~Act: 02- If At First You Don't Succeed, Hitchhike!~
"How long are you going to mope?" Kross asked. Kena did not reply. He was lying on his back starring
off into space. "Fine, no potatoes for you!" He was fixing dinner for the two, since Kena coudn't cook to save
his life. Kena did not reply to this either. It was as if he was in his own little world. Kuroneko had seemed so
happy to see him again, but at the same time she seemed sad. True not living together and still being married was
quite a feat, but they had grown apart it seemed. Kena moaned and rolled over. Kross couldn't stand to see his
master like this. 'He's so touchy. After we got back from town he just fell onto the floor and told me to make
dinner. What a lazy sensei,' Kross thought. The water in the pan began to boil and Kross dropped the potatoes in.
"Looks good," Kena said half awake. Kross had set the table and even cut up an apple for Kena. Kross
didn't expect Kena to jump for joy, but he did expect more than what Kena said. "S'wrong with you?" Kena asked.
"Oh nothing. I just thought maybe we ought to take a vacation or something. You know, get away from it all," Kross
said trying to get Kena to cheer up. Kena looked at the apple slices, "Yeah, that would be nice..." "So why don't
we?" Kross asked pressing Kena. "Well we don't really have money. Being a sage doesn't pay to well," Kena said
feeling more depressed. Kross grinned for probably the first time in his life. "Well it's just so happens that I
have a relative in Iwagakure who runs a hot spring resort. And I might've asked her to send me two passes," Kross
said tossing a small slip of paper at Kena. Kena caught it and flipped it over. It was a very official looking
invitation to the famous Kamedoto Hot Springs located in the southern portion of Iwagakure. Kena perked up.
"I take it that that means you want to go?" Kross asked. "Sure, it sounds like fun," Kena said.
(~_~)
Kross looked at his pitiful excuse of a teacher. Kena had packed way more than necessary for the
trip. Kena had two backpacks loaded to the brim, four stuffed suitcases, and Kross was pretty sure that he
had seen him sneak a couple volumes of Make-Out Paradise: The Golden Years too. Kross, on the other hand,
had just one backpack that had a change of clothes, toothbrush, and some scrolls. Of the two, Kross seemed to
be the one best prepared.
Kena unfolded the map. "Okay! We're on Mt. Hiei which is right here," Kena said pointing to a small
dot north-west of Konoha. "And Kamedoto is here," He said pointing to the south-eastern border of Iwagakure.
"So we should just be able to travel north-west and reach it fairly simply." Kena was really getting into this.
His attitude had changed so much so from the previous night that Kross was kind of scared. Kena led the way
through the dense forest. Kross followed behind wondering what had happened to his master. 'Maybe he's
found a way to resolve things with Kuroneko? Or maybe he had a wonderful dream? Anyway it's none of my
business,' Kross thought. When the two came to a clearing they sat down to rest. "I beleive the Yuyon River
is just on the other sided of those trees" Kena said, "This'll be a good place to stop and rest." The two sat
and caught their breath. "Okay, since I am still your master, Kross do 1000 push-ups," Kena said smiling. "I
thought the whole point of this trip was for us to relax?" Kross complained. "It is, but you are a Taijutsu
user so you need to keep in shape!" Kena said giving him a thumbs up.
After night fell the two went in search of firewood. When they finally came back, Kross carrying
several logs and Kena carrying a twig, they found their campsite in shambles. Kena dropped the twig and
started freaking out. He was jumping around the campsite yelling about how all of his belongings were
probably in the hands of some mass murderer. Kross just sat the firewood down and closed his eyes. "Well
we must be kind and assume that they took our stuff for their own religeous needs." Kena stopped and
frowned, "They took one of your cross earrings." Kross suddenly looked like someone had just insulted his
mother in the worst possible way. He cracked his knuckles, "They will pay!"
