Chapter Eight - The Moon Rose, Nearly Full

The end of the sensei exam!

Shinji awoke, warm. His return to reality from the realm of dreams was a slow and steady one. He slowly opened his eyes, to ensure that no possible hostile would sense he was awake. Once he saw that nothing was within his line of sight, he rose up, and perceived his surroundings.

He was in a small cave. Kaname was fast asleep on the far end. Near here was a tokkuri jug, full of dripping water. In the center was a small fire that kept the cave both lit and warm. The cave was filled with an inviting, orange glow.

“Weren’t we in a forest?” Shinji murmured out loud. He remembered how Kaname had twisted his ankle. He remembered how, as Orochi carried him and Izumi carried Kaname, there was a light as they approached the end of the tunnel.

What happened afterwards? His mind was blank, as if that light had instantly transported him to this place.

He looked around, looking for Orochi and Izumi, but they could not be found. But they were here before – who else could have made the fire and gathered the water?

Shinji tried to rise with his left foot, but pain went through him. He fell to the ground with a cry. He sighed with annoyance. “Well, this is interesting. I have no idea where I am, Izumi and Orochi are Gods know where, and I’m totally defenseless if a mother bear decides to pay us a visit.”

He turned his head to face Kaname. “Wake up already. A cut head won’t keep you from making sure I’m not eaten alive.” Shinji sighed again. With his ankle as bad as it was, there was not much moving he could do. Crawling came to his mind, but he quickly discarded it.

“I’ll just have to wait.” He crossed his arms behind his head and stared upwards towards the cavern roof. It was a futile attempt to get comfortable. The ground was hard, and the shards of stone pinched at his back. He would adjust his body, trying to find a way adjust his shoulders and back in such a manner that he would be comfortable. It was a futile attempt.

The orange haired shinobi closed his eyes, thinking the darkness would help him drift to sleep. Minutes which seemed like hours passed, and Shinji found, much to his chagrin, he was still awake. An irritable groin escaped his lips.

In an attempt to get more comfortable, Shinji rolled over onto his stomach. He crossed his hands over, the right over the left, and laid his head on it like it was a pillow. It was comfortable enough; he closed his eyes, and soon enough he was asleep.

He was awake in four minutes.

Shinji groaned aggravated. At the rate things were going, it would seem he would be awake until Orochi and Izumi would come back. Gods know how long that would be.

Shinji would go through a dozen combinations of maneuvering his body into a somewhat comfortable position. He would twist onto his side, but found that the rocks poked into his ribs. He rolled onto his stomach, but it too was a fruitless effort. He tried hugging his knees, hoping the added warmth would send him off to sleep. It didn’t work.

He heard the movement of rocks and stone as they screeched against each other. Shinji turned his head to see Kaname waking up. With her once smooth and silky hair now fused with sweat, she truly did look like a witch. That very same sweat that glued dirt to her face. A bandage, colored a dull red, was wrapped around her forehead.

“Why do you make so much noise, you idiot,” she said with a tired voice. She moved forward, her worn out fingers pushing her body off the ground. As she got onto her knee, she shook her head wildly, sending dirt flying.

Shinji remained quiet. There was silence as Kaname continued to rise. She groaned as she fell on her butt.

“Gods,” she murmured. She let out a long, drawn out sigh. Shinji wanted to tell her to lie down, to get some rest, that it could be hours before Izumi and Orochi came back from just whatever the hell it is what they are doing. Instead he kept his mouth shut.

“This is just perfect,” she sighed. “Stuck here. I need to move, but I can’t. I feel like I’m puke all of my insides out.” Kaname continued to ramble on. Shinji just let out an irritable groan as he put his hands over his ears. In a perfect world, it would of have had muted everything, especially Kaname.

But this was no perfect world. Shinji could still hear her loud and clear. At that moment, Shinji decided he wanted to be out of cave. It wasn’t that Kaname’s pointless complaints irritated him to no end. It was more along the lines of he hated being in the cave. He didn’t know the reasons as to why – all he knew was that he hated being there, and he wanted out.

Against his better judgment, Shinji stood up. Once again, pain went through his ankle, but it was dulled due to time. It was now bearable. He walked, biting his tongue as he left the cave. He leaned on the cavern wall for support.

