12: First Day of Travel
Scene starts with them at the gate.
*Yuriko saw Iyo’s mother and Misaki’s father rush to the gate. They had come to give them travel supplies. Yuriko looked around for her mother. She was busy with her uncle by the Hokage. Aoshi pointed off to the side. Daisuke was running towards them.*
[Daisuke] Yuriko-sama!
*He stopped right in front of the gate, catching his breath. Daisuke must of run back to the Uchiha property to get supplies from her aunt, Shika.*
[Daisuke] I’m glad I made it. Your aunt made this for you.
*He handed her a back pack with the Uchiha symbol on it. This was her son Isao’s traveling bag.*
[Yuriko] Thanks, Daisuke.
*He nodded and turned towards Iyo’s mom and Misaki’s father.*
[Daisuke] Don’t worry Suzu, Ryutsuki. Hokage-sama knows what she’s doing.
*Ryutsuki threw his arms around Daisuke and laughed.*
[Ryutsuki] Always the optimist, Daisuke.
*Suzu began to brush Iyo’s hair out of his face. His face turning red with embarrassment.*
[Suzu] Stay safe.
[Mirai] Relax, Suzu. Kiyoto is safe in the village Hidden in the Flowers.
*Yuriko’s mother walked over. Ryutsuki looked at her in shock.*
[Ryutsuki] Mirai…
*She nodded. Barely looking at him.*
[Mirai] Ryutsuki.
*Daisuke chuckled nervously.*
[Daisuke] I think we are embarrassing the kids with our fussing.
[Misaki] You think…
*Aoshi’s mood fell to arctic level. He had squashed it all down for so long, but the word children just made him think of him an Hime’s would of been children.*
[Ryutsuki] Daisuke’s right. Go on.
[Suzu] Iyo, be careful.
*He nodded at his mom. Everyone turned to Mirai who was standing their silent. Daisuke smiled.*
[Daisuke] See you soon, Yuriko-sama.
*Ryutsuki snorted. Mirai annoyed by his reaction finally spoke up.*
[Mirai] Come back to the village, Miko.
*Yuriko nodded and the four members of Team 7 departed.*
Scene is now them running through the forest.
*After a few minutes of running Iyo finally spoke up.*
[Iyo] So what was up with your mom?
*He looked at Yuriko. Misaki looked at her sympathetically.*
[Yuriko] There was nothing up. She was just busy.
[Iyo] Yea right. The tension between her and Uncle Ryutsuki was unbearable.
*Yuriko ran faster to catch up with Aoshi who was ahead of them.*
[Iyo] Why does she do that?
[Misaki] Probably to avoid your unnecessary meddling.
*He turned to Misaki.*
[Iyo] Come on, Misaki. Tell me what’s up.
*Misaki sighed.*
[Misaki] My father, Yuriko’s mother and Daisuke were a team back in the day.
*Iyo’s eyes got big.*
[Iyo] No way! Why would it be so tense then?
[Misaki] Yuriko’s mom was supposed to marry my father.
*Iyo shut up. Flash forward to Yuriko and Aoshi.*
[Aoshi] I know you can still hear them.
*Yuriko remained silent.*
[Aoshi] Aren’t you going to stop them?
[Yuriko] No.
*Aoshi shuddered. Marriage.*
[Aoshi] Your mother wouldn’t want them to know.
[Yuriko] Then she should of spoken to Ryutsuki Akimichi.
*Aoshi frowned.*
[Aoshi] You know that won’t happen.
[Yuriko] Nothing is set in stone.
*Aoshi’s mood dropped again. Marriage was supposed to be…Hime.*
[Aoshi] Yours is.
*Yuriko stopped running. Iyo and Misaki catching up to them.*
[Misaki] What’s wrong?
*Yuriko turned away from them.*
[Yuriko] I need to rest.
*She walked away from them towards the river they had been following. Iyo looked at Aoshi.*
[Iyo] Was it because of what I said?
