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Torima's Vessel	By : jenniferboka Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1195 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Chapter 6: Get Back Up Again

To let you all know. Yes, I like DeathNote to a point, but the shortened version of Akirarabe or “Kira” was in my head before DeathNote was even released here in the States. Just to let you all know, so I don’t get slapped with needless disclaimer problems.

He’d woken late the next morning to find Sano-sensei gone from the bed across from him, and the bunkhouse deserted of its residents. Sitting up quickly had been a horrible mistake, as his head throbbed in agony. Deciding to ignore it, he’d swung his legs over the side of the bed and gained his feet quickly, heading into the bright light of morning.

“Good to see you up and about…finally,” Byakko’d stated with sarcasm as he reached the bottom step of the bunkhouse.

“Where’s Sano-sensei?” he’d asked hurriedly as he’d searched the surrounding area for her. There’s no way she should even be up and around after all she’s been through.

“Cool your heels,” Byakko’d chided, grabbing his arm rather forcefully before he could run past the older shinobi. “Ko-san’s giving her the once over. She said she wanted out of the bunkhouse as soon as possible. Something along the lines of the bunkhouse being ‘too stuffy’. Anyway, training starts in twenty minutes. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what’ll happen, if you’re late.” As much as he’d been worried about Sano-sensei, he’d too often known the wrath of Byakko’s punishments for being late. The end result usually made his whole body turn to mush. With that in mind, he’d dressed quickly in his old Jounin garb and met the others at their newest training spot by the Ookawa River.

“Today’s lesson will hone your sensing abilities,” Byakko’d instructed loudly. “There will be times where you will be unable to see or hear your opponent coming. When that time comes, you’ll have to rely on feeling for his chakra. Some shinobi are able to suppress their chakra signature to such low levels that they become virtually undetectable,” he’d finished, continuing with an uncharacteristic smirk, “And so my students, let the game begin.” No sooner had the words left Byakko’s mouth, an unreal fog had flown up from the river, hiding everything and everyone from sight. He’d reached out to where he’d last seen Wonigiru, Banyuu, and Wabichi, but nothing was left of them. “Yo, guys! ‘Giru! Banyuu! Wabichi! Can you hear me?!” he’d called out futilely into the din.

“They can’t hear you,” an unknown voice had sing-songed from close-by. Too close for comfort he’d realized as he pulled out one of his tonto with his right hand. “But I can,” the voice’d continued annoyingly. Shifting his hitae-ate, he had let the tomoe of his Sharingan spin. Scanning the area, though, had done him little good… he couldn’t see anything through the chakra-laced fog. “Shit!”

“Nice eyes. Never had a hunt like you before…Interesting,” the voice had come from over his shoulder. “Perhaps I’ll add them to my other trophies.” The touch of a male hand on his shoulder made him start as he spun, lashing out with his drawn tonto at the offending appendage. “Show yourself!”

“But that’s not the point of the game, is it?!” the voice had spoke harshly. The sing of a blade was barely heard before he felt the sting of the blade shoot through his left shoulder. The point of the cloud-covered katana had gone through-and-through, the pain almost unbearable. He couldn’t help a quick shout of pain as the shrouded blade was once again removed from his shoulder, but not without inconspicuously sneaking a glance over said shoulder to his opponent. But much to his chagrin, there’d been nobody wielding the cloud-covered katana that he’d seen before it disappeared back into the gloom. Okay, he thought quickly, as he desperately untied his hitae-ate completely and tied it around his newest wound to staunch the bleeding. I’m at a huge disadvantage against this shinobi. His blade’s longer, he can see me and I can’t see him, and he’s most likely the one controlling this fog. So from all this, what’s in my favor?

“This isn’t the minor leagues, kid!” came the irritated voice from behind him. “I’m not going to go easy on you, like your pathetic sensei does.” Another swipe from his tonto in the voice’s direction brought his blade back clean. “Who said she EVER goes easy on any of us?”

“She treats you all like a bunch of lap dogs!” The shrouded katana flashed through his sight once again, this time from the front, as he barely dodged a swing meant for his throat. “You really think she’s preparing you for the REAL THING!” A slice to the back of his calf brought him to one knee with a grimace, rolling reflexively as the cloud-covered katana in front of him swung for his scalp this time. “It’s laughable!”

How is he manipulating his weapons from opposite directions? …He’s either a fast puppet master, or a genjutsu master, or both. Or does he have a silent accomplice? This fog says he’s from a water-based village or he just knows how to manipulate water. …I need to figure this guy out quick!

“So you think you, an Amegakure shinobi with an attitude problem, could teach me the elite way better than an ANBU Black Ops squad leader like Sano-sensei?” he baited his opponent, biding his time. “What’s the matter? You jealous of her?”

Sano-sensei keeps telling me I rely on my eyes too much. Alright, let’s rule out the obvious about this guy, first.

