Scarlet Justice: Full Blossom - ep. 96
"Prima Facie"
[Ultima Ratio: Prologue]

It's afternoon in the village. In a few hours, it will be night, with the moon hidden behind the clouds. We will leave for our mission then.

At this moment, we are in Ruki's small apartment. Nearly everything has been emptied from it, save for the most basic things. Those too will be gone within a day or two. Everything unimportant has been sold off or given away. The rest is with Kakashi, at his place. She's moving in with him, at his insistence. She gave the only answer she could to that.

There are candles on the floor, and cups of burnt incense. The scent is calming and comforting.

"Thank you for coming," Ruki says. "I don't know the details of your journey, and I respect your desires to keep them to yourselves. They're ultimately not important for today. I can sense that you're about to do something with great impact, and which will involve stepping into an even greater danger. For that reason, I would like to pray for each of you before you left."

"We greatly appreciate this, Ruki," I say. "As confident as we all are, it would be beyond us to refuse a petition of heaven on our behalf."

"Yes. I'm glad you feel that way. Please, have a seat on the floor next to each other. I'll go one by one, and then at the end we can do one last prayer together. Erika, I would like to start with you first."

"Understood." We sit next to each other on the wooden floor, and Ruki kneels in front of Erika before taking her hands gently. She starts to say a prayer, and I close my eyes while listening.

To have faith is not a sign of weakness, nor does it mean a lack of confidence. Rather, it is an enlightened stance. An understanding that the universe sometimes has its own whims, and at the same time an affirmation of one's own power and ability. We ask for strength to face what might come. To prepare for pain and sorrow, if they should reach us. For fortitude in times of trial.

Perhaps most important, peace and understanding in the face of evil. So that we overcome the darkness of this world, instead of becoming like those who have been overcome by it. A calm and clear heart is one better equipped to ward off evil. The same that consumed so many before us, and led to this stage of history...

We finish our group prayer and Ruki bows towards us, her head touching the floor before coming up again.

"I truly hope that your hearts feel lighter now, and that you are at peace. This journey will be of great importance and weight for all of you, and for this world we live in. Please be safe, and come back to us. Not only would it break my heart, but...our world would be much lesser and brighter without the four of you. As shinobi, you must do what you can. As friends, remember that home is always waiting for you."

"We will remember, Ruki. Thank you for your love, and your faith in us. We promise to do everything we can, and return to our home. And to you," I say.

"Our determination to bring justice to this world will not blind us to the things of true importance," Erika says. "Home is home, and always will be. Until the day we are ready to leave for the cosmos in earnest. Before that fateful day, we look forward to a triumphant return to this village, our home in this world."

"Getting in tune with the spiritual world is always a good move," Ino says with a nod. "Staying centred and humble is one of the keys to success. Thank you again for doing this, Ruki. I could really feel the love from you and everyone."

"It's a beautiful gesture," Hina says. "And so, I am very grateful for it. We will do everything that we can to promote peace and harmony in this world, as its most eminent warriors and ambassadors. As we open ourselves to the wisdom of the heavens, we will also use our physical gifts to ensure that the ideal future will come to pass. A responsibility, and not a burden. We are grateful for this opportunity."

"Whatever worries I had have melted away. The heavens provide freely," Ruki says with a smile. "I see the beauty and maturity in each of you. This world will be in good hands."

"Good enough to raise some descendants, yes?" I ask.

"I've wondered what it would be like to be a grandmother, sometimes."

"Just a grandma, eh?" Ino snickers at that. "I think we're aiming a little low."

"And I think we should have ourselves some tea, before we get ourselves into trouble so quickly after a prayer session," Ruki quips back. "Be right back, and try not to say anything too outrageous while the kami are listening."

"Pfft. If they didn't duck and run at the sight of Lili, there's nothing I could do to scare them off."

"Rude! You behave yourself, Ino."

"Ino does have a point," Hina says. "Years upon years of depraved thoughts. You flirted with me the first day we spoke to each other."

"And you turned into a tomato the moment I complimented you. Count your lucky stars I had a conscience back then, or your boyfriend would be single to this day."

"How quickly we forget the words of our local priestess. There hasn't been a day that you haven't had designs on me, I know it."

"And you should be proud of that fact."

"That's not something you're supposed to admit to, Lili..."

"Would you love me so if I were one to adhere to the flimsy rules of this world?" I say. "Surely not. I say, proudly and boldly, that I would bed each and every one of you here if I had the will and opportunity."

"And what stays the blessed hands of Lady Kobayashi in this regard?" Erika asks.

"Aside from you being in loving relationships already? Well, I have to give Fio her turn first."

She nods sagely. "As good a reason as any."

"I called you ladies beautiful and mature, but it seems I missed something else entirely," Ruki says as she returns.