*He shook his head no. Misaki watching her walk away.*
Scene shifts to river side.
*Yuriko sat by the water’s edge. She opened up the backpack. Inside was her notepad, three letters, a bento box, a spare set of clothes and a family photo. She took out the three letters, They were labeled Sarada, Mirai and Itachi. Yuriko opened the one labeled Sarada.*
Dear Yuriko,
I know it seems like I’m sending you off far away only for the sake of the village, but I also am concerned about you. We all want you to be here with us. As soon as we have gathered information on the men who attacked the village and their ties to this new Akatsuki group, I will send for you to come home. I promise. Remember that we all love you.
Love,
Grandma Sarada.
P.s. The Village Hidden in Flowers is having its open contest. Think of the challenges as training. Kazurui will be there. Don’t lose to him! The Uchiha name is on the line, always. Shannarō!
[Yuriko] Great.
[Misaki] What’s great?
*Yuriko used fire style to burn the letter before turning around. Misaki, Iyo and Aoshi were standing there with their bentos.*
[Yuriko] There’s some contest at the village the Hokage expects us to win.
*Aoshi smiled.*
[Aoshi] You mean the Chrysanthemum Festival.
*Everyone looked at him confused.*
[Aoshi] Once a year the elders of the Village Hidden in Flowers invite foreign representatives to compete in tests for young shinobi. It’s an unofficial Chūnin Exam for elite children.
[Misaki] I thought only noble children or future clan heads went to this.
*Iyo turned to Misaki.*
[Iyo] You know about this?
[Misaki] My father was a representative in his childhood.
*Iyo turned to Yuriko.*
[Yuriko] I don’t know much about it. All I know is their whole team went. The next head of the Akimichi Clan, the next head of the Hyuga Branch Family and a future clan head of the Uchiha. It must of made the most sense at the time. Especially since it had been a few generations since they sent any representative at all.
[Iyo] Who went before them?
[Aoshi] Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara.
[Iyo] Your father?
*He nodded.*
[Iyo] So why are we being sent now?
*Misaki sat down and opened her bento box. It was taking too long to get to the food.*
[Misaki] It’s a good enough cover to send us out of the village for awhile.
*Yuriko sat down and opened her own bento box.*
[Yuriko] The next head of the Nara Clan, the next head of the Akimichi and a future Uchiha official. All lead by a son of two Kage’s and a former contestant. It’s painfully poetic.
*Iyo sat down and opened his lunch box. Aoshi sitting next to him, pulling his book out.*
[Iyo] There’s other places we could go that offer better training.
[Aoshi] Don’t underestimate the Chrysanthemum Festical. Shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Flowers are extremely strong genjutsu and medical ninjutsu users.
[Iyo] But we have Yuriko’s Sharingan. Misaki’s seemingly resistent to genjutsu and all three of us know some medical ninjutsu. How is this proper training?
*Before Aoshi could respond Misaki spoke up.*
[Misaki] Because other clan heads and Kage’s children will be there as well.
[Yuriko] Hokage-sama is testing our future ability at intel collection.
*Iyo looked down at his food. Unlike the Nara’s that came before him he did not like to think long and hard about things. Many felt his intelligence was wasted on him. This whole thing sounded like a drag.*
[Aoshi] Think of this as a challenge. You can not only test your skills against other elite shinobi, but you can see who gathers the best intel.
*Misaki scoffed.*
[Misaki] How is that fair? Yuriko and I have a huge advantage.
*Iyo looked at them frustrated.*
[Iyo] Just because your parents tell you things that mine don’t…
*Aoshi smiled sympathetically.*
[Aoshi] That wasn’t what they were referring too.
[Yuriko] If you actually used your brains you would figure out what we know easily.
[Iyo] What’s your advantage then?
[Misaki] Both of our finances will most likely be there as well.