“I’d watch what you say, novice!” The as-yet-unseen weapon striking a painful slice high to his right arm. “A novice telling me I’m jealous of that witch?! HA! What a joke!” When the blade next flashed across his line of sight, he’d quickly dropped a few smoke pellets, hoping to distract this unknown shinobi long enough to figure something out. It’d done little good… the sing of the cloud katana and the hidden weapon just kept cutting through the fog, as he’d managed to keep just barely dodging them. But, this time, it seemed this unknown shinobi too was just attacking randomly now, hoping he’d inadvertently strike him at some point…and that’s just what he needed for his plan to work.

“Hard to fight what you can’t see, isn’t it?” he’d baited his opponent one last time, knowing then that that was his opponent’s weakness – his temper. The erratic swings of his opponent’s weapons had stopped momentarily. “Too bad for you that that trick is child’s play for me! And now, you’ll regret it!” The fog began to swirl like an angry hurricane, lifting away the acrid thick smoke like it was nothing, the fog settling in heavier for his trouble. He had then been left in the middle of a cage of shadow clones pointed outward in all the cardinal directions, all ready to do battle if need be. Byakko-san said this lesson is for honing my chakra sensing. Now, if I can do this just right…

“I suppose that old bitch can’t even teach a young pup new tricks! Surely, even a child could think up a better stall tactic than this! I’ve wasted enough time on you!” his opponent’d finally hashed out. “I think I’ll take my prize, now…those eyes of yours.”

The katana and hidden weapon then came in a flurry, seemingly coming from anywhere and everywhere at once. Most of the clones had fended off the primary attacks with their tonto before falling to subsequent fatal blows…until there was only him left standing against the hurricane that was his opponent.

“THIS ENDS NOW!” were the last words uttered by his opponent before…the final blow…was struck. The hidden weapon found its mark…right through the heart…blood freely flowing out the fatal wound as he fell to his knees. Then, the fog had thinned around them, leaving only his opponent visible to his fading eyesight. What he’d seen was a burly, masked Elite finally sheathing his katana while still holding the chain connected to the discovered scythe lodged through-and-through in his back. Now it makes sense. He laced the fog with his chakra to block me from sensing the chakra he was using to wield this scythe. Deception to hide weapons, not the most extravagant of tricks, but this shinobi, no... this Elite has done it almost elegantly. After what seemed like an eternity, the scythe had been mercilessly yanked out by the chain, sending him face down in the dirt…dead to the world. The bear mask shook back and forth, as the chained scythe was recoiled. “You could’ve really been something, kid. *Sigh* Another one bites the dust.” Too bad his opponent hadn’t been more observant.

What his opponent hadn’t counted on were his hands coming out of the ground to grab his ankles and pull him underground, up to his nose no less. He’d then punched through the small, but compacted layer of dirt he’d managed to make for himself, while his opponent had been finishing off all the clones above him. Luckily, he’d taken a page from his opponent as well, using some chakra – just barely enough for him not to be sensed himself – to keep the dirt above him from caving in on top of him, while he’d been patiently waiting for his opponent to let his guard down. He’d unexpectedly trapped his opponent in an earthy vice, rendering his katana and chained scythe useless. The tables had been nicely turned…and for once, in his favor. “Now,” he’d stated rather bored, drawing his tonto and placing the blade inches from his opponent’s eyes. “What was it you said about 'teaching a young pup new tricks?'”

Through the mask, he’d seen his opponent’s eyes narrow in cunning. He could almost see the sly grin beneath it. “You really are something else, kid,” he’d heard the shinobi muffle out around what must have been a mouthful of dirt. “But I warn you…Next time, I WILL bring you down.” He’d then dissolved into a puddle, turning the earth around the clone to mud, as the rest of the fog around him died down as well. To say he’d been surprised was an understatement, as he swung his gaze wildly looking for the masked Elite, but his unnamed opponent was nowhere to be seen.

“He did a good job with you.” He swung around to see Sano-sensei standing not more than five feet behind him, a dubious scowl firmly in place. “Finally, someone’s taught you something you’ve caught on to. I’ve no doubt he’ll be back to finish you off. But before that happens, I need something from you.”

“YOU need something from ME? What exactly do you need, Sensei?” he’d asked, more than just a little suspicious of what it could be. Looking sideways through the fog for a moment, she’d lifted her hand, palm out and flat. Her pensive eyes had closed in concentration, as her lifted hand started to glow bright with her chakra. She’d just stood that way for a moment, her face growing more troubled with passing time, until she finally lowered her hand and opened her eyes. Turning back to him, she’d started walking past him. With a whispered “Not here,” she’d continued toward a willow that bordered the river, its leaves gently caressing the water as it ran quickly beneath the branches’ reach, leaving him to hobble behind.

