Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Trials of Shinobi ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4:

 

 

“Kazu! WAKE UP!!” Ari screamed at the top of her lungs as she and Tatsukuro tried to shake the third member of their Cell awake. Tatsukuro was using one foot to try and shake Kazu awake, since his hands were covering his ears, trying to protect them from Ari's screaming. It wasn't working very well as she was standing right next to him. Kazu just grumbled and rolled over, pulling the blanket over his head as he did.

 

“Gah! He is impossible, how can anyone sleep so deeply?!”

 

Tatsukuro uncovered his ears, and eyed the sleeping boy disgustedly. They went through this every morning; Sasuna Hirokazu was not a morning person.

 

“We're going to be late if we don't wake him up soon…well actually we already are late but that's not the point…and yelling doesn't seem to be working. Any other ideas?”

 

Ari thought for a minute arms crossed and one foot tapping the ground. “I have one but we'll have to deal with an extremely pissed off Kazu for the rest of the trip…or at least for the day anyway.”

 

“And that's different from any other day, how?”

 

“Good point…okay stand back.” Tatsukuro moved to stand by the far wall, and Arika took up a post at the foot of the bed. She brought her hands up and preformed a range of seals, ending on Dragon. “Suiton: Gyuosan Bakufu! (Water Style: Great Waterfall)” The space above Kazu was suddenly filled with the water that Arika had gathered from the air and it fell, soaking the sleeping Genin and the bed he was sleeping on.

 

His face twisted as he tried to force himself to stay asleep, but his mind screaming `IT'S RAINING INDOORS IDIOT!!' finally got the upper hand, and he opened his eyes. He sat up and realized that his room was covered in an inch of water, and that he and his bed were both thoroughly soaked. He blinked and looked around his room till his eyes fell on the silently retreating Arika.

 

It took a few seconds for his sleep addled brain to draw the necessary connections, but when he finally managed…. let's just say that livid would be a pretty good description of what type of mood he was going to be in for the next couple of hours.

 

“Kimura!!”

 

“Uh-oh…busted.” She turned around and grinned innocently at him, “Good morning Kazu…it's about time you woke up. Now hurry up and get ready, or we're going to be even more late than we already are.”

 

He glared at his mischievous teammate and her innocent smile; plotting the ways he could get her back, all were evil and none were pretty. “If you are still here by the time I get out of bed, you will not be going on this mission, or any other fucking mission. You got that Arika.”

 

She gulped and nodded. “Loud and clear Roka. I'll see you boys at the Main Gate. Later.” She quickly vacated the room and exited the house. The listened as she ran down the stairs and dashed through the house. As she reached the front door she called a quick good-bye to Kazu's Aunt, “Bye Naga-sama!”

 

“Good-bye, Ari-chan.”

 

Kazu sighed and flopped back onto his bed. He grimaced when he heard a squelching sound, and water splashed up around him. “She had to use a god damn Water Jutsu…you guys couldn't think of another - more reasonable - way to wake me up?” He turned and glared at Tatsukuro, who had decided it was now safe to move away from the wall, since Kazu was more pissed off at Arika than him.

 

“We tried all of our usual methods. Ari even screamed in you ear. I'm surprised you're not deaf, I practically am and I had my ears covered. It was a last resort…and if I'd known that she was going to use the Waterfall Jutsu I would have tried to stop her. No guarantees that I would have succeeded though.”

 

“True I guess. Argh, it's too damn early. Look I'll meet you guys at the Gate, tell Nariko that I'll be there in ten.” Tatsukuro nodded and instead of using the door he hopped out the window and down to the road below.

 

Kazu sighed and rolled off his bed, landing on his feet. He walked over to his dresser and pulled out his usual attire of baggy red pants, sleeveless gray shirt with yellow piping around the shoulders, and neck. He then rummaged around on his floor and pulled out his now soaking blue sandals.

