Hullo, it's been a long time. Life has been at it..

It's been half a year since I set up my dental practice and it's been slow and very frustrating. My hair's graying now haha and quite frankly, the stress is giving me writer's block.

Which means.. (drum roll) y'all are free to help me out with

the writing at any point! woohoo!

I obviously have some idea where things are going, but what the hell, shoot your shot, amirite?

In other news, this fic got hella popular. Whateven!

I love you guys 3

k Let's get crackalacking~


Ch12: Not again

I race ahead in turmoil.

Am I walking into a trap? Is Ameyuri Sensei leading me somewhere to kill me? I huff, trying to empty my head of idiotic thoughts. Afterall, if sensei wanted me dead, I would have been, in the security of the village.

It is thus unfortunate, that the mind is one thing and the heart another. Telling myself to stay calm and doing so are very different things.

Ameyuri-sensei looks back at me, raising her eyebrow. My heart leaps in my throat.

"You ok there? You aren't usually so silent…" She asks leadingly.

I swallow nervously. "It's.. it's nothing…" I immediately make a face.

Funnily enough she makes it right back. "Well, if you aren't going to ask me pertinent questions about the mission, like a good baby ninja, I suppose it does fall to me to tell you."

Ha ha. But she is so right, I frown miserably. I've been stuck in my head, that it's pretty evident that something is wrong. Concentrate on the here and now. I tell myself. Concentrate on the mission, it will keep your attention. Forget everything else. Do not let them doubt.

I sigh dramatically. "What's the mission, Ameyuri-sensei?"

"Took you long enough, brat." She huffs. "I was getting worried for a second there. "

My heart skips another frantic beat. "I am not clear on how far along you are in your geography, but can you tell where we are heading?"

I look around dutifully. The sparce vegetation, the rocky journey, and irregular jumps between the archipelagos. Though most incriminating was the fact that we had been heading west, slowly and steadily for the past hour.

Alarm bells ring in my head.

"We are heading towards the mainland?" I ask, trying to temper my apprehension, very aware of the brewing conflict on our borders.

Ameyuri-sensei snorts. "Yes. You should have been clued in a long time ago. Although, I shall tell you the rest of it. Your job is to gather intel in Hoshi village. I'll inform you of the specifics once we get there. Need-to-know basis."

I nod, unsurprised by the information segregation. But – "They're sending the two of us for this?" I frown. That makes no sense.

Ameyuri-sensei lets out a genuine chuckle, a raspy sound that's oddly unsettling.

"No, you'll be going alone. Integrate yourself into the village, gather the information, and then return to report." She grins brightly, her pointy teeth gleaming in the setting sun. "I have other matters to attend to in the meantime."

"Ruka," she says suddenly, her tone serious, making me jerk back to face her. "Don't get caught, and don't take longer than a day. We're on a tight schedule."

My nervousness is palpable now, and I make no effort to hide it. It's not like I've forgotten we're at war. But, well… it's hard to imagine facing that monster outside the safety of the academy. Honestly, what is an academy student even doing out here?!

"Hai, sensei!" I nod instead in agreement, even as sensei quickens her pace to reach our destination before nightfall.

The route Ameyuri-sensei takes to Hoshi is direct. When we finally reach the embankment overlooking the mainland, we stop to gaze out at the vast sea surrounding us on three sides. A strange sense of terror washes over me. I feel small, insignificant.

If the waves were to rise, what could a mere genin like me do? Would anyone even remember me? I think, watching the vibrant orange fish darting beneath the surface. Would anyone care if I breathed my last in a watery grave?

"Come," Ameyuri-sensei beckons me towards the harbor, snapping me out of my morbid thoughts. I have enough to worry about already, and a natural disaster is beyond my control.

A burly man with a thick beard approaches us.

"The weather's cloudy today, expect some turbulence." I glance at him, then up at the clear, sunny sky dubiously. I need whatever this man is smoking.

"A good shower will bring a good yield," Ameyuri-sensei agrees. I barely manage to close my gaping jaw. Then something happens that almost makes me soil myself.

