6: Bonding before Travel
*Aoshi knocked on the door. When no one responded, he opened the door. His three kids were sleeping on the same cot. He couldn’t help but smile. Leaving the room as quietly as he entered. No one disturbing them until the sun came up. Yuriko the first to wake up. She was cuddling up to Iyo, Misaki on her other side. She got up quickly and left the room. Aoshi awake on the other side of the door.*
[Aoshi] You are the first awake?
*Yuriko nodded.*
[Aoshi] Good. Your grandmother sent you a letter.
*He handed it to her and she read it out loud.*
[Yuriko] Dear Yuriko, your aunt tells me that you have succeeded in beating Sand Shinobi. Shannarō! Don’t show them any mercy. The Uchiha name is on the line. Sarada. P.s. I am glad you are getting along with your teammates.
*Aoshi smiles at her. Yuriko uses fire style to burn the letter.*
[Yuriko] This could of waited for when I got back.
*The door opened and Misaki and Iyo came out.*
[Misaki] What could of waited?
*Yuriko takes her mask from Iyo’s hands, placing it on her face.*
[Yuriko] Nothing. Let’s just get to the Hidden Mist.
*Misaki sighed.*
[Misaki] And she’s back to normal.
*The four them left the house, taking the bento lunches offered to them by a sand shinobi.*
[Sand Shinobi] The Kazekage wishes you a safe journey and apologizes for not being able to see you off.
[Yuriko] It is fine.
*He bows and walks away. The four of them running out of the sand village. Yuriko’s cousin can be seen sitting on top of the walls watching them run away. Her father standing behind her. They ran in silence until they were close. Sitting down to eat breakfast.*
[Misaki] Finally, we can eat.
*She was the first to chow down on her bento. Everyone else took their time. Aoshi, looked up at the sky, a hawk circling above them. He put his hand up and it landed on him. A tiny scroll was attached to his talons. Aoshi, read it and turned to Yuriko. She burnt this letter too.*
[Aoshi] It seems we need to hurry. Finish your food quickly. The Mist’s Hime is expecting us.
*The three nodded and shoved their food down quickly. Running as fast they could towards the Hidden Mist. Stopping, much to Yuriko’s excitement, at a boat dock. The village was on an island off of the coast. They couldn’t run over the water.*
[Iyo] Do we have to take that little thing?
*Aoshi shook his head. They boarded the boat. The man steering the boat glancing at them. Aoshi flashed a hand signal. Everyone immediately straightened up. This was the signal Aoshi taught them on their very first day. It meant Iyo should use the Yamanaka’s jutsu for mental communication. Iyo’s voice appearing in their head.*
[Iyo] Link established.
*Aoshi pulled out his book. The sailor smiling at the tittle and turning away. Misaki turning to look at the water. Iyo pulling out his ink set to draw. Yuriko, slumping down as if to sleep. *
[Aoshi] You all remember what I told you in the forest.
[Iyo/Misaki/Yuriko] Yes.
[Aoshi] Then be on alert.
*Yuriko activated her Byakugan from behind the mask. A sand eye forming by the sailor. Iyo’s shadows slowly moving forward and around the boat. His mental net reaching farther. Misaki’s mouth opening slightly. Her tongue catching the wind.Their sensory skills waiting to be tested. Aoshi looked up from his book.*
[Aoshi] I can’t wait to show you guys my home town.
*The sailor turned and looked at him.*
[Sailor] You are a native?
*Aoshi nodded.*
[Aoshi] My hometowns a few islands over.
[Sailor] That’s nice. Coming back to see the old town. It will be a treat for these leaf shinobi.
*Aoshi smiled at the man. A warning sign appearing in their heads. None of them were wearing their headbands. They had taken them off before entering the town with the dock.*
[Aoshi] I am afraid these kids are still in the academy, my friend.
*The sailor chuckled. It was a deep sound.*
[Sailor] Come now. You look just like your mother, Aoshi Hatake.
*He put his book away, rubbing the back of his head.*
[Aoshi] Caught me, huh.
*The sailor nodded.*
[Sailor] Of course, Young Lord. Your legend precedes you.
*The kids turn and look at their teacher. This casual man was that famous.*
[Sailor] You kids might not know this, but this man is the son of a former Mizukage.
[Iyo] We know.
*The sailor smiled.*
[Sailor] Ah, but do you know how he ended up in the Hidden Leaf?
*Before they could say anything he turned around throwing a Kunai at them. Iyo instantly locking him in place with his shadow. Yuriko’s tiny sand eye turning into a thin needle above him. Misaki, now standing and holding the Kunai he threw. Aoshi, calmly walking towards him.*
[Aoshi] Tell me, friend. Who sent you?
