Chapter 4: Vicissitudes

Toru can feel his feet slipping and he quickly blasts chakra through his legs, propelling him to the next branch. Toru manages to grip the trunk to stop his fall and once again takes a hold of his chakra and attempts to tree-hop again. So far, Shou had grasped the theory and practical aspect of tree hopping easily. Then again, they had also managed to figure out tree-walking quickly. Kiku had also made it to the top of the tree with minimal effort, while Toru struggled with his control over his chakra. Toru had found his problem was with using his chakra was that the dark-not-dark chakra would sometimes enter his system and would require a different amount to be used to stick to the branches.

He is getting better at the task, but it was still galling to know that he hadn't managed it before his two teammates. It isn't that he doesn't like his teammates, but he wants to be good, to be great (he doesn't want to die again; he doesn't want to watch everyone around him die again).

"You need to calm down Toru-kun," Natsumi chastises, "If you let your emotions interfere with your chakra control it won't work."

"Yes Natsumi-sensei," Toru replies. He takes a deep breath before consciously pulling on his chakra. As always, his chakra is quick to rise and quick to do as he wants. However, then the dark-not-dark chakra rises and Toru grits his teeth as he mixes it with his chakra to dilute it. He had learnt the trick on the third day of their journey, and it's been an immense help.

Natsumi once again drops back, "Team Five escort measures," she calls out, and the three genins and one jōnin leap to the ground.

The merchant, Hirosue Toda, startles at the unexpected movement. "We're near the town," he says with a smile. "It's just around the corner according to my memory."

"What exactly do you sell Hirosue-san?" Shou asks softly.

"I'm in the clothes industry. I'm one of the leading merchants of Allium Blossom – a clothing business," Hirosue replies.

Shou nods their head and twists when Natsumi clears her throat lightly. "All hitai-ate off for now; we don't want to raise suspicion," she says as she slips off her forehead protector. The genins are quick to do the same, carefully stuffing it into their respective packs. "Do you remember your orders?"

"Try to act as normal civilians, say we're with Hirosue-san if anyone asks," Toru says, recalling the information from his memory. "We're to wait until 2200 to do any reconnaissance regarding the property we're going to infiltrate. In addition, we have different names for the mission. Kiku is Emi while Shou is Hibiki, Natsumi-sensei is Kasumi, and I'm going to be called Yuji."

"Very good Toru-kun. Kiku-chan, Shou-san, can you tell me if he missed anything?" Natsumi asks.

"We're staying in Toshi Inn," Kiku responds, "And we need to have at least someone watching the caravan containing Hirosue-san's wares."

"Very good," Natsumi compliments. "When we're discussing our plan for the infiltration I'll take over watch duty."

"Okay Natsumi-sensei," Kiku chirps back as she links arms with her two teammates. "I bet this mission will go down with no issues!"

Shou groans, "If you've jinxed us and get us killed, I'm going to kill you."

"Fuck," Shou swore, slamming open the door to Team Five's inn room. "Kiku where is Natsumi-sensei?" Kiku's eyes widen, realising the seriousness of the situation as Shou had dropped the mission names.

"Ahh, she was sending a bird to Konoha for backup," Kiku replies. "She should be back soon."

"Emi-chan, Hibiki-san?" Natsumi calls, "Where's Yuji-kun?"

"Yes, well, Toru's been taken," Shou blurts out after stumbling with their words.

"Report," Natsumi demands, her posture snapping straight. In response, Shou straightens.

"I got to the caravan as I knew that the wares needed to be protected. As planned, it was Toru's watch shift. However, when I got there no one was around. I searched around and called softly but there was no response at all," Shou says.

"I bet you it was that shifty musician," Kiku responds, anger tainting her voice. She briefly wonders how their C-ranked mission went from fine to worrying in three days.

Team Five managed to reach Minamoto in time, and Hirosue had been quick to set up his stall. They had spent the first night surveying the house they were meant to infiltrate. The second day had gone fine, and no one seemed to suspect that they were ninjas. Then, on the second night, they had managed to infiltrate the rival business' house and steal the necessary list. It was on the fourth day, just before they had planned to leave, that everything went wrong.

Shou had been wandering around the village when she had heard the news; a child had gone missing within the village. She had told the rumour to her team, and the rumour had actually been verified by the head of the village. Their team had been asked to look into the disappearances, and while Natsumi was hesitant, she had agreed to look into it.

"You can't go blaming anyone who appears suspicious," Natsumi says, although her grey eyes look stormy. "Toru-kun is fully capable of escaping," Natsumi continues, "He's probably attempting to locate the missing children."

"He might not be able to escape if he's been taking by ninjas," Kiku says quietly.

