A Jack Lost in the Woods

It was morning in the Land of Sound. It was a crisp morning, as the sun's rays had yet to burn off the slight chill of the night before. A slight mist still clung to the earth, hanging softly in the morning light. The sky was clear, and the world seemed calm. It was almost an unreal thought that mere months ago this area had been annihilated under an assault by Extremists. The land had been healed by the combined efforts of civilians and shinobi alike. The city was still in the process of rebuilding, but had been aided from the world around. Where once stood a thriving trade city brought low, now stood a tree of titanic proportions. Construction was being carried out within this tree, carving out living spaces and the like. It was to be the new home of the sound. It was the fruit of the labors of one young Woman. She had spent hours growing the tree that was to house the city. It would be their fortress, their city, their home...

A New City, A New Life
Hana was exhausted. Even though it had been 3 days since she had raised the tree that was to become the basis for the new Otogakure, the effort required to create something on that scale had left her drained. But even tired, she had decided to venture out of her temporary lodgings to explore the tent city that had replaced Otogakure while the city was being rebuilt. With any luck, her exhaustion wouldn't matter today. As long as she didn't use a large amount of jutsu, her chakra and stamina levels were more than sufficient for the time being. To put it simply, it was time for a change of pace for the young woman. Who knew what the day had in store for her.

"Empty out dem pockets!" A man held his fingers together appearing to be the tiger hand seal. He held up two men, one in the middle, one to the right. The two men were accompanied by a small girl. "Sir, I'll give you just a few to back away okay?" States the middle man who appeared to be sitting on a nimbus of sand hovering over the ground below them. "This ain't a joke! This is a stick up!" The man shouts again, making another hand seal. The man to the middle man's right made a slight chuckle. "What in the hell is so funny?" The man states grabbing the girl. "Shit ain't funny now huh?" The man in the middle was silent, and a sudden snap sound echoes. The small girl, drives her knee into his gut, causing him to gawk and bend over to grasp for air. A man from suddenly appears behind the opposing man, and the appearing man wore a nice suit, showing that he was indeed a butler. He smashed his hand against the bending man leaving a small piece of paper on him, and the girl jumps back.

"Raido, end him. Don't kill him though." The middle man states, walking off, followed by the girl. "Yo say ho! This task you've given, won't even get driven. As this man is so weak..." Raido stops in the middle of his sentence and vanishes, appearing right in front of the man, grabbing his neck. "...I'm LAYING HIM ON HIS FEET!" Raido shots slamming the man violently to the ground.

TIME LATER

"Nii-San, we are finally here...Otogakure!" The girl states yelling at the tip of her lungs, so loud that the people Takigakure could hear her. "Amaya, don't yell!" The man states continuing down the path. Shini Kami, seemed to have left, he was no where near them. He could tell many things awaited him. Good of bad, he was up for whatever.

Hana had wandered towards the more commercial areas of the city, where shops and businesses that had reopened in the wake of the disaster months earlier. They would be the last thing moved into the rebuilding city. She wandered among the restaurants and shops, both blending into the crowd and standing out. Her height made most people overlook her, as even most women had several inches on top of her. But almost as if it was meant to contrast her lack of stature, she stood out in the crowd, a person in red in a sea of green and brown. Most of the villagers were clad in simple work clothes, tans, browns, and greens, but Hana was swathed in a pale red Kimono. It reached just past her knees, and went down halfway along her forearms as well. It was a form-fitting outfit, light and flexible to allow her to easily move. Topping it off was a similar colored parasol, lending her a more sophisticated air.

Hana moved towards one of her more favored restaurants in the area, but before she reached it heard yelling in the distance.

The three Wanderers continued their way, as if they had a destination. They sun's rays smashing with their very own complexion. The man in the middle took a sudden stop. The sound of sniffing around began to occur. "I can smell the base chakra signature as Yggdrasil." The man's walking direction changed, telling his two followers no information. "Shibuki-sama]], you said they had the same scent as Yggdrasil, did you mean Sigma?" Raido asks, his curiosity over flowing his large pot. Shibuki states nothing, he continued to direct his sand nimbus in the direction of his scent hoping to reach his destination.

"Nii-San, when will we get there." Amaya asked, clinging onto Shibuki's long shirt. At within seconds she let go, she moved over to Raido, leaping up into the air, landing onto his shoulders. "Nii-San, is one track minded today. I guess I'll stick with you Raido-kun." Shibuki stopped, constantly sniff around, being a bit distracted. "These restaurants and their foods are blocking my scent." Shibuki used that sentence as a way to coat the fact that he was indeed hungry. "Nii-San!" Amaya shouts again, pointing into the crowd. Raido couldn't see anything, but he made his attempts. "What are you pointing at?!" Shibuki asks looking at her pointing direction as well. "It's a small woman, I'm sure only I could see her thanks to Raido's shoulders. But I remember you saying something about the scent of her blah blah blah. So I decided to sniff around myself. However, I'm not hungry so the food smell slipped right by. At the source is coming from her." Shibuki scratches his head, "When the hell did you learn the Chakra Smelling Technique!?" Amaya smiles, "I copied it with my memory art." Shibuki smacks his head, as he let Amaya lead the way.

