Chapter 2: Those who look up to the Sun

Hiten smiled when he used the hidden mist as subtle as he could and slowly walked with the group.
"I really dislike those mundane journalists. What's so important about a group of recently graduated shinobi?, It's not like we are going to destroy the other villages within a week or so."
He chuckled a little and stared at the group. "But... What should we expect for the next test? And will it involve combat?.. Only time will tell and I think it is going to be awesome!" His voice had a joyful tone to it. His face on the other hand was cold.

Akira looked to the entrance's left side incredulously, glanced at the medics but didn't say a word. Honest to god... She was going to store this information away and confront the others with it later.

The medics started their own plan and had everyone move closer to her. Meran even 'accidentally' brushed against her and Akira pretended not to notice. Maybe she would have said something under other circumstances, but now was no time and place for argument. There was nothing to do for her now but to be quiet and let everyone else do their thing.

Still, she made the seals for a henge and concentrated on transforming her appearance. Regardless she was going to henge, she wasn't going to let the possibility of a picture getting taken of her be left to chance.

Now only one question remained: who to henge in? She could just simply tweak her appearance. Or...

A chuckle rose up in Akira's throat and her lips curled up in a smirk. Or I could use this opportunity to get back at a certain dickwad.

There was this boy who was in their academy class. Never spoke much. Of course he wouldn't, he was mute. And he was Souran's son. It had never meant anything to her. Hina had spoken of it sometimes, because she disliked his father who was also from the Chikamatsu clan. But now, now Akira had met Souran. She knew who this man was and this man had wronged her.

She felt satisfied vindiction as she made the transformation. Sorry mute kid, she thought, let's hope for your sake no one manages to take a picture. Her female body changed to that of a male, fully clothed like she remembered the mute kid to look, though the clothes were bloody and torn in places, ruffled shortish dark hair, broken glasses on a scratched face.

"Heh! Little girl got a brain on her." Hina couldn't help the tiny blush and happy smile that appeared on her face. She was always happy when people complimented her, especially on her intelligence. She still had a smile on her face when the mist started to settle in and she suddenly felt something tap on her shoulder. Looking to the side she saw Meran with a smirk on her face. 'What's up with his face?' she thought, turning her smile lopsided. A second later though she caught the hint. He wanted to annoy the journalists anyway? Well, that was fine with her.

If that tap on her shoulder was any indication, he would use his sand for that. He used his sand for almost everything, so that wasn't such a big surprise. She decided not to be surprising either and use her puppet. She nodded back at Meran and threw a quick look the journalists' way, letting him know she was in on it.

"I really dislike those mundane journalists." she heard Hiten's voice. "Don't worry about them, Hiten. We've got them." she said in a soft voice and a smile his way. "As for the next test. I don't know." But she had to smile at the excitement in his voice.

Just as she was going to think about the next test, she still had some time before the mist would be thick enough to give them enough cover, she heard a poof next to her, on Akira's stretcher. Alarmed she whipped her head around. Was someone attacking Akira? Now?! On a stretcher?! 'Those low life little scum-!' And that's when she started laughing.

She clutched a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the sound of her outrageous laughter. Her laughing burst had soon died down to just some giggles. She almost found it a shame that they weren't going to be seen through the mist. Having a picture of Mukade in the papers. Bloodied and beaten up. She gave the girl- eh, boy a wink and a huge smile.

The mist would be thicker by this time and she was preparing to attach her chakra strings with her right hand to Chouchou. When the mist would be thick enough she would attach her strings. Suddenly a thought struck her, 'Just.. how thick is this mist going to be?' Would she still be able to see well enough to have her puppet manoeuvre around the journalists without bumping in to them? Her brow furrowed.

They would now be close to the Journalists and passing them by the mist now so thick that Hina could barely see, but she could still see, normally when it would be just Hiten's mist she would be able to see just fine to control her puppet on the range she had. (10 meters) (Focus 7 - 3....= 4 focus after Hiten's mist.)
But the two Kirigakure no Jutsu working simulteneously made her vision rather obscure at the moment.
(Focus 7 -3 -3 = 1 FCS for the purpose of movement, attack , defense and puppet manipulation)

Meran would be having about the same problem this mist so thick that he could still see, but not far, and not sharp at all and at some moments, not at all even.

Akira would find herself completely blinded by the mist not seeing a damn thing, not even her own hand unless it would be no more than an inch from her face.

They would hear the Journalists panic.

"What?! Mist?! Huuuuuuh?!"
A fat man in a tight suit holding a microphone would exclaim

"What's going on here?!! How the f...?!
The young camera man wearing a cap would blink around himself in confusion and even a bit of fear.

"Is...is the Village under attack?! Where is everyone?!"
A woman that was holding a stack of paperwork behind the two would ask blinking and looking from side to side nervously before tripping over some wires but managing to still keep her balance for the most part shaking on one leg making sure not to drop the paperwork.