"First thing we need to do is search for a track. Now, I need you two to continue guarding the client," Natsumi orders.

"Not a chance Natsumi-sensei," Kiku barks out, "He's our teammate!"

"You might ruin my chances of getting him out safely," Natsumi replies harshly, but knowing it was necessary.

"What if there are more children there? What if they don't respond well to adults? You'll have Toru on your side, but you could still encounter difficulties," Shou points out, refuting Natsumi's argument.

Natsumi's protest seems to fail her and she sighs, "If we are to do this, you will have to do exactly what I say. Understood? If you cannot follow my orders, you will not come. I may order you to leave me behind or Toru behind; will you be able to do this?"

Kiku pauses, and that more than anything makes Natsumi think that her genins might be able to handle this mission. Shou squares up. "Yes Natsumi-sensei," Kiku says and Shou nods in agreement. "We will do as ordered."

"Good," Natsumi said. "Prepare for stealth and ambush mission." The two genins nodded and started filling their weapons pouch with the required equipment. Once they were all ready, Natsumi looked at Shou, "Shou-san you're the tracker for this mission, you'll take point until I say otherwise. If you miss anything, I will call you on it."

"Hai Natsumi-sensei," Shou snaps out. Shou leads their team to the wooden caravan that Hirosue owns. Upon getting there, they start going in slow circles that get bigger with each time they go around. Eventually they stop, "I can feel traces of chakra on this tree trunk," they say softly, looking to Natsumi to double check.

"It's Toru-kun's," Natsumi confirms. "Lead on Shou-san, but be careful. I want complete silence; talk in code if necessary." Shou nods before turning around. They leads their team forward, wondering what had happened to the Uchiha.

Natsumi follows her genins carefully, keeping her senses on full alert and attempting to sense all chakra nearby. While the jōnin isn't a sensor, she is still able to sense anyone with more than a civilian's chakra pool. Toru has a surprisingly large chakra pool for a genin, verging on the size of a chūnin's, and that makes it easier for Natsumi to sense him.

However, she has managed to lose one of her genins on their first C-ranked mission. Natsumi's analysis of the genin is still in the works, but it is improving the more time she spends with him. For all Toru's awkward conversational skills, he has a quiet charisma around him. He was the one who had managed to get his teammates to work together, and they had both chosen him as a leader. Natsumi has noticed his intelligence and it was clear that as an academy student, he had hidden it, but he is trying his best. It didn't make sense that a civilian would be able to get the drop on him.

Natsumi leaps forward, cutting in front of Shou. She quickly signs a message to them. Shou hesitates before pulling back, tugging Kiku backwards with them. So far, the trio had managed to circle around the base of the kidnappers before finding anyone.

Natsumi takes a step forward, dropping off the branch behind the so-called travelling musician who had been in Minamoto, staying in the same inn as Team Five. Natsumi jumps forward, one hand grazing the person's arm and she flares her chakra, putting him under a genjutsu. The musician is quick to break it, and he spins to face her. "Who do you work for?" Natsumi growls.

The man hesitates before reaching into a side pocket; Natsumi stiffens and readies herself for an attack. He pulls out a forehead protector, "Why is a Kusa-nin over this side of the border?" Natsumi hisses, wondering if the shinobi is aware of the ramifications.

"I am here to protect one of the Daimyo's advisors and his family… I failed, his children have been taken," the Kusa-nin replies. "I have the proper papers back in the inn, but I need to save the children. Someone left a chakra path for me to follow. You are guarding the merchant; you have no reason to be searching for the children."

"The chakra path you are following was left by one of my genins," Natsumi replies; glad to see the flash of surprise on the Kusa-nin's face. "As Konoha-nin it is our duty to help in any way we can. How do I know you aren't lying?"

The Kusa-nin lifts his arm, showing a wristband that was handed to all international ninjas within the Hi no Kuni's borders. "Is this good enough for you?"

Natsumi nods and gestures behind her. Instantly her remaining genins leap down next to her. "Have you found any information regarding the base?"

"There's a main entrance and a back entrance; it is mainly underground," the Kusa-nin reports. "May I aid in your retrieval of the children?"

Kiku's hands twist and turn as she uses one of Konoha's silent languages to convey her thoughts to Natsumi. Natsumi scowls but nods at her. "You may help in creating distraction and attempting to secure the children. My genins will retrieve the children that are supposed to be under your guard as well as my third genin. You and I will keep everyone else's attention on us. Understood? If you attempt to sabotage the mission I will have to take you down."

The Kusa-nin bows his head, "Hai. I suggest that the genins enter through the back entrance."

