It had been a while since the Aoi Kiku trip. We had went home, and Takara was training our buts off. Takara took over the academic side of training as well. Chikako and I would spar, but the score so far was Chikako: 24, Himawari: 0. It was safe to say I need a lot more training if I was to ever become strong enough to survive and protect my freedom.

Crunch

I quickly turned my head towards the sound. Entering the clearing was a mist ninja which was prominent on his mask. He had black hair and nothing else could be seen of him, for all of his skin was completely covered. He turned his head towards me making me dart into the house to fetch Takara.

"Takara!" I shouted worried. "There is a mist ninja here!"

Takara appeared on the front porch in a flash with Chikako fast behind her. As the Mist ninja walked up, I hid by the front window listening in.

"Are you Takara Uzumaki? Ruby of the Rock?" The ninja asked with a baritone voice.

"Depends wigs asking?" Takara responded ready to defend.

"I am Daichi of the Mist. I'm a guard for the Daimyo of The Water." He introduced himself slowly. Daimyo? Why would somebody like him be here.

"Why would the Daimyo of the Water be searching for me?" She narrowed her emerald eyes at him. "I'm not from the Water."

"If you were from the Water, you'd have been dead by now. The Daimyo is searching for you because he needs your assistance in sealing something." Daichi informed strictly.

"He's just going to have to find someone else." Takara got ready or shut the door, but but Daichi put his foot in the way preventing it.

"I saw you have children here, and I assure you no harm will come to them." He tried to persuade her, but I honestly don't think Takara will bend.

"No thanks."

"I didn't want to have to pull this card." He muttered to himself. "You live in The Land of Water. This is property owned by our Daimyo. You do not pay taxes on your land considering nobody knows you live here. It was extremely hard to find you. If you do not help, I will tell the higher ups where you live, and they will return you to your respective villages."

I looked at Takara. She had a contorted face. We were in a hole here. None of us wanted to leave our homes and be forced to go back. If I were to go back as I am now, there would most definitely be severe punishment. I couldn't even begin to know what would happen to Takara or Chikako.

"Very well." Takara tersely replied. "Let us pack."

Takara shut the door in anger leaving the man out on the porch to wait. It wasn't exactly his fault we were in this rut but the Daimyo, yet he was going to get the front of all of her rage. She was so mad that rather then tell us to pack, she threw out our clothes from our dressers and just sealed them up in scrolls. Takara threw them towards us and we put them away silently. Chikako and I didn't want to be the ones to receive even more anger.

•—•

The trip was silent. From the walk to the ocean, the boat ride, and through the land on the way to the Daimyo's mansion. We weren't there yet, and there were stops for us to sleep.

On the way Daichi told us what the Daimyo wanted her to do. He wanted Takara to seal up a sword called
Sanpin and was a Wakizashi type of sword. It's typically the short blade that accompanies a Katana, but not a tanto which is shorter, more like a dagger.

After Daichi passed a small creek, it was then he decided to speak once more. Honestly he have should just stayed silent.

"Uzumaki-San?" Daichi asked trying to break tension.

"Hmm?" Her reply was full of boredom.

"The small one," he pointed at me, "has a Kekkei Genkai, doesn't he?"

I jumped in surprise as he said that. Chikako grabbed me and pulled me close as Takara threw him to the ground and had a Kunai to his neck.

"Yeah? And?" Takara monotonously said.

"I'm not interested in it or anything." Daichi was shaking his hands at her. "I'm jus staying in this land Kekkei Genkai aren't accepted, so I don't know how the Daimyo or other guards will react. They might imprison her or take it."

Takara relented and got up realizing Daichi. As much I hated to say it. Daichi was right about that. Takara thought me this, and I had to be extremely careful.

"Chikako watch Daichi." She muttered to her. "Hiro, follow me." Takara took me off the path a little ways. She picked me up and into the trees, setting me on one that had a hollow big enough for me to hide in. "I want you to stay here, until I come back. You hear me?"

"Yes." I whispered a bit scared. Takara gave me one last hug before taking off.

Looks like I'd be here a while.

•—•