Pushing back the willow’s leafy curtain, he’d watched Sano-sensei put her hand to the tree’s trunk and close her eyes. With a grunt of effort on Sano-sensei’s part, the whole tree began to glow blue with her chakra. After a moment, she’d released her hand and immediately began pacing back and forth as the glow died down along with the noises from outside the willow’s sanctum, muttering to herself, “Can’t believe…but I have to…can’t let them…can’t alone…only one chance.” Turning back around, her brown eyes met his just as they had the first time they’d met, hard and calculating.

“Your shirt, take it off.”

“Sensei, I…” he’d stuttered profusely, only to be cut off as she continued more sternly. “I said take it off! That wound needs to be healed, before you bleed out.” Marching toward him, she’d stopped and waited patiently as he painfully took off his flack jacket, untied the hitae-ate from his shoulder, and removed his long-sleeved shirt. Retrieving the discarded hitae-ate from the ground, she’d retied it extra tight around his shoulder, making him wince in the process.

“I know just enough to staunch the bleeding,” she’d continued, clasping her hands together tightly until her blue chakra turned a greenish hue, and then promptly laid them around his wound.

“Where is Ko-sama, anyway, Sensei?”

“Fixing up Banyuu, as we speak. You weren’t the only one being toyed with, and you weren’t the one who got the worst of your opponent’s temper. Banyuu’s lucky to have an ass, right now. Maybe, next time, he’ll learn not to be so cocky about his techniques.” She’d moved her left hand from the wound on his shoulder to the slice high on his right arm. “…And I need you to teach me the water clone technique,” she’d stated without preamble, stunning him to silence. Not hearing him answer, she’d continued, looking him sternly in the eye, “Quit playing the mime and speak up, Shin.”

“Who’s Shin?”

“It’s your code name for the mission.”

“What mission?” he’d started, his eyes widening in disbelief.

“I’m going back to Aishu. The mission’s not done yet. And after what those assholes did to Kiyuri…it’s personal,” she’d stated, dropping her hands, apparently satisfied that she’d done her best in stopping the bleeding. Her eyes didn’t meet his this time. “I can’t finish this mission alone. There’s too much at stake. That’s why I’ve chosen you to accompany me, and help me finish it. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

“Sensei,” he started quickly, not wanting to displease her, but at the same time not wanting to jump headlong into something he wasn’t ready for. “What is the mission exactly?”

“Until you agree, all I can say is that there are a bunch of thugs in Aishu disguising themselves as various professionals,” she’d spoken, finally releasing him to sit on the nearby protruding willow root, leaning against the trunk herself to look down at him. “And ever since they’ve been in Aishu, the number of disappearances there has skyrocketed. The mission is to figure out if there’s a connection between the two…which there likely is. Personally, I think this would be a great S-rank mission for you to ‘cut your teeth on’ – so to speak.” She’d then turned to stare out the willow’s curtain at the river rushing by, her knuckles turning white as her anger continued to grow. “Besides, I don’t think I’d mind having some extra muscle around to help tear them apart, when I find them.” Walking to the river’s edge, under her breath, he’d heard her finish with “I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

“Sensei, what does the water clone technique have anything to do with the mission?”

“Nothing,” Sano-sensei’d answered nonchalantly, turning back to him with almost pleading eyes (at least it seemed so to him). “It has everything to do with me learning to keep control.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow, Sensei,” he’d stated, turning an uncovered and confused eye her way.

“There are so many combination attacks that can kill. To let loose combination attacks at my level is effortless, most times,” she’d gritted out. “But sometimes, you want to keep your enemy alive for questioning or other matters. Controlling the strength of a combination attack takes a lot more concentration than some people think…and lots more control. That thunderball of yours, for instance…”

“You mean my Chidori?” he’d queried, cocking his eyebrow in even greater confusion now.

“Right. You have the power, but you don’t have the needed control yet to really make it something. If you would combine that thunder say with…some kind of earth attack, you could have the capability of producing… a smoke bomb that would have any veteran fire squad running for their lives! …But like I said before, you need to be able to control the combination’s strength to get it right.”

With another sigh, her green body slowly stalked toward him and she just stood there helplessly looking down at him, yet never losing the hard tone to her voice. “I want you to teach me the water clone technique, so that I might be better able to control the strength of my lightning through water…and get back control…” her eyes strayed from his for a brief second, as he identified the shame in those brown orbs, “…of more difficult situations. …And before you say another word, I’m willing to teach you the steps of Elite chakra control, in return. Do we have a deal, Tsukashi?”

Once again, she’d rendered him speechless. Here was a senior shinobi asking for his help with a technique and a mission…no strings attached. But he still had one question for his sensei. “Sano-sensei,” he’d asked, finally getting her to swing her impatient gaze back to his. “Why me? Why not Ko-sama or Byakko-sama?”

