The Poor Scarecrow

Kakashi rolled his eyes and bent closer to Dosake.

"See this guy?" he whispered, pointing to Seikyou, who was drooling over Ayumi and chanting a mantra of her beauty. Dosake nodded. "I can cast a genjutsu to make him think that you're Ayumi." Dosake broke out in a sweat.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" he said, trying to edge away from Kakashi and Seikyou.

Ayumi rolled her eyes at Seikyou and giggled at Kakashi. (He's more persuasive than Emi, and he's hilarious about it!)

"Fine," Dosake continued, "We're after the scroll!"

"Well, why?" asked Kisa, who was grinning like Ayumi at Kakashi's sense of humor.

"Do you think Chunin like ourselves get the information? No!" Dosake sneered at her. "We just get to do the dirty work."

Kisa held her hand under his nose. A couple of thin sparks of electricity danced against her palm, and Dosake flinched.

"You know more then you say, Dosake-san, so please don't make me shove this into your nose."

"The scroll is very important and the Tsuchikage needs it for some confidential plot. I swear, that's all I know!" The Iwanin said quickly.

"How do we know he's telling the truth?" Ayumi queried.

"We don't." Kakashi said straightening.

"We could torture him for more information." Isumi said, innocently. A little strange for what he was implying.

Emi looked at Kakashi, waiting.

"Unless you want the Tsuchikage on our backs, no. All we can do is stay on guard and finish the mission," he finally admitted.

"We can expect stronger ninja, as well. That's a strong possibility," Ayumi mused.

"It has happened before."

Ayumi scratched her palm; she wanted to use her hohyoton again. Instead, she waited for further instruction.

Kakashi thought for a second, then bent again to speak to their captive.

"Tell the Tsuchikage that if he wants anything from the Leaf, he should try approaching us under the banner of friendship, rather then the flag of war." said Kakashi.

Emi sighed and let the ice melt away. The Iwanin glanced nervously at her and Kisa before disappearing.

"That was lovely." Emi said, picking up her pack from where she had thrown it at a tree. She slid the messenger bag over her head and rejoined the group.

Ayumi turned away from the group and examined her arm. The cut wasn't too serious...it had just bled a lot. She released a slight stream of chakra onto the wound to heal it.

She tried to ignore Seikyou as they walked down the road again. He was still drooling over her...(He's so annoying. What's so fabulous about ME?! I'm an outcast orphan!) She sighed. (But they don't know that...and they WON'T know.)

((Anyone alive?))

((Well, I'm baking, but I can write something short))

"You shouldn't wear your thoughts on your sleeves, Ayumi-san," remarked Kisa, still grinning.

"Gomen nasai ka?" Ayumi shot back, stung.

"You're going emo on us," remarked Kakashi.

"How would you know?" asked Ayumi, feeling more snappish by the minute.

Kakashi glanced around.

"One of my former students was...emo. Very."
Emi giggled nervously.

Isumi was walking ignoring the others. Though he though it was better to be on a team he liked to be alone.

Kakashi aproched him. "Why didn't you do anything when the ninja attacked?"

"I didn't have to. Besides, a battle doesn't start with a punch, but with gaining information."

"Really?"

"This is no C rank mission. Why are we hear? What's in the scroll?"

Ayumi growled to herself, but she was glad Isumi had changed the subject. She glanced at Emi, an I-want-to-talk-to-you-later look in her eyes.

She backed up Isumi's question. "It's got to be important if ninja are after it. What is in this scroll, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi sighed. "I'm not really sure...I just know it's important, as you two said."

Emi didn't have anything to say on the subject. She had figured as much when the ninja attacked, but it had been a simple defeat. For them, at least.

Ayumi slowed her pace and came to stand next to Emi.

"What is it?" Emi murmured.

"Should I tell them...about my family? I want to so they'll understand me better, but...I'm afraid," Ayumi whispered, glancing at their teammates.

"Afraid of what?"

"You know what! Those men could've killed me! I don't want to have to see that again..." She could feel the tears coming back to her eyes. She fought to keep them back, but she'd have great difficultly in doing so.

"Don't go all emo on us, up there," called Kakashi. "Let's try to stick in a group, so another ambush can be more easily avoided...."

Emi glanced at her, concerned, before speeding up to reach the group.

"At least one thing has been interesting so far," remarked Kisa.

"What's that? Death?" asked Kakashi morbidly.

"Nooo."

"Well, what, then?"

Kisa grinned. "Ayumi-chan giving Seikyou-teme permission to hit on her."