Third-Person POV

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ A few hours ago✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

"Damn that jiko!" Kazue boomed upon leaving the Academy. "How the hell did he become a ninja? I could've sworn he was done for!"

"What, did you sabotage him or something?" came Tensho from behind.

"D'you really think I'd waste time and energy doing something he could do on his own?" Kaz replied. "And why the hell can't I change teams?!"

"Sorry, Kazue," said the Sixth Hokage, "but once the team has been made there's no changing it. (At least I'm pretty certain those were how the rules are)"

"He's not even sure if those are the rules or not!" Kaz gritted his teeth. "What kinda Hokage is that?"

Then, the hand of Kosetsu Heiwa, their team sensei, landed on Kazue's head and she began to squeeze his skull. "That's enough complaining out of you, Katsumi. You're on my team now and that's that."

"AH, DAMN, LET GO, YOU OLD HAG!!" Kazue screamed.

Veins flashed on Kosetsu's forehead. "Old hag?" She squeezed his skull even more, much to Kazue's detriment. "I think before we leave on our mission I'll teach you to respect your seniors!"

Behind them, Tensho was laughing in amusement and Jin had a worried look on her face.

"Alright," Kosetsu said, "Lord Sixth has already explained the mission but I'll reiterate it for those who weren't listening." She looked in between Tensho and Jin to Kazue who had smoke issuing from his head.

"Our first mission as a team is to head over to the Village Hidden in Hot Water. The daimyo of the country has reported seeing missing-nin roam around the village, however, none of them has really made a move. Regardless, the daimyo has requested aid from the Hokage. So our job is just to patrol the village and keep an eye's out for anything suspicious."

"Seriously, that's it? We're just gonna walk around a village? " Kaz objected.

"Hey, be grateful," Tensho chipped in, "at least Lord Sixth was gracious enough to even give us a C-rank mission!"

Kosetsu raised an eyebrow. "Do we have a problem, Katsumi? Because you could always just hand in your forehead protector and go home."

Kazue gritted his teeth. Dammitall, I didn't become a ninja just to walk around.

On their way out of the Entrance Gate, Tensho walked up to Kazue.

"So can I ask you a question?"

"No."

"What exactly do you have against Iroko? Did he do something to you? Why do you hate him so much? You're not jealous of him or something are you? Why're aren't you saying anything? Also what's-?"

"Shut up," he replied without looking at her. He did not shout it but it was very direct.

The whole team had stopped moving. Beside them, Jin was listening in on the conversation and Kosetsu led the way but didn't say a word either.

"I don't have to tell you anything!! But if you wanna know so badly why I hate the damn loser the answer's simple: It's 'cos he's weak!!! Always has been, always will be! PERIOD."

Dead silence hit home.

Tensho looked away. "I see..."

"Katsumi, speak like that to your teammate again and you're off the Ninja Course," said Kosetsu. "Understood?"

The rebel ninja made a Tch sound and gritted his canine teeth.

The team stayed silent for the rest of the journey to the Village Hidden in Hot Water.

Damn you, jiko, always goin' on about being the ultimate ninja or something, thought Kaz, Your dumbass is probably gonna die on that mission anyways. There's no need for someone as weak as you. You're no ninja, because a real one, no matter what, always comes out on top.

Just like Naruto.

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ Present✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

The wind blew with uncertainty as Team 12 continued on the path to the Hidden Waterfall, guarding Hotaru all the while.

Yuura walked with Hisao-sensei while Iroko and Asami hung back with Hotaru.

"So, Hotaru, you got a favourite hobby or something?" Iroko asked.

"Oh, well, I do enjoy studying different kinds of animals," she said.

"Cool, what kinds?"

"My favourite animal to study is the firefly. I just love the way it lights up in the night. It's almost like a beacon of hope in the dark when all things seem lost..." She lost her voice and became earnest again. Then she spoke once more:

"About five or six years ago. I had met a man who was on the run from the Anbu of the Hidden Mist. At the time, I thought said was after me so when he drove them off I believed I was in his debt. He was so strong and resilient, I wanted to learn ninjutsu from him. I viewed him as my master, someone I could look up to. A role model."

Iroko and Asami were quiet. The blue-streaked boy had a face of longing like he was resonating with her words.

"One day, when we were out travelling, he told me he would be going to meet with the Mist's Anbu in order to convince them to let him train me and that I should wait there in the meanwhile. So wait I did. But he never returned. Later on, word had reached that he was killed by the Akatsuki. It broke my heart. It hurt. But what hurt more was knowing he had left me."

She suddenly came to from her somberness and wiped her eyes of tears. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I told you all that--"

"It's because you miss him," said Iroko. His voice was hard and there was a shadow over his face. "It hurts because you were out there waiting and waiting for so long only to hear that there was no point." He looked up to the sky, the wind blew again. "And you're telling us this because deep down you want someone to tell you that it's okay."

Hotaru looked on in surprise.

Suddenly, his disposition took a full 180. "Well, you don't gotta worry because I'm never gonna leave when you're in trouble. If you ever need help, Hotaru, just say the word and no matter where I am I'll swoop in to save you. 'Cos I'm not just a ninja, I'm a hero, too!"

Asami deadpanned. "You're a brickhead all together."

She smiled joyfully. "Thank you, Iroko!"

He rubbed his nose sheepishly. Hisao looked back with impression. He is already making a name for himself.

Afterwards, they continued on the path and had switched to a much lighter conversation.

Then Asami had stopped dead in her tracks.

Iroko was the first to notice. "Hey, everything alright?"

She did not answer. Instead, she was gazing into the deep forest that was to their right.

"Helloooo? Earth to Asami?!"

She spun her head back to him. "What?"

Iroko had his arms crossed. "I dunno. You tell me."

She walked past him, brushing it off. "Nothing, it was just a bird. Let's keep going."

"NoThIn, iT WaS juSt a BiRD," he mouthed.

"I heard that."

He sweatdropped. "H- heard what?"

...

On a steep hill, quite far from the path, a tall, shadowy figure stood like a vigilant eagle watching over Team 12.

Beside him, another mysterious figure flash-stepped to his side.

"How many?" asked the first one.

"Just four, like you theorized. One's an adult and three of them are kids." replied the second. "Tch, is this really the best the Leaf could do?"

"Don't underestimate them. Even if they are just kids, they could be more skilled than they let on. The Sixth Hokage probably knew what he was doing."

"Yeah, you might be right. The one with white hair nearly caught on to me. But the blue-streaked one, I'm not so sure, he looks kinda weak. So, Zutsumi, what's the plan?"

The first figure, Zutsumi, was silent for a moment, then he spoke. "You'll be the one to deal with the two kids beside the Princess. I'll take the other one and the adult man. Be sure to isolate them from him. If he reaches the Princess, things could take a turn for the worse."

"Heh, will do," said the second figure, grinning. "Honestly, I feel kinda bad for the Princess, having two kids as bodyguards."

Before he could flash-step away, though --

"Ryuun," Zutsumi called out. "Do not slack off. If we fail this mission we'll never get the promotion for the title of Grief. You understand that, don't you?"

The one called Ryuun gave a snicker, then he was gone.

Princess Hotaru of the Tsuchigumo clan, Zutsumi voiced in his head. Today is the day you die.