"And what might that be?" I ask. Ruki sets down the tray with tea cups, and gives me an exasperated look.

"Insufferable."

"Aw. We love you too, Ruki!"

She puffs up her cheeks before laughing, and we join her right after.

Afternoon. The weather is particularly nice today, which is as good a sign as any.

The next few hours before departure are for rest and meditation. I've packed everything already, so it's just down to gathering my things and leaving with the girls as planned. It means I can make quick and important visits like this.

"Hey, Lili! Come on in!"

"Thank you." As always, Naruto has been taking good care of his plants. They look healthy and vibrant, making the small apartment feel even more comforting once I step inside. "I won't be here too long, unfortunately. Lots of things to look over before the end of the night, and at least one nap to take."

"The big mission, right? Hinata told me about it, at least what she could. All I know is that it's important, and might be dangerous compared to the normal stuff."

"It could shift the balance of the world itself, I would say."

"Pretty heavy. I guess this is one of the things that Pervy Sage was talking about, huh. Well, I get it. I know you guys will do great, but I'm gonna wish you luck anyways!"

"Every bit helps, my love. I appreciate it."

"Yeah."

"Sometimes, not everything goes the way we think it should. Or the way that we want it to. Things happen despite our confidence and assurances," I say. "That said, I believe in myself, and in all of us. I simply wanted to let you know that everything will be okay, no matter what happens next. You will find your way. And I want you to know how much I love you. I always will."

"I love you too, Lili. I wish I could be there next to you, but I get why I can't." He grins. "I'm looking forward to having some ramen together when you get back! So don't do anything too crazy, yeah?"

"No promises."

"Heh, figures."

I step forward and hug him tightly. Times like this...make it difficult to let go. I know that I'll be back for him. I have to be. If he's going to be the wonderful man I dream of him becoming, then it has to be the case. More than that, I still want to protect him, like I've always tried to. Removing Akatsuki from the board is the first step.

"Lili?"

"Yes."

"It's okay. You said you have stuff to do, right?"

"I did..."

"Then you should get to that. I'll be fine, really."

"..." I nod and slowly let go of him. "Please, take care of yourself. Be sure to eat properly."

"I will."

I kiss him on the forehead before turning to leave.

It's night as I wake up.

I always wish I could stay a bit longer, in times like these. But it's good to feel this way...even as it fades, this warmth will have meaning.

"Lili? It's time."

Fio's voice brings me all the way out of my sleep. I slowly untangle myself from her, looking into her eyes.

"Ready?" she asks.

"I'm ready." Everything we need is being stored at a different location, so that we can leave as quietly as possible. To those not in the know, we'll seem like members of ANBU heading out for a relatively normal, clandestine mission.

"Alright. Have your shower and meet me downstairs. Take your time, you've still got lots of it."

She kisses me and rolls out of bed. I lie back for a while, trying to empty myself of thoughts so that I can relax.

"..."

I haven't left yet, and I already miss her.

A not-so-quick shower, some freshening up, and then some combing to free my hair of any tangles. I'm sure it will be twisted this way and that plenty during the mission, but I would rather die than neglect this part of myself on purpose. Far too much love has been poured into it, by Momma, and by Luna, and so many others.

I eventually finish, put on my usual outfit, and then lock up before heading downstairs. Fio is waiting in the lobby faithfully, and gives me a smile as I approach.

"So. Anything in mind for dinner?"

I think on that as we walk. "We can do something fun that we haven't in a while. Let's try one of those silly, overly laden hamburgers we saw the other day."

"You mean the ones they gotta stick skewers through so that they don't fall apart on the way to the table?"

"Those are the ones, yes."

"I'm game. They got something called the Hog Wild with like, all the bacon on it. And a ton of cheese that just pools at the bottom of the plate. You might get heartburn just looking at the thing."

"Ooh. Sounds like fun."

"I know, right? We'll get one each for a taste test."

"Just one?"

She hums a bit. "Okay, two. Three if I'm feeling good."

"You're going to burn through at least three before dessert. Meanwhile, I have places to be."

She laughs. "You're such a bitch."

"Oh, I know it."

I have a mere sampling of two of the absurd, pork laden, and ostensibly handheld meals. Fio has herself four of the same, and we decide to share dessert. All the while, we talk about a number of things. Politics, namely how annoying and foolish the local politicians often are. Gossip flying around the village. Some theory on jutsu, chakra, and techniques that we've been going through in our spare time, and insights from our training partners. We talk about the past and the future we're hoping for. She again gives her assent to building a stable of girlfriends, some would say a bit too enthusiastically. But it's Fio, so I know she has a plan. One that she's very cheeky about keeping from me, even as much as I poke her about it. I can work on squeezing that secret from her later.