Hana wasn't aware of the trio currently approaching her yet. She had instead stopped in front of a small shop selling Dango, though she proceeded to notice the two men and a small child walking directly towards her.

"I wonder if they are looking for me or just have a desire for Dango. Maybe, a couple taking their kid to get some food..." she said almost playfully. The trio was out of place, their clothes of a different make than the average citizen. The girl in particular was pointing straight at her. "well there is always an easy way to find out." She said as she twirled around a larger man next to her before walking down a side alley between the restaurants.

"Nii-San, she's split. Through the ally." Amaya states keeping her vision on her, sharing the coordinates with Shibuki and Raido. "This situation calls for speed...Please my pick me..." Raido states in a rapping tone, just like his father. Shibuki holds out his hand, "That won't be needed Raido." Shibuki placed his hand over his right eye. And his left hand was out flat. Sand began to gather, and in a short period a eye formed. Shibuki directed it, sending it towards the told coordinates. The crew began to follow what Shibuki could see, and were literally a few seconds away from turning into the ally.

Hana heard the pace change, and used the Mayfly technique to merge with a pallet of lumber that was sitting next to a building in the alleyway. She waited as the trio moved past, as she was nigh undetectable while merged with the wood. After they had gone down the alley far enough to pass her, she emerged from the wood before saying. "If you were looking for me, you could have just asked. Its not like everyone in the city doesn't knows where I live for now. Plus, I don't mind if a couple comes looking for me, but did you really have to bring your daughter with you? I know you aren't from around here, your dress is too weird."

The group makes it into the ally, as a voice would begin to play. "..." It's words flowed out into the open where the group was. "A couple you say?" Shibuki repeats, nearly laughing aloud. "This here is my right hand man. Raido Namikaze." He states pointing towards his right. He then pointed up, to the girl on Raido's neck. "This here is my little sister Amaya." Shibuki chuckles, "Initially we weren't looking for you, but your scent led me to you. It followed the path of another I know..." Raido looks at Shibuki. "Shibuki-sama, I have tracked the voice's location. It's coming from the lumber, at that exact location." Raido rhymes, after tracking the voice. An easy task, as it could only come from one. "Hmm...either you're crazy Raido. Or that's the Mayfly technique." Shibuki states awaiting a response.

Hana fully exited the logs, revealing herself too the three in front of her. "Right hand man, whatever you say... As for the smell, I mean, I'm wearing perfume, but it isn't that strong? How in the world would my scent lead you here? But that is besides the point either way. You don't follow someone down an alley if you don't want something with them. So may I ask why you three are so interested in this little gal?"

As the woman emerges from the logs, Shibuki entered a deep silence. He looked over to Raido and Amaya asking to the to leave. "Sorry my Lord so can't do that...If I leave right now. It won't validate our contract." Raido rhymes at Shibuki. Amaya jumped from his shoulders putting him on her own shoulders before walking away. With seconds the two vanished. "Technically, we didn't come looking for you. But the Otokage." Shibuki's body is engulfed by a cloud of transformation smoke. When the smoke cleared, Shibuki's entire appearance changed. Instead of a short pony tail, Shibuki had a long braid, that wrapped over his shoulder and around his neck twice. "I'm Shingi...The Takikage. You perfume was indeed extremely strong." He responded leaning his back against the air, and the sand he sat on create a back support, looking like that of a chair. Shingi only showed his true self, to people he either trusted, or had taken a like into. Which would had the woman before filled?

"A kage, eh? Don't see many of those walking around other villages. But where are my manners. I'm Hana Matsuba, Guardian of the Tree Village." Hana said while making a slight bow "The Otokage is in the village at the moment as far as I know. He should be overseeing construction of the new city." she said as she pointed to the absolutely titanic tree in the distance.

"But if I may ask, this is a light perfume, how in the world did it let you track me down?"

Shingi chuckled, he threw his leg over the other crossing them. "What if I told you, we all had a inner scent. With the same basis, depending on our chakra. It's a technique known as a the Chakra Smelling Technique. Devised by my rival, but now clinging onto me." She states allowing his tongue to slip through his top and bottle jaw. His was were usually defiant, as it was nearly impossible to get information out of him. However, it seemed this woman brung a different appeal.

