualifies."
"I see. It's...kind of mean. But I get it. Some things have to be kept secret," Aiko says.
"The other reason I'm letting it go is because I have a lot of latitude to make my own decisions, as a Leaf elite. In other words, I have my own reasons to let you carry on as you wish."
"You know what I'm sick of? Your tough talk," Makoto says as she crosses her arms. "Don't act like you know everything and have us all figured out. You're just a kid like the rest of us, no matter how strong you might be."
I sigh and run a hand through my hair slowly. "Let's simplify this for you, Miss Hibana. You have access to at least two of the Eight Inner Gates. Suketsune has poison sprayers mounted on her wrists, and none of the formulas she has mixed are lethal in nature. And Aiko has access to two bloodline limits, one of them being Scorch Release."
"Oh..." Suketsune covers her mouth.
"We...never told you any of that. And it wouldn't have been listed in the mission data, Fumi-sensei said as much," Aiko says.
"Observation and deduction," I reply. "Simple things. Things that most shinobi of my level could figure out within a day or two. That is why I'm so relaxed. Do you remember how Gaara terrified the three of you? I crushed him. I tore him apart, I stood over him and told him how stupid he was, and I didn't take a scratch from him the entire time. Who are you three in comparison? If he was a delicious meal, you would barely be a snack put together."
"Sorry, Captain."
"It's fine, Aiko. You didn't do anything wrong. Now, I hope you've learned a bit more about the world today, and will take strides to apply that knowledge in the future." I check my time piece and nod. "You may set out to complete your tasks, ladies. How long will you need?"
"About two hours," Aiko says.
"Good. This will be our rendezvous point. We will meet here in about two hours and fifteen minutes from now. I will be conducting my own surveys, and from there I will relay everything I've learned to you. Any questions?"
"Yeah. Where will you be?" Makoto asks.
"I'm going to check what's marked as the district perimeter, the state of the supply chain, and the area's water supply. If reports are to believed, a notable amount of the fresh water at this spring is being exported a short distance for military and industrial purposes."
"Oh. Alright."
"Hurry along, then. Be sure to observe best practices." I wave at them and they look at each other for a moment before starting off. Not a completely unexpected development, this. I always considered that there would be an item or two to bring back, and that it would be done under my nose. But not informing me of this development was definitely done as a test.
There's nothing so important in that mine that I need to follow those three and compromise myself, like the Sand higher-ups seem to want. No, what's important is what I'm watching unfold in front of me. This town is being cleared out. Evacuated, most likely. A time sensitive mission to the mines...they didn't have Gaara come back on his return trip, either.
"The game they're playing is almost cute," I say as I move towards the town limits. Nothing much to see, just dusty land and uninhabitable space. Supplies are moving back and forth, enough to keep the dwindling number of people from starving but not much more than that. As for the water, the reservoir is operational from what I can see of it. It looks fine enough, but one can't tell from just looking.
"Oi! Kid, you need something?"
There's an old man in a boat, wearing some kind of wet suit or something similar. He's in the middle of the reservoir currently.
"I'm here on a mission, ossan."
"Come on over, then." He removes his hat and wipes at his bald head with a towel before returning it.
"Okay." I easily walk across the calm waters to where he is, and stop outside of the small boat. There's plenty of equipment in there.
"Soon as you started your walk, I knew you were the real thing. We're down south, so not too many enemy shinobi would come around here to murder an old man that helps move water around. Anyways, kid. You're from Leaf, so I'm guessing some kind of joint operation is going on." The old man scoops water into a bottle and places it along with several others.
"That's correct. General reconnaissance, so I've been told."
"Yeah, go figure. Weirdos in Hidden Sand always have something to hide. There's room if you wanna come in, kid."
"Thank you." I hop into the boat and sit across from him as he writes down notes. Rough hands like that of a man who has worked his whole life, but deft with his pen nonetheless.
"You come alone?"
"My colleagues are retrieving an item of importance."