“Where are you going?,” Kaname asked. Shinji didn’t respond. Kaname sighed as she rose up. She stumbled at first, but she quickly regained his footing and caught up with him.

They walked in silence, to a grove of trees that was just a few feet away from the cave. Shinji knew that the proud kunoichi was walking behind him, but he gave her no head. She was likely waiting for an opportunity to degrade Shinji. If he kept silent, that opportunity would never occur.

It was cold, but it was far from unbearable. Most of the snow had melted, and the grass felt moist between his toes. It felt good. For days Shinji was in a cramped cave, with air that would make him cough horribly. His entire body ached from constantly hitting against stone and rock. To be outside, to be in a place where you weren’t inches from person in front and behind you, where you can actually stretch, was a blessing he had never considered before. He loved being outside, where he had room to move. He hated being inside, where he was limited. Then again, he hated being with others…he much preferred to be alone. He could only get that inside. It was a no win situation.

Kaname interrupted his train of thought when she spoke. “The stars are bright tonight. Those stars, they must look down on us.” Shinji stared back towards her. “They’re all the way up there, and we’re just way down here. They don’t have to worry about mountains, or sweat, or food. They’re just holes in the celestial sphere, hundreds of miles away.”

“I want to reach up to those stars.” Shinji didn’t know why he allowed the words to leave his lips.

“That’s stupid. You can’t fly up there. No one can.”

“I’ll climb up to the highest mountain. Then I’ll jump.”

Kaname sighed. “Not only are you pathetic, but crazy too. You would be basking in the light of the gods. The sheer force alone would kill you.”

Shinji sighed. She had a point. There was an old tale that a man did exactly as Shinji said; he climbed up the highest mountain, Fujikowra, and leaped. He landed amongst the stars…but he was destroyed instantly. Some say his flesh became another star, but most say he became nothing. No one even remembered his name. He was just the fool.

Kaname turned her back. “I’m going back.”

She was halfway when Shinji asked “Why do you admire the stars so much?”

Slowly, Kaname turned to face him. “Because I don’t want to be admired by idiots like you.” And then, she left.

Shinji didn’t understand her reasoning. He didn’t understand her at all. When he thought about it, he didn’t understand girls period. They constantly change emotions. One moment they’re all bubbly and happy…and the next, they are the very incarnation of demons in human form.

Shinji looked around, expecting Izumi or Orochi to emerge from behind the trees. Orochi would have that calm smile on his face, probably holding a bundle of wood with his pale and skinny arm. Despite him being a Hebi, being descended from Susanoo, the god of snakes, trickery, and betrayals, Orochi was everything but that. He had no sense of trickery, or deceit, or any master plans. He was just there, always aware of what needed to be done, and what to say to everyone.

That’s what made him all the more dangerous. The ones that can be trusted the most are the ones that are all the more likely to stab you in the back at the very end.

“I’ve been idle too long,” Shinji mumbled as he made his way back to the cave, to await his fellow team member’s inevitable arrival.

*

Orochi and Izumi arrived a few hours later. Orochi had with him a vase full of water, whereas Orochi had killed a boar. Shinji feigned sleeping, whereas Kaname was deep in slumber. Orochi banged one of his blades against the vast. “Wakie wakie. It’s time for some food!” Shinji pretended to yawn as he rose up. Kaname mumbled some what, and pulled on her knees. Orochi walked over to her and kicked in her back. She arose instantly.

“What the hell was that for, you damn idiot?” She grabbed his coat and brought him down to face level. “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to wake up girls?”

“You were snoring,” Orochi said in a plain manner.

Kaname was taken back at once. “W-what? I don’t snore! Never!”

“You did so,” Izumi said as he cut into the boar with a kunai. “It was more akin to an ape than a female.”

Color drained from Kaname’s face. She was lost for words. “You must all be lying. Guys ganging up on a woman…how disgraceful.”

Izumi sighed irritated. “Shut up and eat. Wherether you snore or not is of no difference to us. Just eat, and be happy.”

Their dinner was a quiet one. They went to their hard beds with full stomachs. Not even Kaname’s snores could keep them from a peaceful rest.