“Byakko-sama or Ko-sama, I have no doubt, would be a great asset to the mission. However, those two have already made names for themselves in several countries and are set in their old ways. This mission in particular requires quite a bit of anonymity and some improvising. …And also because you are my young apprentice, and I have an obligation to mold you the best I can. …You’re my best shot at finishing the mission without casualty.”

It was his turn to stare out at the river. Sensei wants me to teach her?! But I’ve never taught anybody anything before. I couldn’t master the water clone technique for months after I first saw it. I don’t even know where to start with it! Then, out of nowhere, another voice whispered in his head. “One step at a time. That’s all a good shinobi needs is one step at a time.” Startled, he’d swung his gaze up to the willow’s branches thinking his opponent from earlier had returned. …But no one was there, no one else except Sano-sensei and himself. Where’d that voice come from? “You can do it! Just one step at a time.” WHAT’S GOING ON?! But the voice had stopped.

“I’d better check on the others.” Now, the defeat had slipped unknowingly into her voice. “Sensei,” he’d started, getting her to pause, back turned to him with the willow’s leafy curtain between her fingers. Even if I have no idea what I’m doing, I at least owe it to Sano-sensei to try, because she asked. Who knows? Maybe it won’t be so bad. “When would you like to start?”

“As soon as possible. Tonight, maybe. Right here. Don’t keep me waiting.” Even if she hadn’t said the words, he could almost hear ‘I’m counting on you, Tsukashi’ float back with the wind as she left and he continued to sit there, contemplating what to do.

How to do this, he’d pondered for minutes, as he’d stood to painfully pause next to the river’s swirling edge. I guess the best way I can think of is to demonstrate it, and go from there. But Sano-sensei said she’d use it to help ‘keep control.’ If that’s the goal, what’s the next step?

“High pain tolerance must be a great relief for you, Kakashi.” He hadn’t even had to look to know that Sano-sensei must have sent Ko-sama to heal him the rest of the way. Wait a minute! “Ko-sama!” he’d blurted, whipping around against the wound in his leg, doubling the pain it gave him. “Did you happen to teach Sano-sensei how to heal an open gash?”

“I did, years ago,” Ko-sama’d started, setting out the supplies he’d brought with him. “She’d said she wanted to learn the technique, just in case there wasn’t a reliable medic-nin around,” he’d continued, beckoning for him to retake his seat on the willow’s root. He’d promptly done as told, carefully hobbling to sit again before continuing, “Not necessarily a bad idea, but the technique can be taxing on the body, if one does it too often. Let’s start with that leg of yours. Drop your pants and turn over.”

Once again, doing as told with his one good arm, he’d removed his shuriken pouch and thigh holster. Gently and slowly, he’d pulled down his pants to reveal the black cotton boxers he always wore underneath, turning over onto his stomach so that Ko-sama could examine the damage. “Looks like you’re still a light.” Ever curious to the elder medic-nin’s lingo, he couldn’t help but ask, “What do you mean by ‘light,’ exactly?”

“You’re a Jounin rank, correct?” He’d answered with his usual noncommittal affirmative. Gingerly poking around the wound, the older medic-nin had cracked his knuckles, releasing the healing chakra he wielded so well and pressed his glowing hands to it. “It’s unusual for a shinobi of the higher ranks to have so few visible scars. The term the medic-nin community used to use for such a shinobi was ‘light’ because scarred skin usually takes on a darker hue as it heals. You’re lucky today; the blade came a couple millimeters from severing the tendon. You’ll need to stay off this leg for a couple days for it to heal properly. Now…roll back over and let me finish.”

“Great! Now what do I do?!” he’d sighed out, as Ko-sama finished wrapping the bandages around his thigh. Seeing the medic-nin’s perplexed look at his outburst, he’d hurried to explain, “Sano-sensei says she wants me to teach her the water clone technique. The problem is: I’m not sure HOW to teach her it.”

Answering with a concerned “hmm,” Ko-sama’d then unwrapped the blood-stained hitae-ate from his shoulder, releasing the pressure keeping most of the blood at bay and he immediately felt dizzy. Ko-sama’d then taken his hand in his own, placing it firmly against the root beneath him. “Grip here and don’t let go” was the command given as the older medic-nin continued his work on the through-and-through in his left shoulder. After a few minutes had passed, the medic-nin’d seemed satisfied that his shoulder wound was healing properly and finally broke the silence.

“Let me tell you something about your sensei, Kakashi,” Ko-sama’d started, still not bothering to lift his eyes from his work, “She gets impatient rather easily, but she’s a diligent learner. She’ll work it out, until she gets it right. …However, if you ARE going to teach her this technique, I have only one warning for you.”

“What’s that?”

