Shadows of the Past

The next day Raven is waiting for his team when they arrive just before sunrise. “Good you’re all on time,” he tells them as he pulls a scroll from his back pouch. He holds the scroll up for them to see as he reaches into a side pouch to retrieve a smoke bomb. “Your objective is simple,” he tells them lifting the smoke bomb over his head. “All you have to do is get this scroll before noon if you want to eat.” Throwing the smoke bomb to the ground between his feet he yells, “Begin.”

“Lets go Kelala,” Rinoa calls to her partner before they take off after him.

“Byakugan,” Squall calls out activating his clan’s Kekkei Genkai before setting off to find their sensei.

“Shadow Vision,” Siefer says as he uses his own Kekkei Genkai. His mind links with the shadows around him as he searches for their team's other Hiroku.

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For the next several hours the Genin find themselves bound beside each other at ten-minute intervals. “Can anyone tell me why you three,” Raven begins before a yelp from Kelala gets his attention. “Sorry,” he apologizes to the puppy. “Why you ‘FOUR’ keep getting tied up like this?”

“Because you’re a sick bastard that gets off on tying up children,” Rinoa snarls at him.

Raven laughs at the comment before looking at the boys on his team. “Anyone else?” Squall mutters something under his breath that Raven can just barely make out. “Can you repeat that so we can all hear what you said?”

“I SAID,” Squall snaps. “We’re not working as a team.”

“Exactly,” Raven says cutting them loose. He looks up at the position of the sun before looking back at the three Genin and one puppy in front of him. “At this rate you’ve only got one more chance to get the scroll before you forfeit your lunch. Don’t waste it.”

After Raven leaves Rinoa looks at Squall expectantly. “So what’s the game plan?”

“Why the hell are you asking him?” Siefer demands. “We need to go after him before we run out of time.”

“Well unless you have any ideas on exactly ‘HOW’ the hell we’re going to do that then shut the ‘FUCK’ up and let him answer,” she replies before looking back at the Hyuga.

“What we need to do is,” Squall begins.

“Fuck this shit I’m out of here,” Siefer interrupts as he turns to leave.

Rinoa smacks him up side the back of his head with the palm of her gloved hand stopping him in his tracks. “Listen baka,” she growls at him. “I’m hungry and if the Hyuga has an idea that will get us the scroll then I say we listen cause if your dumb ass causes me to miss my first meal since dinner I’ll kick your sorry ass and make you buy me dinner for the next three weeks,” she threatens.

Siefer turns to look at Squall. “Well,” he says. “Hurry up so we can eat cause I sure has hell ain’t paying for dinner.”

Squall nods as he looks at this team. “As much as I hate to admit it,” he says looking at Siefer. “Your shadow vision is better at locating him then my Byakugan or Rinoa’s nose.” he can only grumble at the Hiroku’s smug look. “After you find him Rinoa and Kelala will attack from his right while I attack from the left,” he begins.

“No way in hell am I letting you two hog the glory and leave me to starve,” Siefer yells interrupting Squall before Rinoa smacks him again. “Ow,” he yells glaring at her. “What the hell was that for?”

“Shut the fuck up and let him finish,” she snarls at him revealing her slightly overgrown incisors.

“Would you two knock it off,” Squall snaps at them. “We’re running out of time here,” he reminds his teammates. “As I was about to say while he’s distracted with us you shadow walk up behind him and grab the scroll.

“Okay I can live with that,” Siefer replies while still rubbing the two bumps on the back of his head.

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Ten minutes after the last time he left them Raven is once again standing over the bound Genin and puppy. “I still say you’re a sick bastard that gets off on tying kids up,” Rinoa snarls at him.

Raven once again ignores her comment as he places a picnic basket on the ground in front of them. “You did better this time but still failed to complete the assignment,” he says cutting them loose before picking the basket up. “You’ve earned an hour and a half break,” he tells them. “But you’re on your own for lunch.”

“Kami damn it,” Rinoa nearly roars. “I’m fucking starving and that sick fucker took off with our food.”

As she turns lunges for Siefer’s throat Squall steps between them and holds the enraged Inuzuka female back. “Calm down,” he tells her.

“It’s his fucking fault for not grabbing the damn scroll when he had the chance,” she growls still trying to get at the now terrified Hiroku.

“It was a Replication,” Siefer tells them slowly backing away. “How was I to know it wasn’t the real Raven-sensei?”

“You’re a fucking Hiroku aren’t you?” She demands standing still. “You should know the difference.”

“I’m only a Genin,” Siefer says sadly as he plops on the ground. “Raven-sensei is the pride of our clan,” he tells them. “There’s no way we could ever hope to get that damn scroll from him.”

“So you’re just giving up?” She demands. “You’re a fucking coward.”

“Fuck you,” Siefer snaps at her leaping to his feet. “I don’t see the scroll in your hand.”

“Both of you just knock it off so we can eat,” Squall orders them. “Rinoa go see if you can find some herbs and berries,” he begins before being interrupted by Siefer again.

“Why the hell should we listen to you?” he demands. “Your last plan didn’t exactly turn out so well.”

“You want to eat or not?” Squall asks him causing Siefer to shut up as his stomach answers for him. “Gather some fire wood while I try and catch us some fish.”

Watching from the shadows Raven can’t help but smile as he watches his team slowly coming together. ‘At least they paid attention during survival training.’

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They eat their lunch in relative silence and once they finish eating they realize that they still have a few minutes before Raven’s return. “So what are we going to do about that damn scroll,” Rinoa asks them.

“I don’t know,” Siefer admits throwing the bones of his last fish into the fire. “I’ve been trying to figure something out but the truth is that we’re just not good enough,” he admits. “Even if we all work together it’s still impossible.”

“So you’re giving up?” Rinoa growls at him again. “Damn it Siefer what the hell is your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem,” he snaps. “And I never said I was giving up.”

“Good cause I think I’ve got an idea,” Squall tells them.

“I’d love to hear it,” Raven says stepping out of the shadows behind them. As they all turn around to face him he smiles before tossing the basket in his hand at their feet. “Divide it up any way you want,” he says as he leans against the tree behind him.

“You three show real promise,” he admits as he crosses his arms in front of him. “But your teamwork still leaves much to be desired. Starting tomorrow we’ll meet here everyday before dawn,” he says causing them to groan at the thought. “Be sure to eat a good breakfast and don’t forget your lunches. Now go home and get some rest, you’ll need it.”

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A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that as much as I did. I really like these three and this chapter was fun to write.

I want to take a minute to thank Botched who has been a faithful and avid reviewer. Your reveiws really do mean alot to be and I am humbled by the fact that you think so highly of my skills. I know that you will continue to read my work and can only hope that i can continue to live up to such high praise.