~Scene: 02~
"Okay, whoever they were they were pretty sloppy" Kena whispered to Kross, "We didn't really
have any trouble following them back to their campsite. The bandits' campsite was open and didn't seem
to even have a guard. The campfire was still burning and laughing could be heard from one of the tents. Kross
made a motion that the should attack from both sides. Kena nodded and they separated. Kena used his headband,
which was around his neck of all places, to reflect the campfire light making a signal. They both charged into
the camp yelling. The people in the tents heard the noise and rushed outside. Kena and Kross were back to back
surrounded by three people Kross' height and one Kena's height. Kena stopped and squinted in the darkness. His
expression when from one of a warrior to someone who looked like he had just been shot. There holding a kunai
towards him was Kuroneko.
This was the first time in a day and a half that Kena had met Kuroneko under bad circumstances. For
awhile no one said anything. Kena smiled weakly and straightened up out of his battle pose. Kross took the hing
and did likewise. "Kena? What are you doing out here?" Kuroneko asked putting the kunai away. Kena smiled, "Um
well we were robbed and..." He stopped. He notice Kross was fuming again. One of the kids was wearing Kross'
earring. "Give that back!" Kross grabbed for it. The kid stepped back, "Ha missed me, missed me!" Kross made
another grab. "Yugon stop that and give that earring back!" Kuroneko ordered. Yugon apparantly respected
Kuroneko and took it off imediately.
"Well at least none of our stuff was taken by real bandits," Kena said laughing. Everyone had been
introduced and the two boys who stole from them appologized. The only girl from the group, besides Kuroneko,
seemed rather shy and didn't say much. "Her names Miji Hyuga" Kuroneko said, "She's a very gifted Genin." Kena
smiled warmly at her, "You know my younger sister's name was Miji." Miji hid behind Kuroneko even more. She
pointed at Kross, "He scares me." Everyone looked at Kross. "What? What'd I do?" He asked looking worried.
"I'd be scared too," Kena joked. Everyone sat and ate some fish Yugon and Omupo(the other Genin) had gathered.
"So you never said what you two were doing all the way out here" Kuroneko said sitting next to kena,
"And don't tell me it's just a stroll." "Well we were going on a vacation. Kross's cousin runs the Kamedoto Hot Springs
Resort in Iwagakure so we were heading up there. What about you?" Kena asked. "We're going to Iwagakure too!"
Kuroneko said as her mood brightened, "We have a mission there. We should go together! It would be like old
times!" Kena remembered all the old missions he had had with Team Abunai. "How is everyone?" Kena asked trying
to drum up a conversation. "Well Dai joined the ANBU Black Ops. You know that much. Mey lives in Konoha now
and is training with Sai on a daily basis." Kuroneko paused, "As for Aki, she left." There was a long pause.
Kena needed a moment to take that knowledge in. "No one really knows why she left, or where she went, just that
she is gone. There are some rumors that she moved to Yukigakure but none of them were confirmed. It's too cold
up there for her anyway."
(~_~)
Night fell and everyone settled in for the night. Yugon set a tent for them and put out the fire. Kena and
Kross shared a tent, Yugon and Omupo shared a tent, and Kuroneko and Miji shared a tent. 'She is pretty organized.
I would've just made eveyone sleep on the ground,' Kena thought. Sometime into the night Kross sat up. "What is it?"
Kena asked half asleep. "I need a shower. It's been a whole day," Kross said grabbing a towel.
There was a small waterfall not far from the camp and that seemed to be the perfect place for a bath.
Kross stripped down and wrapped the towel around his waist. The area around the waterfall was very rocky and
could hide someone quite nicely. "I just love baths, but thank goodness for privacy," Kross sang as he came walked
around a large rock that was between him and the waterfall. He stopped dead in his tracks. Someone had beaten him
to the bath. He quickly hid behind the rock. It was foggy so late at night but he knew instantly who it was. It was
Miji. 'Funny, I never would've pegged her as the type to bathe in an open pool of water. Even if it is well hidden,'
Kross thought taking a step away. His foot slipped on a rock and he fell. He landed on the ground and yelled out. As
soon as he did he knew he shouldn't have. Miji knew he was there. The next thing he knew she was screaming at
the top of her lungs.
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