Thankfully, she'll be busy while I'm gone. More than missions, she'll keep herself occupied by seeing to each of our darlings in my place, Naruto especially.

We finish eating, and she helps me impose my gratuity on the staff before we leave. Clouds are roaming the night sky as we walk north, towards our meeting location. Erika, Ino, and Hina round the nearest corner and wave as we get closer.

"This is it, then," Fio says. "You girls alright?"

"We're very much fine, Fio," Hina says. "Thank you for worrying about us."

"Aw, it's nothing. You know how much I love you all. Come back safe!"

"We'll do everything in our power to fulfill your wishes," Ino says. "After all, we would hate to disappoint the Lady Mallow."

"Thank you kindly, Lady Violet." An appropriate name that we blessed our Fio with the other day, just before a cold and delicious serving of justice on a friend's behalf. Representative of her sweet and gentle nature, loving heart, and passion to do good by most everyone she meets.

"Now it's time for big hugs, to send my favourite girlies off right!"

She gives everyone a strong, loving squeeze along with a kiss on each cheek. Her absolutely infectious happiness is driving the last bits of tension away from us all.

"And not least, my most favourite girlie of them all! Whatever storm you might be up against, lead them right through. Counting on you, Colonel."

"Yes, ma'am. Hand to God, you can count on me."

"Excellent."

"And a gift from me to you, if you'll accept it."

"Something spicy?" she asks, smiling.

"Very, as you already know..." We pull each other close and kiss, like it's our last meeting in this world. It's only her. The warmth of her body. The taste of her lips. I can't care about anything else at this moment, and don't want to. It's not the last time, and I'll make sure of that.

I'll make sure to come home to this again. I won't let anything stop me from reaching that goal.

"Someone hose them off already, sheesh!"

As annoying as she is right now, Ino has a point. We'll be here all night if I have my way, unfortunately.

"We'll do this again when we get back, with less colour commentary," Fio says, smiling as she always does. "Go out and do your thing, superstar."

"And you do yours, love. I'll be back to tease you soon enough."

"And I'll be waiting. No contact just in case, right?"

I nod. "Just in case."

"Got it. Then...I'll be right here, Lili." She pats my back before heading down the street. I watch her go until she starts to disappear into the darkness, and then turn to face my girls.

All the goodbyes have been said. Time to clock in.

"Captain Yamanaka," I say.

She stands at attention. "This is Captain Ino Yamanaka, ready and awaiting orders, ma'am."

"Affirmed. Captain Hyuuga."

She takes her spot next to Ino, copying her posture. "This is Captain Hinata Hyuuga, ready and awaiting orders, ma'am."

"Affirmed. Major Kotowari."

Erika stands next to Hina, at attention like everyone else. "This is Major Erika Kotowari, ready and awaiting orders, ma'am."

"As you were, ladies." They salute before relaxing. "Rika, please lead on."

"Of course. Everyone, follow me. I've kept the location free of any possible tracking or inspection," she says. "We will have about thirty minutes of uninterrupted time."

"Means I'll have to skimp on my makeup, eh," Ino quips.

"Unfortunately. I do apologize, beloved."

"If it becomes too much for the Lady Yamanaka to bear, I will ensure that her immaculate visage is restored during the course of our journey," I say.

"If you feel hands around your throat the next time you go to sleep, remember one thing. Don't resist, because it's me."

"We can plot Lili's demise after the mission," Hina says. "And as compensation, I will help you with the plotting."

"I appreciate that, Hina." Ino sticks her tongue out at me, and I roll my eyes.

We've taken over the back room of a local sweets shop. The equipment was delivered just a few hours before by handpicked ANBU, no questions asked. Routine checks followed by inspections to see if anything is off or has been compromised. Nothing to that effect, so we fit what we need to on our belts and load up our pouches. Each member has their own essentials along with specially assigned things loaded, to help with distribution. Erika will be carrying the bulk of food, Hina the medical supplies and supplements we might need. Ino is handling the communications items, and in my pack are the majority of weapons and tools we will need for combat, outdoor work, and survival. The last things are the masks and cloaks that will be kept on hand until the mission's conclusion. They'll probably serve us the whole way through, if what I'm thinking is correct about the region.

"All hands, affirm readiness," I call as I finish dressing.

"Ready," I hear back in chorus.

"Good. Mask up, ladies...out in one go. No changes to the plan."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Advance." I put on my mask and flip the cloak's hood over my head. Everyone files out the back exit, and we wait for Erika to lock the shop up again before moving out. We head straight for the village wall, and hop on top of it before making the seals to bypass the barrier. The four of us jump through and land, making visual confirmation one more time.

