Scarlet Justice: Full Blossom – ep. 32
"Sprint the Seas"
[Life Aquatic, Part 2]

"Everything is steady, Red Queen. No patrols in the immediate area, over."

Beneath the surface of the water, everything is calm. My air supply is secure, and I haven't ended up in range of any Hidden Mist patrols or ships. Local wildlife is scattering at my approach, but nothing significant has happened yet. Still about halfway to my destination, inside of the water shark construct.

I can feel something big as I continue to approach.

Even from this distance, the chakra is dense and extremely heavy. This is true power...and it brings my thoughts back to Naruto. If the tailed beasts are ordered by their tails, and this one has three...it's still so hard to believe that Naruto is dealing with something so much more powerful than this. That he's had to carry such a burden all alone, for so many years. It's so unfair. So...terribly savage. Why does it have to be this way?

Is there anything I can do?

I don't know. As I am now, I don't have a solution yet. All I can do at this point is keep them out of Obito's hands, and stop him from implementing his plan.

"Looking at patrols well ahead, suspected Cloud. Bearing 325 and 343, idling. Haven't noticed the target, over."

Maybe they're doing a visual sweep. I understand that not every vessel at this point has the ability to detect other objects through radar. Technology is still advancing, especially over the water. Cloud does have the advantage in terms of manpower, though. They can just send as many ships as they need and supplement their patrols with short range communication.

Apparently they still use flag semaphore over there routinely. Incredibly old hat outside of emergencies. I couldn't stand it. My body is still in good condition...the wetsuit was a very good choice. I could have gone with a normal swimsuit, but this has worked out much, much better in terms of comfort. Gen tells me some of his more...intense colleagues swim without any clothing whatsoever, and sometimes without air supplies. I have no desire to witness or partake in such a thing. Why are men like that? Is it anything comprehensible? I have my doubts.

"Red Queen steady on bearing 336...025 meters at 37 knots. Target at bearing 340...030 meters at 6 knots. 3 kilometres. Over."

I have the water shark disappear from around me, and coast forward on the remaining momentum. The creature is close, and I can see it looming in the distance. It should pass under me.

I remember years ago, riding on Chief Bunta's head while we faced down Manda, the strongest colossal snake. Compared to them, I was nothing. Almost like a tiny bird, looking up at humans whilst hopping on the ground. I realized where I stood at that moment, though I was also brave enough to overcome my awe and fear. Nothing much has changed. I still feel so tiny compared to truly massive beings. Midori's serpentine form, or Baa-sama as she sits upon her throne and puffs thick clouds of smoke into the air. The distance between myself and what is assumed to be the Three Tails closes quickly enough. I slow to a stop, and kick lightly at the water while suppressing my chakra.

I can see with the light that I have...some sort of red tissue, like sets of muscle are hidden beneath a sort of grey-blue shell. Massive spikes poke out all over its hardened body, and trailing behind it are three massive tails that remind me very much of a shrimp. They really are incredibly big, about the length of the beast's body, possibly longer. As they move through the water, they whip up currents that send me backwards a bit before I steady myself again.

What a sight...I need to get a better look. Let's see how close I can get without being a bother...

A moment to steady my heart, and then I dive a bit deeper so that I can get more details.

This one looks like a turtle...yes, that's about right. The shell, and the soft looking underside. I swim underneath to confirm, and see that there is indeed an uncovered underbelly, with the same red colouring as its other exposed parts. No hind legs? That's interesting...I suppose that's because it spends so much time in the sea. It does have two arms, completely covered in the same hard material as the top shell, and with spikes jutting out of them. And fully formed hands, too.

Maybe a bit closer? No reports from Gen or the others, so it must be okay. I'll use my best judgement.

I speed up a bit and move so that I'm up and to the left, near the shoulder and close enough to the head. One of the red eyes is open, the other closed. Hm. Why is that? The head is different, though that only makes sense. On top, a large forehead overrun with spike structures, and below a massive lower jaw, also with spikes shooting out. They form a bit of a shield for the face, which is the most vulnerable part by far. I haven't been detected yet. Maybe it thinks I'm just another fish or something similar? Having sensing abilities wouldn't be shocking, but they don't seem to be active if that's the case.