"Figured as much. Ah, there were a couple of noisy ones in the other day. Some fellow in a trench coat or something like that, I don't know. Heard he was foaming at the mouth over our weapons cache, inferior quality this and shoddy craftsmanship that. They passed through and left."
"I've noticed people packing up and leaving town," I say.
"Yeah, that's been going on for a few weeks. Naturally, we don't know exactly why. I'm gonna be here until they get all the water out of the reservoir and then blow it to bits. Probably gonna have it pumped out and moved to a military base, something like that. Up north."
"Wary of the Hidden Rock."
"Among other things. I'm guessing more drilling for gold, too. You know, this place had its fate sealed once they figured that there wasn't any gold left. Other minerals for sure, but gold is what keeps things moving. Big businesses left, small businesses closed down and relocated...they got a little payment from the big village to move somewhere else, but who knows if it'll be enough. Anyways, there's probably one or two more things of value lying around that the shinobi need to scoop up, then we'll be pretty much on our own aside from the patrols, border and internal."
"Hm."
"It's nothing to worry about at this point. I got a contact in Fire Country that says they're looking for experienced guys to run some of the dams and reservoirs they have all over. Pays pretty good, too."
"Homes are very affordable in the countryside. Commuting is fairly easy," I say.
"Sounds good. At this rate, half a year at most before we shut everything down."
"..." I have to wonder why this mission was declared 'time sensitive'. Something is missing, clearly. "Have you heard any rumours, ossan?"
"Nothing too big. Usual noise about Hidden Rock infiltration and the like," he says while shaking his head. "That's why they have me out here six times a day checking the water. Real pain in the ass. But if this is what they want to spend their money on, I say have at it. I'll take my money and be quiet about it. Ah..."
"Did you remember something?"
"Yeah, there was something that stood out. Couple of guys came by last month or so to survey the town, something about fire hazards and structural integrity. Things we only worry about a little out here in the desert."
"Fires are less likely to spark on their own with this reservoir present. Small climate changes," I say.
"Yeah, good eye on you." He finishes with his notes and puts them into a waterproof bag. "You're no ordinary kid. What's your rank?"
"Jounin, sir."
"Captain?"
"Yes."
He nods. "Keep up the good work. And you know, the usual. Watch your back out there. I'm probably saying that because you remind me of my daughter. Small thing, on the quiet side. Married a banker and they live out in, uh...Tanazku Quarter. So I should be able to visit after getting that new job. Her eyes are sharp, so's her tongue."
"Yes, that sounds a lot like me."
"Does it?" he says with a laugh. "That's good. Girls like you are what make the world turn. You need anything else from me?"
"Nothing. Thank you very much for your help, ossan. Please be safe," I say as I bow my head to him.
"You too, kid. Thanks for dropping by."
I hop out of the boat and back onto the water, walking across the reservoir and towards town again. There's still some time before the rendezvous. Maybe I should eat something.
"Welcome back, ladies."
The group returns ahead of schedule, a small bit dirtier than before, but otherwise fine. Makoto is carrying a large scroll on her back, marked with a visible seal that would prevent unauthorized persons from opening it. That's fair enough, I suppose.
So...do I tell them what's going on, or not? Let's test a few things first.
"As far as I can tell, everything is normal. The people have been gently encouraged to move out of town by the Hidden Sand. It's going to be a lengthy process, to be sure."
"How come they're moving?" Aiko asks.
"Classified. Money was offered, so that's enough to shut most people up, but the full details as to the reason for the move were never disclosed. It may also have to do with the depletion of gold ore in the area."
"Sounds about right. People go where the money is," Makoto says.
"Yes. Other than that, and some rumours about infiltration and the like, we should be fine." I lift up a bag in my hand. "Chicken fried rice. I figured the three of you would be hungry upon your return."
"Aren't we supposed to head back?" Makoto asks.
"Are we? That's not what I have as part of my mission detail, but I wasn't exactly informed of your item retrieval," I say to her. "In any case, it's up to me how long we stay here and take notes on the state of the area. I intend to stay until the next morning, since the nearby inn is functional and still taking visitors."