*The sailor cursed and Yuriko’s needle went into his neck. Aoshi, turning back to look at her.*
[Aoshi] Information, remember?
[Iyo] He wouldn’t of talked.
[Misaki] Cowards like that normally don’t.
*The water underneath the boat began to get rough. Storm clouds appearing above their head.
*Aoshi, ran forward and grabbed the wheel. Yuriko and Misaki moving forward to dump the sailor’s body overboard. Iyo, running to the side to see out in the distance.*
[Iyo] I can sense four bodies, on the nearest land shelf. They are too far for anything else.
[Aoshi] Misaki?
*She jumped on the top of the boat, flicking her tongue outwards.*
[Misaki] Could be four. I can feel the water jutsu in the air. As well as a burning smell. They are building up to lightening.
*Yuriko jumped up, beside Misaki. No one knew about her Byakugan. She looked out in the distance. She could barely see four chakra swirls.*
[Yuriko] Two are casting the storm jutsu. The other two are guarding them.
*Misaki and Iyo turned to look at her. The hadn’t known a Sharingan could tell her that.*
*Aoshi spun the wheel to re-steady the ship.*
[Aoshi] We couldn’t just chase bears away. Next time you three be born with less power.
*Misaki, Iyo and Yuriko shrugged. They couldn’t help that this was a generation of strong Konoha shinobi.*
[Aoshi] Yuriko, your genjutsu should be able to reach them.
[Yuriko] I’d need time to create enough mist.
[Iyo] Misaki and I can-
[Aoshi] No. Iyo, you will support. Help me keep this ship steady.
*Iyo ran forward to grab the wheel from Aoshi.*
[Aoshi] Misaki, keep the lightening at bay as I create enough Mist for Yuriko.
*Misaki nodded and drew her long Katana. As the first lightening strike came down, she lifted her sword. It absorbing the lightening element onto the blade. Aoshi, began weaving signs.*
[Aoshi] Boil Release.
*Hot steam began pouring from his mouth. It mixed with the moisture in the air, clouding up everything in the distance. Iyo, Misaki and Yuriko used water style to create a bubble that covered their mouths and noses. Everyone knew his Boil Release was toxic. On Aoshi’s command Iyo turned the ship hard to the left. Misaki, dealing with the lightening strikes with her blade. When enough mist formed, Yuriko released her Byakugan. She was unable to use both at the same time. She took her mask off and released the Sharingan.*
[Yuriko] Water Style, Pictures in the Mist.
*Her eyes bleeding as she put the image of their ship collapsing onto the mist. Aoshi, jumping up to steady her as she concentrated on keeping the image.*
[Aoshi] Iyo!
*Iyo tuned around to face him.*
[Iyo] I can sense them. They are 300 yards away, on a rock outcrop.
[Aoshi] You can steer on your own?
*He nodded and turned the ship towards them. His mind locked on to theirs.*
[Aoshi] Water style, Hiding in the Mist.
*Misaki jumps down from the top of the boat.*
[Misaki] Shadow Clone jutsu.
*She creates two more of her, each armed with a blade now coated with lightening.*
*As they get closer, Yuriko starts to cough up blood. The genjutsu wavering for a second. However, It was too late for the two shinobi guarding the storm jutsu users. Misaki, was every bit as fast as a snake. Coming out from the boat and directly slashing their throats. The two storm users looked up in shock, becoming paralyzed by Iyo’s shadow technique.*
[Hidden Mist Shinobi] What!
*Aoshi, Iyo and Yuriko walked out of the mist. Misaki’s clones holding their swords to their throats.*
[Aoshi] Would you two like to tell me why you were trying to kill us.
*The two shinobi looked at each other in surprise.*
[Mist Renegade #1] Where’s Hime-sama?
*Aoshi, bent down in front of them. His eyes lighting up with the Sharingan. The Mangekyō Sharingan activated. A gift from his father. The two shinobi dropped on the ground. Aoshi’s eyes becoming normal, again.*
[Aoshi] The Hidden Mist shinobi used us as a decoy.
*Misaki’s clones disappeared.*
[Misaki] Makes sense to use the foreign shinobi.
[Iyo] Where does that leave us now?
*Aoshi, stood up.*
[Aoshi] Water Style, Water Prison Jutsu.
*The two surviving men, became trapped in a large balls of water.*
[Aoshi] Running farther then we thought.
*Everyone groaned. Turning around to follow Aoshi, towards their expected destination.*
-End
