Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Given The Chance ❯ Traveling Speed Bumps ( Chapter 21 )

Chapter #21

Traveling Speed Bumps

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Co.

 

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The next day and night went by almost completely uneventful. The group was up early the next day so they reached the outskirts of the desert by noon and they had traveled well within the boarders of the Fire Country so instead of sleeping on sand the next night they found a nice clearing in the woods. The morning after was business as usual and with the routine set in for their traveling they were all a little more set to go when the sun started to rise.

 

They were about half a day when they settled down for their third night of camping and had found themselves close to some very comfortable looking hot springs. After setting up the tents it was Temari's turn to go searching for fire wood so Cassandra decided to kill time until supper by going out to the hot springs.

 

“Oh hold up a second Cassie-chan I need a bath so badly,” Gina whined.

 

`No what you need is duct tape over your mouth while you sleep,' Cassandra shook her head as the two walked to the hot springs with their bathing things. Cassandra was far from pleased that Gina was coming with her but she needed something to relax her and wash up.

 

“So what is up with you and the sand boy anyway?” Cassie always hated the way Gina asked questions, Gina asked like it was her right to know, so it sounded more like a demand than a question.

 

The two of them reached a nice hot spring and began taking off their cloths so they could slip in, “That's my personal business.”

 

“You know its that kind of answer that makes me suspect the worst,” the two of them slipped into the water and found places to sit where they could laze comfortably in the steam.

 

“Why do you care?”

 

“I just wanted to know exactly how much I will have to put up with that demon.”

 

“If you keep calling him that I guarantee it won't be to long.”

 

“Oh give me a break Cassie how much do the two of you really have in common anyway,” Gina went on being her usual nosy self, “I used to think of you as more of a rival when it came to Daiki-kun - almost like the pathetic little girl type you see shying around high school - and I had a lot more respect for your taste in guys then too. Then you invited him over for supper and its like every time I turn around he's following you like a shadow.”

 

“You know you're so full of it you are going to pop Gina I swear-” Cassandra was picking up her face cloth to chuck it in Gina's face when he froze for a second.

 

Gina looked at Cassie skeptically, “Uh … isn't this the part where you start with the sarcasm and the smart-ass comments?”

 

“Shush,” she hissed actually finishing her throw with the cloth. Her voice stayed low and whispery, “Pretend to keep washing up.”

 

“Who was pretending? We've been on the move for so long I just love this hot spring,” Gina whispered back.

 

“Just come with me and get out of here there is someone watching us from the bushes,” Cassie was getting annoyed that Gina couldn't even take a hint, “I heard them move a few seconds ago baka.”

 

A small look of realization dawned on Gina's face as she sunk down deeper into the water to hide herself from peeping toms.

 

The two of them quickly grabbed their towels from their packs and crept off into the bushes for a little privacy while they slipped on their pajamas. Gina was muttered curses under her breath about perverts and whole time and Cassandra rolled her eyes in anger.

 

“Who the hell would be spying on us?” Gina hissed angrily.

 

Thud. A shuriken whizzed right by both girls and landed in the wood of the tree right in front of them.

 

“New rule,” Cassandra muttered, “You are not allowed to ask stupid questions.”

 

“Would it be stupid if I asked if I can freak out now?”

 

“Only if it's a rhetorical question.”

 

Cassandra, being the better runner, took the lead as they sprinted through the trees trying to find their way back to the campsite. They had to pray that they were going in the right direction.

 

“Hey Gina hurry it up turtle legs,” Cassandra called as Gina began to lag behind, but before she could find Gina again someone tackled her from behind, “OOMPH!”

 

“Thought you could give us the slip eh,” a tall lean man with dark brown hair growled as he wrapped his massive arms around Cassie and picked her right up off the ground, “Wow I can't believe we were the ones stuck catching a couple of girls. I mean look at this one she is positively puny!”

 

The shorter burlier man with chestnut coloured hair holding Gina laughed, “Don't be so picky Kisho! You have to admit they have pretty faces.”

 

“Right as usual Seiichi,” the dark haired man began laughing along with his companion.

 

“You have three seconds to put me down,” Cassandra seethed. After having to deal with Gina for so long she was in no mood to deal with common roadside muggers.

 

“Oh look the little princes is in a bad mood,” Kisho began laughing harder, “What are you going to do bite my hand?”

 

“No I'm not, but just to inform you, you're three seconds are up,” Cassie replied calmly before using all her weight to swing the lower half of her body forward and then swing back full force on his crotch.

 

The tall man groaned as he released his grip and began to stumble forward. Unfortunately his face was met with Cassandra's fist as he fell. Kisho was sent flying backwards, his nose broken and bleeding, until he hit the nearest tree and slumped to the ground. He was clearly unconscious.

