The Iron Grove (Kumo Lads' Holiday)

Within the territories of Sunagakure, the controlled climate was a vast difference from the unbearable heat of the surrounding desert. Yet, the definition of “controlled climate” the inhabitants had was still somewhat different from what Kaito might’ve wanted. Indeed, for someone used to the fluctuating conditions of the mountain, perhaps his entire gripe with the climate was the control of it. He didn’t want to go on an internal tirade about how ninja shouldn’t play god and control the world; after all, he himself could spawn a swamp underneath his enemies if he so chose, but to control one’s environment to this degree felt almost petty to him.

He didn’t have much time to reflect on the situation though, as he was suddenly surrounded by darkness; his eye still used to the brightness of the day of the sunny Sunagakure suddenly straining to try and see his surroundings. Afeared he might be under attack, his byakugan was flooded with chakra which expanded his line of sight for one hundred meters in all directions, the godly field of view that prevented him from being snuck upon. With the aid of the trusty Byakugan he realized he wasn’t under attack, just changed the scenario from the warm Sunagakure and into the frozen vista of the Land of Iron, with a note in his hand from the Hollykage regarding his newest assignment. Couldn’t be mad at the Hollykage. That’d be the same as… oh, wait, this reference is also about the Hollykage. Heh. Maybe next time he’d come up with a better reference.

In this climate, the Darkened Skies second generation armor proved a much better fit than for the heat of Wind Country. He pulled the armor’s hood over his red hair, adjusting it and letting it stream down the sides of his neck, marginally kept out of the way of his face by virtue of his headband and eyepatch strap.

He noted two figures in close proximity; one of them being a stranger, the other being the familiar face of Ichigo Sato. It was the first time he was paired up with someone he knew on the festive missions. He approached the duo, greeting them. “Ahoy, lads. How’s it going, Ichigo? You got that eye implanted yet?” He looked at the second ninja, a shot glass taller than the redhead, but unmistakably from the Kumogakure if the headband was anything to go by. “Oh, I don’t think I know you… Noboru Kaito, Deputy Kage, Jonin of the Kumogakure. Nice to meet you.” He would extend his hand as he spoke to shake with the man as he spoke his name, a sign of respect for a fellow villager.

Kaito smiled at the comment. “I’m happy to hear, better to get the best available before trying something like that. I’m lucky Lord Maximillian was around to help me with mine.” He smiled through the bitter cold air at the man he considered a friend, in spite of their short interactions. Perhaps it was the bond they shared in the lack of borne abilities, or that they met just before a fateful night when Kaito’s life changed. “Shame I won’t remember these news after we’re done here, but I hope to be just as happy when I return from my trip and hear about your progress.”

The younger lad tensed up after Kaito introduced himself, calling him sir. Kaito burst out laughing. “Oh, oh oh oh”, he started as he regained his composure, “that was unexpected, sorry. You caught me off guard with that. Nice to meet you, Ryuzaki… Nara… Are y’all the fat ones that punch shit really well?” Ryuzaki introduced himself to Ichigo, and Kaito watched. Ichigo suggested they move on, and Kaito held him up with a hand. “We could go out into this freezing cold and wander about freezing our dicks off, or… I can make our lives easier. None of you are gonna remember this either when we get back, so you might want to take a good look.”

Kaito reached into his eyepatch, and pulled the eyepatch back, along with the straps, revealing the lilac eye of Ghost Hyuuga to the two people next to him. “Behold”, he jested. Flooding the Byakugan with chakra, veins bulging around his eyes, his field of view expanded almost instantly to encompass every visible thing within one hundred meters. Confident the two ninja next to him would not betray his trust, he allowed his attention to wander the multitude of information presented to him. Nothing about a grove, and no gathering of animals that might make one take pause and admire them for their beauty. “Hm, nothing around. Gimme a second.” He refined the field of view, conscripting it to a smaller field, but over a much greater distance. Slowly, he observed everything his eye aimed at for one kilometer, shifting on his spot carefully so as to not rush over any place. Soon, he found shapes of animals that he might not believe if not seen with both his Byakugan and Sharingan. He raised his finger and pointed. “Seven to nine hundred meters forward, boys. Let’s go.” He adjusted his eyepatch back onto its place over his right eye, and took off.

Kaito’s vision expanded far and wide, and when the boy behind them reached for the weapons at his belt, Kaito relaxed his body and prepared to open one or a few of his inner gates. However, Ryuu had just been checking his weapons. “Lad”, he started, without looking back as they pressed forward, “the next time you draw a weapon around me, you best kill someone with it, or I will.” He took a deep breath, allowing the minute adrenaline that coursed through him to be escorted out of his system, lest he become jumpy. However, their journey would soon be at an end. He raised a fist when they approached the location, turned around and pushed a straight index finger against his lips.

They moved silently, as though ninjas they were, and soon enough, they found themselves along the hidden grove, where groupings of trees allowed for the undergrowth to be protected from the cascading snow, providing nutrition for the animals that inhabited it. Kaito stood up straight, and disabled the byakugan’s chakra sight, instead taking in the view in with the natural light. “Gorgeous creatures, aren’t they?”