夢 - 2021 rewrite

chapter twenty-eight

出会い

encounter

one day ago

The siren rang and Chou-san stood to her feet.

"Plan begins, now," she decided, pulling her coat on. "Do you have your stuff?"

Sai nodded, brandishing his notebook. "Everything I need is in here. We'll go out through the roof."

She pulled open the window and, offering a nod goodbye, left Sai with her clone as she ran just out the length of the base, spreading her chakra to pinpoint the intruder. Dead center between Saru's and Risu's teams. They'll be caught immediately.

As she approached the two teams, she masked herself with a henge, pulled on her hood, and dug out her explosive tags from her pouch. She dove into the surrounding forest, planting tag after tag behind her as she advanced towards the unknown assailant.

"Shannaro!" She heard a call, not so far into the distance, before being masked by the trail of explosions following her. As she sensed another high-ranked team converging on her stop, she took off in the dirt and leaves.

"Saru-san, take your team down east, find the second nin causing those explosions," she heard as she neared the base's front gates, guarded by the two teams. "Take them out immediately. We can't have them waking anyone up to this mess." And, leaving the trees, she took off her coat and slipped on her mask.

"Hai, Koni-san, try to pick up the--Chou-san?" Saru asked, the team halting in their steps. "What are you doing here?"

"Kuma-san sent me to get a quick report on the situation," she responded, bowing. "I just need a detailed description of the intruder and their strategy."

Saru nodded and urged his team to continue along the trail of debris and steaming ashes. And Nezumi, a newly appointed recruit from another batch of newcomers, eyed Chou by the tilt of her mask.

"Chou-san?" he asked, meek, as the rest of the team proceeded without him. "Is it time?"

She nodded and laid a hesitant hand on his head, gently caressing his blonde locks. "Find Sai. The plan is happening now." And, pulling away, she dragged his mask down to cover his face.

The two separated and she pushed on, stepping light and quiet amongst splintered trees and crumbling walls as she drew closer to the gates.

"Who's there?" She heard a girl call and caught a glimpse of emerald and red. The wind rushed and she ducked behind the trees as the stranger darted around, stepping precariously by the bodies strewn by her hand. "I know you're there. Just let me help."

And she considered the options of outright speaking to the stranger or to leave them be, after their purpose to her plan had already been fulfilled. But she owed it to this intruder for everyone's escape.

"Help you do what?" Chou-san asked, stepping into the clearing (pummeled out by the green-eyed girl, with trees and weapons flattened beneath the ground). The girl turned around, arms at the ready, with no weapon in hand.

But the intruder, looking her and her mask down and over, lowered her arms, and offerent a faint smile. "To help you escape. Everyone."

Green eyes took a step forward and Chou-san stepped back into the trees. "H-hey! You're safe with me, safer than you'll ever be with him," she continued, raising a hand. "He's using you. He--he's dangerous, and--"

"I know," she said, taking her mask off. It was decided now. "Anywhere out of here is safer. But if you want to get all of us out, we need to move fast."

And she nodded. "Whatever you say. Where do we go?"

She pulled her coat on once more and gestured towards the gates. "I have a companion inside, gathering all the recruits. We can meet them up on the roof, help wipe out any guards that try to stop us."

And as the green eyes nodded once more, she sensed a surge in chakra powering the girl's fists. "Alright. We need a way out of the village, though, and we can't get out through the front gates."

"We have a tunnel system just behind this. Once we get out, we'll go through there and seal it," she responded, making her way up the walls and to the roof. The green eyes followed suit.

"Those explosions you set off made enough sound for the Hokage's forces to find Danzo, arrest him," she reassured. "He won't find you ever again."

And, sparing another glance at green eyes, she unsheathed her katana in face of the incoming guards, running towards the two of them. "Thank you."