"I know where that is," Shou says in a bland tone. "Where is our meeting location?"

"The clearing, north, two klicks out," Natsumi says, before glancing at the Kusa-nin.

"I know the place," the Kusa-nin says.

"Five minutes until the distraction," Natsumi tells her genins, "If the base becomes unstable or you find yourselves overwhelmed, retreat whether you have the mission objects or not."

"Hai," Kiku says before the pair of genins takes to the trees and head towards the back of the base.

The Kusa-nin surveys Natsumi and she ignores the wish to snarl at the man. "What do you plan to attack with?"

"I will refrain from using earth ninjutsu and explosion seals due to the stability of the base being unknown. I will primarily use taijutsu and lightning ninjutsu," the Kusa-nin explains.

"I will use a mix of genjutsu and taijutsu," Natsumi reveals. "You can take point."

"How kind," the Kusa-nin grunts before sprinting into the front entrance of the base. Natsumi quickly follows the false musician.

The pair enters the base, only to find there are people running around in panic. A voice rises above the rest, "I don't care what's happened! Get those children back to work; whip the ones who refuse – but not too hard, because we can't damage the goods – and make a show out of the one who caused this to happen – I have better plans than selling it. It's the new one who caused all this – I just know it."

Natsumi can feel her chakra thrumming below her skin as her anger stirs to life. She knows that Toru has done something; she doesn't know how or what, but she finds herself despising the idea of her genin being injured or tortured. Not to mention, child slavery is one of the worst things that exists. A growl comes from in front of her, and she knows that the Kusa-nin agrees. Sometimes people have to die, and they're the ones to kill them. Natsumi pulls on her chakra and attacks.

Sasuke glances out the window for the third time in the past ten minutes. He's certain Iruka knows he isn't paying attention, but the chūnin didn't seem to mind. Sasuke scowls when the bell indicating the end of school finally goes off. He doesn't feel up to dealing with the girls who keep trying to follow him home. He waits for a few minutes until almost everyone is gone, and then he finally packs his bag and heads out the door.

"Sasuke-kun?" A voice calls, and Sasuke turns to look at Iruka. "I'm sure Toru-san will be back soon."

Sasuke pauses, but remembers that Toru had spoken fondly of Iruka after meeting him once. "His team was meant to arrive back two days ago."

"Delays do happen Sasuke-kun," Iruka says softly, "Toru-san is strong. He'll come back from this mission just fine. Something possibly just popped up. He mentioned he was doing a bodyguard mission for a merchant, it's possible the merchant just wanted to stay longer at the town to sell his wares."

"How did you know his mission?" Sasuke asks, glaring at Iruka.

"We met up before he left," Iruka admits. Sasuke grunts and leaves the classroom, leaving Iruka to look at his back.

However, once outside the classroom, Sasuke is besieged by his new, sort-of friend Naruto. "I'd avoid going to the market if I were you," Naruto warns with a cheerful grin. Sasuke raises an eyebrow in question. "Some paint might've dropped on a stall," he says nudging Sasuke with an elbow. "Owner wasn't happy 'bout it," Naruto says as he puts his arms behind his head. "I was thinking about trying to get the civilian who runs the take-away store near the academy. They know my tricks, though, so I haven't figured anything out."

Sasuke knows that civilian. She constantly tries to pinch his cheeks after expressing her sadness for his loss, and then she tries to gain his favour. "Can you get in through the backdoor?"

"Ahh," Naruto scratches his head, "I'm not the best at picking locks."

"I'll help," Sasuke replies before he can think about it fully. In the back of his head, he still worries over Toru (and what if he never comes back? What if he gets Toru? Sasuke doesn't want to be alone again). Naruto grins and continues yabbering on about prank plans, and Sasuke pays attention to the blonde, glad to have someone to distract him.

The moment a bag goes over Toru's head; he fights the instinct to attack back. The man is probably a civilian, considering he hasn't done anything to restrain Toru's hands. He appears unaware that Toru is a ninja at all. Toru feels one fingertip brush past a tree trunk and he pushes a spark of his chakra into it. If Toru's going to be kidnapped, he's going to make sure it's useful.

After about half an hour, the running comes to a stop and Toru leaves one last chakra mark before he feels something change. Toru attempts to identify why he felt as if something changed, when he's thrown to the ground and the sack torn off his head. A hand pulls his head up by the hair and he winces.

In front of him is a tall man with slicked back black hair. Toru's captor allows him to look around for a moment, before jerking on his hair. Toru feels angerhaterage bubble beneath his skin and he ignores the growl building in his chest. "You piece of shit," Toru swears, glaring at the man in front of him. "Does this make you feel powerful, being able to use children as slaves?" He barks out a laugh, which quickly turned into a yelp of pain when he's kicked in the stomach.