 

“Grr…stupid Arika, and her freaking Water Jutsu…” He continued to grumble as he changed, and tossed some of his more important possessions off the floor and hung them on chairs and hooks to dry out.

 

He glanced up at the clock on his bedside table and groaned. It was only 9:45…they were supposed to have left the Village at 9:00, which meant his team had probably been trying to wake him since at least 8:30. Oh how he loathed mornings. He pulled on his sopping sandals, grabbed his forehead protector off his chair and ran out of his room.

 

He slid into the kitchen and grabbed a few slices of toast that were on the counter. He shoved one into his mouth and tied a few more up in a napkin. He was glad he had listened to his aunt and packed his bag the night before, otherwise he would have been really late. They'd be gone for about a week, maybe more; it took almost two days to get from Leaf to Grass, and they'd spend a day or two there, then two days back, if everything went well. Nariko might decide to keep them out longer for some training, if she felt the motivation for it…but then, when wasn't she motivated for training.

 

He tried to shout something around the toast in his mouth, but ended up choking for a few seconds on a chunk of crust that he accidentally inhaled.

 

An older woman walked into the kitchen and shook her head at the young Ninja. “How many times have you been told to chew your food before you speak, Hirokazu?”

 

He scowled at the woman and swallowed his toast. “Loads. And it's Kazu or Roka, Auntie, how many times do I have to tell you?”

 

She rolled her eyes at her eldest and only nephew, “I don't know why you hate your name so much…”

 

“I don't hate it, it's just a mouthful. Well I'm off, I'll see you in a week or so…” he tied the toast-napkin to one of his belt loops and trotted towards the front door. He swung his pack up onto his shoulders and tied his Hitai-ate around his head in the bandana style he usually wore it in. “Bye!” He slammed the door behind him as he ran out, headed towards the Main Gate and his team.

 

She threw open the kitchen window and shouted after him, “Good luck, and be careful!”

 

“Yeah, yeah…”

 

“That boy is going to give me gray hairs…and he's not even my son.” She sighed as she closed the window and set about cleaning up the kitchen.

 

 

Arika and Tatsukuro leaned against the wall that ran all the way around Konoha, dosing in the warm morning sun as they pretended not to listen to the conversation that Nariko was having with one of the wall guards. She suddenly stopped her conversation and turned to the two dosing Genin. “Are you sure that he was up when you guys left?”

 

“Yes Nariko,” they answered in unison. It was the fifth time she'd asked since they'd gotten there. “He said he'd be here in 10 minutes.”

 

“That was 15 minutes ago,”

 

“Yeah well, Sasuna never was good with time.”

 

“Well if you hadn't soaked my entire room with that stupid fuckin' Jutsu of yours I wouldn't be so late, Kimura.”

 

“If you'd woken up the first 20 million times we tried to wake you up, I wouldn't have had to use that “stupid F'ing Jutsu”, now would I?” Kazu had no comeback for that one. Its not his fault he's impossible to wake up at any hour before noon, he's always been that way. He's a growing boy and needs his sleep…at least that's what he keeps telling everyone, his teammates just thinks he's lazy.

 

“Okay you two stop bickering. Do you all have everything you need?”

 

“Yes,”

 

“We're already 30 minutes behind schedule so lets get moving.” She sighed with a glare sent in Kazu's direction. “We'll have to travel fast to make up the lost time, so stay within visual distance of each other and if you can hearing distance. There have been a lot of wild animal sightings in the past few days, so be on your guard. Understood?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Good. Okay brats, lets get going.” She took off through the gate and into the woods beyond Konoha before her three students could react to the `brat' comment. They blinked for a few seconds before coming to their senses and taking off after their immature Jônin Sensei. They caught up to her fairly quickly, but only because she had been waiting. Once they were close enough she nodded and took off again.