Ameyuri-sensei grins.

It's not a forced smile. It's not sadistic. And it's certainly not terrifying or menacing.

I shudder. This is it. The world is ending.

"Ringo," the man's voice is filled with relief, like a shipwrecked sailor finally reaching land.

"Sun," she replies, her voice equally warm, as the man – Sun, I presume – envelops her in a hug.

I feel a wave of nausea.

What in the world is happening?! I always knew Ameyuri-sensei was relatively young, but I really didn't need to witness this. It's like seeing…

I abruptly halt that train of thought, sobered by the realization that the bonds I've formed in Kiri have always been genuine on my part.

"Ruka-chan," sensei calls me over. For once, her tone is kind and welcoming. The shift is so jarring, it feels like a genjutsu. I shake it off.

"Kai," I say, trying to sound casual.

The man – Sun – bursts out laughing causing a small tick to appear on Ameyuri-sensei's left brow. I slowly approach them, still reeling from the revelation that my sensei has a personal life.

Sensei gives me a withering look. "Your next training session won't be easy, brat."

I shudder. Eh, worth it.

Sensei sighs exasperatedly and pulls me close, tucking me into her side. I freeze.

"Sun-kun, this is my brat, Ruka. Ruka, this is my husband, Rengaku Sun. Please be kind to each other."

"What the actual fuck, sensei?! You're married?!"

The sting of the punch to my ear is immediate.

"You brat, what do you think of me?! Of course, I am!"

I crouch pitifully on the muddy bank, nursing my wounded ear, still utterly shocked.

"Now, hush. Go do something for an hour," she says, shooing me away unceremoniously, as if I'm a bothersome insect. I gape at her, indignant.

Sensei and her husband vanish into the swirling mist, and I can't help but mutter under my breath, "Stupid sensei, stupid Sun-san. Whatever..."

I plod towards the seafront and stop at the pier. What looks like it is usually a lively and colorful scene is now desolate, shrouded in an eerie mist. "War does make things miserable," I think despondently. I make my way to a bench against the house facing the pier, in an effort to cover my blindspots, and sigh like an old man as I plop myself down. I wonder what I should do to pass some time. Practise my sensing maybe? I shrug. Concentrating on my chakra, I begin to meditate slowly.

Almost immediately I feel humans ping on my senses.

Well, that was quick.. I frown, zeroing in on their presence.

A pair of ninja are hiding in the mist, a faint ripple of chakra in the air. They are cautious, their movements fluid and silent as they glide through the mist. One, I sense, is older, his chakra a deep, steady current. The other, younger, his chakra a more vibrant, eager thing. They are a good team, their movements complementing each other perfectly.

They are close now, perhaps twenty meters away. I can see them stiffly cutting through the mist, figures barely discernible against the swirling grey. They move with the grace of seasoned hunters, their senses honed to perfection. I can almost feel the tension emanating from them, the constant vigilance that comes with living in a world of shadows.

Another pair ping within seconds of the first, they seem to be further away.

A patrol! my eyes widen in comprehension. The watch at the border.

They pass each other by, eyes darting back and forth, scanning the area. They are skilled, these ninja. Their movements are precise, their every action calculated. Nodding to each other, the senior ninja of both groups exchange greetings and continue without much fanfare.

Ah, shit. Now that pair is coming towards me. I grit my teeth and hold my breath, hoping they don't notice me. I suppress my chakra as much as I possibly can. To my consternation, I realise quite belatedly that I'm the odd one out here, sitting alone and suppressing my chakra.

I purse my lips. These ninja felt powerful, I really hope they won't mess me up.. the stress is weighing on me. Come on Ameyuri-Sensei, how much longer are you going to take?

Of course, my suppression is for naught because the two ninjas approach me almost immediately.

"Hey pipsqueak! You can't loiter around here. Where's your guardian?"

"Sensei? She went off with Sun-san. She told me to wait an hour."