*Iyo spit out his food in shock.*
[Iyo] You two are engaged! How could you not tell me, Yuriko! And Misaki, we grew up together! I am ashamed of you.
*Misaki sighed.*
[Yuriko] You grew up close together in hopes of marriage prospects.
[Misaki] You didn’t need to tell him that.
[Iyo] What!
*Aoshi put down his book. The urge to go into a rage was starting to sneak up on him.*
[Aoshi] Now, now. Why don’t we move on from the subject and enjoy lunch. We can even plan for the upcoming challenges.
[Yuriko] If you really intend to train him as a shinobi suited for intel then you’d stop allowing him to stay naive. The Nara Clan shouldn’t of raised him outside of everything. He should know the truth.
[Misaki] Says the biggest hypocrite herself.
[Yuriko] Takes one to know one, Ōtsutsuki.
*They glared at each other.*
[Iyo] Enough! Maybe my parents were naive to let me grow up normally in Konoha, but look at what these secrets are doing to you two. We have been together for almost two weeks now and still nothing has changed. You two fight, hide things from each other and refuse to work together. I’m done. We are Team 7. That means my life is stuck in your hands. You two get that right. That they put us together, because they want us to handle some serious shit. Things some Jōnin can’t do. Grow up and start sharing!
*Misaki looked at him confused.*
[Misaki] I’ve never heard you talk that much at once before.
*Yuriko burst out laughing.*
[Yuriko] I’ve never seen him put that much effort in anything.
*They high fived and he eventually smiled back at them.*
[Aoshi] Well, that was an unexpectedly decent surprise.
*Misaki looked at Yuriko.*
[Misaki] You start.
*Yuriko sighed. She suddenly didn’t feel like fighting anymore.*
[Yuriko] Where do I start?
[Iyo] Your marriages.
*Aoshi slumped forward. Marriage again.*
[Yuriko] Well, it’s the result of the Fourth Shinobi Great War.
[Iyo] We’ve all been at peace since then.
[Misaki] Actually-
*Yuriko interrupted.*
[Yuriko] It’s my turn, right?
*Misaki smiled and threw her hands up.*
[Misaki] Go on.
*She went back to eating. If she was busy eating then she wouldn’t be talking.*
[Yuriko] During our grandparent’s generation minor conflicts began again. However, no one wanted to disrupt the peace found after the wars. So clan heads and nobility struck deals to tie families together through marriage. If everyone was related and forced into alliances physical fighting couldn’t ensue. This idea began slowly in our parent’s generation, but built up quickly from personal agendas by ours.
[Iyo] So your fiancés are for the village.
[Yuriko] Well, my grandmother is also a head of a clan so it’s for both.
[Misaki] Mine’s not really for the village…
[Iyo] Who are you two marrying?
[Misaki] Kyoka Hōzuki. He was one of the two who attacked us in the Hidden Mist.
*Iyo turned to Yuriko. She looked at the ground.*
[Yuriko] Kazurui.
*Iyo turned to Misaki for more information.*
[Misaki] He’s the Raikage’s son and the Eight-tail’s jinchūriki.
*Iyo looked at the two in shock.*
[Iyo] One of you is marrying a crazy lunatic from the Hidden Mist and the other is the Hidden Cloud’s next Kage.
*They both nodded.*
[Iyo] Do you know them?
[Misaki] I grew up with Kyoka.
[Yuriko] I’ve met him twice.
[Iyo] Twice…
*She nodded.*
[Aoshi] You’re really the lucky uncommon one here. You should be happy.
*Iyo sighed.*
[Iyo] Right. You are marrying the Tsuchikage’s daughter.
*The three looked at each other unsure what to do. They had grown up as elite children, knowing what was expected of them.*
[Iyo] One last thing for today?
*All three nodded.*
[Iyo] I’m not supposed to be surprised by a fiancé once we get there right?
*All three cracked up laughing.*
[Misaki] Uncle Satoru believes in love still.
-End
