"Fuzen Kanpeki?"

I look up at the man, studying him quickly. He had short green hair, two knifes strapped to his waist and a teasing smirk planted firmly on his face.

"Yes..." I trail off, unsure.

"We'll be your escorts for your trip!" He announced, pushing off the wall. "I'm Guerin, the sensei of the team that will be escorting you."

"Nice to meet you," I bow slightly.

"Hey, I'm Akira," a girl with short orange hair smiled, "And this is, well, also Akira."

I look between the girl with short orange hair and the boy with black hair in confusion. "You're both named Akira?" I ask.

"Mhmm," the girl nodded, "To stop any confusion, my nickname is Kira, meaning beam of light. You can call him," she jerks her thumb towards the boy, "Aki."

"Okay," I nod slowly, "And your name is?" I nod to the boy with white hair.

He tilts his head slightly, not answering. "He doesn't speak much," Kira said, "His name is Hibiki."

My lip twitches. Echo. A fitting name for the shadow of a boy. You could barely sense his presence, much like an echo.

"Now that introductions are over, ready to move out? It's a two day journey to our destination," Guerin said. "Your servant already has your luggage on the donkey. Let's go."

"Mm," I nod in affirmation, waving to the servant as she leaves.

And with that, we walk out the gates.

***

"No need to look so worried."

I look up at Guerin with a smile. "Sorry," I apologize, "I'm a ninja as well; it's a little strange to be protected end instead of protecting, y'know?"

"Ha, I understand," Guerin grinned, "But Kira and Aki are both chunin, and Hibiki is a fantastic ninja as well."

"I'm not worried," I reassure him, "I was actually thinking about the chunin exams."

"Oh? Why's that?" Guerin questioned.

"I participated in them, though I lost in the prelims," I admit, ashamed, "I was thinking about a friend of mine. I didn't get to see his fight. I was wondering if he passed."

"Oh, well what was his name? My team and I were viewing the prelims together. We may have seen the fight you're taking about."

"Really?!" I exclaim excitedly.

"Yeah," Kira grinned, "All the fights were amazing! There are so many strong genin coming up!"

"Yeah," I agree quietly.

"Speak up, baka," Aki ordered.

I stared, offended. How could he call me an idiot so casually? I was paying him for God's sake! That was so ride to say, much less to a paying customer!

"Ah, don't mind, don't mind him," Kira waved, "He doesn't mean it. It's just a bad habit of his."

"Oh...okay...?" I say slowly. People were strange. "Anyhow, his name was Mizuko. How'd he do?"

Before anyone can respond Hibiki appear in front of me. I stare into his eyes, shocked, then he taps me on the forehead with two fingers.

Then blackness rushed through my mind, quickly followed by a burst of color.

And suddenly I'm standing in the preliminary arena. I see the board, and to my surprise I recognize one of the names on there.

Mizuko vs Katasho

Was this his fight?

Without my control, my sight turns to Shri, then to Mizuko, then to Katasho and back to Shri. Then the in formation clicks. Mizuko was teammates with Shri and Katasho.

Shri gazed loftily down on them, a smirk on his face. You could practically see him lounging on a throne. "Mizuko," he flicks his fingers carelessly, "Allow Katasho to beat you. And you can't give up or forfeit; that would be disgraceful... Entertain me, now."

Everyone's eyes widen as they glance between the two genin. Could a teammate do that? Order one of his own teammates to lose against another?

Mizu hanged his head for a moment before nodding. "Hai, Shri-sama," he murmured.

"If there are no forfeits," the proctor declared, "Let the fight... Begin!"

Katasho sprung forward, decking Mizu across the face. Mizu cries out in pain, spinning backwards. Daisuke and Shun stare, their concern battling their distrust. He was on Shri's team. Shri's team. Why hadn't he said so? Could they trust someone who was on the same team as that bastard?

And why was Mizu allowing himself to be beaten?

Mizu curled into a ball as Katasho kicked him in the stomach, a small groan escaping him. His teammate was being cruel. Katasho knew that Mizu wasn't allowed to give up, and knew he wasn't allowed to win, and yet he wasn't finishing the fight off. Katasho was dragging it out.

