SUPER TEAM 5-II

Chapter 1: ASSEMBLE

It is five am in the village of Konoha, in the land of Fire country. The sun has yet to rise and Kiru Nibai has a visitor in his room. Kiru is rustled from his slumber by a hand shaking his body. Kiru moans groggily as he squints open his eyes to see who it is he must to kill now. His squinty eyes widen as he recognizes the person squatted at the end of his bed as if he was an animal waiting to pounce.

KIRU
"Dad?!"

Daigoro smiles at his sleepy son.

DAIGORO
"Wakey wakey eggs and bacey son. You’ve been summoned by the council."

Kiru lays his head back down on the bed closing his eyes.

KIRU
"Tell them to summon me at noon."

He instantly falls back into slumber. Daigoro shakes his head trying to hold back a chuckle. He vaults off his son’s bed, double flips in the air and lands on the ground beside Kiru. Daigoro shakes Kiru repeatedly as he yells trying to wake the boy. All to no avail. Daigoro grabs Kiru’s blanket and yanks it off the bed. Kiru turns around and buried his face in his pillow. Daigoro stops and thinks for a moment on how to wake his son.

DAIGORO
"Kiru look Tenten’s naked in your bedroom!"

Kiru springs up out of bed looking around the room frantically.

KIRU
"WHAT?! WHAT?! WHERE!?"

Daigoro gives him a suspicious look.

DAIGORO
"I think you and I need to have a little talk. After you go to this summon."

Kiru glares at his father for pulling such a trick.

DAIGORO
"Now meet me outside in ten minutes, be sure to have on your chunnin uniform too."

Kiru nodded his head in agreement rubbing his sleepy eyes. Daigoro gives him a hardy pat on the back before he heads out of the room.

KIRU
"Dad."

Daigoro stops and looks back at Kiru.

DAIGORO
"Yes?"

KIRU
"You are going to put some pants on before we go out right?"

Daigoro looked down at the heart-covered boxers Kiru was referring to.

DAIGORO
"Ohh if you insist, better make it fifteen minutes."

Fifteen minutes later Daigoro waits outside of the house for Kiru in full Anbu gear.

KIRU
"Ok I’m ready."

Kiru says as he walks out announcing his presence. Daigoro is surprised to see that Kiru has altered his traditional Chunnin jacket by cutting up the armholes in identical style to his regular vest. Daigoro just shakes his head and smiles at the ingenuity of his boy. Daigoro turns down the street and starts walking. Kiru quickly follows behind him.

KIRU
"What’s this all about dad?"

DAIGORO
"I don’t know, we got a message just half an hour ago calling you in to receive orders for your first Chunnin team mission."

KIRU
"What mission?"

DAIGORO
"Well that’s what we’re on our way to find out Kiru."

KIRU
"But why so damn early!"

DAIGORO
"I don’t know, maybe after you get your mission you can make a protest."

KIRU
"Ohhh I will."

DAIGORO
"I hope they listen, I’d like to sleep in more often myself."

Inside the council chambers where missions are normally assigned to the ninja’s of Konoha. Kiru and Daigoro are surprised to see only two people there and no Hokage in sight. Daigoro stands in a corner watching and listening to the briefing as Kiru steps forward to face the two council members. Kiru sits down in the chair placed in front of the table facing Mr. Koharu and Lady Hoharu.

KIRU
"Uhmm…what’s up?"

Kiru asks already starting to feel nervous.

KOHARU
"Kiru Nibai we have an important mission that you have been chosen for."

Hoharu hands a folder with a photograph clipped to it across the table to Kiru.

HOHARU
"Are you familiar with this item?"

She asks referring to the photograph of a green crystal necklace being worn by the current Hokage of Konoha Tsunade.

KIRU
"Tsunade’s breast? Well I don’t know them personally but I know of them."

Hoharu and Koharu’s eyes bulge out of their skulls. Daigoro puts his hands over his masked mouth to hold in his laughter.