I check my depth gauge. We've slipped a bit deeper, but nothing hazardous to my health yet.

"Red Queen steady at depth 045. Cruising at 13 knots. Still out of reach of Mist patrols, over."

That's about right. Though...I don't have too much time, and I don't want to bother the tailed beast any. With the shell's hardness, there shouldn't be any problem if I land on it. Time to complete my mission. It would be nice to put something on one of the tails, but they're moving about too rapidly. No sense in increasing the danger for no reason. We'll go with the shell, since it's sturdy enough and has enough hiding places for my markings. There are two that I'm going to lay down as a contingency, one of which I can't use yet...but there are a few members who can.

I slow down a bit before speeding up, drifting towards the top shell and grabbing onto one of the large spikes. My feet touch the surface, and I put chakra into my feet so that I can walk properly. A school of fish going the opposite direction forces me to duck down. I crawl the rest of the way to one short and fat spike that is pushing against another. Perfect. Time to start.

Two quick taps on the microphone, followed by three slow, then one followed by one.

"Red Queen is in position. Blue Elm, do you read?" I hear Gen say.

"Blue Elm here, we read, Gen. Standing by."

"Red Oak, we copy."

"Red Queen, you're cleared to go. Standing by," Gen says.

I make the requisite handseals and place the first, most important seal in the gap between the two spikes. The glow is bright before fading off and becoming dim. This low power formula should work for a few years at the least, more than enough to track with accuracy. If Obito or anyone else makes a move, we'll know immediately. And hopefully, we can get a team on this full time.

"Blue Elm here, we have confirmation of the seal placement. Tracking is optimal."

"Red Oak here, we read."

"Gen here, I read. Objective complete. Standing by for Red Queen's next transmission, over."

"Red Oak here, we copy."

"Blue Elm here, we copy."

And the second seal is placed just above it. I made sure I had the formula right beforehand. Layers and such...keeping things away from others. The seal in particular is one that was once used by Minato Namikaze, though the original technique was created by Tobirama Senju. This is the technique named Hiraishin, or more commonly called Flying Thunder God. I suppose Tobirama was having a bit of fun when naming the jutsu. In any case...from what I have been told by Hiruzen, we have three individuals that were taught a similar space-time art by the Fourth Hokage. Genma, Raido, and Iwashi - the three members of the Hokage Guard Platoon, selected by the man himself. It's called the Flying Thunder Formation and works with cooperation by all three members, allowing them to send a target to any place that has been marked with a seal.

It's this second part that I'm keeping hidden from the others, for their sake and mine.

I have plans to learn that technique later in life for utility purposes. Not really for combat, as useful as it could be...I have to consider the chakra costs and the effort needed to use it at a high level, for example. Minato was very remarkable for his use of that technique, since it's far from easy to keep your wits while moving irregularly through the air. If anyone would know about that, it would be me.

I tap the same pattern as before into my microphone, and start swimming again alongside the Three Tails.

"Red Queen is disengaging. 13 knots, depth 050. Over."

"Blue Elm here, we copy."

"Red Oak here, we copy. Red Queen, attention. Mist patrols increasing watch along previous route. Suggest you continue to use target as cover before breaking towards Gen's position again. Over."

Well, I was planning on doing that anyways. Good to know that I have permission now.

I let my chakra levels rise enough so that I can do some proper tracking. The signature should be familiar by now and locked in. I hold my breath and remove my rebreather, then take out a kunai and stab a bit into one of the spikes coming from the Three Tails' shell. It doesn't react as I predicted. I pinch some of the material to the edge before slipping it into my mouth quickly. Another sample goes into a small tube, which I seal and attach to my side. Blood samples...that's not happening now, not unless I want to set the ocean ablaze. Not much else, just more observation for now. I start swimming around the beast again after replacing my rebreather and checking my depth. 047. That's fine.

