Heroes [Naruto]

17 ; CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT ☼

It took them 24 minutes and 48 seconds to find the team.

Ushio stopped her two teammates from approaching, simply listening to them. The three were arguing on a strategy, only a few words loud enough for them to hear.

"Stay here, I'm gonna try and perform a genjutsu on them," she said. "I'd rather not hurt Leaf Ninjas." Seijuro and Hizashi nodded, and within a moment Ushio disappeared, hiding in a bush close by to them.

"We can't go head to head with anyone! We need to think it through-- did you hear that?" Ushio quickly performed the hand signs, successfully trapping the girl in the genjutsu in the first try. The dense looking boy wasn't even affected by it, Ushio not being quite as good as she was at the Academy in Genjutsus, while the second held the Release sign before he was completely affected.

She needed to train more on Genjutsu.

"Shit," he swore. "Kisuke, we got a visitor."

"Hm?" Kisuke wondered, turning to look at his teammate, "huh? Where?" Ushio rolled her eyes, quickly hitting the boy in the back of his head, making him dizzy. He clutched his head, looking at her like an idiot. "Gen- I'm not feeling well."

"Okay then," Ushio thought quickly. "Seijuro, Hizashi."

The two quickly stood by her. "Let's do it."

"Just remember, they're fellow Leaf ninjas. It goes without saying, but don't hurt them too much."

"Don't be ridiculous, we'll beat your ass easily--" Kisuke spoke confidently, before Ushio performed Wind Style: Great Gale Palm, making him fly over, the few needles she threw grazing his cheeks and arms, head hitting the tree. He fell motionless, breaths slower than average.

Gen looked at the three, trying to figure out what to do. He held his hands together, "Fire Style--"

"Water Style: Water Dragon!" Ushio and Hizashi called together, performing the signs quicker than he could. The two dragons slammed to his body, and they high-fived as he fell to the floor, unconscious. They went for the over-kill, but why not, actually? "Check for the scrolls," she told them, walking to the girl.

"We over-did this whole thing," Hizashi stated.

"Yeah, but they're all fine," she assured.

The girl ended up having the scroll, and they all went through the supplies they had. Gen had a weapon summoning scroll, that they all agreed to take. 

"So we've got the two scrolls?"

"Yeah."

"And it took us under an hour."

"... Yeah..."

"So should we head to the tower now?"

"... Yeah."

►

"It was too easy," Hizashi spoke as the three jumped through trees, all huddled.

"They weren't ready, I could tell you that much since the moment I saw them." Ushio explained as they jumped through another tree. "Right now, we're probably closest to the tower, maybe another team or two are as close as we are, and we need to keep up the pace. Actually," Ushio paused, before coming to halt. Seijuro and Hizashi both stopped too.

She took out four scrolls, changing them into two pairs of Heaven and Earth scrolls. She handed each of her teammates a pair, before grabbing the real scrolls, and an empty scroll. She bit her thumb harshly, making blood flow, quickly scribbling words.

Seijuro and Hizashi watched in wonder at what she was doing, confused and intrigued. She finished, smiling, "now..." she sealed the scrolls in it, wrapping bandages around her torso, and hiding the summoning scroll in it. "Okay, now let's..." she mumbled, she took out another pair, changing them into a pair. "We're changing a plan. I figured something out."

"What?"

"More and more teams will do what we're doing, only without the scrolls. They will move towards the tower, and attack any team they see. We can do one of two things. Each go our separate ways, throw them off, hope not to die. Or go together. I think we should go alone, and create clones to appear like the other team members."

"I think we should do it too," Seijuro agreed. "We keep moving in our own pace, meet at the tower, and that way we'll be sure the scroll is safe. I'm sure none of us will die, especially if we keep moving quickly."

"Okay, if we don't get there by midnight tomorrow..."

"We'll come look for the one missing."

"Okay."

"So come on, let's go!"

"Water clone!" Ushio created two clones of herself, one going to stand by Seijuro, and one by Hizashi. 

"Earth Clone!" Seijuro created two clones, both smirking.

"Clones are so troublesome..." Hizashi sighed, "Water clone!" 

"Now..." Seijuro grinned, "let's go!"

"Aye!"

►

Ushio laughed at the giant caterpillar sitting around her shoulder. It was venomous, but it promised not to hurt her.

"You're really funny, Mr. Caterpillar," she informed. "But it's fine, I'll help you find your mommy without you eating my enemies."

She kept traveling like that for a while, walking slowly through the woods. She paid no attention to the person following her, waiting for the move.

Once they made a move, she threw a kunai at him, but he dodged.

"Oh, I mean no harm, little Ushio," the grass ninja smiled creepily. Ushio frowned. "Are you happy with the gift I've given you?"

Ushio changed her stance, ready to fight, and the caterpillar made its way to the ground, ready to protect her. "What are you talking about?" Ominous chakra leaked from the girl in front of her, her tongue flickering. 

"I'm certain you've heard my name before... Orochimaru?"

"Of course," she narrowed her eyes, not questioning how he looked nothing like Orochimaru and how it made no sense age-wise. "One of the three legendary sannins, a traitor who left the village to perform experiments."

"Oh, you're well aware of my name." he smiled menacingly. "And... are you aware of you being one?"

☼☼

"I don't understand." she said, not liking the fact she was standing in front of who may be Orochimaru at night-time, all alone. 

"Hm? I thought you're much smarter than that. I meant--"

"I know what you meant," she hissed, "I don't see how is it possible."

"No need to be so defensive, I don't mean you any harm, Ushio-chan." Ushio stood the same for a moment, wondering is she should question harming the village as well, before straightening up.

"Mr. Orochimaru, please explain yourself thoroughly. I'm having trouble grasping the concept."

"How should I put it..." He hummed, sitting down. Ushio moved closer, sitting down. Orochimaru smirked lightly, she was still too naive, too good. "You know where your parents are from?"

"Yes, from the Land of Waves. They left once  they found out mom got pregnant before they married."

"Correct."

Ushio watched him, curious. "Well, they just told me I was born in the woods outside of Konoha."

"Ah, here's the lie."

Ushio frowned, confused. "I still don't understand."

"I'll tell you everything, I just need you to help with something later on."

Ushio hesitated. Helping him would be against the village, something she mustn't do, but... she was too curious, and just this once, she was okay if curiosity killed the cat.

"Alright, tell me."

EDITED