KOHARU
"Ahem, no what we are referring to is the crystal heart pendant that the Hokage is wearing."

HOHARU
"There are only two of these necklaces in the world. The green crystal heart worn here by Tsunade, once belonged to the first Hokage and now belongs with your fellow shinobi Naruto, and the red crystal heart once worn by Konoha’s second Hokage.

KIRU
"Ohh that’s nice…"

Kiru says as he looks around the room completely loosing interest in the conversation.

HOHARU
"Since his death the crystal was held in memoriam near the Hokage memorial."

KIRU
"Uhh huh uhh huh and what does any of this have to do with BRINGING ME HERE AT THIS UNGODLY HOUR!"

Daigoro cringes at the sight of Koharu and Hoharu using all their restraint to keep from banishing Kiru out of Konoha for life. Koharu regains his composure and continues where the now flustered Hoharu left off.

KOHARU
"Last night the crystal heart was stolen from the memoriam."

Kiru’s restless edginess is immediately halted and the two elders have is undivided attention.

KOHARU
"The evidence at the scene clearly points to ninja’s from the hidden grass village. We believe however that it was taken by a group of rouge grass ninjas located in a grass country village called Puranteshon. Our fear is that this act will be used to cause a rift between our two countries and possible start a war between our two villages."

HOHARU
"The crystal itself has no power or station but it is of great historical and financial significance. And means a great deal to our Hokage. She will spare no expense in hunting it down and keeping it out of the wrong hands. Including sending full Anbu forces into grass country to retrieve it."

KOHARU
"This of course would only escalate hostilities and the chance of war."

HOHARU
"There fore we must do everything we can to retrieve the necklace without her knowing."

KOHARU
"That is where you come in Kiru Nibai."

KIRU
"I was wondering when you were going to her to that."

KOHARU
"Kiru your mission is to assemble a team of genin ninjas. Travel to Grass country to the village of Puranteshon. Find the crystal heart, and bring it back in three days."

KIRU
"YES!!!"

Kiru jumps up from his seat in excitement.

KIRU
"A real mission! Finally! A real chance to….did you say three day?"
Koharu rubs his head starting to fell a large migraine.

HOHARU
"Yes three days. Lady Tsunade is away on a meeting in the hidden village of the sand with their Kazekage. She will be back in two days. This gives you three days including this one to complete your mission."

Daigoro steps forward to speck up on the situation.

DAIGORO
“Excuse me. Not that I do not have full confidence in my son and his abilities, but if this mission is so important why give it to a new chunin and a group of genin.”

KIRU
"Hey yeah, why is that?!"

KOHARU
"Because we must keep this as quite as possible. If we were to send a team of jounin or one anbu the word could quickly spread through all of Konoha and reach either the grass nins or Tsunade."

HOHARU
"But a team with an unknown chunin and random genin can easily leave town unnoticed."

KOHARU
"Now be warned Kiru that depending on what you find in Puranteshon, the difficult of this mission could range from a C to even an A rank mission. Are you willing to accept this mission."

KIRU
"Well it seems we don’t have a lot of time to debate, think or dick around with this. I’ll take the mission on two conditions. One I can chose someone else to take up actual leadership of the team. Two you never ever wake anyone up this early for a damn mission assignment again!!"

KOHARU
"As long as you finish your mission we do not care who does what on your team. And we summon ninja’s when they are needed for the well being of Konoha no matter the time!"

HOHARU
"But we will take it into consideration next time."

KIRU
"Thank you, I will not let you down."

Kiru bows respectfully to both of them, then bolts out of the room. Daigoro takes a moment to laugh to himself before realizing that Kiru is already exiting the building. Daigoro runs out after him. He catches up with his son on the street of Konoha.

KIRU
"This is really big isn’t it dad?"

DAIGORO
"Yep."