"Who is your Sensei?", Random-Ninja-Two asks.

"Ameyuri-Ringo" Their eyes widen in recognition.

"An hour, huh?" Random-Ninja-One says, followed by a series of indistinct hand signs. Wait, I don't recognize any of those, I think, furrowing my brow. Is it a different dialect? Or are they Anbu? I gulp.

Random-Ninja-One sighs. "Yeah, you still can't be here. Come with me."

"Kenji, I'll wait for you at outpost 4."

"Right." Random-Ninja-Kenji replies.

Kenji-san sets a brisk pace, hurrying me away. "Why can't I be here, Kenji-san?" I ask.

"Quiet," he grunts. Rude. For a while, I remain silent, observing the man. The familiar Kiri hitae-ate and Jonin gear slightly ease the disquiet I feel in my heart. I try again, eager to learn from a comrade.

"What's the status of the war, Kenji-san? What's happening on the front?"

"I said, quiet!" he hisses, making me purse my lips. What is this man's problem? The Mist Village is known for its gratuitous sadism, whether it's mind games or physical torture. This man is clearly hostile. Confused but unwilling to disobey a superior officer, I trudge along.

Suddenly, a hand clamps over my mouth, and I'm violently shoved against the wall. I struggle, but it's useless.

'What luck,' Kenji rasps, his voice a low growl. My dangling legs kick out, but he pins me down decisively. 'To think Ameyuri got herself a little student. Maybe us meeting was fate.'

What the hell is he talking about?

'—wandering about in such a heavily guarded yet isolated border. Either stupid or—' The man just won't shut up. I try to move my arms, but he's far too strong. In a fit of impulsive fury, I bite his hand as hard as I can. I want to taste his blood.

'You brat!' The malice in his tone is the only warning I get before a resounding slap across my face rings in my ears. I black out for a minute.

When I come to, my hands and legs are tied, my mouth gagged, and I'm unceremoniously thrown into a bag.

What the fuck is going on? I growl, my struggle renewed. Who is this guy? Some Mist-shinobi with a grudge against Ameyuri-sensei? I still… What if he's not a Mist-shinobi at all?

All I know for sure is that I'm being kidnapped (again), and all my training seems useless against a ninja this strong. I'm an academy student, I remind myself, scowling. It's not as if I can take on an ANBU or Jounin-level ninja. I scoff at the excuses I make for myself.

Eventually, we come to a stop. I breathe deeply through my nose, trying to gather any clues.

'Outpost number four?' Kenji's voice sounds off. I immediately begin thrashing, trying to get attention. However, I'm pulled out and thrown against a tree.

Yeah, I didn't see that coming. I didn't think even the Mist would be okay with this kind of manhandling during the war. There are priorities.

I look up hopefully, expecting to see the Mist-nin have subdued Kenji.

Instead, I see something worse than I imagined. A group of ninja surround me, each one radiating an aura of lethal intent, each one far beyond my skill level. I spot Kenji's friend a few feet away.

More importantly, I take in their headband with growing horror, Kenji and his friend dispel their illusions- they belonged to Iwa.

Fuck. I fucked up. Mist fucked up. How could they let these assholes infiltrate-

I'm pulled violently from my thought, when Kenji kicks my midriff violently, A cry escapes my lips as I am thrown onto another surfaces. A trickle of blood flows down my chin.


"... take the brat-"

"What kind of hostage-"

"... Quickly!..."

Words fade in and out of my consciousness, a disjointed echo in the fog of pain. How long has it been? Time feels viscous, each second a struggle. I have to actively stop myself from groaning out loud from the throbbing fire in my ribs. Every shallow breath is a fresh wave of agony. I screw my eyes shut, a futile attempt to block out the discomfort. They cannot know I am awake, not yet.

"Let's go, I will see you at the rendezvous point." A familiar voice, cold and clipped, sounds from somewhere behind me, and before I can even register its presence fully, the person unceremoniously dumps a rough sack over my head, plunging me into suffocating darkness. Strong arms scoop me up roughly, and I am thrown over a man's broad shoulder, the impact sending a jolt of pure torture through my battered body.