*

They all got up early the next day. Orochi inspected Shinji as soon as they were awake. “You healed rather quickly,” Orochi noted as he took off the bandage. “I was expecting a few days at the least. I wonder if it was the food…” He scratched his chin as he looked towards the sky. His eyes had an unconcerned look in them, as if he was in another world as he contemplated what the reason was behind Shinji’s speedy recovery. He was like this for only a few moments, when he said “It doesn’t matter in the end. You are well, and Izumi won’t give the two of us unneeded stares. Grab your wasuka; we’ll leave now.”

They all gathered in the grove. None of them had the look of exhaustion on them. All shinobis were trained to sleep late and wake early. This was nothing new to them.

“The next clue should be around here somewhere,” Izumi said.

“I would say to split up,” Orochi began, “but I have the feeling that won’t end well. There might be traps, like before.”

“Traps?” Kaname raised an eyebrow. “What traps?”

Her fellow shinobis had a look of surprise. “You didn’t have elementals after you?”

“Or wolves?”

“Or a dream monster?”

“No, no, and of course not!”

The boys sighed. “She must be sexist,” Izumi declared, to which all but Kaname nodded.

“There should be a path around here. We’ll follow that, and hope to find her soon enough. We likely only have a day or so left.”

“I agree with Orochi,” Izumi noted. “Any objections?”

“Not at all.”

Shinji nodded in agreement.

With no arguments presented, the four Hajin made their way across the path. It wasn’t as much a paved path as much as it was a single line of dirt cutting grass into two. Tall trees towered over them, providing shade in the noon.

The four walked in silence. They were focused on finding a clue.

“I will look to the front,” Orochi had said when they first began their trek. “Shinji look to the left, the madam to the right,” at that point an obvious groan could be heard from Kaname, “and Izumi will keep us covered behind.”

“Good enough,” Izumi said.

“It’s a good idea,” Shinji agreed.

“Whatever.”

After several hours had passed, Orochi was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake. Perhaps they were to split up? Was this a test of the leadership skills? Had he made some critical error? Related thoughts went through his mind.

At that moment, a whistling sound echoed from the trees, and then, a single thud.

“What was that?” Kaname asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Izumi said. “It came from your direction. Follow it!” He didn’t clarify if just she was to follow it, or the whole group. No one cared. Everyone raced off of the beaten path.

“We may be looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, but its better than looking for a black stone in the night,” Orochi said in an encouraging fashion. Shinji didn’t say anything, but the Hebi had a point.

They looked amongst the trees, hoping, praying, that they would find whatever it was that made the noise.

“Gods, this is hopeless! What a waste of time, making us go through the forest for whatever it is we are looking for!”

Then, it was Izumi who found it. “Here!” he called out. Everyone found him in a matter of moments. In his hand was a kunai, with a letter attached.

“ ‘Surprised to see you guys made it this far. To be fair, when I first saw you, all squabbling and acting like a bunch of idiots, I was relived. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t have to put up with you guys. Not sure if it was a good thing that I was proven wrong…yet.’ ”

“So, she did want to kill us,” Orochi said in a depressed tone. He sighed as he crossed his arms across his chest. “It makes sense. The traps, those boulders in the caverns. They were all meant to take our lives.” He bit his bottom lip as he considered his next words. “Read the rest, Izumi.”

“ ‘To be fair, I really don’t have anything planned for you guys, since I wasn’t expecting you to get this far. So, just head for the signal.’ ” Izumi looked up from the letter towards the others.

“This is our rest sensei?” Kaname sighed. “She didn’t even have anything planned for us.”

“I have to agree with the madam –“

“HEBI!”

“That this is not looking too good. She didn’t even have anything planned for us.” He paused. “Regardless, we have to continue forth.”

One thing bothered Shinji. “But, what is the signal.” And almost as if Nanaki was listening, the sound of fireworks leaping into the air was heard. The entire group turned their hands in every direction in a frantic attempt to find it.

“There!” Shinji shouted, his pale finger pointing deeper into the forest. Without even thinking, they all ran in that direction. There was no unity among them, no plan to prevent any ambushes or to keep them from separating. All as separate entities, they sought the location of their sensei.