 

 

They ran for a few hours straight, alternating between flying through the trees, and running along the ground. It was only after all three Genin had tripped at least five times that Nariko decided to call for a break for lunch. The three Genin dropped down from the trees into a small clearing, swinging their packs from their backs as the headed towards the ground. Tatsukuro threw himself onto the cool grass gratefully and almost fell asleep, before forcing himself to sit up and pull his bag off his back. Nariko stayed perched in the tree for a while longer, staring off into the distance as if she was looking at, or for, something.

 

On the ground the three Junior Ninjas broke out some quick easy meals that they didn't have to cook. In other words, sandwiches, vegetables and dip and some water. As they ate they talked about things they might see in Grass: Jutsu's, fighting styles, and if they'd get to learn anything new. Actually only Arika and Kuro talked, Kazu was still upset at his teammates from that morning and refused to join in on their conversation.

 

Nariko descended from the tree and started digging out her own lunch, which was similar to that of her students. “After lunch you guys can chill here for a while, there's something I need to check out.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Where are you going to go, Nari?”

 

“No where important, I just want to see something. While I'm gone you kids stay here, okay?”

 

“You're leaving us out here, alone? And we thought you were worried about the wild animals coming to eat us,” Kazu scoffed as he stole some of Ari's carrots…well he tried to steal them. Before his hand could reach into the container it was smacked away by Ari, who was still looking at their Sensei in surprise.

 

“You guys don't think you can handle a wild boar or two? And I thought you were big, bad Genin.” She finished off the last of her sandwich and started work on an apple.

 

Kazu tilted his head back so he could look at his teacher. “You're lucky it's lunch time, or I'd kick your ass, Sensei…”

 

“You mean you'd try and kick my ass Kazu. I'm pretty sure we've established that without the help of your teammates, none of you can touch me.” She waved her half eaten apple in her students' general direction.

 

He scoffed and went back to staring at the air in front of him. “Yeah, yeah…stupid, lousy, good for nothing, god damn son of a…OW!” Nariko had reached over with her foot and kicked him in the back of the head, effectively silencing the bad-mouthed Genin; and causing him to bite his tongue. “That hurt!”

 

“Much better. By the way I've been meaning to ask, where did you learn such colourful phrases, Kazu?” Nariko asked with a hint of chastisement in her voice, but also curiosity.

 

“Why?” He glared at her while trying to look at his tongue to see if he'd bitten through; he was sure he could taste blood.

 

“So I can go beat them into oblivion for teaching kids your age to curse like that,”

 

“I've always been this way…but my Mom says that I get it from Dad's side of the family.”

 

“Are you trying to tell me that your potty-mouthitis is genetic?”

 

“Yup.”

 

After a few moments she said, “…That's just sad,”

 

“Oi! I don't dis your genes, so you leave mine alone.”

 

“Fine, fine…baby,” She finished off the last of her apple and stood up before Kazu could try and retaliate. “Okay kiddies, I'm off. I'll be back in about…15 minutes. Stay in this clearing, understood? I don't want to have to hunt through the whole forest looking for you.”

 

“Yes Sensei,”

 

“And for the last time…”

 

Her reprimand was cut off by the three Genin saying, “We know, we know: Stop calling you Sensei!”

 

“Damn straight. Now I'll see you brats in 15. Later,” she gave them a quick saluting-wave then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

 

“Her disappearing and reappearing gets really irritating,”

 

“I think you just like to complain,” Arika put her hands behind her head and lay down on the grass, enjoying the warm sun and light breeze.

 

“I do not.” Retorted Kazu, glaring at his female teammate, who just ignored his glaring and continued to lay there with her eyes closed enjoying the warm weather.

 

“Do too,”

 

“Do not,”

 

“Do,”

 

“Not.”

 

“Do,”

 

“Both of you, shut up before I hit a pressure point and knock you both out until Nariko gets back. And I'll do it too, just to finally hear some silence.”

 

“But silence doesn't have a…”

 

“That's not the point, Kazu. Can you two not go five minutes without fighting?” The two teens being accused sat up and glared at their third teammate.