"Shut up," the tall man says, eyes never leaving Toru's face. "You don't have a say in what's power and what's not. After all, you're the son of a merchant and a prostitute bitch."

Toru recognises the need for acting and calls upon his anger. "Yeah, well, you're just a bastard who no one likes! I bet your own parents abandoned you to the streets because of your ugly mug."

The tall man laughs, "Oh, no. My parents left me an empire. You're just one of the prisoners in it. Take him away; put him with the other troublemakers. He needs some time to think on his attitude."

"You need 'im in good shape?" Someone behind Toru grunts.

The tall man shakes his head with a smirk coiling on his lips, "I think I can wait to sell him, or maybe he can be of use around here."

"Sure thing boss," came the response, and seconds later a bag is thrown over Toru's head. This time, instead of being picked up, Toru's arm is grabbed and he's pulled along the floor. Toru stumbles and gets his feet underneath him, ignoring the pain in his knees from being shoved onto the floor and then dragged along it.

He is yanked to a stop and rope is tied around his hands. Toru hides a smile, knowing that the kidnappers hadn't found the weaponry that is stored on his body; clearly hiding it is a good idea.

Once again, the bag is pulled off his head, and the person behind him shoves him into the wall. Toru blinks, unable to see anything in the darkness. There's a click as a chain links onto the ropes tying his hands together. Shortly afterwards, the person leaves and Toru tilts his head and tries to listen to the sounds in the darkness. He can quickly pick up the sounds of muffled voices and crying. He grits his teeth and pulls out a hidden kunai. He slashes through his ropes.

Toru grins, and makes his way to the middle of the room and dumps the rope there, along with a piece of broken wood that he found. Toru carefully calls to his chakra and goes through a set of hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique," Toru whispers, only allowing a minute bit of chakra be used for the ninjutsu. He spits out a splutter of fire, which catches the wood and rope alight. It won't last for long, but it'll be enough.

There's a few screams and Toru looks around. "Everyone stay quiet," he says softly, just loud enough to be heard. "Konoha ninjas are on their way; I'm here to aid in your escape," he lies, but guessing that he is probably right. "We're going to go to another room and set up a safe hold, alright?"

He moves over to one of the older children and carefully cuts through her bonds. The girl immediately helps to settle the younger children while Toru goes around and cuts the bonds. He counts ten children – elven including him – in the room, from the ages of four years to thirteen years.

Toru stops at the front of the room, and the children's attention swivels to him. "Is anyone too injured to run?" He asks softly, trying to make out what he can with the flickering light from the fire. No one responds and so Toru continues, "My name's Toru and I've come to help you. What we're going to do is go somewhere and try to keep ourselves hidden, okay?"

"What about the others that are out?" The girl he first rescued asks, and Toru chews on his lip as he quickly makes plans.

"I'm going to help them once you're all safe," Toru decides. "First, though, we've got to get out of here. Anyone know where a safe place we can hide is?"

"I know one," someone says quietly, and Toru uses his chakra to break the lock on the door. He opens it and the young girl takes the lead. Toru keeps the children grouped together, ending up carrying the two youngest when they start running faster.

The girl comes to a stop in front of a grey coloured door, and opens it. She and Toru usher the kids in, before shutting the door. Toru pulls up his dark-not-dark chakra and lets it burn seals onto the door.

"These will muffle the sound and should make anyone who comes near want to go away," Toru tells the children quietly. "You're all going to stay quiet, though."

"I'm scared," the girl that Toru had been carrying says. She grabs Toru's leg and holds it tightly, "Don't go."

Toru drops down to a crouch and holds her hands, "I need to help the others. You don't want them to go through what you did, do you?" The girl shakes her head but doesn't let go. Toru sighs, "Everyone please sit in a circle," he says. Once they're all in a circle, he starts talking again, "We're going to play a game. Everyone is going to say one line, and altogether it's going to make a story. Do you guys like stories?"

The younger children eagerly nod, and Toru mentally thanks the older children for helping him keep the children calm. "I'll start. Once upon a time, there was a princess."

Toru nudges the four-year-old next to him, "She very pretty and lived in a c'stle."

"All her friends lived with her too!" The other four-year-old says with a grin.

"But one day a mean man locked them in," the next person says, an eleven-year-old that gives Toru a small smile.

"However, a brave dragon decided to rescue the princess and her friends!" The next child says, and Toru inches his way out of the circle. Upon getting to the door, he catches the attention of the eldest child, who gives him a nod. He slips out the door.

