Chapter 24: Soifon's Training Begins Part 2
Upon her return to the hotel, Soifon informed Jushiro that she would be departing for a two-day training session with Kakashi and assured him she would return within that time frame. Jushiro, showing concern for her well-being, inquired if she was certain about her readiness considering the previous day's training.
Soifon reassured him, stating she was fine and they wouldn't be going far. She then gathered her belongings and informed the others of her temporary departure, expressing her intention to inform Lady Yoruichi upon her return.
Jushiro assisted her in packing for the trip and wished her to be cautious as she left the hotel. Soifon, armed with her zanpakuto, bid farewell and departed, leaving the group behind.
An hour later, Soifon arrived at the gate to find Kakashi waiting punctually, to her surprise. Upon commenting on his promptness, Kakashi nonchalantly mentioned his aversion to wasting time.
Soifon acknowledged, pleased that Kakashi was punctual. 'Ready to go?' Kakashi inquired, receiving a nod from the woman. 'Yes, let's proceed,' Soifon responded, allowing Kakashi to lead out of the village.
'Goodbye, Kakashi, goodbye, miss,' Izumo bid from his position at the gate. 'Goodbye Izumo,' Kakashi waved back at the younger man.
Soifon glanced at the other ninja, nodding, and followed Kakashi through the gates. 'How far is our destination?' she inquired. 'Perhaps a few miles away,' Kakashi replied as they strolled, not in a rush.
'What is our plan once we arrive?' Soifon questioned. Kakashi pondered for a moment. 'We'll decide upon arrival; I'm still considering our initial steps,' he said. Soifon nodded in agreement.
Unbeknownst to them, two figures followed closely behind, silently observing from the cover of the trees as they continued walking away from the village. 'Let's lead them further away before we make our move,' Mika instructed the woman beside him. 'Understood,' Eva replied.
Soifon and Kakashi trekked on, with Soifon scanning their surroundings diligently. 'We're almost at the training spot,' Kakashi informed the captain after hours of walking. 'Alright,' Soifon replied, meeting Kakashi's gaze.
'Are you feeling alright?' Kakashi inquired, noticing her unease. Soifon expressed her concerns about being followed before dismissing them as paranoia.
'I may just be overly cautious,' she admitted with a shrug as they arrived at an empty field to commence their training.
'Let's begin by familiarizing yourself with your Sharingan,' Kakashi suggested, setting down his bag alongside Soifon's, who looked around the area.
Seventy took off her captain coat in order to move more freely, and she gazed at Kakashi, waiting for his instructions.
'Okay, let's begin with manifesting the Sharingan,' he instructed. 'How do I go about doing that? Does it arise naturally?' inquired Soifon, attentive to Kakashi's guidance. 'Sometimes it's a matter of experience,' Kakashi replied, nodding in her direction.
Soifon nodded thoughtfully and asked, 'Should I meditate or perform some other practice?' tilting her head slightly. 'It would be advisable to clear your mind before activating it, and I want you to connect with the essence of the Sharingan,' he advised.
'Understood,' Soifon acknowledged, walking over to a nearby stump to sit down and initiate her meditation. 'How long do you recommend I meditate?' she inquired, crossing her legs in an Indian style as she settled in.
Kakashi proposed, 'Let's go for two hours, then we can take a break and proceed from there,' as he leaned against the tree to observe the Captain.
'Since we're going to be here for a few days, I'm going to gather logs and sticks while you meditate,' he informed. Soifon agreed with a nod and began meditating as Kakashi walked away to collect some items.
Mika observed Kakashi leaving the woman below him and Eva inquired about attacking, but Mika shook his head, suggesting they wait a bit longer to see her actions in the meantime. 'Not yet, let's wait a little longer to see what she does,' Mika decided as he monitored the captain.
Eva questioned how long they should wait, to which Mika, after contemplating, decided, 'Maybe midnight,' as he retrieved a small box containing pills. 'I'll sneak to their bags while she's meditating; she shouldn't even sense that I'm there,' Mika proposed.
Amidst Eva's adjustment to a comfortable position, her partner stealthily exited the tree, concealing his chakra to evade detection by both the captain and Kakashi.
Meanwhile, Mika cautiously accessed Soifon's bag, extracting the bento box and discreetly slipping sleeping pills into her water bottle without creating any disturbances that might alert the captain, who could awaken at any moment.
'Come, Mika,' Eva whispered as she observed the brown-haired anbu returning to their tree, having restored everything to its original state before climbing back up.
'Plan A is completed,' he confirmed. Eva smirked and agreed, 'Let's proceed tonight.' She settled back into the tree, preparing to nap while awaiting the opportune moment to capture their target.
'By the way, what effects do the pills have?' Eva inquired, half-opening an eye. 'They diminish her mobility, strength, and power, facilitating a smoother capture,' explained Mika, to which Eva nodded in understanding.
《 back to the leaf village 》
Jushiro strolled through the village in the direction of the meeting spot with Yoruichi, Isane, Yumichika, and Ikkaku, expecting them to have arrived by now.
Upon reaching the back of the village, where he anticipated their arrival from, it didn't take him long to locate Yoruichi and the group, prompting a smile to appear on his face.
'Greetings, it seems you all took quite some time,' Jushiro remarked, eliciting a chuckle from Yoruichi and a rolling of the eyes from Ikkaku. 'We would have arrived sooner, but we decided to take a break,' Yoruichi explained.
Jushiro acknowledged this with a nod as he ushered them through the village, 'That is understandable,' he responded with a smile. Yoruichi inquired about Soifon's whereabouts, expecting her former student to be waiting at the gate.
'Captain Soifon departed with Kakashi for a few days, they left the village for her training,' Jushiro clarified, casually putting his hands in his pockets.
Yoruichi nodded and expressed a hint of displeasure, clearly keen on meeting the second squad captain upon their arrival. 'When will they return?' she inquired.
'In two days,' Jushiro promptly responded. With an amiable expression, the woman of dark complexion acknowledged this information and accompanied Jushiro towards the Hokage tower, their designated meeting spot.
'What other tasks are we required to complete here apart from awaiting Captain Soifon's return?' inquired Ikkaku as he trailed behind them. 'We will address that upon reaching the Hokage tower,' Jushiro informed.