Book 2: Chapter 3: The Second Day Part I

Book 2: Land of Sand

Chapter 3: The Second Day Part I

1

“Hey, Sui, wake up. We got to find–what the fuck?”

I woke up to the sound of a pissed-off brother, and honestly, the only better way to wake up was with Sui’s hand still entwined with mine. I guess we had finally fallen asleep after talking last night because even with Kasai looming over us, I could still barely open my eyes due to the light. How long were we asleep? I looked to my side, and Sui was just as groggy.

“Wait, what…. Did I oversleep?”

“Sui!” Kasai’s eye flared red while the other was covered by his hair. “Why the hell is there a boy sleeping in your tent!”

“This boy has a name. It’s super easy. See You-key.” I said, mouthing out my name slowly.

Sui’s Byakugan activated, and she stood up almost ripping my arm as she pulled away from me. “Like you haven’t had girls sleeping in your tent.”

“Wait.” I raised an eyebrow. “You’ve had girls sleeping in your tent?”

“That doesn’t change the fact that he has his own tent.”

“So what if he has his own tent.” Sui pointed at the demon sleeping like a baby while the two siblings argued. “Tayuya is also sleeping in here you don’t seem to care about her.”

“You know it’s not the same.”

“I’m pretty sure it is,” I said, still trying to be a part of the conversation.

Sui crossed her arms with a hmph. “It’s not like we did anything. Just like every other night.”

“Wait, was that a shot at me or—”

“Every other night! How often do you two sleep together!”

“Well… ever since becoming Genin and moving in with the Third Hokage.” I counted my fingers. “Every night.”

“You’re dead.”

“Wait, you decided now was the best time to hear me?”

“Hey Kasai, what’s taking so long?” Kai said, entering the tent with a bark from Kabura. “I thought I told you to wake them up—oh god, we don’t have time for this. The Third Hokage, who we’re supposed to be protecting, is missing. Can we worry about murdering Yuki over stealing your sister’s virginity later?”

“I did no such thing,” I said with a face so red they might as well be another form of the Sharingan.

“It’s not stealing!” Sui said with a face as red as mine.

“Wait what?” Tayuya said, finally awake.

2

After that fiasco, both Team 9 and Team K gathered outside around Kai, who was standing next to a sleeping Kurai. We were definitely up later than we were supposed to, judging from how bright the sun was. I didn’t think we actually needed human alarm clocks, but now I was really considering it. It was one thing for Tayuya and me to sleep in, yet Sui never did that. Even when we bothered her all night, she was always up bright and early unless—

“We were poisoned,” Kai said with a bark from Kabura.

“How?” Sui asked. “Kasai and I both used our Byakugans to check the food and water for abnormalities. There weren’t any.”

“What if it wasn’t a Jutsu that they put in our food and water? The Byakugan wouldn’t see it, and depending on the dosage of the poison, neither me nor Kabura would be able to detect it.” Kai then pointed to Kurai sleeping on the ground. “And don’t you notice how all the Kurais are still laying around asleep?”

Sui bit her thumb. “Kurai never sleeps.”

“Exactly, and he’s the only one who kept watch all night.” Kai glared at me. “Worst part is no matter what we try we can’t wake him up.”

“Have you tried hitting him awake?”

Everyone stared at Tayuya as she had to be the only one that thought hitting someone awake was the best way to wake someone up.

“What? It works with Yuki.”

Kai let out a sigh. “If we hit him, the clone would disappear.”

“How do you know he's a clone?”

“We don’t,” Kasai muttered.

“So what you’re saying is we have to go around hitting the 20 or so Kurais awake, hoping to find the real one,” I said, beginning to see a problem all while Kai let out another sigh.

“Or wait until he wakes up on his own.”

“He never sleeps right?”

“Yup,” Kasai said, crossing his arms. Great! Somehow the guy looks even more pissed at me.

“So, hitting him awake it is,” I said, walking towards Hiruzen’s tent with the rest of the team close behind me. It was surprisingly tidy, and the earth-style furniture was still there, taking up most of the room. Did he even sleep? “Hey Kai, what’s the point of doing all of that if we already know that Hiruzen is missing and we were attacked.”

“Because if someone kidnapped or killed the Hokage but didn’t bother doing the same to us, then we’d lose without Kurai.”

“Ok, but the only person strong enough would be another Kage, and unless I’m missing something, the Land of Rivers doesn’t have one. So…” I stared at Kai, our eyes meeting. “Something isn’t adding up.”

Kai gave a slight glance towards Kasai before giving me an answer. “Yeah, and that’s what I’m trying to find out.”

“So Danzō left you in the dark about his little plan to assassinate Hiruzen.”

“We don’t know if Danzō was behind this.”

“Who else knows about the mission besides Danzō and the Fourth Kazekage?”

“I know, but I received no orders, so—”

“You’re going to wait and see.” I brushed past Kai, heading towards the encampment gate, only to stop when I heard him sigh.

“Fine. Kabura can you trace the Third Hokage’s scent?” Kai said, scratching his head until Kabura barked and sniffed the ground around Hiruzen’s tent, then barked again with a nod.

“Alright Yuki, if you want to find the Third Hokage follow Kabura.” Kai turned to Sui and Tayuya. “I assume you two will be going with him.”

“Of course.”

“Beats sitting here.”

Kai nodded, barely cracking a smile. “Then Kasai, let’s find the real Kurai and catch up to them after.”

“Sure.” Kasai shrugged as he walked and kicked the nearest Kurai, only for the body to yelp out in pain before disappearing into smoke. “Why do I have the feeling the real one isn’t even here.”

Ignoring Kasai’s mumblings I waved a kunai around my finger. “So do you want us to leave you a trail or…”

“I know what my ninken smells like!” Kai said with a growl from Kabura.

I laughed. “Good because I didn’t want to really waste time marking trees and stuff.”

“You know, this is why you don’t have friends.”

“I have friends!”

“If you can name someone who isn’t on your team and isn’t related to you, then we can talk.”

I thought for a moment, did I have friends that met that criteria? Most of the students from class, I wouldn’t call my friend. Especially since I wasn’t too sure if they liked me or my jokes. Maybe Shikamaru, but I was pretty sure he hated my guts for leaving all the bills to him. Wait a second. “Jokes on you Ino's my friend.”

“Acquaintance.”

“And what about you, huh—”

Kabura barked as he was already standing outside of the camp. And noticing the dog’s glare, I was sure he said hurry the fuck up. Damn, both dog and owner were a pain to deal with. But at least I finally had the chance to breathe again without worrying about pissing off Mr. Brother of the Year.

“Hey Sui, make sure nothing happens to Kabura,” Kai said as he gave Kabura a slight nod.

“No problem Kai, we’ll be back with the Third Hokage safe and sound,” Sui said back as the three of us, or rather four of us, started to walk down the grassy path away from camp.

“Do you think he’d even want that?” I asked with a raised eyebrow while Sui looked as clueless as I thought she could.

“What do you mean?”

“Hiruzen told me how Danzō tried to have him killed.”

“Oh, I’ve never heard about that.”

“Just like Team K probably doesn’t know about Danzō losing to us.” I clicked my tongue. “The guy probably assumes if no one knows of his failures, it never happened.”

“ Even so, I wasn’t told about any attempt on Hiruzen’s life during this mission. Have you Tayuya?”

“Huh? You think I listen to a word Danzō says?” Tayuya picked at her ear. “Let’s just find the old geezer and kick the ass of whatever trash took him. Then watch him grovel as he thanks us.”

“You know what? I like the way you think Tayuya,” I said, laughing.

Sui shook her head with a sigh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you two, but Kabura, lead the way.”