I run ahead and the group follows. Using my sensing, I can tell without looking that we've settled into the diamond formation we outlined. So far, so good. The easiest parts are done with, and things will only increase slightly in difficulty from here.

As always, the real fun starts once you reach your destination.

The first key to any successful mission is taking advantage of your assets. So that's how we will begin.

Step one is to make use of each twenty four hour day as best we can. Eight hours on, four off. Repeat until we reach our destination. The four of us are healthy and fit women, meaning we can travel for as long as we need to, and at whatever pace we choose. Three of us take a nap while our lookout cooks something, we wake up and eat together, then rest while our lookout sleeps until the designated time. At that time, we pack up, erase our presence, and head back into the day.

This gets slightly more difficult as we enter what is called Rain Country on the afternoon of the third day.

"Still as miserable as we left it."

Ino isn't wrong to say so. We packed tents just in case of inclement weather, and it turned out to be a better call than we realized. Rain showers are constant, leaving fields and flows of mud as far as the eye can see. We search for stable ground and cook food in makeshift shelters outside while the rain comes down. We run through walls of rain into clear space, the sun shining while more sheets of water wait for us in the distance. We see the evidence of mud slides, recently made pools and lakes with their own fledgling ecosystems, and settlements made in relatively safe and stable places. There aren't many trees. Even fewer of them remain upright.

All the while, the rain continues to fall.

"I can see the lake. We're nearly there," Hina says to us.

Eventually it becomes visible to everyone else, starting from the outside. Metallic pipes and concrete are immediately ahead. Upright cylinders and small buildings standing alone. The work of industry, in small instalments that lead towards the country's grand jewel. More civilization in the form of lightly built houses, reservoirs, and small fields with coverings that tilt to let rainwater out. As we keep away from human activity, I can smell the various seasonings and cooked meats from meals being prepared. Trees and plants, protected from the onslaught of rain by human infiltration, are growing more freely than they would in the world just outside of here.

The buildings in the distance reach high into the sky. Amalgamations of metal and darkness, the endless rain falling against them and disappearing into pipes and basins. Silhouettes move in and out of sight against skies of black. Around the village is the previously spotted lake, constantly fed thanks to the rain. It starts a way out, between two and three kilometres from the edge of the village proper. In a few areas, I can make out rising steam and smoke. Lights are few and those are dim besides. It's just as difficult to deal with as we assumed. So we should be ready.

Hina ensures that we don't have anyone within sight of us. We stop at the edge of the lake and remove our cloaks and masks, then get out our wet suits. They're sized to fit over our normal clothing, as we'll be using them briefly to get near the heart of the Hidden Rain.

"Ready," Hina says after putting on her goggles. The two of us are going to scout the area for an operating base.

"We'll set up as close as possible, no more than one kilometre out," I say. "If we can't find a suitable site, then we'll come back to land and conference for next steps. Let's get started."

I snap my fingers and a cream coloured viper appears around my arm. She slithers over to Erika's as we touch hands.

"Sally will let you know when we're across and standing by. I'll call her back as soon as you acknowledge."

"Understood."

"Hina, we're off."

"Yes." She walks on top of the water before silently diving beneath it. I put on my goggles and follow suit. The water is clear, yet very deep. I can't see to the bottom. It's possible that this goes far enough down that it could experience similar pressures to the ocean depths...that would be very impressive for a man made lake.

But for a self proclaimed god, with the power of chakra...maybe...

Hina slows down to touch my shoulder, and points ahead. She makes signs with her hands, and I sign back to be sure. She nods and starts to swim ahead. When we come up from the water, I realize that this really is what we've been looking for.

"It seems very good," Hina says. "From what I can tell, the traffic to this area will be low, and there are enough entry and exit points to use for whatever we might like. Most of all, the place will remain dry. We just have to be careful not to get too comfortable."

"Agreed. This is a very good find," I say. "Can you see the line well?"

"Yes. It's still a clear path to us."

"Then I'll activate the signal." I call to Sally and tell her that everything is okay. Once I get back that Erika received the message, I send her back home and wait for our friends to come over with our packs. They do so in short order, jogging across the water and to our temporary home: a chipped concrete platform, hidden beneath a collapsed bridge that used to connect two artificial islands. If someone shows up, we'll know about it well before they can spot us. This is both far enough from the village that we won't risk being chased down by its shinobi, and close enough that we can do proper reconnaissance over the next few days. It's a unique space because of how the rubble covers it, giving us a combination of stealth, air, and light all at once if we choose to huddle in. The destruction of the bridge means we have a clear line of sight to the Hidden Rain and its mass of tall, dark structures from atop the rubble pile.

Our deadline for work is Saturday night.

"Wow, this is great," Ino says as she and Erika arrive. They drop down through the space at the top, landing next to us. "Leave it to Hina, eh?"