Toru channels chakra to his feet and starts running on the ceiling, knowing that no civilian would look up to search for a child, and so he is safe for now. The scene Toru finds next is what leaves him with the desire to kill. He comes into a room that has contains children working. Toru growls; he drops down onto the ground and lunges at the only supervisor. It's the thought in a split-second that makes him spin his kunai and knock the adult out instead of killing him.

"I'm part of a Konoha ninja team that's come to rescue," he says quietly as all the children gather round him with awed eyes. "I've found some other children and I've hidden them in another room. Is there anyone else I need to rescue?"

"There's another room working," one of the boys says hesitantly, "Have you really come to rescue us?"

"You're getting out today even if I have to burn this place down," Toru promises. "Now follow me quietly, I'll lead you to the others."

Toru avoids all other adults, making it to the room without any difficulties. He leaves the children quickly, but in his rush to find the others he ignores the footsteps coming from an adjacent corridor.

Toru swears as someone comes out of the hallway. The thug looks as surprised as Toru, and Toru leaps forward. The thug is surprisingly fast and Toru doesn't have the time to knock him out. Toru silences his mind as he pushes off the wall and lands on his enemy. They're knocked to the ground and Toru slices through their throat.

Toru stands up, noticing that his hands are still steady as he wipes his weapon down. He shudders once, before moving forward at a faster pace. He needs to find those children before anyone else does.

Toru attacks three others before he finds the children, of those three he had attacked only one survived. Toru convinces the children to follow him with ease; his age is certainly aiding him in this situation.

There's a loud bang and Toru shuts the door to the room with the children in it. He readies himself for an attack and places his back to the door. Instead, a piece of the wall falls down and two figures become known through the dust. Toru grips his two kunai tighter, not wanting to take any more lives, but knowing it might be necessary.

"Toru?" Someone calls, their voice catching in their throat.

"Kiku, Shou!" Toru replies. "Where's sensei?"

"She's creating a distraction, but it looks like you've already started something," Kiku replies with a wide grin. "Where are the children?"

Toru opens the door, "Guys you can come out. The rest of my team is here." With those words, roughly thirty children come pouring out the door. "We need to move," Toru says and the children quiet. "Shou take point; you need to lead us to where we're going. Kiku, I want you in the centre of the group. Older kids, you need to watch out for the younger ones, help them if needed. Anyone under the age of six and can't keep up, ask someone to pick you up. I'll be at the back of the group."

Shou and Kiku nod, and Shou takes off slowly with the children following. Toru looks down when someone tugs on his top, upon seeing the twin four-year-olds from earlier, he scoops them up. He puts one on his back and holds the other in his arms. "Tell me if anyone approaches from behind," he tells him as the group start to move off.

They make it two hundred metres before Toru hears footsteps from behind, and Toru puts down the four-year-old in his arms. "Keep going," he tells her, "This will just take a second."

Toru takes a deep breath, goes through a set of hand seals, before shouting, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" He spits out a large fireball before turning around and sprinting after the others, scooping up the male twin as he goes past.

Arata Kita is a proud shinobi of Kusagakure. It frustrates him to no ends that he has to rely on a bunch of Konohagakure ninjas – and a group of genins! Their jōnin-sensei appears to be reliable, and she did guard his back, even going so far to take a kunai for him when one of the thugs had surprised them, as he had been a dropout genin.

"If you're genins have failed," he warns the Konoha-nin as they approach the meeting point.

"They will not have failed," she replies, and Arata bites back a response, knowing that pushing the stressed kunoichi would have bad results. Upon reaching the clearing, Arata and the kunoichi stop in surprise. There are thirty-six children of various ages in the clearing, being watched by the three genins. The unknown genin even has the twins that Arata is supposed to be protecting on his lap and is staring at them with a smile.

The moment the genins notice their arrival, they shift. The unknown genin places himself in front of the children and Arata can sense his chakra rising to his call. Meanwhile, the other two genins look like they are about to herd the children away.

"Team Five report," the Konohagakure jōnin snaps, and the tension in the clearing fades away.

"Mission successful," the female genin – Kiku if Arata recalls correctly – says with a wide grin. "Toru had already freed all the children."

"Yeah, Ryuu-san's the best!" One of the twins say, and Arata locks gazes with the genin – Toru. He shifts his head and Toru nods in response. Arata finds himself surprised, because he knows that Toru is unknowing of his position in the group but accepted him anyway. Clearly, the genin is a bit of a stupid one.

"Mmm," the other twin hums, "Guards f'ther."

