Journey of the Three Failures

Chapter 12: Stillness

Journey of the Three Failures

Twelve: Stillness

Part One: Beginning - The Arrival

Naruto ナルト

"Coming back from a trip? A trip to where?"

"My siblings and I were away visiting our grandparents in a small village of southern Fire," Lee said. "We live here with our uncle and his family."

I nodded. "What's going on? Why can't we pass?" It occurred to me that it might be a little suspicious since the three of us didn't look remotely similar – with our differing hair colors, eye colors, and skin tones...

One of the Sound ninja narrowed his eyes. "What's with these glasses? It's not bright out," he snapped, suddenly snatching the sunglasses off Hinata's face. The girl let out a very realistic yelp of surprise.

"O-Onii-s-san...!" she whimpered in a tiny voice, and Lee clasped her hand with a few reassuring words. "I'm s-scared!"

"She's blind!" I protested, stepping defensively in front of her. "Don't startle her like that!"

I saw the fist coming – even had the time to both think about dodging or retaliating and remember I couldn't – before I was hit across the face, allowing myself to be thrown to the ground. Sitting up more slowly than I could have, I saw the man waving a hand in front of Hinata's face. She stared straight ahead, a very slight crease in her brow but her pale lavender eyes not following the motion. Suddenly drawing back his hand, he made as if to strike her; his punch halted within an inch of her forehead. She didn't even flinch.

Nice, Hinata! I thought as Lee pulled Hinata back and steered her partially behind him, the image of a brother standing up for his younger sister as he glared at the guard.

"That's enough, isn't it?" the other Sound shinobi, who'd been silent up until now, spoke up. "I know we're not supposed to let anyone in or out, but they're just a few kids..."

The first man grumbled. "I was just thinking, she looks a lot like Neji-san and those other Hyuuga folk back in the village–,"

Hinata broke into a bout of coughing, slumping against Lee's support.

"Please, sir!" I said on cue, "My stepsister has a weak body, she's taken ill! Travel has worn on her; we need to get home..."

"Hm... You escort them," the man said dismissively to his comrade, tossing the sunglasses Lee's way. The boy made a point of not catching them too deftly, allowing them to bounce off his shoulder and then fumbling a moment.

"Hai," the younger of the Oto-nin said, opening the gate behind him and beckoning us through.

Infiltration success, I thought, getting to my feet.

Hanabi ハナビ

"Shikamaru-san..."

"Hey, nice to have you back in the world of the living – Hakage-sama!" Kiba threw in with a laugh.

"Thank goodness..." Sakura sighed. "We were getting worried..."

"How are you? Do you feel okay?"

As we knelt down, he gave us a weak smile from his reclining position on the futon. Today he was dressed in a shirt rather than a cocoon of bandages around his torso and neck. "I'll live," he said, "The medics patched me up well; I should be back on my feet before too long..."

"Ha! That's our fearless leader for ya'! If they think they can knock him down that easily, they've got another thing coming!"

"Oh, please, give it a rest with the 'fearless leader' stuff already," he groaned in complaint. "It's not like I asked for the name or anything... huh?"