"Enough space for all of us to live in and stretch our legs. That said, we'll be keeping an eye out for any anomalies as often as we can," I say. "Let's get set up, then have a bite to eat before checking our figures over. No rain over the village today...we need to have a look at it before making any major moves. Hopefully it's within the next two days."

"Sunday is fun day, that right?" Ino asks.

"It is indeed. If this so called Pain doesn't come out before then, we'll drag him out in the morning. Stick to the plan."

"Aye. Rika, wanna help me get the radios online? We'll have more time to make out later~."

"Though I would help you regardless, the addition of such a desirable reward does not hurt my motivation in any sense. Assisting you would be the first of many pleasures today."

I sigh. "Settle down, now."

"Are you sure you should be scolding them?" Hina says. "Besides, I'm sure you could get your own fix by asking politely to watch."

"Keep bullying me like that and I really will pull rank on you," I pout. "Or maybe I should harass you instead."

"Oh? I think insubordination will be the least of your worries then..."

"Aren't we frisky today..."

"Then perhaps you should leave me to prepare the medical station, before I really get my claws out. Colonel."

"Captain."

She smiles before going through her pack. I follow everyone else's lead and find my pack, unloading all of the tools inside to organize and inspect. We have a fair bit of time, so making use of it is wiser than not...

Something that sounds simple enough, but ends up immensely hard to do for most. Staying focused on the original plan.

There are a lot of reasons as to why that is. Fear, lack of confidence, limited competency...those are the easy answers to use, even if not accurate. Some go to the old maxims, such as one from a western commander that said, in essence, no plan survives contact with the enemy. Others prefer to be succinct, like the famous boxer who once said that everyone has a plan until they get hit.

Both of these things are the truth. But plans are more than just big picture thinking and rote design. They are also strategic and tactical level considerations. Most importantly, sometimes you cannot change the essence of a plan just because you run into trouble. Some things cannot and should not be compromised. There are a lot of things we are expected to do, and that we need to do because of the scope of this mission and its weight. Once we're in...there is no fall back position to take. There are no clever changes to make, no way to thread the needle.

No. We've all come too far, and there will be too much at stake once the chaos begins. This is all or nothing, no matter what we thought before.

I didn't get to say it out loud last night before going to sleep, but that's the beautiful thing about having bonds like these. Explanations aren't always necessary. Sometimes you can tell just by looking, and it only took a few glances over breakfast for the girls to understand. And with that, we set to work on our own tasks.

Reconnaissance is step one, as outlined. There is no rain over the village today, again. Our desire is to observe it, but we also want to get a jump on the situation inside. There's no sense in wasting time before the final day arrives. Erika will travel into the village itself. Security is very snug for the Hidden Rain, but that won't be too much of a barrier for her. Ino has already picked up law enforcement chatter and will be listening in on their channels, along with any local radio broadcasts to pick up whatever she can to start the day.

Hina and I are on top of the rubble pile outside, doing three things. Monitoring the surrounding area for any possible intruders or enemy soldiers. Tracking Erika's position as she goes through the village, with our abilities of visual and chakra detection overlapping. And finally...

"I have something at one nine eight."

"Copy that. It looks healthy, too. This is another good break..."

I hop into the air and start my run through it, towards the target. Shouldn't be anyone watching, at least too closely.

"Good morning. Do you accept bribes?"

The hawk that I'm striding next to looks at the anchovies in my hand hungrily.

"Follow me, and there's a lot more for you."

I start to descend and watch over my shoulder as the hawk turns to follow me down. I hold out my arm for him to land on, and present the anchovies to eat in my other.

"It will sound odd, but my friend will need to borrow your body for a while. You don't have to worry about any pain, she's very gentle about these things. Let's go."

I jog back, and see that Ino is already making her way to the surface.

"Nice work," she says. "Alright, boss lady. You want me to split, or should I go as is?"

"Go ahead and split. You can use Hina's sight to explore another dimension as we talked about."

"Got it. Ready, Hina?" she asks.

"Ready."

"It's still your show, I'll just be talking in your head from time to time. And I'll try not to be too annoying."

"Key word there is try," I quip.

"You, shut up."

"I think I'd know better than anyone, given how many times you've gone walking around in my body."

Ino shakes her head and starts to make the seals for her technique. I hold onto her shoulders, and the hawk flies over to Hina's shoulder.

"Mind Clone Transfer."

I support Ino's body as her consciousness leaves her. This variant of the technique allows her to split her spirit between multiple targets. The upsides are as obvious as the downsides. More targets means more chances to get hurt or killed. It also means that we can have a line of communications in real time between the copies of Ino's consciousness, thanks to her diligent work in honing her family's techniques. Today, she's taken up residence in the hawk, which flies off towards the village, and Hina, who makes a hand sign to indicate that the switch was fully successful.