"Facts add up sensei," Toru reports. He claps his hands, and Arata finds himself stunned yet again, at how quickly the children pay attention to the genin. "Alright guys, looks like we're going to head home now!" The children start cheering and grinning at each other, "We'll be taking the same positions as we had when we left, okay? We're able to go slightly slower, though. My sensei and her friend will keep watch for us."

"Are you sure Ryuu-san?" Another child asks, tilting his head to look up at Arata. Arata scowls back. "He don't look right."

"The twins know him," Toru replies. "Now, on your feet."

Arata watches as the genin manages to get all the children walking without complaining, and finds himself slightly unsure of how the genin had managed it. "He didn't know them before today," the Konohagakure ninja admits as she walks beside him. "Are the ones you looking for there?"

"The ones Toru is carrying," Arata admits. "Why do they keep calling him Ryuu?"

"He breathes fire like a dragon!" A child screams from next to him, and Arata barely manages to keep himself from flinching. "He's like the dragon that protected the princess and her friends in the castle when the mean man suddenly tried to take the princess against her will!"

Arata blinks in confusion and takes a step sideways so he's further away from the children. Aside from the other jōnin, the only one who pays any attention to his movement is Toru, who smirks at Arata. Arata ignores the genin and decides his first impression may have been wrong; the genin appears to more observant than he thought.

"Thank you Toru-kun," Daiki – the Daimyo's advisor – tells Toru with a tilt of his head in semblance of a bow.

"You're welcome," Toru replies with a small bow.

Two bodies suddenly collide with his legs, and Toru lets himself shift with the movement. "Don't go!" The four-year-old and daughter of Daiki – and wasn't that a surprise? – says.

"Yeah!" The other twin, Hiroshi, agrees. "Who's going to rescue us if you aren't there Ryuu-san?"

"Ryuu?" Daiki repeats with amusement.

Hoshi grins up at her father, "Tou-san, did you know Ryuu-san can breathe fire? He's like the dragon who rescues the princess and her friends!" Daiki laughs softly but ultimately leaves Toru to get the twins pry of him.

Toru drops to a crouch, and the twins let go of his legs. "I need to go Hoshi-san, Hiroshi-san. My team is waiting on me, and my family is back in Konoha. I can't leave him."

"Bring them with us!" Hoshi says, beaming because of her idea. "You can come live with us! Can't he Tou-san?"

"I'm afraid Toru-kun – Ryuu-kun – has his own duties to complete," Daiki says sternly.

"Oh, like your duties?" Hiroshi says, turning so he can look at his father. Daiki nods.

"Will we ever see you again?" Hoshi mumbles, as her face turns downcast.

"Possibly," Toru says giving the twins a smile. "If you're ever in Konoha just try to find me. Ask for Toru Uchiha."

Hiroshi leaps at Toru and starts crying. Toru gives the younger boy a hug and pulls Hoshi into the hug as well. "I'm gonna miss you Ryuu-san," Hiroshi says as he cries.

"Same! Come visit us, please Ryuu-san," Hoshi adds.

Toru gently lets the two go as he stands, "The future will hold what it will," he tells the pair. "Why don't we find out what it holds in store for us?" He takes a step back and the twins finally return to their mother. "Goodbye Daiki-sama."

"Goodbye," Daiki hesitates before giving Toru a smile, "Ryuu-san. Thank you for looking after my children. May good fortune be with you."

Toru gives another bow before exiting the room. Upon exiting the room, he finds Team Five waiting. Shou gives him his pack, which he slips over his back. The four set of towards Hirosue who waits with his caravan.

Toru lets out a laugh as he flips through the trees, playing tag with his teammates while they guard the merchant. They're already two days late to return to Konoha, and by the time they'll get back it will have increased to a week when they actually reach Konoha. Nevertheless, Toru feels strangely accomplished. Team Five had stopped a kidnapping and child slavery business nearby, wrangled a favour from a political figure, and completed their mission.

Kiku lets out a whoop as she tags Shou, while Toru just stops himself from slipping off the branch. Yeah, we did well, Toru decides as he dodges Shou.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouts and the Uchiha turns to face his sort-of (only) friend. Naruto huffs as he attempts to regain his breath. "There's something you need to see," Naruto explains before grabbing his (also only) friend by the wrist and pulling him along as he runs towards Konoha's main gates.

Sasuke manages to get his feet beneath him while Naruto sprints, but when they get to the gate he stumbles. Entering the gate, dusty and dirty from travelling is Team Five completely uninjured and still all alive.

Sasuke doesn't really think about anything else as he flings himself at Toru. The older boy catches him (Sasuke finds he trusts Toru to always catch him) with a laugh. Sasuke tucks his head into the older Uchiha's shoulder and breathes in the scent of road dirt and Toru's actual smell – a mix of weapons and fire and salt.