"Captain Kobayashi is our mission leader, and...she's taken good care of us so far," Suketsune says. "I think we should do as she says..."
"Yeah, I agree. Besides, if there was a rush to get back, Captain would have been told as well," Aiko points out. "I think it's okay."
"Are there any characteristics of that scroll that I need to worry about?" I ask Makoto.
"None that I can think of...but how come we all got different orders? This makes no sense," Makoto says.
"I assume it was to protect their assets, as I mentioned before. It's nothing to worry about too much. Come, you three should eat. Then we'll spend time talking about what we've seen today."
There's a fixed table and chairs outside of a now closed restaurant. We sit together, and I have myself a yogurt while the girls eat from their paper boxes.
Orders to move as soon as the scroll was found, then. Combining that with what the old man mentioned...it's becoming clear to me.
False flag.
"..."
I should be able to clean up without putting these girls into too much danger. But as cute as they all are, I'll need to use them as bait for what's coming next.
"Can I ask a question?"
I lift my head towards Makoto. "Of course. What is it that you need?"
"I just wanted to know since you're from Leaf. What's it like being a girl there? You know, the local culture, atmosphere...stuff like that."
Aiko shakes her head.
"Well," I say as I lazily stir my yogurt, "things are relatively good for women. There are still some stigmas, of course. You would think having all of these gifts would move us away from the old customs faster than they have, but men are notoriously stubborn and greedy in these affairs."
"Ha. Tell me about it."
"The Leaf is a vibrant and healthy place. Plenty of sunlight, hot springs, pools. Good places for women to gather together safely. Some exotic flavours, too," I say knowingly. "I would say that things are on the progressive side and moving further in that direction each day."
"The Third Hokage was from an older time. You think he's interested in those kinds of, dunno, reforms for women and junk?"
"He sees it as right on a personal level. An egalitarian at worst, if you had to provide him a label."
"Oh. Cool." Makoto pauses a bit to eat. "So...you know Lady Tsunade? Of the Three Shinobi?"
"I do, yes."
"Personally?"
"Yes."
"Whoa. Holy shit." Makoto sets down her chopsticks and looks at me attentively. "Please, seriously. Tell me everything you know about her, she's like, the coolest. Are they, uh...as big as people say they are? You know, up close-"
"Makoto!"
"What. I gotta know, Aiko. It's for the sake of my curiosity."
"You really are terrible..."
"They're as magnificent in person as you hope they would be."
"Man..."
"What makes you so curious about them?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
"Oh. I mean...jealousy, I guess? I wish mine would be like...you know, that one day."
"It would be a good tool for capturing boys."
"What would I want with boys? With sweater puppies like that, I could get girls to-"
She covers her mouth in the next moment. Aiko grumbles and Suketsune covers her face with her sleeves.
I calmly swallow another spoonful of my yogurt before breaking the silence. "I didn't think you would make it even more obvious than before."
"More...huh?"
"She was giving you a chance to save face," Aiko says. "She knew."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"Honey, the only way you could make it more obvious is if you walked around with a sign on your ass that said 'professional lesbian' on it."
"Well, shit."
Suketsune nervously looks at me. "Um, Captain...are you...?"
"Upset? Hardly. I'm guessing you're the only straight girl here, though..."
Makoto's eyes widen. "Fuck right off. You too?"
"Mm-hm."
"What are the odds, eh?" Aiko says with a smile. "Well, now that the cat's out of the bag-"
"Okay, so that means we can get into more details, right? Tell me what you think, what you really think about Lady Tsunade. I need details! Details on her melons!" Makoto yells.
"We really will need to stay an extra night at this rate," Aiko mutters. She reaches over to rub Suketsune's back. Poor thing is overheating.
"Seriously, I'll do anything! I must have it...the forbidden knowledge..."
Aiko chops Makoto on the head.
"Ow."
"Can you stop being a super pervert for one second? Geez."
"Sorry, Aiko. I just got excited...you know that nobody compares to you, right?"
"That's not what I'm bothered about, and stop flirting with me while we're on business."
I laugh quietly and turn to Suketsune. "Darling, it's alright. I have some form of restraint, as you can see."