"mmm... chakra having a scent? I could see it. It does have all sorts of properties. Well, since you found me. Might I ask what it was that piqued your interest? The only thing I can guess is that it is related to my Wood Arts. From my understanding they aren't that common around here. They are at my village, but that is nearly a third of the way around the planet from here. So that being said, may I ask why you seem so interested in me?"

Shingi smiles, and swings his leg. "I could say it's your scent. But it could also be compared to a lie. I could say it's your looks. But that too can be compared to a lie." Shingi's voice was soft, but it wasn't his voice that what made him who he was. "I wouldn't doubt in the agreement that it was you scent though, but it depends on his you understand my goal. I don't allow just "any woman" cut across my eye." He states closing his eyes for a second? Then reopening. "You should tell me...or more so, share with me why you're alone. You conception of alone may be different but I mean socially accompanied by a man."

"So that's what you want." She said with a devious grin. "I've just never met a man capable of handling me. If you think you can, well you're welcome to try. Though you'll have to prove yourself able to tame me."

Shingi pulls forth a scroll, on it contained numerous kanji, of things no one would be able to read in a few seconds. He hit the top kanji, and one looking just close enough could see it read, "Bat". "Capable of taming you eh? You have indeed been meeting the wrong men." Shingi states as a cloud of smoke appears once again, however it was obvious it was from a summon. As the smoke drifted, Shingi found himself hugged with what appeared to be a puppet. It's arm around his should laying across him. Showing his impressive skill rarely seen by him. "Ladies first."

"There are three things we must think about before we go through with this. One, I'm foolishly betting myself, but you're ballsy enough I don't mind that. But the question is, what do I get from you if I win? Second, this isn't the best place for a fight, being in the middle of civilians and all. We should at least get out of the city before we do this. Third, sure you don't want to call those two back? I'm sure they'd like to watch. I wouldn't even mind if they joined in on the fun. But, your choice there." she said with a bit of cheer. It had been too long since she had actually been able to blow off some steam. It had been all hum drum travelling and dusty old meetings since she left the village. Sure it was foolish to try and fight someone with a backbone right now, but worst comes to worst, at least she would have fun doing it.

The Blessed Child
Shingi's left fingers twitched, and as it did, the left hand of his puppet Bat's own left arm patted Shingi. "Hm...I myself would offer the things the the other "men" couldn't. Don't worry, they will be us there." Shingi states, as the two vanished from sight, appearing in what seemed to be a dimension. It's space was never ending, like literally. Shingi looked and noticed Amaya and Raido, he looked back at Hana. "So?"

"This is a weird place..." Hana said as she walked around a bit. At several points around the area she bent down before touching the ground. In each place she placed a small seed, food for her techniques later. To an outsider it would look like she was merely seeing what the ground was like, but every action had a purpose. This place was foreign to her, she needed to know everything.

"That was a nifty technique, I haven't seen anything like that before." She said as she twirled her parasol. "So the question is, who has the first move? Want me to start off this tango, or you, or maybe even one of your companions? They could provide a little warm up if you want."

Shingi smirked, the woman showed no sign of trying to get a disadvantage, something he seemed to admire. "I don't think either one of them wou-" Shingi was cut off by someone pulling on his robe. "Nii-San! Please, allow me to play first." Amaya stated, seducing her older brother. There was literally no one in the world who could seduce him like Amaya. "Very well then. Amaya you're first." He states drifting backwards on his nimbus of sand.

Amaya smiles, and places her hand in the middle of her chest. "I'm Amaya Ōtsutsuki!" She shouted, as she then placed her hands close to each other, and in the middle, a large surge of electricity sparked, forming into a spear. "Lightning Release: Lightning Dispatch." She states and the sphere shoots it's self into the direction of Hana. It's speed was abnormal, rivaling even a user of the chakra enchanted speed.

Hana saw that he had made the little girl her opponent. There must be more than meets the eye to this one if he thought she could win. "Well if its a child, why not beat her with a child's game?" She said under her breath. As she saw the girl start charging her attack, she sprinted towards her. When Amaya shot off her spear of lightning, Hana didn't even try to dodge. Instead she took it straight on, using Wood Release: Great Forest Technique to turn her midsection into wood. It was a pale imitation of her Avatar of the Forest technique, but it would allow the technique to bust right through where her stomach used to be without actually damaging her body. Right after the tech passed through her, Hana dropped into a high speed trip on the girl, hoping to force her to jump over the kick. If she did, Hana would use the great forest technique again to increase the size of her hands, before doing a childish game from her own village. However these people would know it as a joke move from Konoha, the One Thousand Years of Death.

