Reborn in the Mist

Whether it was obvious to the crowds their profession or not, a group as large as theirs moving through the pseudo-city drew on a ton of eyes. The girls weren’t fond of it, particularly Team 8’s wannabe kunoichi Zabuza kept forgetting existed— largely because she made great effort to steer clear of him.

Even now she and her unbalanced team were far to the rear where Ao kept his eye locked on Maita. Team 3 and 5 bunched closest to Pakura of the Scorched Sands as she deftly speedwalked through the city. Her head spun on its neck as often as Zabuza’s did and Ao’s positioning at the rear all but confirmed the Jounin’s thinking.

Fukasa was anything but a safe harbour.

“We’re almost there now.” Pakura said with a strain.

Zabuza believed it, her walking step had slowed down at least and her shoulders slackened ever so slightly. I hadn’t anything to do with their environment though, the streets remained stacked with small, legitimate enough businesses with less than legitimate looking customers. There was an attempt at civilisation at Fukasa, homes, restaurants and even functioning parks existed in the pseudo-city but in every corner there was that corruption.

Zabuza couldn’t tell what it was but he knew what it looked like. The scarred men wearing bearing sword and arrow, the alleys choked up with smoke and the dead residential areas. The children that played at the parks were soot worn and as vile as the adults. It was the same as the underbelly of Kirigakure and likely that of any other nation, the only difference here was that was all there was to Fukasa.

“I’m sorry to spring this up on you now.”

Pakura said as the dense streets at last opened up to a wider path. A large governmental building was situated ahead, it had two ancillaries and a strongly defended gate amidst its dying attempts flowery decoration. Shinobi were its protectors but there were a fair dozen civilian spear wardens marching about the gate alone. One was already staring anxiously at their approach.

“But due to the nature of things here at Fukasa you’ll have to decide whether or not you want to rest or leave for Sunagakure now.” Pakura said with a grimace as she stopped just short of the gate.

Beyond her was the governmental building, the only one in Fukasa that was built out of full concrete rather than substitutes. It was a large bungalow at best with several compartments to it, each of them seemed brimming with security of one kind or another. Suna-nin were especially prevalent here and though Zabuza had sensed a few of them loitering around the town’s proper in disguises, he felt there ought to be a lot more.

Ao came walking towards her, the confusion on his face was enough evidence to tell he wasn’t pleased with last minute announcements. “Why?” He demanded.

Pakura’s grimace fell as she took on a deadpan honest look. “Fukasa is an outskirt territory many of the shinobi here are charged with protecting. That isn’t going so well and in fact, whether or not you choose to rest or leave now, we’re guaranteed to come across some trouble on our way.”

Trouble? Utakata and Mangetsu straightened up at the word just as Zabuza’s ears perked to listen closer. He’d had a feeling something of the sorts would occur but to hear it verified and even guaranteed by the Suna-nin in charge was another thing. Ao on the other hand looked less than pleased, his lip twisted into a sour scowl.

Pakura shifted her weight under the pressure of his watchful, expectant eyes. “It’s a shame but Sunagakure cannot afford to leave this place unsupervised for long and I’m one of those charged with ensuring things go right. If you choose to rest, another Jounin will have to guide you to the Village.”

That revelation was significant to Ao in some form because he quickly gave up the scowl to wear a strained smile as he glanced over his shoulder at the team and then back at Pakura, “Hope we don’t have to decide right now?” His eye looked beyond Pakura at the safe haven behind her. “At least invite us in.”

Pakura blushed a smidge but nodded. “I just wanted to let you know. Come, there’s an important vendor you all might need to pay a visit to inside.”

She led the way once more,waving at her fellows behind the gated haven— they’re scowl-etched faces didn’t ease up once even at her approach, they eyed the team with suspicion all the while Pakura discussed whatever with them to grant them entry. It took longer than it should’ve but the gates finally rolled open for them.

The haven was more or less an organized town hall. There was a well smack-dap in the middle of the compound, a stable of both horse and humped back creatures that looked like horses. Adjacent to the town hall were two independent buildings, each almost as large as the town hall and clearly newly built— at least in the last couple months judging by how and where the paint peeled. The rather large provision shop settled beside one of the two marked it clearly as a hostel and if it wasn’t obvious enough, there were other foreign shinobi trailing in, out and to the provision shop.