She nods. "I understand, Captain. It's just...surprising to hear. B-back in our parents' generation..."
"I'm sure it was as common then as it is now. They just didn't talk about it, due to societal pressure. On my first mission in the desert, there was an older gentleman who spoke to me about it."
"Did he?"
"His name was Zen. A fine gentleman. Very manly, strong in both body and mind. Men slept with each other too in those times. The punishments were severe if you were caught, but a bit of money could solve the issue. Men typically had more control of finances than women. You see where I'm going with this."
"Yes."
"Now, some argue it was simply the work of progressive champions that advanced the causes of women, along some limited support for those of the lesbian community as it existed then, but the reasons were far more economic than that. You'll note the push during the Third War. Enlistment ages were dropping, against the wishes of world leaders."
I regale Makoto with tales of Tsunade's legendary softness, and she ends up in a state between intensely excited and unbearably jealous. Aiko and Suketsune spend time calming her down, which they clearly have had to do before while in the field.
Nothing eventful happened within the mine; there were no traps or obstacles, just a straight trip into the depths where the scroll was hidden in a side tunnel. Why the scroll was there and what it contains wasn't disclosed to them, and I never had any intention of prying. It's not important to me, and it's not important to the Leaf.
This false flag, though...perhaps tonight is the night. I can always skip sleep and see what's going on.
"Did we want separate rooms?" I ask as we reach the inn.
"I dunno. Four rooms is a lot, isn't it?" Aiko asks.
"Cap here is loaded. She doesn't mind, right?" Makoto says with a smile.
"I certainly do not."
"But we don't want you to spend too much on us. Aiko and I can share a room."
I look to Aiko, who sighs and nods. Good, it means that they can get some alone time. They deserve that much.
"If you would like a room for yourself, I can accommodate you, Suketsune."
"Is it okay? I don't mind sharing, and I think we should...to keep an eye on each other."
"I understand. We'll do that, then."
The four of us walk up to the counter and book two rooms for the night. These facilities are decent enough, even containing a pool for guests to splash around in if they like. Vending machines, a recreation room, and a television room. A few good comforts.
As for the rooms themselves, clean and well-organized. One large bed in each room, a bathroom, and some items to heat food and make warm drinks.
"Since we're already checked in, you can move around if you have need of anything," I say to Suketsune.
"Thank you, Captain. If...you're not too busy later, may we talk about a few things?"
"Of course. Just let me know when. I'm going to take a shower, so see you in a while."
"Okay."
"Yeah, cool. I'll let Aiko know what's going on."
"Appreciated. I will see you in the morning, Makoto."
"Yep. See ya."
Makoto leaves my door and starts her walk back to her room.
"Makoto, are you serious?"
"What. What'd I do this time?"
"You can't walk around without clothing! Especially on your top half!"
"I got my shorts on and this here towel. What else do you want, Aiko?"
"Get in here. Come on, get in!"
"Nobody's around anyways. You're such a nag, you know that?"
I shake my head and close the door. What a girl.
"We're free to talk now, Suketsune." No response. I turn to see that she's fallen asleep already.
We can always talk later, I suppose. Since it's night, I feel like it's a good time to start my routines. I throw on a sleeveless shirt and shorts, then strap a kunai holster to my upper thigh and tie back my hair. I don't want there to be too much action, but I should be prepared just in case. With that in mind, I tie a sweater around my waist. Might come in handy later. I turn off the lights and leave silently through the door, then head downstairs. Coins in the vending machine, and I hit the button to have a glass soda bottle travel down the chute and land upright in the nearby holder. I flip the top off and take a drink.
"Refreshing."
I smack my lips together and leave the inn, bottle in hand. My senses reach out into the night, and I detect a few chakra signatures. Two, three. Five from what I can tell. Two of them are together, not doing much from what I can discern. The other three are spread out. I'll check on them, then.
The first one seems to be on a normal patrol route. I slip through the shadows and leave him be. The second is doing the same, so I wonder if they're working in tandem. The third...now there's something unusual.