“Your sensei’s been known to practice the techniques she learns, until she’s down to near absolute zero. She thinks if she can’t get it right the first time, she’s a failure as a shinobi,” he’d instructed, finally moving his healing hands to the slice on his right shoulder before he continued, “The first time I taught her how to stop a wound from bleeding with just chakra, she didn’t get it quite right. I told her that it wasn’t a problem, just try again next time and finished it up. Even though Elite are trained to ascertain detail and motive in an instant, we’re all still human and prone to our flaws. Apparently, 'next time' hadn’t been soon enough for her. When Byakko-san and I finally found her, she could barely stand for the chakra and blood she’d lost.”

His wounds healed, he’d stretched them out carefully as Ko-sama once again gathered the remaining supplies he’d brought with him. But this time, he didn’t leave immediately to treat the others. Instead, he’d sat against the willow at the base of its trunk, looking through its leafy curtain as the thoughts in his head turned. Leaning back himself in the solidarity he and the elder medic-nin shared, he remained quiet as Ko-sama raised his thoughts. “I’ll admit, at first I thought it was a mistake that she took you on as another student, when she already had so many. But I will say one thing for Sano-san’s character: her heart is for her students. After witnessing what must have happened to Kiyuri, her heart shattered into a million pieces. She blames herself, regardless of what I tell her to the contrary. But, luckily, she still remembers that she has you, Wabichi, Wonigiru, and Banyuu to teach. …When life must be a nightmare, never being able to relax and let your guard down, you, her students, are what give her the strength to continue and not dwell as much on the past. Kakashi,” Ko-sama’d called, as he’d swung his gaze to meet the medic-nin’s profound stare. “I will say this once, so don’t forget it! You’re her strength to continue, so don’t let her down.”

“Ko-sama, where are you?!” came Wabichi’s voice from the other side of the willow’s curtain. From the sound of it, she was in near hysterics. “KO-SAMA!”

“Don’t rush, Wabichi, I’m coming, I’m coming!” he hollered out to her, righting himself from his sitting position rather quickly. “Last thing we need is for you to start bleeding out, too!” And with that, he was gone.

For the next few hours, he’d performed the water clone technique over-and-over. Each time trying to remember the repetitions he’d gone through himself, when he’d first learned the technique. Okay, so first draw up enough chakra. Second, push it through yourself into the water. Third, mix the water and chakra together, but try to keep it in front of you. That’s bound to be the harder part, considering it’s the river, so we’ll spend some extra time on that, if need be. Fourth…

“Tsukashi!”

He’d been so startled that he’d whipped around, releasing the tonto he’d unconsciously been fiddling with as he’d walked himself through the steps of the technique…and right at Sano-sensei. Just as quickly as he’d released it, Sano-sensei’d backflipped, catching the flying tonto between her shod feet, driving it into the ground as she righted herself.

“Quit fooling around!” she’d said, dusting herself off and pulling the tonto out of the ground at the same time. “Get ready to move out. The mission’s been moved up,” she’d minced out, as she none-to-gently resheathed the tonto for him. “Lord Daimyo Kyassuru is in Aishu and has requested that we arrive by day after tomorrow at the very latest. We’ll be making a four day’s journey in two. Pack quickly and meet back here in twenty minutes, understood?”

“Yes, Ma’am!" he’d saluted as they both took off to pack what was necessary.

Returning to the bunkhouse, he’d packed a few days worth of clothes, enough kunai and shuriken to stuff both his pouch and holster almost to the breaking point, packed his pockets full of scrolls, strapped both tonto comfortably in place and, and… Is this really all I have?

“Hey, Lightweight,” came a voice from the doorway, as he’d begun to sling the pack over his shoulder. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the Kusagakure cook Seggi-sama leaning against the recently patched doorframe. “You call that Elite garb. You’ll stick out like a dead man’s sore thumb.”

“And what would you suggest I take, Seggi-sama?” he’d asked bitingly, wondering what his senpai-sensei was even getting at. With a smirk and a shake of his head, Seggi-sama’d nodded out the door. “Come with me. I’m sure we can find something you can wear that won’t embarrass Sano-san.”

O------------------------------------------O

After twenty minutes had passed, he found himself…standing…in the presence…of Sano-sensei…in her full ANBU garb. And what a picture she made in her black trenchcoat, black shirt and cargo pants, black gloves with no fingers, and standard issue shinobi sandals. A long blade strapped to her back, and senbon and kunai in her thigh holster, were the only weapons in view, but surely those were not the only weapons she was carrying. But one thing… he saw… confused him above all else. Sano-sensei…was wearing…not one, but TWO hitae-ate. One from home on her forehead…and one from Kumogakure on her thigh? Why’s she…?