KIRU
"Do you think…"

Daigoro places his hand on Kiru’s shoulder.

DAIGORO
"How about when you finish your mission we go out to dinner to celebrate, you choice."

KIRU
"Really? We can go anywhere to eat? Even Denis’s Blood Pool Steak House, where you can pick the cow before the slaughter it?"

Daigoro rubs his hand on Kiru’s head ruffling up his hair.

DAIGORO
"Sure, what ever you want."

KIRU
"Cool……..Do you really think I can do it dad?"

DAIGORO
"Son I don’t think, I know."

KIRU
"Thanks dad."

DAIGORO
"Now about this thing with you and Tenten, just how far has it gotten?"

KIRU
"Ohh uhh man I need to get going, I have a long mission ahead of me and little time to do it. I’ll see you when I get back dad!"

Kiru scrambles out already running away from his father as fast as he can.
Inside of the Nibai house. Kogoro Nibai turns the knob shutting off the water after finishing his morning shower. He opens the shower door and comes face to face with his not identical twin Kiru.

KOGORO
"AHH KIRU!"

Kogoro screams shutting the shower door.

KIRU
"What? I waited for you to finish."

Kiru tosses him a towel over the shower door.

KOGORO
"What do you want Kiru?"

KIRU
"I got my first chunin mission."

KOGORO
"You did? When?"

KIRU
"Just a few minutes ago."

KOGORO
"This soon, you just got promoted what two weeks ago?"

KIRU
"Yeah I know, isn’t it cool."

Kogoro finishes drying out his blond hair and wraps the towel around his waste. He opens the shower door and faces his brother.

Kogoro
"Well congratulations."

KIRU
"Thanks."

KOGORO
"You’re not here to gloat are you?"

KIRU
"No actually I want you to lead my mission."

KOGORO
"Excuse me?!"

KIRU
"For this mission I have to gather a team of genin and lead them into another country and into battle and stuff. As a chunin team leader I have to know the strengths and weakness of my team as well as my own. And lets face facts I can not lead."

KOGORO
"Hah so you finally get a chance to be in charge and you want me to come and order you around?"

KIRU
"Yeah pretty much. This is a really important mission, I want to do everything I can to succeed."

KOGORO
"You must if you’re willing to ask for my help with out any forcing or argument."

KIRU
"Are you going to do it or not."

KOGORO
"Like I would let you face your first chunin mission alone. Now will you GET OUT so I can get dressed!"

KIRU
"Ohh fine if you’re afraid to fight in the buff."

KOGORO
"Don’t test me on it!"

Kogoro yells pushing Kiru out of the bathroom.
Short time later Kiru and Kogoro sit on the roof of their home discussing the situation.

KOGORO
"So let me see if I have everything right. We have to gather a team, go to this village in Grass country, find out who stole the crystal, steal it back, and bring it to Konoha all in three days so that the Hokage never finds out?"

KIRU
"Three days counting this one."

KOGORO
"Ohh of course. Well there’s about half an hour left before dawn. If we figure out who to recruit as we go we may be able to set out at sunrise."

KIRU
"Sounds like a plan. Lucky us most of the genins are all out on their own missions."

KOGORO
"We’ll just have to do with what we go."

KIRU
"Right."

Kiru’s expression turns to a sudden seriousness.

KIRU
"Kogoro let’s keep Nomi out of this."

Kogoro nods his head in agreement.

"Why do you want to leave me out?"
Nomi’s voice specks up from behind them scaring the bagizes out of her brothers. They get a hold of themselves and turn to Nomi as she climbs out of the window onto the roof with them.

KOGORO
"Nomi, how long have you been there?"

NOMI
"Long enough. Why don’t you guys want me on your team? Am I really that much of a burden?"

KIRU
"No no no Nomi, you’ve never been a burden."

NOMI
"Then why?"

KOGORO
"It’s just that this mission could get very dangerous, even deadly."