"She replaced her body with wood, to avoid taking damage." Shingi thought, mentally recording this entire battle. Hana continued her path, and as she would, her change into the "childish" game was made clear. Amaya, reached to her back grabbing her, dropping to the trip Amaya was ready to use a renowned technique she'd learned from a historical figure. She pulled her sword over her head, "You wanna go down low! Fine!" Amaya shouts, "The is my first attack! Soku: One Strike!" Amaya pulls her sword down over Hana, the precision, speed, and strength were too much even for a young girl of Amaya's age to be using. And had Hana be caught, surely mean bad things.

Dropping into the full splits, Hana crowded Amaya, causing the young girl's arm to strike her instead of the sword, as she was too close for such a swing to connect. She then wrapped her right arm around Amaya's head before using that and her left arm punching into the girls stomach to attempt to flip her on her back while Hana did a backbreaking roll to pin her to the ground.

Amaya rolled over, her body pinned against the ground thanks to the Hana. She continued to break free, constantly pushing her free hand against Hana, in a reckless struggle. Shingi glares at Amaya, and just continued to look, he spoke no words. "Okay Nii-San." She states, removing herself from the pin, and reappearing next to Raido. On his shoulder a vivid image of the seal appeared. "What a cheap shot Amaya." Shingi states, allowing his tongue to slip through his teeth. "I learned it from you." She states, planting her feet, and in her left hand appeared a blue sphere. She plunged forward towards Hana, technique in one hand, and sword in the other. The only thing next was her time.

"Is that a ball of chakra?" Hana asked, never having seen such a technique before. Throwing a single hand sign up, a moderate sized Wood Dragon flowed out of the sleeve of her left arm. It charged straight towards the young girl, intent on backing her of from her charge. "You're not bad for such a young one" She said in passing.

Amaya continued her path, only to meet the face of the wooden structure. She leaped into the air, she pulled her leg high into the air, she looked down, and pulled her feet down, "The Full Power of Youth!" She shouts, slamming her leg onto the dragons mid area. She then pushed back up, running along the dragons lengthened body heading towards Hana.

Hana uses the Great Forest Technique to merge her arm with the dragon. A series of large wooden signs jumped up on the dragon, each emblazoned with the word stop. After the third such sign, there was a small hand ready to trip the girl as she ran past.

The dragon road began to get bumpy. Amaya leaped into the air, using her rabbit like jumping ability to get even higher in the air. She flung her sword upwards, cocking it back, ready for her next move. Her leaping into the air was not because of what Hana had down, but for use of her current plan. "105" Shingi states, replying to Amaya's movements. "Right!" She states, forming a smoke onto her face. Her sword began to glow up, and as it did, continued to flicker. She pulled back, and pushed it forward, releasing a crescent slash, stating "Naidō Banshō!" The crescent traveled towards Hana, it had the power to even push directly through most wood techniques, and that dragon surely was one.

Hana broke off her connection with the first dragon before making another dozen smaller ones. She had these dragons wrap around her in a spinning motion. She couldn't directly block such a technique at the moment, but she could certainly deflect it. The rotating dragons took the strike, and while the first few were cut through, the interior ones managed to shift it enough that it missed Hana, though not by much. Switching to offense, Hana shot out all 8 of the dragons that remained intact at amaya, attacking her from all directions.

"This is far more chakra than I expected to use against a little girl..." She said, slightly out of breath.

Amaya still in the air faced the dragon's and their wrath, she only had time for one small slight sentence. "Nii-San, should I stop?" She asks Shingi, awaiting a response. "Of course not Amaya...She isn't looking for the weak." He answers. Amaya nods her head, and the dragons got in closer, nearly seconds before being hit, she vanished, appearing behind Hana, smashing her left hand into her back shouting "Rasengan!" How did she get behind Hana is the question that Raido would begin to ask.

FLASHBACK

"Amaya rolled over, her body pinned against the ground thanks to the Hana. She continued to break free, constantly pushing her free hand against Hana, in a reckless struggle." At this current time, Amaya placed a seal on Hana, at which could be used later for what is seen now.

FLASHBACK END

Hana wasn't expecting the attack from behind, no technique she had ever heard of allowed one to teleport. She attempted to use her great forest to change her body again, but she wasn't fast enough, Her back took the damage straight, unprotected by the wood. However the sections of her stomach that had turned to wood weren't capable of supporting the strain, causing her torso to rip apart just over the pelvic bone. It hurt like a bitch and a half, but if there was one thing Hana was good at, it was not dying. Her bottom half turned completely to wood, before growing and solidifying into a wood clone. Her top half went flying upwards, though before it could get too far, Hana's hand reached out and grabbed Amaya at the armpit as wood grew out of her wound, before turning back to flesh as a pair of human legs. Pulling herself down and tight to Amaya, she caused smaller girl's feet to start moving faster than her torso, causing them to fly out. She attempted to suplex the younger girl, using several vines that had grown out of her arm to pull it down faster, increasing the force of her elbow which rested on the girl's sternum.