It would be a great deal of time later when, all of them out of breath, stopped their running. Shinji and Kaname collapsed onto the ground; Orochi marked a nearby tree with an arrow indicating where they were heading. Izumi just lied on a tree for support, not allowing his silent nature to keep his lungs from releasing long breaths.

“Where do we stand?” the usually silent shinobi asked.

“F*****g lost,” Kaname noted with an irritable tone between breaths. “REALLY f*****g lost.”

“Just rest for a few minutes,” Orochi said. “That’s all we need.”

“That’s all we have,” Izumi correct.

Orochi nodded, wiping sweat off of his forehead. He licked his lips, hoping to get some moisture on them.

Shinji rummaged his hand through his orange hair. “Do we even have time for a break?” His voice was so quiet, either from exhaustion or fear of being mocked, that they wouldn’t of been able to hear it if they weren’t so close.

“Probably not, but we needed it to move at a fast pace. Won’t get crawling.”

Izumi pushed himself off of the tree. “That’s enough.”

“We came this far,” Kaname said with an impish grin. “Would be humiliating if I failed sensei’s test just because we took too long a break.”

“Of course, we don’t want Kaname to be embarrassed,” Orochi chuckled. “Right, Shinji?”

“Uh, sure,” he said as he scratched the back of his neck. He stood up, flexing his shoulders so as to properly accommodate Shinkasai.

And then, they were off. They continued at that pace for several hours; move at a high speed for thirty minutes, take a small breath to rejuvenate, repeat. But once the moon was clearly visible in the sky, they started to take breaks less frequently. It reached the point where they wouldn’t take breaks at all. They had no time to spare; even if they were to die doing so, they would not be given the embarrassment of failing their sensei’s test. Death would be a far greater thing than that humiliation.

They continued on, even when their breaths mimicked those of an asthma stricken patient. They raced on, despite the fact Shinji could imagine his toes falling clean off. They had to move on, or risk failure. They had no time to waste – the clock was nearing its final numbers.

Orochi dropped the ochoko pots. They shattered on impact, their life giving fluids seeping into the cold earth. Orochi did not need the burden. He did not stop as he loosened the straps.

Eventually, something strange came into their sights. The trees became less and less frequent. They did not disperse entirely, but before, when they would have to squeeze through at times to continue on, now, that didn’t happen at all. It was obvious that they were reaching the edge of the forest.

They hastened their pace, even though it would probably be the end to them.

An hour passed, and then, something came into view. It was a small hill, with a round door on it. A small puff of smoke could be seen emerging from the house. They had never seen anything like it. But, they all knew who was inside it. Kaname was the first to enter; she went right through the others, pushing Shinji off of his feet, and nearly doing the same to Orochi. Like a woman hunted by a demon, she hooked her fingers on the handle, and pulled the door wide open.

They raced in after her. The house – if it could be called that – was quite large. It was essentially one wide, open room, with all the commodities of a regular household meshed together. To one side was the kitchen, with a rice filled pot on the oven. On the other was what could be considered a living room, with a group of chairs and tables hobbled around a small fireplace.

And finally, at the end, was a single bed. Resting upon it, chewing at a dumpling, was their sensei, all relaxed and peaceful.

Nanaki turned her head, her mouth still working on that same dumpling. “Hey, you’re here,” she said with a full mouth. Bits of food went flying from her mouth towards the floor. She rose up a bowl of rice. “Food?”

They all took a single step towards her, ready to pummel her for being so comfortable while they were nearly killed a hundred times over. Alas, exhaustion over took them, and they call collapsed onto the floor.

Nanaki rose up from the bed, and looked at the window behind her. The moon was high in the sky, nearly full. Another day, and it would of have been full. Another day, and it would of have been a week. Another day, and they would of have failed.

“Damn,” she sighed. “Now, I have to pass them. S**t!” Her fist slammed into the table. She fell back onto the bed. “I want another dumpling,” she said with a groin as he stuffed two more of the octopus meat balls into her mouth.

“Still, they passed. And there’s no f*****g way I’m going to fail them for the hell of it.” She wiped some saliva from her lip. “F**k, what did I get myself into?”