"All good. I'll be taking a back seat from here on," Ino says in her own voice.

"Anything of note you need me to look over?" I ask.

"Coming up in about fifteen minutes, there should be a police tour with a pairing that I liked for some juicy information. They like to yap about a lot of things, so it might take a while to get to the point. Cops, you know."

"Understood."

"See you in a bit." Hina pops back into place a few seconds later.

"All good?"

"Yes. Ino is safely next to me," Hina says in her own voice. "Permission to start extended observation, ma'am."

"Permission granted. You keep ahead and I'll give you some help." I let Ino lean against me while making seals. "Shadow Clone."

My clone pops into being next to me.

"Here we go. I'm out with Hina, so you look after Ino for us. Listen in on the police chatter as much as you can."

"Permission to multi-thread?"

"Hm." I have to think on that some. Good for mass info gathering, but...let's hold off on that. "Denied. Stick to the script and keep your ears on the pair that Ino was talking about earlier. We want to keep ourselves comfortable just in case something silly happens."

"Understood. I'll need to keep my sensing field up anyways. Be safe, you two."

"Always. Let's go, Hina."

"Roger."

"Found anything for us?" I ask as we jog across the water.

"There are quite a few ports at the edge of the village itself...nothing much of use for us otherwise."

"Makes a lot more sense than not, especially this close to the village and with their security stranglehold. But Erika found a way inside, so that's that."

"As she would. She is daring, isn't she?"

"And loyal, to no fault. I offer up prayers in thanks that the Cloud passed on her because of their stupid bigotry."

"Praise be for that, yes."

"With our range, it's best to find a spot to wait on land. Options?"

"We have...a barn stocked with quite a few hay bales, collapsed house with hollow space, and...a large group of trees with a suitably large canopy."

"I like the sound of hiding up in the branches," I say. "And the little rain we might get won't be much of a problem. See anything there?"

"Some rain clouds passing by in a few hours...mm, they don't look weighed down too much. You're right, it should be fine."

"Good. Anything you need, tell me. We'll have you break after two and then again at lunch for four. Situation report, back at it until we hit eight. Erika comes back, we have dinner, then the four of us chatter on about the notes we got. Easy and flexible. Questions?"

"None, ma'am."

"Let's get to our spot and settle in, then."

Keeping to the plan is working out, as we hoped. Hina and I sit in the branches of a large tree, our hoods up to keep the potential rain showers off of our heads. She follows Erika visually as her primary assignment, not neglecting anything else of interest. I keep an eye of sorts on Erika and Ino, while monitoring the village for anything strange in terms of chakra or environmental anomalies. Whenever Hina notes something, or Ino notes something along with her, she addresses me and I write into the notepad under my left hand. All of the things that I have my eye on, I put down in the notepad under my right.

It's long, slow work for most. Not the kind of thing they presumably signed up for, action packed adventures in the world of shinobi. High stakes battles with lives on the line, so on and so forth. These are the boring things that most don't appreciate, and aren't expected to. Most are signed up as grunts to bust heads. We'll be doing that soon enough, but this part is always what leads to the other parts.

Ino finds Erika in the village, and they exit together through one of the water pumping stations. Everyone makes it back to our hideaway undetected, and now it's late evening with the sun dipping below the horizon.

"Whew. Thanks, little guy." Ino returns to her own body and gives the hawk a thumbs up. I feed it a few more anchovies before it takes off. Hina makes a seal and Ino's other half returns to her as well. She stumbles a bit, and my clone helps her stay stable. "Yeah, still not really used to that."

"Are you alright?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's nothing. Just a long day."

"You and her both," I say while nodding to Hina. "So you're resting until morning. Erika and I will handle any surveillance that needs to be done. That's an order."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Let's heat up those luxurious meal kits of ours. I can take care of it. In the meantime, I've got some merging to do of my own. Are you alright to stand, Ino?"

"Yeah, I'm alright."

"Okay." My clone nods and dispels herself. The information from her listening sessions and area monitoring flows into my mind smoothly. Seems we've learned a few things today. Good.

We've brought along a device that can heat up four of our portable military meals at once, which is perfect for us. The usual problem is that it needs a power supply, but a mastery of electricity solves that immediately. I place the meals into each of the pouch's four pockets, supply the current, and wait for the element to heat up before timing it. There is also the more normalized chemical method that we've also brought as a backup. It uses magnesium powder, iron powder, and table salt to generate an exothermic reaction when water is added to the small pouch. Things like this helped revolutionize warfare, as soldiers have been seen to perform better in the field when not limited to salted beef, hardtack, and black coffee.

