CHAPTER IV
Gone with the Crackpot
It all happened so quickly.
Sasuke saw it, saw Ino flash them a warning. Then she rushed ahead without a thought, without offering them a single other detail.
Idiot! He thought, scowling.
But a moment later, it was apparent why. Ino had somehow noticed the bandits, but not until they were practically upon them. Her sudden interference must have caused them to rush, springing their trap slightly prematurely.
Two explosions, one of them throwing Ino, who was closest, through the air. Sasuke's heart stopped as the guards barely remained upright, but with the weight of the palanquin they were able to stabilise. Both Hana and Juri, however, were thrown off their feet.
Sasuke dropped his henge and sprinted forward, managing to catch Hana before she landed. Shikamaru caught Juri in his shadow bind and turned her fall into a roll.
Meanwhile, several bandits were moving to surround them.
"What's going on?" Yui cried, moving the curtain of her palanquin aside to glance out.
Sasuke and Shikamaru exchanged a horrified glance.
"Uhh…" Sasuke started ineloquently, but thankfully Shikamaru saved him.
He never was the best at comforting people.
"Just a little skirmish, my lady," Shikamaru said, even offering a small smile. "Nothing my team can't handle."
The confidence was a bold-faced lie. They'd never fought 'real' enemies before, but Sasuke wasn't nervous.
They could handle several civilian bandits easily. But protecting their client simultaneously added a layer of uncertainty.
"Just a skirmish!?" Hana shrieked. She was shaking. "Where's your Sensei? We hired a jounin to protect us! Not- not…!" She gestured at the two of them. Sasuke scowled in response.
But… she did have a valid point. Where the hell was Anko-sensei? This had to be some breach of protocol, not to mention highly unprofessional. Sasuke glanced around, searching the trees.
He bet she was hiding, probably trying to test them in her infuriating way.
"It doesn't matter. We don't need her help," Sasuke scoffed. This, however, only seemed to infuriate Hana more.
"She knows we can handle it," Shikamaru quickly tacked on. "Don't worry, Hana-san. Anko-sensei knows what she's doing."
Sasuke sent Shikamaru a sideways glance. That was an uncertain truth at best, but it seemed to placate the civilians.
But Juri was looking ahead.
"Oh dear! Are you sure?" Juri asked as Ino, covered in blood, stumbled towards them from the tree line.
"Guys, guys I'm alright!" Ino yelled, panting as she joined them and they created a triangular formation around the palanquin, facing outwards towards the bandits that circled them.
"Took you long enough," Sasuke snapped.
"Caring as ever," Ino retorted. But before Sasuke could respond one of the bandits spoke. Sasuke assumed he was the leader, when he halted his men from charging by raising a fist.
"You must be genin," the man observed, looking at them with something like curiosity. Unlike the rest of them his skin was dark, closer to the common Lightning colouring. His hair was jet black and cut short but well-kept, and he wore pure black clothes. He didn't look rugged and unkempt like the other bandits either, instead carrying himself with confidence and aloofness.
Sasuke thought it stupid for him to assume that, purely based on their ages. After all, his brother was a jounin by 12. The thought made Sasuke grit his teeth. He was still a fresh genin, he was so far behind his brother. But he swallowed the bitter thought and turned his attention back to the bandit.
"We are only after your goods and cash. Hand them over and we will spare your lives," the man said, his voice deep and menacing.
"Just petty theft, huh," Shikamaru sighed, slumping a little. Sasuke wondered what else he thought they might have wanted.
"Not happening!" Ino declared.
Sasuke agreed.
"Don't you know one genin is worth ten civilian men?" Sasuke said with a grin. And, deciding to take the element of surprise, he lunged. Shikamaru cursed, and quickly everyone else sprang into action.
Two of the lackeys intercepted him before he could reach the boss. He jumped as they sprinted at him with swords raised, causing them to clash and almost stab each other. As he fell, he kicked their heads together and smirked as they dropped like stones, swearing and holding their heads.
It was clear these guys were no threat.
He glanced up to find the boss watching him from a few feet away.
"You're an Uchiha," the man said quietly, his eyes alight with something Sasuke didn't like. Sasuke barely heard him over the sounds of battle.
He frowned before realising the obvious. On the back of his shirt was the famous Uchiha clan crest. The man must have seen it when he'd been taking out the two lackeys.
"Sasuke! Behind you!" Ino yelled from somewhere to his right.
Sasuke spun just in time to duck under a sword swing, inwardly berating himself for being distracted. He stepped to the left of the charging man and stomped on his knee before he could redirect himself. The man crumpled and he swiftly knocked him out along with the other two who were still clutching their heads on the ground.
He noticed that Ino and Shikamaru similarly had little trouble with the bandits, and both were finishing up their opponents. He gave Ino a tiny nod in thanks.
But when he turned back to the boss once more, the man was gone.
"Hey, Ino, where'd the leader go?" Sasuke asked.
"I can't sense him anywhere," Ino said as she nudged a fallen bandit at her feet with her toe.
"I'll go find him," Sasuke said and took off without consultation.
He searched the surrounding forest while Ino and Shikamaru dealt with the bandits and consoling their clients. But after half an hour, he had to accept that he'd lost him. Kiba might have been useful for once. Or Hinata.
Sasuke returned to find 8 unconscious bandits tied together on the road, while the handmaids, lady Yui and the samurai were talking not too far away.
"Couldn't find him?" Shikamaru asked. Sasuke shook his head. "Sensei hasn't come back either."
"What is she doing?" Ino groused. "Shouldn't she have come out by now?"