It's so big. And the arms are so human-like, with five fingers each on the hands. One of those massive hands could turn me to dust without any effort. I don't even think I'm as big as one of those fingers! Goodness...I can't believe how incredible creation can be at times. And this one has to be intelligent, like the others. They're swimming freely right now, but after being out of a host for so long, and away from the humans that imprisoned them...I have to wonder what their feelings are. I wish I could talk to them, perhaps have a conversation. Even just a one-sided talk. How badly have we humans wronged them? Is it something we can fix?

I really want to figure it out. Because the future of this world will inevitably include the tailed beasts. They're not just mindless monsters. I know it to be true.

"Mist patrols at..."

I barely pay attention to Gen's transmission. The Three Tails seems to have sensed the increasing human presence, and sinks deeper beneath me. The pressure at the bottom of the sea should be nothing to such a massive and resilient creature. If anything...it's survived death at least once before. I slowly make my way up to a safe depth, and start swimming faster on my own past the patrols. Decompression should finish properly by the time I get back to Gen on our safe little island.

I take a moment to look back and down at the direction the Three Tails took.

Hopefully, in a better time...I'll be able to reveal myself to them properly.

"We haven't attracted any attention since the start of your trip. Very good work, ma'am."

"Thank you."

I take off my equipment and lie down next to the fire pit. Gen is taking down his radio setup in the meantime, and I close my eyes to get some rest. It feels good to relax after so much exercise.

"Mind if I do a quick check, ma'am?" Gen asks.

"Check?"

"Heart and lungs. Nothing invasive. Of course, you're free to say no if it's uncomfortable, ma'am."

"Oh, of course." I sit up and reach for the zipper at my back, pulling it down and shifting the material around my shoulders down a bit. "Go ahead."

"Yes, ma'am." He pulls out a stethoscope and presses the end against my back. Just a bit cool, but nothing too bothersome. One location, two, three, four.

"Everything sounds good from here, ma'am. We'll have someone more appropriate do a full exam once we get back to shore, just wanted to clear you of any irregularities."

"Thank you kindly. I made the right choice carrying you along," I say with a smile. The suit goes back over my shoulders and is zipped up again for now.

"Very humbling to hear that, ma'am. You're a consummate professional yourself. Not many who spend so much time on land can swim like you do, much less take instruction," he says with a chuckle. "Anyone can duck down a dozen meters for a minute or two, but being at sea is a little more complicated than that."

I lie back down again and nod. "Yes, that's quite true. I've always had a fair bit of respect for you who spend so much time on the water...this just reinforces it. Swimming is something I've worked on the past few years, though. Never know when it could come in handy."

"That's true."

"Ah. Do we have time to take a nap before going?" I ask.

"Is a half hour fine, ma'am?"

"Plenty. Thank you very much." I let out a breath and close my eyes. Sleep comes quickly enough, and it's the type that comes and goes in an instant, but leaves me feeling supremely refreshed at the same time. There's nothing quite like a good power nap.

"Mm. There we are."

I yawn and sit up slowly, stretching my limbs. Gen is listening to his radio and notices me with a bit of surprise.

"Heh, I'll be. Half an hour on the dot."

"Of course. Wouldn't do for a woman to be tardy in these times," I say with a wink. "Shall we return to land?"

"Everything's packed into the boat. Ready when you are, ma'am."

"Okay. Time to head back to Fire Country. Mission accomplished."

I step into the waiting boat on the edge of the island, then Gen does afterwards, having done a sweep and destroying any visible traces of our presence. He has the engine come to life, and we sail across the sea once more.

Tonight's dinner is, naturally, fish. Cod, to be exact. Quite delightful when cooked properly. It's paired with a simple bowl of white rice, which is more than enough for my tastes. Some replenishment after a long day of work. Gen enjoys the house sake with his meal while I settle for some apple cider.

It's a rustic little place we find ourselves in, though by no means is it uncomfortable. Weathered wood, patterned tablecloths and sturdy utensils that look like they've survived the stone age. The portions of food are big. The glasses seem to be even bigger, judging from the size of the clear mug my cider is in. I'll probably go through a few more dishes to show my appreciation. That, and I am just a bit hungry after all that swimming.