"Not as luxurious as our usual dinners, but not awful either," Ino says after digging in. "Beef, rice, and veggies. Can't go wrong."

"I heard that the Akimichi were developing their own line of meals for field excursions," Hina says.

"Uncle Choza has been dying to start that project for a while, and he got his chance a few months ago. They've been doing a lot of testing and I think they're close to active trials. I had some, and yeah. They blow whatever we have now out of the water. It's super gourmet for this type of thing."

"Nothing about the costs?" I ask while mixing the drinks.

"Apparently, they're a touch higher than what we have now. But they're hoping to sell the Hokage and his grumpy old advisors on the taste and the improvements to morale and cohesion. Plus, they're ready with low calorie versions if we want to sell them to normies, or have them ready for humanitarian aid. Recouping the costs seems real easy to me."

"Well, if he needs anything, let him know that I'm available. Food is the key to a successful life, after all."

"You would say that, and with good reason. I always wonder where all that food goes when it comes to you..."

"A girl needs to keep some secrets, surely."

She sighs. "Yeah, yeah. You're so unfair. But I guess we should get to business before it gets too late. Like Lili said, Hina and I need our beauty rest. And a good checkup, which I'll do for us before bed. Your eyes aren't stinging, are they?"

Hina shakes her head. "Not at all. But I won't refuse your offer of a checkup, as long as you let me do the same for you."

"Deal. So, Rika. What'd you get for us today?"

I hand out our drinks while Erika gathers her thoughts.

"The village is a large, winding place. Easy to get lost in, even for its denizens. They travel out of necessity, rather than any desire. Planned routes with few stops, if any. Shops and the shopping done therein are all inside, behind closed doors. No loitering, not much talk outside of the immediate task. The village is...docile, in a word. As if it moves along beneath some steady, unseen hand constantly. Tones are quiet and hushed. Any emotion is not suppressed, but seems willingly stifled. As if that same presence is watching, and they don't want to disappoint or anger it. They call that presence God as a result. The god that they revere never communicates to them directly, only through the one they call his Angel. She flies with wings and disperses into floating sheets of paper, from what has been said."

"That's definitely Konan," I say.

"Yes. That said, they do not see her as a simple messenger. She is revered nearly as much as the god she serves, known as Pain. He appears intermittently, and all that can be said for his appearance is that he has glowing eyes and orange hair. Rumours abound that he has multiple forms he takes on, to monitor and protect the village without the knowledge of the villagers or any enemies. But not much else is known. The information I gathered confirms one of our hypotheses regarding the rain. That it always rains on Sundays...and that it always rains when this Pain is away from the village."

"Hm."

"I also felt other presences while travelling. My belief is that the paper woman is using some manner of construct or tracing system to keep an eye on the village along with her master, and can respond at speed to wherever she is needed to quell potential unrest. The talk of how she seemingly appears out of nowhere gives more credence to this theory. I could not get any more details on the two most important subjects in this single walk. The normal shinobi forces are of average strength, and do not move about often or have much to do aside from suppression of more dangerous criminals and village infiltrators. The latter are usually taken care of by Konan and Pain personally. They also carry out visits to homes...and judging from the lack of movement and the abundance of blood left behind, those visits are for the purposes of extermination. The Hidden Rain's leadership is still dedicated to prosecuting the civil war."

"The geography must be as confusing as it looked," Hina says.

"It would take a special kind of mind to memorize the paths leading through the village, and even then, I believe it would also take a fair amount of time. Patrols are rarely if ever moved about, and each unit, whether it's that of the shinobi or the police, is expected to know their areas and little else. Their homes, establishments, markets...all are typically within safe distance, so there is not much need to leave one's home area. Though it is not implicitly or explicitly discouraged. Merely difficult for most people. The village is easy enough to navigate with sensing or flight abilities, which are conveniently held by the two most senior officials. It is constructed in layers in many places, with the lower levels being clear of what most would expect to find. The homeless, the disadvantaged, the delinquent...within this village, they simply cease to be, through methods unknown but suspicious all the same. On that note, I wanted to ask about the interruptions I felt earlier, Hinata."

"The dark boxes. I saw them throughout the village in tall buildings, and in the tallest tower. The total is eighteen in all. They block the sight of the Byakugan completely, and are made of a strange material that I suspect is chakra-based. But I can't say for sure. What I can confirm is a very large chakra signature inside of the tallest tower. At some point there were two smaller signals with it, and then those would leave. Only one would come back at a time. There was also a delivery to the tower in the afternoon. The shape told me that it was a human body, and with no chakra flowing through it, that this was a corpse. It was taken down towards a place that I also could not see with my Byakugan."

"Do you think those towers are to disrupt any sensor types?" Ino asks.