“Sensei, why are you wearing a Kumogakure hitae-ate?” he’d callously announced rather loudly, halting the flow of words between the others around him…and Sano-sensei in her steps. Younger eyes turned to watch Sano-sensei’s back stiffen, but the words that followed didn’t match her body language, only deepening his confusion. “I’d have one from each country now, if the countries didn’t request them back,” she’d laughed at him over her shoulder with tears streaming down her face, causing the other older shinobi to laugh along with her. He’d stared at his patched-up peers, and each of them had shrugged back their unanimous confusion. Apparently it had been a joke in which only Kosenjou’s older population shared.

Wiping her eyes semi-dry with the back of her glove, Sano-sensei’d spun on her heels to survey him, her newest protégé. “And look what we’ve got here,” she smirked, carefully and calculatingly pacing around him to appraise Seggi-sama’s choice of apparel for him. Finally, she’d stopped in front of him, brow wrinkled in thought as her forefinger tapped her chin. “It’s a start,” she’d rejoined about his skin-tight black underarmor and pants, elbow-length standard black gloves, and his ever-present mask hidden by a long red scarf draping half in front and half in back of him, “But you’ll need the ANBU issue guards, at the very least, to be convincing.” Pulling something white from behind her inside her trenchcoat, she’d tossed to him… an ANBU soldier’s chest protector and arm guards. “Put them on. Let’s see if the illusion improves.”

“I resent that, Sensei,” he’d bit out, but was still smart enough to do as instructed. Sano-sensei’d frowned her displeasure, “Resent it all you like. Until I say you’re ready, you’re still an Elite-in-training.” Finally, he stood before them all, the closest he’d gotten to being an ANBU Elite soldier thus far. “Much better” was the only praise received from his stoic sensei as she retrieved that last and most crucial piece of the Elite’s disguise - the mask - pulling it tightly over her face. But this mask was unlike anything he’d ever seen any of the Konohagakure Elite wear before. Most of those Elite he’d caught a glimpse of around the Village wore the traditional animal masks – usually a dog, a bird, a raccoon, or even the occasional cat. Sensei’s, he’d realized, is… almost abstract. Half-black... half-white…with that black design around the eye. Wonder why she chose that one? But before he could voice his question, Wabichi came running at a dash right up to Sensei, a haunted look in her eyes.

“Sano-sensei!” Wabichi’d hollered, grabbing hold of Sano-sensei like the world was ending. “Wabichi?” Sensei’d replied with not an ounce of concern in her voice.

“Sensei, you can’t...”

“Wabichi!” Sensei’d hollered right back at her, before her only young kunoichi apprentice could fully utter her protest. “I have no choice!” Sensei’s gaze had then turned murderous as she grabbed hold of Wabichi in kind, her voice as cold and sharp as the steel blade on her back. “We WILL get them back for…what…they…did! This I promise you, Wabichi!”

Wabichi, then conscious of their position, released Sano-sensei as if she’d caught a Grand Fireball Jutsu barehanded, a sheepish look on her face. “Just…just come back in one piece,” she’d swung her gaze to include him, “Both of you!”

“Do you have something of Kiyuri’s for me to give back?”

“Please, don’t lose it, before they get it,” Wabichi’d acquiesced, gently handing over a small bag, the contents unknown as Sano-sensei’d quickly and securely tied the bag to the hilt of her katana.

“Is there any other way to come back?” he’d joked, unsuccessfully trying to lighten his friend’s mood, only to turn serious again. “Don’t worry about us, Wabichi.” “Easier said than done,” she’d retorted, turning her back to them and heading off toward the edge of the river along with the Takigakure brothers and Byakko-sama to hear their training assessments.

“Speaking of coming back,” Ko-sama’d spoke up as the others began to disperse, with the exception of Seggi. Stepping forward, he’d thrown another bag Sensei’s way. Easily catching this one, Sano-sensei’d examined its contents, clacking them around the bag with a frown.

“Four...6…8…2…3,” she’d counted, finally pausing to stare at Ko-sama with a wrinkled brow, “What’s the green one again?”

“A final resort should things…get out of hand,” he’d replied, earning a slow understanding nod from Sano-sensei as she tied the clacking bag around the sash at her waist. “And those are?” he’d managed, knowing he’d staved off his curiosity long enough. “Our pill rations,” she’d answered, tying another knot in the bag’s length to secure it. “Enough for four days, if need be. Hopefully, we won’t need them.”

“And here’s some dinner for you guys. Until you reach Miru, anyway,” Seggi came forward, hefting a reasonably-sized sack over his shoulder and setting it at Sano-sensei’s feet. “Appreciate it, Seggi. We definitely won’t starve, knowing how you cook,” she quipped, giving Seggi one of her rare smiles getting an answering smile and nod from the Kusagakure cook. “Like ‘Chi-chan said, just get back alive, Sano.”

“You know I can’t promise that, but I’ll do my damnedest to make sure he…” she answered, nodding in his direction, “gets back safely.” With another nod and smile, Seggi-sama’d returned to the sanctuary that was his kitchen, leaving just Sensei and himself standing there alone to face come-what-may.