 

“Hey, I resent that comment.”

 

“Yeah, we don't fight all the time,” Tatsukuro scowled at Kazu's statement. “Okay, yes we do fight a lot, but we don't usually fight on missions…this is just going to be longer than our normal ones.”

 

“You can't expect us to get along 24/7 Kuro. Besides we do try not to fight.”

 

“I guess…”

 

“Exactly, and besides we haven't been fighting at all today.”

 

“That's because you haven't been speaking to one another since this morning.” Tatsukuro pointed out, a deadpan expression on his face.

 

“Whatever…so what do you guys think Nariko went to find out?” Kazu asked, hoping for a change of topic.

 

“I'm not sure, I didn't sense anything strange, no Genjutsu's or anything. Tatsukuro?”

 

“I didn't feel anyone watching us, or following us in the shadows.”

 

“Maybe Nariko did though…I mean she is a Jônin, she's probably way more advanced in sensing things like that than we are, ne?”

 

“I guess so…or you could just be jumping to wild and crazy conclusions, you do have a wild imagination Kimura.” He ignored the glare she sent his way, “So what are we going to do to pass time till she comes back? I can not just sit here and do nothing for 10 odd minutes.” Kazu grumbled as he idly plucked at the grass on the ground next to him.

 

His head snapped up when he heard a Kunai flying through the air. He glanced out into the field and saw said blade piercing a leaf. It then flew back towards the three-gathered Genin and into Arika's outstretched hand. “How did you…?”

 

“Trip wire, I tied it to the end of my Kunai. This way I don't have to get up to retrieve it.”

 

“Lazy ass…”

 

“Am not. It's called ingenuity, or imagination, since you just pointed out that I have a very good one. Anyway, why don't we do some target practice to pass the time? Tie a length of wire to a blade and throw it at the leaves that are falling down because of the wind.”

 

Tatsukuro was already tying his wire to his chosen blade, making sure the knot was tight enough so it wouldn't come undone. He tested the knot by tugging on it a few times. Once he was satisfied he waited for a leaf to fall, aimed then flicked the Kunai across the clearing. The blade passed clean through the leaf. Kuro flicked his wrist and the Kunai came zooming back.

 

Kazu just looked at his teammates skeptically before lying back in the grass, “Waste of time if you ask me…”

 

“I bet the reason you don't want to try is because you're scared that you won't peg a leaf,”

 

“I'll show you peg a leaf…I'll shove a Kunai in your back, then we'll see who can “peg a leaf” or not…” he muttered sullenly to himself.

 

“Chicken,” Ari giggled and started making clucking noises. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kazu's eye start to twitch in annoyance. Kuro was ignoring the two's argument, and trying not to laugh at how ridiculous Ari was being…that and he didn't want to encourage her antics.

 

“Are you purposely trying to piss me off, Kimura?”

 

She stopped clucking and looked over at him. “Maybe…why? Is it working?” she grinned at him evilly, and tossed her Kunai again, brining it back with another leaf stuck to it.

 

“…Yes,” he growled. He sat up and pulled a Kunai and some wire out of his Kunai pouch and tied them together. He tested them the same way that Tatsukuro had before flinging it out across the field. When he pulled it back there was a leaf stuck to the tip of the blade. “There, happy now, Miss. Doesn't think I can peg a leaf?”

 

“Yup!” She grinned at him and went back to throwing her own Kunai, having a race with Tatsukuro to see who could get the most leaves stuck on their Kunai's in the shortest amount of time.

 

They continued to play their “game” for a while longer, Kazu joining in every now and then. It was one of these times that Kazu had to pull his throw up short because otherwise it would have embedded itself in Nariko's arm. Well it might have, depending on how fast her reflexes were, and judging by the Kunai that now filled her hands, even if the blade had stuck in her arm, one - or all - of them would have been pincushions.

 

“What the hell you three!?”