KIRU
"And if anything ever happened to you Nomi we just couldn’t live with ourselves."

NOMI
"How do you think I would fell if anything happened to you guys. And I wasn’t there to even try and help!"

Nomi’s eyes begin to fill with water. Kiru and Kogoro move closer to her and unconsciously become sympathetically sad.

KOGORO
"Nomi we’re only…"

NOMI
"I know I know…"
She wipes the building tears from her eyes before she can cry.

NOMI
"You’re only trying to protect me. I just wish there was some way I could help you guys."

KOGORO
"You do help us Nomi."

KIRU
"You give us a reason to come home."
Nomi leans over and wraps her arms around both her brothers pulling them closer for a big hug.

NOMI
"You better come home, or I swear I’ll learn forbidden nojutsu’s and bring you back and make you pay."

They all share a chuckle at Nomi’s threat. The boys return their sister’s embrace squeezing her tightly before reluctantly letting her go.

KOGORO
"We will return Nomi you just be good and stay out of trouble."

KIRU
"And stay away from you know who."

NOMI
"KIRU!"

Kogoro calms Nomi’s squealing with a quick and tight hug.

KOGORO
"Goodbye Nomi."

KIRU
"We’ll see you in three days."

Kiru gives her a hug then walks over beside his brother.

NOMI
"Goodbye."

Kiru and Kogoro jump off of the rooftop to a tree in the back yard. From there they jump to another tree and onto a neighboring roof where they dash off into town. Nomi sits on the roof watching her brother’s leave and wishing so badly that she was strong enough to stand beside them.


Kogoro and Kiru jump down from the treetops and land at the training grounds located closest to their home.

KIRU
"Kogoro this is stupid, no one get’s up this early for training. Well except you."

KOGORO
"And him."

Kogoro points to the boy a short distance away hacking at a straw dummy with his bare hands. The kid chops his hand across the neck of his target sending the head flying through the air, hitting the ground, and rolling up Kiru’s foot.

KIRU
"I see."

Kogoro smirks at his brother and walks over to the training fighter. Kiru kicks the head away then follows behind his brother. The young ninja brushes the lose her off of his shoulder when he spots the brothers coming in his direction.

KOGORO
"Good morning Rinji."

Rinji responds with a polite bow of his head which Kogoro respectfully returns.

KOGORO
"Rinji this is my brother Kiru, Kiru meet Rinji Gekkou."

KIRU
"Hey there"

Rinji smiles and nods his head. A long moment of silence goes by as Kiru waits for Rinji to return his greeting. He quickly starts to get agitated at his rudeness. He looks back and forth between Kogoro and Rinji for someone to speck up.

KIRU
"What the hell! Are you going to return my greeting or what you rude little pipe squeak!"

KOGORO
"KIRU! Kiru Rinji can’t talk, he’s mute."

KIRU
"….Is that true?"

Rinji nods his head in agreement.

KIRU
"I see…..can you excuse us a moment."

Kiru pulls Kogoro aside moving so they are out of Rinji’s ear shot.

KIRU
"Are you kidding me! He’s a freaking mute!"

KOGORO
"Yeah and your point?"

KIRU
"What possible good could he be on the team? What’s he gonna do tap us on the back when he sees danger?! How do you even know this kid?"

KOGORO
"I meat him here at the training grounds, at you know at those early times when no one else is here. We’ve been training together for the past few months. He has a lot of skill and ability and I know what he can do. And because of this I want him on this team, now are you going to let me lead or not?"

KIRU
"Fine fine he can be on the team. But if bugs me with a lot of insesent talking I’m kicking his ass."

KOGORO
"Ohh har har Kiru."

They turn back towards Rinji who is waiting patiently for them curious to hear what is going on. The two of them walk back over to Rinji and Kogoro addresses him.

KOGORO
"Rinji we’re in trouble we need your help."

KIRU
"WE ARE GOOOOINNG ON A MISSSSSSION!MISSSSSSSS-SSSSON!"