"What have we here..."
I press myself against the side of a building and try to figure out what's happening. Tags and some sort of substance are being applied to the bottom half of another building across the way. It's big, probably about a quarter of a block in size. A sort of plastic smell is wafting towards me. Hm. It could be a bomb of some sort, which would conveniently fit with my reports. I take a few sips of soda while waiting for the shinobi to leave. If I'm right, that's someone from the Sand. I should check on the pair closest to the inn, since they might have something important to reveal. But right now, I'm going to look at this little scene.
With a single jump, I make it across the street and land softly near the side of the big building. Not much in the way of light, but I can sense that the tags are filled with chakra, and placed in a certain formation.
"Exploding barrier. They're expecting someone to come by at some point...the extra explosive here is meant to cause maximum devastation to the surrounding area. Having your cake and eating it, eh."
Tags still work when wet or soggy, so it won't be that simple. And there may be a detection mechanism to stop someone from removing the tags. So...what to do...ah, there's an idea.
"Since this is on the surface...what I can do is disturb it like so." I set down my bottle and feel around the tag. This feels like...yes, it's right on top of a large brick. Perfect. I reach for a kunai and close my eyes, using my other senses to get the most accurate picture. The three shinobi are well away from my position, which means I have ample time. I flow chakra through my kunai, and none of them react - meaning none of them are sensor types. With that settled, I move the vibrating weapon through the bricks and slowly carve out the one with the explosive tag printed on it. No disturbances. Oh, I am so good at this.
"Beautiful. Let's hold onto this...it might come in handy later."
I smile and put the brick under my arm, then pick up my soda and take another well deserved drink. I've thwarted one bomb plot, and there may be more...but this seemed to be the most immediate. Those three can be dealt with in time. Let's see what the other two are doing. As I walk back towards the inn, I can sense that the two from earlier haven't moved. A few people are in there with them. Some sort of establishment. A bar, perhaps? Could it be another target?
I can't exactly walk in and cause trouble as I am. I need to get close to them and figure out what's going on. Nothing else is open this late, so I can't loiter without looking suspicious. I'll have to observe from the inn and keep my tracking technique primed.
"Annoying."
I sigh and finish off my soda as I reach the inn, putting it into the recycling bin and grabbing another to sip on. The receptionist is busy reading a newspaper and doesn't notice the brick in my hand. I shrug and head into the television room, flipping on the screen to a random channel and leaving it there. My sweater comes off, still nice and clean. If I'm right, then it should be good if I leave it right here.
"Golf."
I close my eyes and focus, finding the two signals from earlier and locking onto them. Definitely shinobi of some type. It's possible that these two could be harmless individuals out on patrol, but I doubt it. It's quiet and boring, save for the low mumbles coming from the television on account of the announcers. Golf is supposed to be a gentleman's game, or something. Makoto would hate it. I assume so, anyways. It's possible that she's more refined than I know.
"Mm. They're moving."
I get up and take the brick with me, gliding past the receptionist who is still reading, and out towards the bar that I passed earlier. They're standing around and talking; I shift my chakra a bit and neither of them react as I slip into the shadows once more.
"Alright. Let's get things started. You wanna get the other one? They're set up, right?"
"Oh, yeah. Should be set by now. We'll swap outfits once it goes down."
"Did they check for collateral?"
"I was told it wasn't an issue. Might even be better if we got some, make it look heavier."
"Man."
"Hey, we don't do this, a hundred times this amount of people are gonna die. And then maybe a thousand times that. This is for all of us."
"Yeah...I get it. Let's do it."
Get two and then three, or all five at once? First option sounds better. The other three seem to be separating. There's one more for...six, I'm assuming. But they seem to be an unimportant accomplice. And I want a witness to what's happened, just to make sure that the Sand is aware...
I quickly step out of my hiding place and wind up before throwing the brick at the two men ahead of me. The target turns and grabs the brick out of the air while his partner draws a sword and charges me. I make the snake seal.
"Shit-!"
