“Hey Rin, how much do you know about my clan?”
It was a shot in the dark, but Noboru figured it’d be worth the effort.
“Hmmm, not much at all. I know about the Air Current Dance, and the Kiidogan, but we only briefly covered Kosutta history in the academy - oh, and the first Mizukage was a Kosutta, but her legacy isn’t highly regarded.”
‘An academy? Ame never had anything like that, but anyway.’
“How would you like to go on a little detour?”
She brought a finger to her bottom lip, and cocked her head.
“Hmmm, I dunno I have super strict orders from Miss Mikan to get you to-”
“You want to learn all about Miss Mikan right? Then let’s go on this detour.”
“Hmph, it’ll be awfully quiet the whole trip if you don’t say anything.”
“You don’t know who you’re talking to. There’s a reason Mikan never told you anything about me.”
“Touché.”
“Then…?”
“Screw it, why not. Let’s go take a look.”
The two made their way through Jonin territory, until they were in the western part of the village just outside of the Kosutta complex.
Before Noboru could make the suggestion Rin grabbed his left arm, and then using a single hand he cast the ‘Air Current Dance Jutsu’ after just seven signs.
“One hand? Wow, even Mikan can’t do that!”
“Unlike Mikan, I haven’t mastered the jutsu yet,” Noboru whispered, “I can’t mute our sounds, so please be quiet.”
And with that they both disappeared.
Noboru knew the ins, and outs of the Kosutta Complex. The main thing he needed to watch out for were Sejin, and Natsuki. He would’ve preferred to do this alone, but it’s unlikely that he’d be able to convince Rin of that. At least, that’s how he felt. All he needed to do was get to his room, grab the Necklace, and then leave.
The Ito brothers were guarding the front entrance, but he didn’t need to worry about that. Noboru’s room was on the eastern side of the complex on the third floor. He quickly guided Rin across the territory, and around the building, and then using his hands, and feet he started to scale the large mansion.
Rin didn’t complain at all. Due to his ‘Air Current Dance’ he couldn’t see her face, but he figured she was just soaking in as much information as she could. She was still holding onto his arm as they climbed.
‘It’s not much to look at.’ Noboru thought.
After scaling to the third floor they’d finally reached his window. Noboru usually kept it open in the hope that either Mikan, or Minaka would stop by and save him from the nightmare that was Sejin; though that never happened of course.
Noboru peaked inside his room, and was reminded of how empty his life was. A small shelf lined the wall with books, and stories only Sejin allowed him to read. He’d hoped that wherever he’d live after the Mock Exams there’d be more for him to line those shelves with; new hobbies he could explore, and new things for him to try. He pressed his hands against the window to open it, but then the door swung open, and Natsuki made his way inside.
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‘Damnit. What could he want?’
The jonin slammed all the books on Noboru’s shelf onto the floor. He tore the sheets off the mattress, and then the mattress off its frame placing it against the wall.
The last time his room had been searched was back when Minaka had taken him away. When Natsuki brought him back he was greeted with a trashed room, and all his belongings had been shredded. But this was different, Natsuki, and Sejin both knew that Noboru was rescued by Rubin. What did they hope to find by searching his room? In any case…
“What’s this?” Natsuki said under his breath. He had opened the drawer next to Noboru’s bed, and revealed a necklace. The one that Chocho had given him.
“No!” Heard himself say under his breath.
Natsuki, and placed the necklace in his back pocket, and left the room, closing the door behind him, and heading in the direction of Sejin’s office.
Noboru immediately opened the window, and snuck straight into his own room, Rin following close behind. Then, he closed the window behind him, re-opened the door quietly, and carefully darted out of the room.
In front of him he saw Natsuki paused in the hallway, and across from him was Minori.
“Looks like you were somewhere you weren’t supposed to be.” Minori said, blocking Natsuki’s path.
“I could say the same about you. However, you should not address your senpai in such a hostile manner, it’s unbecoming of a Kosutta.”
Minori cocked his head back, and crossed his arms, “what were you doing in Noboru’s room?”
“I don’t know what you’re inferring.”
Noboru swallowed hard. If he didn’t take this opportunity, it’d be lost forever. Slowly, step after step, doing everything he could to maintain absolute silence he approached Natsuki. This was a jonin level shinobi, one misstep, one squeak in the floorboard and he’d be discovered, and not only that, but Rin would be in jeopardy as well.
“What were you looking for Natsuki?”
There, he could see the pendant hanging out of the man's back pocket. Noboru slowly reached his hand up, but suddenly -
Feeling something off, Natsuki immediately turned around swinging his arm back as hard as he absolutely could.
The hit connected, and a body slammed into the wall cracking it.
“An attack?!” Natsuki said.
He blew it. Noboru was so close to taking his necklace back, his gift from Chocho. The first, and only present he’s ever received. The pendant was gone, it likely sank to the bottom of the man’s pocket. And to make matters worse it wasn’t him that the man hit. Noboru was just about to blow his cover, and get Rin out of there when:
“Natsuki, good job!” The young chunin clapped his hands, “you actually managed to detect my clone.”
“Y-Your clone?”
“I cloaked it using ‘Air Current Dance’ and snuck it behind you. Looks like your skills are still sharp, keep it u-”
“Minori, I’m placing you under arrest for directing an attack against a fellow member of the Kosutta clan.”
As Natsuki spoke, a handful of guards came running to the scene to investigate. They surrounded Natsuki, and Minori in an attempt to find out what was going on.
“Men, please place Minori under arrest, and take him down stairs. He’ll need to face Sejin so he can explain his actions, and justify his attack against me himself.”
Not entirely comfortable, several of the guards started to get a hold of Minori intending to keep him from leaving.
“Man, I hate improvising.”
The man looked straight at Noboru, and winked before dispersing in a puff of smoke.
‘No.’
When it cleared both Minori, and Natsuki were gone. It was likely that the jonin was in pursuit.
Noboru still felt Rin’s hand on his shoulder. He bolted past the guards with her, and exited the complex the same way he came in.
Once out of sight Noboru hurriedly undid the jutsu. The left side of Rin’s face was black, but despite that she smiled at him - one of her front teeth cracked.
“Rin, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think-”
The girl ignored him, and pulled something out of her pocket.
“T-The necklace. Y-You got it?”
“Yep!” She twisted her neck groaning in pain, “It’s not every day you’re punched in the face by a jonin. You owe me lots of answers.”
“And you’ll have them.”
Rin placed the necklace in the boy's hand, and he immediately put it on.
The two made their way toward Ame’s north gate.
He squeezed the pendant again, in only a couple short days it became a habit of his.
‘Was this worth Minori’s freedom? M-Mikan will help him when she gets back. She has too…’
Noboru forced himself to believe that, but then again Mikan didn’t help Minaka.
Noboru’s heart beat furiously as he got closer to Ame’s entrance. Hunters, fishers, and laborers went about their day barely shooting a glance at Noboru, and Rin, but to him it was more than enough to make him worry. The young boy picked up his pace, and constantly watched his surroundings for any potential pursuers, but none came. As the two exited the village the guards watching the gate simply nodded their heads as they passed by. It was only after he exited the village did he breathe a sigh of relief.
“I-I made it.”