"You're late," Sasuke grumbles into Toru's shoulder, hiding his slightly teary eyes. If he's trembling at all, Toru makes no mention of the fact.

"Yeah, I am, sorry," Toru responds. "I do have a good story for you."

"Toru-kun we need to report," Toru's sensei calls, and Sasuke grips tighter. At Toru's grunt, he lets go and drops to the floor.

"You have to come back," Sasuke commands and Toru ruffles his hair.

"If you want you can wait for me outside the Hokage's office," Toru says. He glances at Naruto with black eyes, "Naruto-kun can wait too." Naruto beams, and grabs Sasuke by the arm.

"Bet I can beat you there," Naruto says as he sprints off. With a glance back at Toru, Sasuke does the same.

Toru turns to face his team. Shou has a closed off expression and Kiku looks extremely nervous. Toru wipes his expression off his face and turns to face Natsumi, ignoring the pain that comes from seeing his teammates' closed expressions. "Let's go," he says quietly.

It's telling that seconds after walking alone (and it hurts because this could be the start a betrayal he never saw coming) his teammates start walking beside him again. "He's the reason we past our genin test, isn't he?" Shou asks quietly, and Toru gives an uncertain nod. "Suppose we have to thank him."

"I've never seen someone with such a big smile," Kiku adds, giving Toru a worried look.

Toru laughs loud and bright and overly happy. "Don't take him out for ramen or at least don't let him have more than three bowls," Toru says. "He's so different to Sasuke; smiling and laughing while Sasuke is quiet and constantly training. I don't know how they managed to become friends."

"I'm sure you had something to do with it," Shou says with a sly smile, elbowing Toru lightly.

"Stop that," Toru replies, elbowing him back.

Before it can erupt into a brawl, Natsumi sighs and her genins straighten up. She nods tiredly to the Hokage's receptionist who waves them through. After knocking on the Hokage's office door, Team Five are called in.

"I'm glad to see you are all in one piece," the Sandaime says once the doors shut. "You had us worried with your late mission."

Natsumi bows, her genins quickly follow, before she speaks, "It was fortunate that there were no missing-nin part of the program or we would've faced more difficulties."

"Is there any vital information that needs to be passed on?" The Hokage questions. Natsumi nods in response.

"Hai Hokage-sama. Two of the children we rescued were Daiki-sama's children. He said he will owe us a favour," Natsumi glances at Toru before adding, "and when he's next in Konoha or needing a Konoha-nin he wishes to have Toru-kun's team. The children seemed to have taken a liking to him."

"This is good news," the Hokage says with a smile, making him look younger than he really is. "Thank you Team Five. You are dismissed."

"Hai Hokage-sama," comes reply as Team Five bow before leaving the office.

Once they exit the office, Toru looks to his cousin and his friend. Natsumi sees the look and gives her genins a smile. "Take the rest of the day off, along with tomorrow morning; I want reports in tomorrow afternoon and we'll go over them."

"Thanks Natsumi-sensei!" Kiku chirps before walking off, with Shou following her.

Someone grabs his hand, and Toru looks down to see Sasuke. "Missed you," the eight-year-old mutters softly.

"I missed you too," Toru replies just as soft. "What did you do while I was gone?" Sasuke shares a glance with Naruto and then they both look away. Toru blinks in amusement at the identical behaviour, "I won't have to ask Iruka-san, will I?"

The pair of eight-year-olds shakes their heads. "We pranked the old lady in the civilian take-away store near the academy," Sasuke eventually mumbles.

Toru barks out a laugh, "I went there once and I'm never going back. I don't feel like getting my cheeks pinched ever again. Good on you two," he says as he ruffles both heads of hair. "Anything else I should know about?"

"I found an apartment," Sasuke admits. "It's not really close to the academy, but I don't mind walking in the morning."

"Oh, that was the one you showed me! It's really, really, really big Toru-san! It's– It's bigger than the stone Hokage heads! There's like six bedrooms, a giant longue with a TV, and you have the bestest, biggest kitchen!" Naruto says excitedly. "You're also near my apartment!"

"Bestest isn't a word, stupid," Sasuke insults, making a face at Naruto.

"I'm not stupid! You're stupid!" Naruto replies. Toru sighs and swats them both on the heads lightly.

"Sasuke, stop insulting Naruto. Naruto, if someone insults you, use a different insult – be creative," Toru advises. It probably isn't the best advice, but Toru was never the best person to give advice regarding social intricacies. "Naruto, I'm sure you can drop by for meals. The pair of you can walk to school together as well."

"So we're getting the apartment?" Sasuke asks, and Toru notices the stunned expression on Naruto's face and ignores the part of him that's angering at the treatment the kid receives.