Katasho pulled Mizu up by the front of his shirt and leaned over, murmuring something into Mizu's ear. Immediately his expression shattered, despair clear in his eyes.

That was when Shun broke the silence.

"C'mon Mizu!! Fight back!"

Mizu doesn't even look up as his teammate's fist cracked sickeningly against his cheekbone.

"Get up Mizu!" Shun called out, nearly drowning out the sound of Katasho's knee knocking the air out of Mizu. "You can fight back!"

"Who is that leaf genin? Some faggot you befriended?" Katasho asked, "Maybe I should beat him up after I'm through with you."

Mizu looked up with a glare the moment Katasho threatened Shun, blood from a cut on his hairline dripping down his face. "Fuck off," he hissed in a poisonous voice.

"Whatcha gonna do about it? Fight back?" Katasho mocked, then sent his elbow sailing towards Mizu's jaw.

Mizu caught it.

"Maybe I will," he snarled, hate making his eyes blaze.

Katasho's eyes widened as he backpedalled desperately, but it was too late. Mizu, faster than the eye could see, dashed forward, slamming his foot into Katasho's ribcage. Then Mizu spun behind Katasho, catching his head in a devastating roundhouse kick.

Katasho slammed into the ground and didn't get up.

It was silent. Mizu had gone from being beat up to destroying his opponent in less than five seconds. He had been ridiculously quick, landing the winning blow the moment he decided to. If you blinked, you would have missed it.

"The winner is Mizuko!"

Several people, including Daisuke and Shun, cheered, but Mizu didn't celebrate. In fact, he looked terrified. Face white, he spun around, facing Shri with fear in his eyes.

"Please forgive me, Shri-sama," he begged, throwing himself to the floor. His head slammed against the dirt in his hurry to bow before Shri, but he payed no mind to the new injury. "I apologize for disobeying your direct order. Please forgive me."

The arena went silent at Mizu's display before all eyes went to Shri. What would he say? And what could he do to Mizu to cause such fear?

Shri looked down at him, one eyebrow raised. Then he turned away, contempt clear in his stance.

"I'll deal with you later," he promised.

Everyone could see the tear that slipped down Mizu's trembling face.

I'm yanked out of the vision as suddenly as it began. My eyes are wide, breath gasping and my hands were trembling.

"You okay?" Guerin asked, "Sorry about that. Hibiki should've asked you for permission before sharing a memory," he glares pointedly at Hibiki who merely tilts his head innocently. "You good?"

"Eh, she's not throwing up," Kira points out.

"Unlike you when you first viewed a memory, baka," Aki points out.

"Shut up!"

"What did he show you?" Guerin asks, curious.

"The fight," I explain, "That was horrible! Can someone actually do that?"

"What, order teammates around like that brat was doing?" Guerin asks. I nod. "Well, yeah. Even the threats are fine, because they aren't out genin. It's not the Leaf's place to get involved in that," he shrugs.

"That's horrible," I mumble.

"That's life," Guerin responds. "Now, c'mon. We have a schedule to keep."

___________________________

I know to short AGAIN, but hey, at least I'm updating!

THREE new OCs for you guys to keep track of ;P this is definitely the most complex book I've ever written when it comes to OCs and having proper character development and not getting stories tangled up and having everything agree with everything. It's pretty in depth right now XD

How'd you like it? Mizuko IS on Shri's team. For those of you who speculated that, nice job!

Here are the links to the photos of the team! Kira is to the side! These links will also be in the comments!

Aki: http://ajcookonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/black-hair-blue-eyes-anime-boy-u537d21u.jpg

Guerin: http://s873.photobucket.com/user/LawinX/media/OtakuZone/GreenHair-Boy.jpg.html

Hibiki: http://s187.photobucket.com/user/_gothic_vampire_/media/Anime%20guys/bishie121.jpg.html

Hope you enjoyed!!!! Please comment!!!

Comment! Vote!

Bye!

gaara119