"No. I think that's just a side effect...they're meant to conceal whatever is inside from view," I say. "This Pain has more to hide than their identity."

"I had that thought, too. Especially with what I found regarding that large signature in the tower," Hina says. "The chakra would flow in different directions, at different speeds, and in different patterns when it was visible and active. Most troublesome of all, there was no pattern of any kind to latch onto. Whether it was that of timing, strength, or duration. Even the signal would flicker on and off, or at least it seemed so to these eyes. And it was not caused by fatigue of any kind."

"Yeah, I wasn't feeling weighed down in my sensing work, either. When I passed by the biggest tower, I felt the same thing. Like the person's chakra signature was constantly changing, and to a totally unique mix every time. But I couldn't begin to figure out why. To avoid detection? Sure, but you're in your own village. To confuse your enemy? Maybe, but they'd need to get that far with all of your security in place. Has me stumped right now."

"It's probably related to the dark zones and the towers...corpse puppets, maybe? But with that kind of power...hm." I run a hand through my hair. "Did you get anything about his physical condition, Hina?"

"Nothing conclusive...that was also blocked by some device, but only the lower half. Though I didn't get much of a view, since a veil made of the same blocking substance as earlier appeared."

"I see. Then the smartest thing to do is observe some more. Tomorrow, we'll enter the next phase as planned. Ino will be on with Erika and Hina in the afternoon. I'll wind around the edge of the lake, see what I can find while keeping an eye on everyone. Anything saying we can't use our radios?"

"Nothing I could pick up from the air," Ino says. "We've got a secure channel or ten, let's use 'em."

"Excellent. Then tomorrow is settled. Hina, Ino. After you eat, you can wind down and then go to sleep. Take as much as you need to, since we'll be using your abilities thoroughly again."

"Yes, ma'am," they say together.

"I'll take second watch and greet you in the morning, loves. For now, let's enjoy the rest of dinner."

"We can have a victory meal once we've kicked this guy's ass, right?" Ino asks.

"Hm, perhaps. Erika, what do you think of our prospects?"

"Smuggling out a few perishables on Saturday should not be beyond my capabilities," she says with a smile.

"Victory meal it is, then. Sunday night, before we go home. I suppose that's one more prize to keep our eyes on, hmhm."

The lights are faint in the Hidden Rain Village, as it sits across the water from us. I can hear Ino and Hina gently breathing in their sleep from my place atop the rubble pile. And one more person climbing out.

"If there was anything that my father and I could ever agree on...it's that the town at night was always a beautiful and captivating thing."

Erika lets out a breath and sits next to me. "An interesting fact."

"Yes. Now, what we considered suitable night time entertainment...that, we would forever be at odds over. So what brings you up, love?"

"I found myself unable to sleep any longer, due to the excitement I felt."

"Hm, is that so...I've honestly felt the same since this mission started. Quite thrilling stuff that we're in the middle of now. I'm glad to be able to experience it with my favourite girls in the world."

"Has there been any cause for concern?" she asks.

"Oh, I always worry a bit. Worry, but never doubt. You've all been lovely to start this journey off, and I'll be counting on your work. I just want to watch over those two, what with their very useful and potentially exhausting abilities. We wouldn't be this far without them."

"Indeed. I have been fine myself...navigating foreign soil has been a welcome challenge, and I find myself developing positively in response."

"Lovely to hear. In that case...do you have any extra thoughts for me? Some speculation we might have been hiding away for later?"

"If it's okay."

"It always is, love."

She nods and stares out over the water. "There was mention of corpses earlier...my belief is that there is actually more than one Pain, based on some abbreviated conversation. One is a figurehead, and the other a hunter who uses advanced techniques to track down prey. I also think that whoever is in that place, called Pain's Tower...they might be operating the village as an invalid. These are more or less hunches based on what we know...the lack of movement, having Konan as a mouthpiece, the delivery of corpses to the building."

"It's possible that they're not truly disabled, but are in a vulnerable state because of the Rinnegan itself. That's a hunch of mine," I say. "I'll need to check myself, but there was also a faint familiarity. It's likely because of the constantly changing chakra signals, but I want to be sure it wasn't just my imagination."

"It could rain at any time as well," she says.

"Mm-hm. We stick to what we have. Unless you think you're not up for that challenge?" I ask.

"That woman would truly have to be of the divine for a chance to catch me."

I laugh softly at that. "Well said."

"Permission to watch the sunrise with you, ma'am?"

Honestly, it's sort of unfair how cute she can be. Especially when smiling.

"Permission granted, Miss Kotowari. One condition."

"Ma'am."

"Come a little closer and warm me up."

"Of course, ma'am."

We put our arms around each other, and watch the skyline in a comfortable silence.