KOGORO
"Kiru! He’s mute not deaf."

KIRU
"Ohh sorry."

Rinji waves his hand telling Kiru to forget, while he rubs his soar ear with his other hand.

KOGORO
"Just let me handle this. Rinji we have to get a team together, sneak into a village in the grass country, and retrieve a stolen artifact all in the next three days. We want you on the team, can you help us?"

Kogoro and Kiru watch him for a response. Rinji begins to move his mouth in order to speck and tell them his answer, yet no words leave his mouth. This drives Kiru mad. His eyes blink rapidly as he watches the mute speck. He looks over to his brother for some explanation, but Kogoro is intently watching Rinji’s silent talk. Before Kiru can snap again Rinji is finished. Kogoro nods his head accepting his friends answer.

KOGORO
"I see, ok then."

KIRU
"See what?! What the hell just happened?!"

KOGORO
"He said he would gladly join our team to help his friends and the people of Konoha."

KIRU
"Well good then. Meet us at the southwest gate out of Konoha in twenty minutes. And don’t let ANYONE know about this!"

Rinji nods to Kiru. He then turns his head to Kogoro. Rinji say’s something to him making Kogoro chuckle, this of course angering Kiru.

KOGORO
"Hah yes he is rather excitable."

KIRU
"What are you talking about!? And how the hell can you hear him!?"

KOGORO
"I can’t hear him, I read lips."

KIRU
"Ohh well in that case, read my lips."

Kiru continued talking at a whisper quiet level. Rinji is taken aback by Kiru’s choice of words and covers his own mouth in horror.


The brother’s Nibai walk up the stairs of a housing building.

KIRU
"You want this guy Kogoro, come on! I mean I know the pickings are slim right now but gess."

KOGORO
"You know as well as I do Kiru that all chunin and jounin teams are now required to have at least one medic or medic in training on their teams. I personally don’t know any other ones available do you?"

KIRU
"No not really, but I still don’t like it."

KOGORO
"Like it or not it’s the way it has to be."

They stop in front of a door. A sudden nervousness comes over Kogoro at the sight of the door.

KOGORO
"Now that you understand Kiru, I think I’ll let you do this one."

KIRU
"What?"

KOGORO
"You know him just as well as I do. So you can recruit this one all on your own, I’ll be out here…..strategiesing."

Kogoro tries to walk away. Kiru grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him back.

KIRU
"Ohh no you don’t, you aren’t chicken out just because of who might answer the door. We have a job to do and you’re going to do it with me."

KOGORO
"No no Kiru it’s not like that it’s" KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Before Kogoro can even finish his argument Kiru is banging at the door making sure to wake who ever is home. Kogoro thinks of escaping while they’re waiting for an answer, but Kiru holds him there. It is not long before they hear feet coming to the door. The knob turned and the door swung open. To Kogoro’s horror the person greeted them he least wanted to see right now.

SHINKA
"What do you wan……..Kogoro!?"

Shinka Takanawa’s eyes almost popped out in surprise at seeing the boys at her door at this hour in the morning. She closed the bathrobe she had on to cover her pj’s even tighter. She wanted to run away and hide but was stuck there at the front door.

SHINKA
"Uhh..what’s going on?"

Kogoro’s brain completely shut down with one look of his ‘Lover Girl’, as Kiru would call her, just as he had feared.

KOGORO
"Uhhmm humm nothing really you know."

SHINKA
"Ohh yeah…"

KOGORO
"Yeah…"

Kiru decided to but in and keep this from taking an hour.

KIRU
"Actually Shinka we’re here to see your brother."

SHINKA
"Kyoske??"

KIRU
"Is he here?"

SHINKA
"Yes he’s in his room just down the hall, but he’s asleep."

KIRU
"Ohh we’ll take care of that. Come on Romeo."