 

“Sorry, Nariko. We were doing some target practice, we didn't expect you to show up in our target field.” Ari explained quickly.

 

Nari nodded before turning her back on the Genin. “It's okay. You can explain your exercise later; right now we have to get a move on. A big storm's coming and I don't want to get caught in it.”

 

The Genin looked up at the sky in confusion. The sky was clear and blue, not a single cloud in sight. Tatsukuro glanced over at her, “But Nari, it's so clear out…”

 

“Huh, I was right…she is fuckin' insane.” Kazu muttered to himself idly.

 

Ignoring Kazu's grumbling she faced her students. “See the anthills on the ground?” They looked at the ground around them and nodded. “See how the sides of the hill are built up so high, ants do that when it's going to rain. Also the birds have almost stopped singing. They're finding places to weather out the storm, which is what we should be doing. Grab your bags and stay close. We're gonna move fast and try and make it as far as we can before the storm hits…” after a pause she said. “I'm sorry Arika, I may have to break my promise. It depends on where we are when the storm hits.”

 

Kazu and Kuro tossed confused looks between Arika and Nariko. Ari's face was pale and Nari's was apologetic.

 

“I - I understand Nariko. It's okay, you had no control over this.”

 

Nari nodded then jumped up to the trees, “Lets go!” The Genin tightened the straps on their packs around their shoulders and tore across the clearing; once they reached the other side they jumped up and joined their Sensei in the treetops.

 

 

Just as a village came into view lightning tore across the sky and thunder roared, causing Tatsukuro to cringe. He really didn't like thunderstorms, and this sounded like it was going to be a good one.

 

They leapt down from the trees onto the path that led to the village, and from there they could see a large crowd of people moving from a field that surrounded the village all trying to rush into the main gate that led into the village.

 

As the crowd continued to surge forward a young boy about the age of six slipped and face planted in the mud. The people walking around him didn't even bother to help him up they just kept running by, more worried about getting themselves someplace dry than a child's welfare.

 

As Cell 9 jogged up the road, their pace slowed so they wouldn't slip in the mud, Nariko leaned down and picked up the young boy and swung him onto her shoulders. He grabbed tightly to the Hitai-ate that was tied around her neck so he wouldn't fall backwards. “Hey there kiddo, what're you doin' out here all by your lonesome. Where are your parents?” She called back over her shoulder, yelling to be heard above the storms wind.

 

“At home, I was in the field with m' brother and sister. I tripped and lost'ed them in the group.” He yelled back, clinging to the Jônin for dear life. As they reached the gate he saw to people standing there, looking around. “There they are!” He pointed at the two kids, who couldn't have been older than 10 and 12.

 

Cell 9 stopped in front of the siblings and handed the young boy to them. They bowed their thanks, which Nariko waved off. She turned to look at Ari and shouted, “Hey Ari, is there a hotel in this Village?”

 

“Yeah there is. Come on, it's this way.” She led the way at a jog. They had to go slow so they wouldn't run into any other people walking, and so they wouldn't trip.

 

They turned a corner a few minutes later and there at the end of the street was the hotel. A few other people seemed to have the same idea and were ducking into the building for shelter. A little bit up the street from the four Shinobi, a man who sold umbrellas was making a killing.

 

As they passed the door of a grocery store, the door swung open and caught Tatsukuro in the shoulder. He tried to catch his footing but the mud made it hard and he ended up landing on his face.

 

The man who had pushed the door open looked down in surprise and apology. “Sorry kid, I didn't see you. Are you all right?” An older teen that was with him reached down and offered Kuro a hand up.

 

He took the proffered hand and got to his feet, wiping some of the mud off his face with his free hand. “No problem sir, I'm fine.”

 

Kazu stuck his head around the door, looking to see where he'd gotten. “Hey Tat where'd you…Hahaha! Oh man, you look ridiculous.” Tatsukuro's front was covered in a thick layer of mud; he'd even managed to get some in his hair. He regained his composure long enough to call Arika back. “Arika. Yo, Ari. Come look at this, Tatsukuro fell in the mud.”