“Alright. Got everything?” she’d asked, turning his way. With a non-committal “hmm” from him, Sano-sensei’d begun a series of hand signs too fast for him to follow with his normal eye. “Shoulder your stuff! They’re easier to load, when they first appear.”

“Who’s ‘they’re’?”

“You’ll see in a minute,” she’d finished, biting her thumb until it bled, making the sign of the rat and then the sign of the ram. “Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu: Zephyr Hooves!” Slapping her bleeding hand to the ground, a summoner’s design appeared. “I summon my warring ninjouba! Raije, Mitsu, come out!”

In a span of seconds, a cloud of smoke had produced a pair of fiery, furiously rearing mustangs. In awe of the creatures, he’d failed to notice one giving him the evil eye, until he’d been knocked flat on his back and was staring down the barrel of one of the blue mustang’s hooves.

“Raije, Mitsu, HAJI, KADAI! ENOUGH!” Grabbing both roans’ withers, Sano-sensei’d managed to rein both of them to a semi-calm state. Then, satisfied that both mustangs were listening, she’d released them to stand behind him as he brushed the dirt from his backside. Hands laid gently on his shoulders, she’d pushed him towards the two still-snorting beasts.

“Sensei, are you nuts!?!” he’d managed to gruffly choke out. A soft hand grabbed his cheek, gently turning it to one side, a sultry voice had then whispered into his ear, “Trust me, this needs to be done. Nakama,” Sano-sensei’d then re-iterated to the patiently standing roans, pointed finger quickly flying between herself and him. “Nakama, understand? New nakama. …Give them your hand.” Doing as told, but still not sure of what he was doing, he’d extended his hand out as if to shake another.

“This is Shin,” she’d continued, as the mustangs stepped closer. “I trust him, so you can trust him.” Hearing these words, the blue and red roans gingerly sniffed at his hand before Sano-sensei’d moved to one side, beginning to load the eager blue for the trip. “Raije, Mitsu, we’re going back to Aishu. Shin, for the meantime, you’re riding Mitsu, the red. Raije can be a bit of a handful at times.” She’d then tossed him a length of rope with the command to “load her up right.” But even as he’d lashed his pack to his new means-of-transportation’s back, Sano-sensei’d continued her instructions.

“They act mostly on single word commands,” she’d started, hefting their dinner and strapping it securely to the blue’s back. “Mitsu’s still learning some of the commands, but I’ll work with her more on those, during the trip. Her brother, here, was the first creature I learned to summon at will. If worse comes to worse, I’ll have you start riding Raije. But before you start riding either of them, you’ll need to know the command lingo I use with them: 'Haji' means 'hold' or 'stop'. 'Kadai' means 'stand still'. 'Sato' is a term I use to get them to return to me, if I’m not on their backs, or get them to return here to Kosenjou, if I am riding them.”

Finished loading the mustangs, she’d grabbed hold of the blue’s withers and with a quick vault mounted his back, the blue snorting and bucking slightly in protest. “Oh, stop. It’s not all that heavy, you colt!” The blue’d just gave one final snort and a toss of his head before settling again. Shaking her head at the blue, she’d continued, “These last two commands are easier done while riding, for control purposes. …And since this one’s starting to get a little antsy, I’ll demonstrate them quickly. Raije,” she’d called as the blue’s ears twitched back, “Deyou!” And…before he could blink…Sensei and Raije were already…a third of the way across the clearing!

Incredible! he’d thought as Sensei kept Raije to the edge, close to the barrier.

“Mitsu, sato!” she’d hollered over her shoulder as the red roan filly hastened to obey, nearly knocking him over in the process. “Come on, come on! Sato, Mitsu!” When the red filly was within Sano-sensei’s reach, she’d grabbed hold of the red roan’s withers and vaulted off the blue roan’s back and onto her, her hands and legs gripping Mitsu the same way she’d gripped Raije. “Alright, Raije, time to teach your sister a new one! Raije, haji! Mitsu, deyou!”

Immediately, the blue slowed as the red took off in a burst of speed and a cloud of dust. Sensei’d had Mitsu make the rest of the circuit around the clearing, before charging directly for him. Gingerly, Sano-sensei’d began slowly rising from her seated position on Mitsu’s back. “Tsukashi, call Raije to you and tell him to z…e…n…s…e…n, once he’s in front of you! I want you to hold completely still and let him do the work. Understand?” she’d called over the din of charging hooves, the blade of her katana visible as she relieved it of its sheath, and then angled the blade for a perfect strike as she urged the red filly even faster.

“OK! Raije,” he’d shouted, as he eyed Sano-sensei bearing down on him, the brown of her eyes beginning to take on a golden hue around the edges. “Raije, sato!” In a flash, the blue’s flank filled his vision, ears completely flat back and head dropped low, ready for the command. “Raije, zensen!”