"Don't get caught," the cold voice warns, a low growl. Then, the man beneath me takes off, running like an absolute maniac, each jarring step sending spikes of pain through me. This time, the involuntary groan escapes my lips, soft but undeniably there. I really hope this madman hasn't heard it.

"You're awake," he states matter-of-factly, his voice surprisingly close to my ear. "Don't make a single sound if you know what's good for you."

I bite down hard on my lower lip, the metallic tang of blood a stark contrast to the dull ache that permeates my being. I will not cry out, I tell myself fiercely, even as the relentless jostling threatens to undo me. I haven't had a moment to recover, not a single blessed second to gather my thoughts, to even process what is happening.

Eventually, with a grim sort of resignation, my brain begins to adjust to this new, heightened threshold for pain. My eyelids, heavy and bruised, flutter open on their own accord, the darkness beneath the bag offering no solace.

Ameyuri-sensei, I think, a wave of despair washing over me, almost piteously. Why didn't she come for me? Where is she?

A sharp, bitter smell suddenly permeates the air, stinging my nostrils as we go zipping across what feels like the tree line, the uneven terrain bouncing me mercilessly against the man's back. What-

"Shit!" The man holding me curses violently, his stride faltering for a split second. "Fucking leaf! I will kill you, cur!"

It's a soft, almost melodious voice that greets his outburst, cutting through the harshness like a silken thread.

"My, my... that isn't the sort of language you use in front of a child." A shiver, not entirely from the cold, runs down my spine. The blood in my veins seems to freeze at the subtle edge in the tone, something dangerous lurking beneath the pleasant surface. Why? The voice was perfectly pleasant, yet it sent a primal fear coiling in my gut.

Before I can make heads or tails of this bizarre new situation, I am abruptly thrown forward, impacting something hard and unyielding – it feels like the rough bark of a tree. The sounds of clashing blades erupt around me, a frantic metallic symphony of violence, and the bitter aroma in the air just gets thicker, acrid and suffocating. I gasp, struggling for a decent breath through the constricting bag.

Suddenly, another pair of smaller hands clamp firmly over my torso, pulling me away from the tree.

"We need to get out of here," a childish voice whispers urgently in my ear, surprisingly strong despite its youth. They hoist me onto their back, their small frame surprisingly sturdy, and begin to run, running with a desperate, frantic energy.

My heart is pounding against my ribs, a wild drumbeat of fear and helplessness. Never have I felt this utterly reliant on someone else, completely out of control. This body feels so small and weak, fragile in the face of such brutal force. If only I were an adult, if only I were stronger-

A loud, involuntary groan rips through my throat as a fresh wave of searing pain lances through my head, a blinding flash of suffering. Shit. Fuck. Goddamn. This pain is excruciating, a relentless torment. Just kill me, I mumble, the words barely a breath against the child's ear.

"Don't be daft," the child cuts in caustically, their voice surprisingly sharp despite the situation.

What is happening to me? I groan again, a low, animalistic sound. I don't even remember hitting my head. Why do I keep getting kidnapped? Why didn't Ameyuri-sensei protect me? The pain this time is almost unbearable, a white-hot poker twisting behind my eyes. The scream that tears its way out of my mouth is raw and primal, almost deafening my small rescuer.

"Shut up, shut up! Don't be so loud!" the child hisses frantically, their small body trembling with exertion. "We'll get you treatment, if you can just let me hurry. Sensei will catch up soon! Just stop giving away our location!" The child blabbers nervously, their breath coming in ragged gasps, but they don't slow their frantic pace.

He starts to say something else, his voice tight with fear and determination, but the words are lost in the ringing in my ears. I can't focus, the pain is a crushing weight. I close my eyes, a welcome oblivion beckoning, and let the darkness finally take me.


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Also, for my readers who are One Piece fans, check out my SI-OC in this series called Moonshine.

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