"Yeah, I don't particularly want to stay where we are if we don't have to," Toru admits. "That okay with you kid?"

"Not a kid," Sasuke says before nodding.

Mission Type: Guarding, infiltration, and stealing

Rank: C-ranked mission

Mission Objective: Guarding of Hirosue Toda and wares, as well as infiltrating and stealing a list

Information: Hirosue Toda (merchant – see Appendix A for information) has paid for a mission regarding the safety of his person and properties (see Appendix A for details) to Minamoto (located within Hi no Kuni's borders) and back. Toda paid for a secondary objective to be completed, this objective was to steal a list from a rival business (see Appendix B for details).

Issued to: Natsumi Hayashi (#009738, jōnin, team leader), Toru Uchiha (#012182, genin, secondary leader), Shou Shimizu (#012183, genin), Kiku Kurama (#012184, genin)

Mission Objective One: Successfully completed to a satisfactory level

Mission Objective Two: Successfully completed to a satisfactory level

Information Post-Mission: Mission parameters were changed upon new information regarding children being kidnapped. Genin #012182 allowed himself to be caught and led jōnin #009738, genin #012183, and genin #012184 to the location where the children were being held. Genin #012182 located and successfully rescued all the children and lead them to a secure room. Meanwhile, jōnin #009738, genin #012183, and genin #012184 came across a Kusagakure shinobi (Arata Kita – see Appendix C). They joined forces, the Kusagakure shinobi and jōnin #009738 created a distraction, while genin #012183 and genin #012184 helped genin #012182 take the children to the meeting location. After returning the children, a set of twins were found to be Daiki Moto (see Appendix D). Moto agreed to owe Konohagakure a favour.

Team Leader Report: It took five days to reach Minamoto from Konohagakure. There was only one attack from a wild animal and was dealt with by all genins on the mission. Minamoto was reached in time, and Toda set up his caravan to sell his wares to the public. The second night was when the infiltration was completed (see genins reports). Genin #012183 reported hearing a rumour regarding a child stolen from Minamoto. Further investigation proved the rumour true, and the leader of the town paid for another mission to rescue the stolen child. As jōnin, I sent a bird to Konoha in regards to the new information a few hours later. While this occurred, genin #012182 was taken while guarding Toda's caravan. Genin #012182 left a trail leading to the base, where a Kusagakure shinobi was apprehended. The shinobi in question agreed to help create a distraction along with myself; while the remaining genin (#012184 and #012183) located genin #012182 and found the children. Everyone met up at the meeting location where the Kusagakure shinobi revealed that a set of twins belonged to Daiki Moto. Upon returning the children, genin #012183, genin #012182, genin #012184, and myself guarded Toda on the five-day journey back to Konohagakure from Minamoto.

Adjacent Report – Genin #012182: After being taken by an unknown person, I immediately left a trail through chakra. When the base was reached, I was forced onto the ground and briefly spoke to the assumed leader of the organisation (see Appendix E), who admitted to owning the business that had been left to him by his parents. I was then taken to a dark room, which contained ten children. With a kunai that hadn't been found, I freed the other children and led them to a safe room. I locked the safe room and left. I found two other rooms of children who were working as slaves and led them back to the safe room. Upon reaching the safe room, genin #012183 and #012184 found the children and myself. They led the way to the meeting location, where we were found by jōnin #009738 and a Kusagakure shinobi.

Team Leader Observations: Genin #012182 works extremely well under pressure and demonstrated the ability to think up plans on the fly and use his situation to his advantage. He was able to calm the children (civilians) and was ready to move out when told. Recommendations: psyche test (genin #012183 admitted to taking three human lives for the first time) as well as an IQ test (possible genius?).

Complaints From Team Regarding Teammates: None

Complaints From Client: None

A.N

Now, Toru's response to killing is unusual, even as a shinobi. From a young age, he has been taught that it will be necessary to kill or he will be killed. Ultimately, he knows that it's a matter of survival, but even so, there should normally be a reaction for taking a life for the first time. Except, this isn't really Toru's first time and he remembers being killed and killing. He's not in the best place either, so I'm sure there'll be some big breakdown or something. Currently, I'm aiming to get Team Five up to being chunin and after that, I'm going to time skip up until the series actually starts. There isn't really much I have planned until we get to where the plot really begins. This is almost like the prequel, I guess. There's maybe over three chapters until I do have my massive time skips, although I'll probably show some growth around that time.

Also thank you for the reviews! I've enjoyed reading them and I really appreciate the exclamation marks that make you guys appear so excited and happy! I hope you like this chapter.