A old short man with a mustache and a golf-cap that had a notebook much like Meran's in his hand and a pencil in the other ready to write down things would close his eyes a bit annoyed and let out a deep sigh.
The old , wise and experienced usually knew what was going down even if they couldn't do much about it.
"How disappointing...." The old man mummbled

There was another camera man somewhat older and muscular and tall, he looked like he could make a good warrior or even shinobi but the look in his eyes gave away that it was just the body not the spirit or mind that were suited for the shinobi life. He had somewhat darker skin like Ranmaru and a thick jawbone.
The man would act like a complete sissy though as the mist rose denying him his vision.
He would jump up and let out a girly sounding yelp almost dropping his camera.
"Eeeeeeeek!" The man squealed before shaking his head and grabbing the camera before it fell.
He would then speak in a scared tone but in his deep manly voice, contradicting to the girly squeal just seconds before.
"Ohw Sages! Ohw Sages! The hell is going on? I can't see a damn thing....ohw my....ohw my....D...d....don't h....hurt...m...me...p.....please..." He stuttered looking rather pathetic when seconds ago before the mist those that saw him might even find him threatening or intimidating.

The well toned, pretty boy faced journalist that was with this darkskinned camera-guy, was a handsome young man with loads of gel and hairspray in his hair making it look slick and shiny, much like his expensive looking tight suit he was wearing. Obviously this guy had the good looks given to him by mother nature, but likewise this guy seemed to be the biggest fan of his own looks, judging by how he dressed, did his hair and the fact he even seemed to apply a bit of make-up to make him self look that tad bit better. Ofcourse the cocky expression on his face would be the biggest hint of it out of all of these.
However the cocky expression faded as the mist settled as he would back up against the wall surrounding the hospital pressing his back firmly against it and just breathing heavily looking around himself.
"Wha...what? I.....you can't hurt me....I can't die here....I am the great Naiya Juuhon! I am too great to die! No...they....they wouldn't dare! They know who I am...anyone who watches TV does...r...riiight..." He stammered scared dropping his microphone and blinking around himself his hair now a bit messy due to the movement, but the heavy amounts of hairspray still seemed to hold it all in place for the most part.

The group had easy entry pass the gate now it seemed, with both the double mist and a Genjutsu in place.
In fact it seemed the two mists combination was more than enough of it's own for this bunch, unless it was the Genjutsu that was cast that caused them all this elevated form of tension and fear.

Meran sighed, this made the fun he was planning to have a lot harder. He wanted to have fun and he would!
With some effort he tried to make out the the journalists. He pitied those truly afraid, but he decided to give those that weren't petrified a little extra motivation to jump aside..

As the medics had said, he stuck quite close to the stretcher, but his fingers moved ever so slightly, tapping the less feared journalists on the shoulder. The movement was subtle, not hard, just enough to form an extra distraction.

Hardly able to keep his laughter in check, meran struggled to get inside the hospital, without bursting out laughing. Perhaps he should go back after settling Akira in a room... Just to check how much of an effect the combined actions had caused to the journalists.

Hiten slowly walked with the group and rolled his eyes. 'Unbelievable people freaking out this much after a little mist.' He counted the steps they took towards the hospital.
He sighed when they entered the hospital and looked at Akira. "Anything I can get for you?"
Hiten disliked hospitals. They always made him feel vulnerable and uneasy. So he always tried to avoid spending time in there.

As the mist began to thicken more and more Hina soon came to the conclusion that this mist would be a lot thicker than she was used to. She was used to Hiten's one man mist. Was it a good idea to still go through with their plan of teasing the journalists? She tried looking around to catch Meran's eyes, she was planning on silently asking him what he thought, but she found she could only see a vague shadow where she knew Meran was. Now what? It was irresponsible to have her puppet fly around while she couldn't see her. It.. wouldn't be ideal if Chouchou smacked into someone's face. And her puppet would be immediately traceable to her. She heard Meran sigh and felt like doing the same.

Her disappointment however was short lived as she heard the journalists start to panic. A grin appeared on her face. 'Seriously, guys, it's only a simple mist jutsu. You shouldn't be too surprised in a village filled with shinobi.' One of them let out a sqeal and Hina had to clamp the hand that was not touching the stretcher over her mouth to prevent a snort from coming out. She followed along with the stretcher in to the hospital.

The last thing she saw before the mist became thicker than usual was Hina's wink and smile. Akira returned her look with a dramatic zombie face by rolling her eyes back as far as she could and poking her tongue out, but when she looked back up again she couldn't see Hina's face anymore. A couple moments later there was fog all around her and all she could do was simply lay back.

Screaming journalists were heard through the mist. Akira didn't pity the terror of most of them, in fact she thought it rather funny. What simple minded people. Did they think hoarding at the gates was going to force shinobi to stop and talk to them? Well, let this be a learning moment, she thought bemusedly.

They entered the hospital rather smoothly. It was great and Akira felt relieved, but she wasn't going to let her guard down just yet.
"Is there anything I can get for you?" Hiten asked her. She noticed he looked kind of uncomfortable in this place. Well, she couldn't blame him. Healthy shinobi didn't go to the hospital unless they worked there or were injured, and like all people Hiten probably avoided getting hurt. Akira did too, but she wasn't afraid of getting hurt. It was simply a nuisance.
"If you'd get me something to drink, I'd appreciate it," she replied gratefully, still in her henged form of Souran's son, Mukade. "In fact, I think we'd all like something to drink," she continued after a moment of deliberation, looking at Meran and Hina as well, then returned her gaze to Hiten. "And why don't you get some for yourself as well?" She offered him a small smile.

Hiten nodded. "Offcourse how could I forget the rest. I'm not thirsty but I'll bring some nice drinks for the rest." The boy walked out of the room and tried to find a place where he could get drinks for his team and wondered how long the next mission would take. Would they really be up to the challenge? Or could it be a huge reality check for them.

[Please Continue Play in Chapter 3]