The tag explodes in his face and I surge towards the other attacker as he hesitates, chopping him in the throat and making him reel. He drops his sword and I catch it before surging lightning through it, swinging and taking his head off with a clean stroke. I drop the sword next to him as his body falls and his head rolls some distance down the darkened street.
The other one is still alive, unfortunately. I pick up the sword again and rip through his throat in order to end his suffering. Half of his arm is gone, and bits of brick are lodged in his face. It's a gruesome sight. Well...he died fighting for his country, I suppose.
"..."
I reach carefully into their tool pouches and find the items I was expecting: headbands matching those of the Hidden Rock Village. I just as carefully dip the items in a bit of blood and place them nearby for posterity. Now the Sand can have fun trying to prove their countrymen weren't just spies.
The other three are moving quickly towards my position. Whoever was mentioned before hasn't left the bar, and his chakra seems...erratic. They're more than likely drunk, and were about to be used as a sacrifice for this fake terrorist attack. It would be so easy to take them out with Mobius, but that's my signature technique. I don't want them to track this back to me so easily.
Moving in a tight bunch, with a little space left for me to drift about. Good. Seems easy enough.
"We've been compromised, goddammit!"
"Who the hell is here with us?!"
I slice through the night with a stolen kunai and meet the first enemy under a street light. His eyes widen with shock before I swing quickly through his throat. My steps take me back into the darkness and the second one freezes. Her breathing shortens before I stab her in the back and then rip across her throat from behind. The last one tries to retreat and moves back up the street as his comrades fall.
"Fucking shit...!" I can feel his chakra building, and he starts to weave handseals. I surge lightning chakra into my hand and throw the kunai as fast as I can; it lands on target, burying itself in his forehead up to the hilt and killing him instantly. He sways a moment before falling backwards like a rag doll.
"Ah, that got a little tense."
A woman's scream pierces the air. I suppose that's the person that was supposed to be part of this whole escapade? That's one way to sober up. I didn't kill them that far from the inn, but there aren't any other shinobi around from my estimation. They'll have to be called in, and that will take at least a few hours...they might not be here until morning. There's blood on me, because of course some got kicked up during the fights. It's on my upper half, though...so that problem is easily solved. This is why we think ahead on operations.
I run back to the inn and slip past the terrified woman, along with the receptionist who has left his post to see what the commotion was about. Aiko and the others are beginning to move; they've reached my room and Suketsune is waking up. I move into the television room and throw on my sweater, zipping it up neatly before stepping out just as the girls come down the stairs.
"Captain Kobayashi! You weren't in bed, so we were worried!" Aiko calls to me.
"I was out having a late treat," I say as I hold up my soda bottle. "They've found two shinobi dead just now. Killed in some sort of fight."
"Shit. Are they ours?" Makoto asks.
"I can't tell. There were different headbands at the scene, from both Rock and Sand."
"Double agents? Spies? What do we do?"
"Nothing. We shouldn't contaminate the scene. The primary witness is...or at least was drunk earlier. We'll place a call to the nearest outpost and let them handle it. This is currently outside of our mission purview."
"It could have been so much worse," Aiko says. "Who could have done this? And why?"
"Why, indeed."
The scent of blood wouldn't be strong enough for them to catch on, especially in this mess, and even if they did suspect something...deny, deny, deny. Just like all shinobi are taught to do. The Sand's little plan of sending children to keep me in check hasn't gone the way they wanted it to.
"You three head back inside and rest. I'll take care of everything from here."
"Are you sure?" Aiko asks. I pat her head gently.
"I'm sure, darling. Leave everything to me. I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay. Makoto, let's go back to sleep."
"Yeah. Don't take too long, Cap."
"I won't. See you in the morning, Makoto."
She nods and leaves after Aiko. Suketsune hugs me before taking off after them.
"My little sweethearts. I really am sorry to use you like this, but...such is a shinobi's life."
I sigh and reach over the inn reception desk for the phone.
"Operator? Yes, my name is Lilith Kobayashi, a jounin working on behalf of the Hidden Sand Village. Please connect me to the nearest military outpost. There's been an emergency."