"Let's just assume that she's gone," Shikamaru said. "Now we decide what we're going to do with these guys, and how to proceed with the mission." He gestured to the bandits. "That's probably what she wants; she's assessing our ability to think in unexpected situations."
Sasuke's shoulders relaxed infinitesimally and both he and Ino nodded in agreement.
"Well, I don't think we should split up but it's too far to take the bandits back to Konoha," Ino began thoughtfully. "We aren't meant to like… kill them, are we?" She asked, hesitantly.
The three stood in silence for a moment. One of the bandits, who had clearly been faking unconsciousness, squeaked in terror. Sasuke glared at the man until he closed his mouth and pretended to be unconscious again.
"No," Shikamaru murmured. "It's not necessary. Let's just leave them here with a note that they're dangerous thieves and keep moving. Our priority needs to be the mission and getting Lady Yui safely to her destination."
It wasn't the best solution, but right now they didn't have much choice, and Juri, Hana, and the guards were looking over at them expectantly. Both the handmaids looked shaken.
"Yea. Hana looks like she wants to faint," Ino said, with a small snicker. "That's what she gets for being a moody hag!"
"Shut up, idiot. Don't be so unprofessional," Sasuke said, giving her a haughty look. He held back a smirk as Ino drew in a breath, ready to rant. Her face was already going red with anger.
"Oh yea? Well at least I didn't let the any of my enemies escape!"
Sasuke scoffed. "I took out way more bandits than you. And if you weren't such a useless sensor-"
Shikamaru stepped between them, breaking up their bickering.
"I'll do the talking," Shikamaru interrupted with a sigh. "They're waiting for us."
Then, Shikamaru's posture transformed as he faked his status as temporary leader. His back straightened, his face turned serious, and he strode towards their clients with an authority that surprised Sasuke.
Ino and Sasuke exchanged a quick glance. Sasuke wouldn't admit he was mildly impressed. He didn't think the lazy guy could even fake effort, let alone authority.
They quickly fell in step behind Shikamaru, one on each side as they approached.
"We need to keep moving," Shikamaru stated without preamble. "We can get to the inn on the border Hot Water by tonight."
"Where's your sensei?" Hana snapped. "Is she trying to get us all killed?"
"On behalf of Sensei, we apologize. She's moving ahead to check for more threats," Ino said sweetly.
"Oh? And when, pray tell, did she tell you that? I haven't seen hide nor hair of her!" Hana practically yelled.
"Hana!" Juri reprimanded, looking at them apologetically.
"No, it's alright, I understand your concern," Shikamaru said diplomatically. "Our Sensei is particularly eccentric, but she's one of Konoha's best jounin."
Sasuke barely withheld a snort.
He wondered if Anko-sensei was watching them right now, laughing at them for being forced to cover her ass.
"Plus, we're ninja," Ino added, sweet smile still plastered on her face. "We have many ways to communicate."
She tapped her head indicatively at that. It was a subtle kind of misdirection.
Sasuke wondered if they were violating some kind of code, misleading their clients so much. Not that he was complaining. He had a tiny moment of gratitude that his teammates weren't idealistic idiots like Naruto, who wouldn't lie to save his life.
"I'm still going to file a complaint," Hana snapped, turning away and storming off. Ino poked her tongue out after her when no one was looking.
"Please do," Sasuke muttered under his breath. Although he suspected Anko already had many complaints filed against her, considering her personality.
.
.
.
It was getting late by the time they arrived at Southwest Inn, Ino still covered in blood from the explosions and the others looking scuffed and tired. The receptionist took one look at them and directed them to their rooms. A room for Lady Yui, one for her handmaids, and one for the samurai, who still had barely said a word. Sasuke wondered if it was typical of samurai or these two were just the silent, sullen types.
Team 4 also got their own room to share.
"Finally, I am so ready to sleep!" Ino declared, falling onto her bed dramatically. "I hope Anko-sensei is sleeping outside like the miserable troll she is."
"Hopefully she'll be fired once Hana complains," Sasuke said with a small smirk at the thought. Ino agreed emphatically.
But when Sasuke glanced at Shikamaru, he found the other boy merely staring out the window, his brow furrowed. Sasuke followed his line of sight, but there was nothing outside, just forest dimly lit by the moon.
"What's wrong with you?" Sasuke asked.
"…Nothing," Shikamaru murmured, dragging his attention back to them. "We have to set up shifts to guard the client."
"Ugh," was Ino's unenthusiastic response. "I need to shower. Sasuke can take first shift."
Before Sasuke could argue, Shikamaru spoke.
"I'll take first shift. Sasuke after me, then you, Ino."
"Fine whatever," Ino huffed and rolled her eyes, but disappeared into the shower after snagging a change of clothes from her bag.
Sasuke lay down as his two teammates went off to do their respective tasks. A brief thought popped into his mind that he should cover his clan's insignia, since that man had recognised it so easily. But just as quickly, he banished the thought.
He was an Uchiha. If people recognised him, all the better. It wouldn't help them in a fight.
He rolled over and let himself drift off.
Yay an update! With a Sasuke perspective! Also Sasuke is a hypocrite lmao.
Also what is Anko-sensei doing? Any guesses? Hehe
And I've also updated the prologue chapter because I found it kinda boring to read the discussions that existed just to give context to the team selections. So I decided what the heck, I'll change that part to something different and hopefully more interesting. You don't really need to reread it but thought some of you might be interested to take a look, since there is now an Ibiki perspective.
Reviews = motivation :D