Kiru grabs his brother’s arm and drags him inside and down the hall.

KOGORO
"Uhmm..th..thank you Shinka…"

Kogoro manages to stammer out with a boyish smile at Shinka as he brother pulls him on past her. Shinka hides a small giggle as she shuts the front door. As she watches them go to her brother’s room she gets a strong sense of curiosity wondering what they want with her brother.


After waking Kyoske by breaking down his door Kiru and Kogoro sit down in chairs next to his bed and inform him of their situation finishing by asking him to be on their team

KYOSKE
"No way."

KIRU KOGORO
"WHAT!?" "WHAT!?"

KYOSKE
"I’m not risking my life on some stupid mission.

Kiru jumps out of his seat and Kogoro quickly grabs his brother to hold him back from attacking Kyoske.

KIRU
"What f*cking kind of ninja are you!?"

KYOSKE
"The kind that wants to live long enough to be a medic ninja. Why don’t you get my sister? I’m sure she’d be glad to help."

Kogoro calms Kiru down enough to get him to sit back down in his chair. Kiru turns to his brother.

KIRU
"That is a very good question. Why aren’t we asking her to join, she has to be better then this dip shit."

KYOSKE
"HEY!"

KOGORO
"Well why don’t we ask Tenten on our team?"

KIRU
"Because she’s away on a mission."

KOGORO
"Ok then it’s for the same reason we don’t want Nomi to come along. I just don’t want to see anything bad happen to her."

KYOSKE
"If this is something that could put her in danger, then hell no I’m not going!"

KOGORO
"But that’s why we need you. If things get bad will need your medical expertise. Which will make you the most valuable person on our team."

KYOSKE
"As flattering as that is I still say no. Beside I’m not even a full medic nin yet, I’m just in training. I know a few healing techniques and some medicine that’s about it."

KIRU
"We’ll take it."

KYOSKE
"Well you’ll have to take it from some where else."

Kogoro sighs and lowers his head felling defeated. Kiru looks around trying to figure out what to do. He soon notices the several Come Come Paradise posters and pinups of scantly clad beautiful women all over the room.

KIRU
"Kyoske have you ever heard been to grass country?"

KYOSKE
"No."

KIRU
"Then you don’t know about the girls."

Kyoske’s eyebrow raises in curiosity. Kogoro lifts his head up questioning Kiru as well.

Kyoske
"What girls?"

KIRU
"Farm girls Kyoske, farm girls. Grass country is full of them. They have shy house working type of girls just yearning for a little taste of the outside world beyond their dreary yet immaculate households. Then they got the grown up tom boys, the girls working in the field getting well toned bodies just looking for a boy to wrestle with."

Kogoro looks over at Kyoske and can swear that the boy was drooling. He quickly joins in with Kiru’s farce.

KOGORO
"Yeah farm girls are something to see and hey you know if we hurry and get to the village by dawn tomorrow morning. That would give us a whole day to investigate the town. Plenty of time to meet a few grass ladies."

KIRU
"Of course what happen in another country stays in another country."

Kyoske grins from ear to ear just thinking over the tantalizing possibilities.

KYOSKE
"Ok ok I’m in! But if I catch the slightest wind that my life is in danger I’m bolting."

KIRU
"Fine, as long as know that if we catch the slightest wind that you’re going to run out on us when we need you. I’ll kill you myself."

KYOSKE
"Ohh boy this is going to be a fun trip."

Kyoske says sarcastically as he rolls his eyes.

KOGORO
"Just meet us at the south west gate in fifteen minutes."

Kogoro orders him as he gets up from his chair.

KIRU
"And do not let Shinka or anyone else know about this."

Kiru adds getting up to follow his brother to the door. On the other side of the door Shinka rushes away from the door and jumps down on the near by couch. She sits properly as if she had been there the whole time as her brother’s door opens up. Kogoro and Kiru exit the room heading to the front door. While Kiru continues walking straight to the door and out of their home Kogoro stops to address Shinka.