"So you really think this will help us keep tabs on the masked man?" Gen asks me.

"It should. He doesn't seem to be interested in leaving the current geographical area, which is this continent. Perhaps there are limits to his space-time ability, significant ones. But we really can't take too many chances."

"You think it's possible that he could move something that big?" he asks, referring to the Three Tails.

"Maybe so. I would imagine that it would take up a fair bit of chakra to do so. From what I've studied of space-time arts, the larger the target or distance, the more chakra it consumes. If he has a lair or two nearby, it might not be so bad. It would still be quite taxing. Not even he should be able to escape the laws that govern chakra." I chew on a piece of fish.

"If it's like that, then we should have a handle on the situation."

"I'm just a bit surprised that Mist hasn't been putting more people out into the water lately."

Gen shrugs. "Probably trying not to show their hands. I don't think they have the manpower yet to attempt trying to bring the tailed beast to heel again. Likely just monitoring it at this point, trying to learn its habits and so on before beginning any operations. I would think that hearing about what happened in the Sand would get them in gear. That's if they've heard anything, at least."

"The Fifth isn't a proactive one, then?"

"Intelligence says that she's very keen on internal reforms for the time being, and that others are handling the bulk of foreign affairs for her. Whatever stories you've been hearing about the Fourth Mizukage's reign, adjust upwards. It was a nasty era for everyone involved, and the village hasn't fully recovered yet."

That only makes sense. I don't think it was that long ago that the Demon Zabuza made his mark on the world. Shoring up the village's internal structure would be a task, indeed. That whole caste system...

"If Lord Hokage wants to make a play for the beast, he has all the time in the world to do so," he continues. "Cloud isn't likely to risk anything unless it crosses well into their territory."

"They have the technology to keep it locked away, if anything. Maintaining control of the Two and Eight Tails says enough...though getting a third tailed beast would be disastrous, and would likely spell the end of any peace on this continent."

Gen sips from his cup and nods. "Not the most pleasant thought, but accurate enough."

"The power of tailed beasts is no joke. Even if they had to keep an inexperienced one at home, it would still be enough to completely upset the power balance between the five nations. An extreme situation, but not one we should go without considering. The tracking seal will help us on that end as well, since if we think something like that is bound to happen, we can go over and cause some trouble."

"That sounds fair. There isn't much going on in the east, other than maybe some shenanigans with shadow organizations."

"Foundation, then," I say.

"Can't believe those psychopaths are still running around. We won't have an easy time of anything if we have to deal with them and everything else at once."

I lift my mug with both hands and take a drink of cider. "Those ones will be taken care of soon enough."

"You think you've got old man Shimura's number?"

"Getting there."

"Heh. Guess I'll have that to look forward to before I retire. Maybe I'll even get married one day."

"Ambitious, aren't we."

He chuckles and raises his cup of sake to me.

We spend about another hour eating and chatting about inconsequential things. After I pay for our meal and make sure the waitress gets her gratuity, Gen and I go to wash up. I leave a shadow clone at the sink and exit the washroom, meeting Gen at the front entrance.

"All set," I say.

"Great. Real pleasure working with you, ma'am." We shake hands firmly.

"If you do find yourself a spouse, let me know. I can find some flexible work for you to take on," I say to him.

"Might take you up on that."

"Be safe, and continue your good work. Thank you for looking after me."

"Any time, ma'am. You take care out there."

"I will. Good night, sir."

"Good night."

We nod to each other and part ways. My clone should be leaving in a few minutes, well after I've made my way out of town and back into the forest. The first outpost should be about an hour away at normal pace...so let's shoot for that. No incidents to report, and nothing unusual happening. A clean mission, which is what I like to see the most.

"Hmm..."

All of these thoughts about the Three Tails and jinchuuriki...perhaps its time that I take some more initiative here. If Jiraiya won't move things along, then it's up to me. No more time to worry about stepping on toes.

It's time to give my darling an extra boost.