Zabuza caught the glint of an Iwa-nin’s headband, the rock craved deep into its metal. Its wearer was just as short as those in Team 8, had little else identifying him as a shinobi and even walked bare-footed. He collected his purchased items with a wide grin— an assortment of snacks, water and some other coloured beverage— and caught Zabuza’s watchful gaze as he retreated into the hostel, brief as it was, the sight of Zabuza and the rest of the team startled him enough that he nearly dropped his haul of items.

“Pakura, so you’ve returned!” A man’s voice called out to their guide, already approaching with a gruff in his step— Zabuza knew that gait couldn't be anything good for Pakura.

She pressed a smile on her lips regardless and mumbled for the team to wait for her or explore the item shop she spoke of before hurrying to meet the man before he could meet her. He was a potbellied, thickly built Suna-nin, his headband wasn’t anywhere to be found on his body but the placement of pouches and the very abuse he put her name through gave Zabuza enough info to decide he held more importance here than Pakura did.

Ao sighed and began to address the team, doing his best to ignore the rather loud conversation Pakura was trying and failing to lead away. “Alright, now you heard her. That item shop is useful for one thing we’re all going to need going forward.” His eye fell on Team 3 and he adjusted. “Some of you may have already prepared that essential item but those that haven’t now have the opportunity, hurry.”

He said that and turned, arms folded to watch without a care as Pakura and her superior went at it. Zabuza hadn’t heard a single word from Pakura herself but the potbellied man was loud and embarrassing.

“...You weren’t given permission! How many times must I tell you, Pakura! Or do I have to remind you each day? Each night? You’re a Jounin!”

Whatever that conversation was about, it drew the eyes and grimacing ears of everyone in range— which happened to be the entire compound. For whatever reason, Zabuza imagined himself in her shoes, rank Jounin, a living legend of her village as her name and skill are known abroad and at home and yet…

“Come, Kazekage-sama will hear of this!”

The two finally moved their conversation private, disappearing into the Town Hall and taking the tension with them.

“That was odd.” Mangetsu said, voicing entirely what’d been on all their minds. “Why would he do that?”

The question was directed at Ao, but he looked just as confused and offended. He shrugged, shaking his head bitterly as he looked down at Mangetsu and said, “Things are done differently in different places and we don’t know the full story either, she could just as well have deserved that.”

“How could you say that?” Zabuza hissed. “She’s a hero of the Sand isn’t she?”

Ao leveled a stern gaze at Zabuza as his protestations began. “Just because someone has accomplished great feats for their village doesn’t mean they’re immune to being disciplined, Zabuza. You ought to know that.”

Zabuza scoffed, tossing his head away from them. “I’m getting hungry.”

“I’ll join you.” Utakata said, the young Jinchuriki looked like he’d battled with the consequences of doing something and it’d left a sour pit in his mouth. “Wait, do you have…the item?”

The item shop had a long line formed in front of it by the time Zabuza reached, Team 8 were first place, Maita leading the front and Team 5 organized right in front of Zabuza. “Why did you say it like that?”

Mangetsu held back a laugh. “Isn’t it meant to be a secret we figure out?”

Zabuza rolled his eyes at that logic, “Not much of a secret if you can just watch what everyone buys.” He said, gesturing at Maita and Tamura as they stepped out of line with a single item. “I’m more surprised no one else packed it.”

The item in question was a simple desert cloak. Team 8 swiftly secured theirs from the abundance of the item shop, alongside water and some other food essentials. Zabuza eyed the jerky their female teammate was busy chewing through and did the mental math of the ryo he’d brought with him.

“It’s less obvious to the freshers, how much could they really remember about the Elemental Nations they’ve never been to?” Utakata said in defence of Team 5 and 8.

But Zabuza could only deadpan. “I don’t know? Maybe the very basics, it isn’t difficult to ascribe relational meaning to the elements. I know it’s not super obvious but Wind means Sand, Lightning means—”

“Could you shut up?” Haruka whipped around to face him, her eyes swelled red with emotion. “It was just one mistake!”

“Oh…uh..” Zabuza couldn’t find the words to respond.

“Haruka…” Their adult-sized Genin began, his expression soft and disarming. “I at least should have prepared better.” he said, almost apologetically to Zabuza.

Haruka shook her head and turned her back on him. “Whatever, we’re getting it here anyway and the exams haven’t started either. None of this matters yet.”

Zabuza held his glib tongue before he could make matters worse. The keyword here was ‘yet’ and as far as he cared, Team Kirigakure was leaving Fukasa with Pakura as their guide.

As if answering the call of her name in his mind, the slender shinobi came walking towards them with a forced smile and backpack ready to go.

“Has a decision been made?”