KOGORO
"Hey…"

SHINKA
"Hi…"

KOGORO
"We uhh we have to go now."

SHINKA
"Ohh ok."

Shinka struggles to think of what to say, not wanting to let him know she was ease dropping but still wanting to say something to him about it.

SHINKA
"Kogoro….. I’ll see you later."

Kogoro gives her that boyishly charming smile of his.

KOGORO
"Yeah I’ll see you later."

Shinka nods her head in acceptance. Kogoro gives a slight wave of the hand goodbye. He then heads out the door after his brother.


He catches up to Kiru on the street outside the building.

KOGORO
"So that makes four team members."

Kiru just continues walking.

KOGORO
"Do you think we need more?"

KIRU
"……."

KOGORO
"Hmm maybe one more."

KIRU
"……."

KOGORO
"Yeah one more member should do it."

KIRU
"……."

KOGORO
"Ok we’ll get one more."


Later at the southwest gate as the sun begins to rise. Rinji is already there waiting. He adjusts the backpack he is carrying on his shoulders as he looks over the area. Rinji smiles when he spots Kogoro and Kiru over the horizon running to the gate. At their quick running haste they soon arrive where Rinji is waiting.

KOGORO
"Hey Rinji thanks for coming."

Rinji replies with a polite bow to both the brothers.

KOGORO
"Sorry we’re late. Kiru took a while to gather his things."

Kogoro points out the large duffel bad at his twin’s side.

KIRU
"Hey! I need my supplies, you’ll thank me for it later."

KOGORO
"Ohh I’m so sure I will."

Rinji covers his mouth as he silently chuckles at their antics. Kiru glares at him.

KIRU
"What’s so funny?!"

Rinji quickly stops laughing and shakes his head.

KIRU
"Ohh nothings funny?1 Cause I could have swore I saw you laughing? So what were you laughing at hmm?!"

KYOSKE
"He’s just laughing at you Kiru like everyone else does."

Kyoske calls out as he walks over to the group. He carries to shoulder bags with him one strapped on each side.

KIRU
"Ohh ho ho and nurse boy has arrived."

KYOSKE
"Hey watch it there’s a limit to the abuse I can take."

KIRU
"I’ll be sure to find it."

KYOSKE
"I can tell. So are we ready to get this show on the road or what?"

KOGORO
"Not yet, there’s still one more person."

KYOSKE
"Who?"

KIRU
"Him."

Kiru points behind Kyoske. Kyoske turns his head and finds Taifu Kazeno standing over his shoulder like a looming killer.

KYOSKE
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Kyoske screams and falls to the ground in shock and horror. Taifu’s eyes blink as he looks down at him then back to the rest of the team.

TAIFU
"What is with him?"

The others just shaker their heads and shrug their shoulders as if they haven’t a clue. Kyoske gets up off the ground mumbling curse words to himself.

KOGORO
"Well now that all of that is out of the way. It’s dawn, we have until nightfall two days from now to make it to grass country, find the crystal heart, face unknown adversaries, and return home to Konoha with the crystal. Many of you have never fought together in fact some of you have never met, but in order to succeed we will have to trust and rely on everyone with our lives. If any of you fell that you are not up to this then now is you last chance to leave."

The team stands silent facing Kogoro. Except for Kyoske who looks back and forth between Kogoro and Konoha several times before finally stopping at Kogoro.

KIRU
"Come on Kogoro we’re burning daylight here!"

Kogoro nods and turns around facing the open gates.

KOGORO
"Alright team let’s go!"

Kogoro begins walking towards the gate. The four boys all line up beside him. As the sun rises in the sky over Konoha Rinji, Kiru, Kogoro, Kyoske, and Taifu exit their village to face unknown peril that lay ahead.

Preview: The new team’s long journey begins with a deadly border crossing.
Next Chapter, The Brier Patch