 

“No way!” She stuck her head over her green-haired teammates shoulder. She kept her composure for about three seconds then burst out laughing. “Oh god, Tat, you should see your face. Where's a camera when you need one!” The two hysterically laughing Genin had to lean on each other for support; otherwise they too would have fallen in the mud. It was one of the few times that the two had ever agreed on something, outside of training.

 

Tatsukuro growled at his two laughing “friends”, as he tried unsuccessfully to get the rest of the mud off his face, all he really managed to do was smear it. “Sasuna, Kimura, if you two don't shut up, I'll kick your ass's from here to Iwa, and leave you there for their ANBU to find! And stop calling me Tat!” They tried to stop laughing but all the succeeded in doing was quieting it.

 

At hearing the name Kimura, the two people who had knocked Tatsukuro over looked at the three Genin sharply, “Kimura?”

 

Ari's head snapped up now, all traces of mirth fading rapidly from her face to be replaced by fear. “Uncle Sesun, Cousin Kiamaru…” she squeaked out and fought the urge to duck down out of sight behind Kazu. It was at Arika's squeaked response that the two teens noticed the similarities in appearance between their teammate and the two strangers.

 

Nariko's head appeared around the door then. She had come back to figure out where her three students had run off to. “Here you guys are…nice look you got going on there, Tatsukuro.” She ignored the glare that he sent her and glanced down at Ari's unnaturally pale face and was confused.

 

She looked up at the two men standing in front of the door and immediately understood. The two men had hair and eyes similar to Arika's. The older of the two had short dark red hair with darkish orange streaks, and the younger had shoulder length hair that was even mixing of red and orange. Both had eye's that were a much darker shade than Ari's own light grass green. `They must be members of her Clan…shit. I was hoping to avoid this. Poor girl looks scared out of her mind.'

 

“What are you doing in Hibaku, cousin?” The younger of the two asked, politeness hardly masking his sneer. He glared at her heatedly, but it only lasted for half of a second before his features were schooled to polite indifference.

 

Ari gulped before she answered, as if she was trying to find the courage to speak up in front of this person. “I'm on a mission with my team…oh! These are my teammates, Sasuna Kazu, and Mika Tatsukuro. And this is our Sensei, Taska Nariko.” They bowed as she introduced each of them.

 

“It's nice to meet you.” The older man said before turning and eyeing Arika oddly. “Were you heading over to the hotel?”

 

“Umm, yes actually…”

 

“Why don't you just come stay at the compound? You know that there's more than enough room.” The younger man scowled at this but said nothing. The scowl went unnoticed by Kazu and Tatsukuro who seem to be excited by the fact of having a place to stay at that they wouldn't have to pay for - Kazu was thinking more about the fact that there would be free food - but Ari and Nariko noticed the scowl. Ari shrunk back a bit unconsciously moving closer to her Sensei, who placed a comforting hand the young Kunoichi's shoulder.

 

Ari shook her head trying to talk them out of it. “No that's okay…I…I mean we - we don't want to impose Uncle…”

 

She was cut off by his shout of, “Nonsense. Don't be ridiculous. We insist. It's your home too, after all. Now lets go before we all catch colds, hm?” And without waiting for a confirmation that they were going to stay, he headed off.

 

Her two teammates followed Ari's Uncle and cousin happily. Nariko hung back with Ari and slung an arm over her student's shoulder. “Don't worry too much Ari. I'll make sure that nothing happens. Your Uncle seems like a nice enough guy.”

 

“He's gotten better…but it's not my Uncle that worries me, Nari. It's my cousins.”

 

“Well how bad can they be?” After she said that she remembered the scowl the younger Kimura male had sent her charge. By the end of the night, Nariko was going to have the answer handed to her and she wasn't going to like it.