 

“Now,” Cassandra cracked her knuckles and turned to the man still holding onto Gina, “Are you next?”

 

“What the -” Seiichi's eyes widened in surprise, but at the same he was not completely unprepared. He pulled a kunai from his back pocket and held it to Gina's neck, “Now I don't know what the hell that was about, but you're going to come along peacefully or you're friend here gets it.”

 

`…Wow this guy needs to read a dictionary and look up the word hostage because that is weak … but then again Dad might get angry if I just leave her. Damn parents and their annoying rules!' Cassandra - with her non-existent expression - calmly walked over to Kisho and pulled a kunai from his back pocket, “You know this is why I find road bandits particularly annoying, you're a bunch of first class morons! Do you really think I'm just going to let you leave with Gina now are you? My aim is perfect, and during my training I never once missed my target.”

 

“Uh, Cassie-chan what are you doing?” Gina hissed in a frightened whisper.

 

“You better listen to your friend here little princess,” Seiichi pressed the tip of his kunai harder against Gina's neck, “You're little fibs won't work on me.”

 

Thud. The kunai flew so quick Seiichi had barely even seen it and it pinned his sleeve to the tree behind him, “Hey you wench! What is this?!”

 

“It's a kunai baka,” Cassie rolled her eyes, “And I wasn't fibbing. You really are a complete idiot if you haven't figured out that I'm a Kunoichi.”

 

Seiichi looked completely stunned and completely forgot about holding onto Gina who had taken her chance to run behind Cassie. Cassie took the opportunity to grab a few more kunai from Kisho and completely pinned Seiichi.

 

“No one said…” Seiichi trailed off.

 

“So then there are more of you then?” Asked Cassie.

 

“I never said-”

 

“But you were about to,” she cut in, “Now how many of you guys are there? Where are they and what are their strength levels?”

 

Seiichi scowled and huffed, “Like I am going to tell you wench!”

 

“Gina I want you to go through that other guy's pockets and take any weapons,” ordered Cassandra.

 

Gina shot Cassandra are-you-out-of-your-freaking-mind look, “Did you seriously hit your head earlier or what?”

 

“Gina, it wasn't a sudjestion,” she snapped back before turning to Seiichi again, “Now you can either tell us where your friends are and how many or I can just go track them all down myself. It would be a lot easier if I knew so I could avoid them altogether so I could get back to my friends don't you think?”

 

If looks could kill then Cassandra would have been a bloody mess at that moment, but the thing was she didn't seem at all bothered by Seiichi's dirty looks. In fact she seemed as calm and level headed as ever. It was like nothing below the level of serene could ever show on her face.

 

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Gaara was beginning to get uneasy. Cassie and Gina had been gone for quite a long time, much longer than it should have taken for a bath, and it was seriously beginning to bother him.

 

Temari looked up seeing Gaara pacing and gave a small sigh, “You know what I wanted to go have a bath too. I'll go check and see if she is alright so stop worrying ok?”

 

“I'm not worrying,” he growled back.

 

“Not worrying my ass,” Kankuro chuckled under his breath. Gaara's glare quickly silenced him.

 

It was maybe ten or fifteen minutes Temari came back with a less than promising look on her face. She held out a shuriken with a sigh, “Gaara is it safe to presume Cassie-chan didn't pack weapons?”

 

Yet another new feeling - would it ever stop - but it felt something like his stomach literally sinking in his gut. He stopped breathing for a few moments and sand began circling around his feet to reflect his mood, “Where did you find that Temari?”

 

“In a tree right by the hot spring,” she responded, “Whatever happened couldn't have happened to long ago and there was no blood at the scene. The shuriken was probably just a scare tactic. It shouldn't take too much to catch up.”

 

Gaara gave a shallow nod, “Temari you are going to come with me to search. Kankuro you stay behind and get her family someplace safe. These types of forest highwaymen always travel in groups so there will probably be more creeping around nearby.”

 

Kankuro groaned, “Aw come on Gaara you know someone like Hale can handle a few simple highwaymen on his own. I'll go with you and Temari to search.”

 

“Hale will be likely to do something simple minded like go after his sister himself and he'll get in our way,” Gaara snapped back, “You need to go help them and make sure they stay away you got that?”

 

Having Gaara snap at you is definitely not fun for anyone so Kankuro didn't argue. Gaara was angry, that much was obvious, and any highwaymen who might have even dared touch Cassandra were definitely going to meet their end painfully. Even Temari was beginning to wish she was the one told to stay behind.

 

 

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(Sigh) I wanted to have the really Christmas-y chapters up before Christmas but I hope you guys don't mind if it's a few days late … I only have a few more chapters … and there's ninja fighting in them!!!

 

Lil_Pix