In a flash, Raije’d bucked at Mitsu, effectively stopping his sister in her tracks with a rear and a startled whinny. As soon as Mitsu’d reared, Sano-sensei’d leapt from her back, the katana poised to strike…and coming right at him. “Brace yourself!” was the last thing he heard from Sensei, the katana’s point a mere six inches from his face. So close he could see the reflection of his calm face in the mirror finish. And then…it was gone.

He’d never thought a horse capable of a growl…or any noise similar for that matter. But the sound that had come out of Raije’s mouth as the blue roan’s teeth clamped down harder on the edge of Sensei’s katana reminded him of one of the Inuzuka clans’ wolves gnawing on a deer leg. As did the glint in his eye as he stared down Sano-sensei with said katana in his mouth, head lowered, ears back, and front hoof pawing the ground. Almost daring Sano-sensei to take him on.

“Is that all you got, Raije?! Come on!” Sano-sensei hollered as she charged forward again, leaving he and Mitsu to stand and watch the proceedings. This time, Sano-sensei’d lashed out with a set of kunai, laughing cruelly as she let them fly. But instead of throwing them at Raije…she threw them at him! But she’d asked him to remain completely still!

I trust Sensei, was the only thought he had, as he’d closed his eyes and had waited for the inevitable pain of the kunai to sink into his flesh. …But they’d never come. Instead, what he had heard was a loud grunt, and as he opened his eyes, he saw Raije’s head twist at an odd angle…to deflect all the kunai up and into the air. Sano-sensei and Raije both jumped after them…but Sensei wasn’t quick enough.

Raije’d twisted his head again, this time the flat side of the katana AND Raije’s head collided with Sano-sensei’s midsection, effectively knocking the wind out of her. Both had hit the ground at the same time, Sano-sensei under Raije. He’d stared in disbelief as, in a blink, Sensei had become effectively thwarted as Raije pinned both of Sano-sensei’s arms with his hooves and laid the blade against the side of her jugular. And…and…Sensei’d smiled!

“Well done, Raije,” she’d praised the roan, and without turning her head continued the instruction. “This is the 'zensen' command. The whole point is for him to protect you, or whoever you designate, at all costs; the one thing for which a ninjouba is trained. And I guarantee you, Tsukashi, Raije knows more ways on how to deal with an enemy than some shinobi. Alright, now that you know the basics…Raije, haji and get off me!”

Surprisingly, the roan refused to budge and just snorted imperiously at Sano-sensei’s request. And then, he watched…as Raije glanced quietly in his direction…as if waiting for approval to do it. Calmly, he shook his head, and answered the roan’s questioning glance, “No, Raije. Haji.” With that, Raije finally backed off, letting Sano-sensei rise to her feet and reclaim her katana gently from his mouth. “That’s another thing you need to understand: they’ll only listen to family - or ‘nakama,’ as they know it. Luckily, they both already understand that.” As Sano-sensei’d resheathed her katana, she gave Raije a pat on his flank and turning to Mitsu placed her finger between the red filly’s eyes. “Zensen, it’s a big undertaking. Your brother’s good at it, and I want you to be, too. Understand?”

A nod from the red filly was all that was needed before Sano-sensei once again mounted Raije in front of the lashed packs, gripping him tightly with her calves and holding onto his mane just above his withers. “Lesson over. Let’s get going, Tsukashi. To live, to die, to fight, to protect. Upon the master’s whim, he serves until his useful life is spent.” Pulling her mask once again over her face, Sano-sensei’d continued without muffling her words, “He hides his face to never let the enemy see his thoughts. Never to show emotion unless his motives he regret. He trusts no one, not even himself, for even he is human. Such is the life of an Elite, nin-ikimono, and all other shinobi. It’s something you’ve learned your whole life thus far as a shinobi…and now… it’s time to see what it truly means to the Elite. Now, mount up!”

Imitating exactly as Sensei’d done, he’d vaulted onto Mitsu’s back and settled himself relatively comfortably, the red filly only slightly protesting with a snort. “To Aishu, Raije, deyou!” And before he could blink, a cloud of dust was all that was left to follow. “Well, we don’t want to get left behind, do we?” he spoke lightheartedly to the dazzled red roan beneath him, “Alright, Mitsu, deyou!” And within seconds, he was...once again…flat on his back, staring up at a blue sky filled with constantly spinning stars. And WHAT a HEADACHE!

“Maybe Sensei should have touched on actually riding a ninjouba.”

Sorry all. Thought it would be good to end this one with a little humor. Although it’s been a while since I posted the last chapter, everyone please review. I need to know if I’ve lost my touch. This next chapter will probably be from Sandabado’s point of view.
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Torima's Vessel