“Being a shinobi is dangerous. Every day, we put our lives on the line, whether it’s for a paid mission or in direct service to the Haven. You could die at any moment. That’s the reality of this life.”
He paused, letting the gravity of his words settle over them.
“But what you need to understand,” Kiba continued, “is that when it truly matters, you’re not just fighting for the mission or even the Hi Seisho. You’re fighting for the shinobi standing beside you, the men and women on either side of you. That’s what truly matters. Your comrades are the most important thing in this life.”
Momoka raised her hand hesitantly. “But what about the mission? Isn’t that the priority?”
Kiba glanced at her, his visible eye softening just a little. “Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, a mission is so important that sacrifices have to be made for it to succeed. But that sacrifice should never be taken lightly or made in haste.”
His gaze swept over them, settling for a moment on each one. “You should always make every effort to protect your teammates. They are your family. If you don’t protect them...then what are you even fighting for?”
When he stopped speaking, the clearing fell into a deep, contemplative silence. Even Taiga stayed quiet for once. He didn’t even fidget, his usual boundless energy seemingly replaced by reflection.
It was a miracle, really.
Damn, he’s good. Aimee thought, chewing thoughtfully on the savory rice, enjoying its subtle warmth and hint of sesame, never taking her eyes off the Ryosh.What would it be like to actually get to know the man behind the mask?
“Okay,” Kiba said, climbing to his feet. “Meet me at the river tomorrow at dawn. We have our first mission.”
As he walked away, the other three immediately broke into excited conversation, rehashing the day’s events and Kiba-Sensei’s words. Aimee remained quiet, watching them. She felt a low, steady certainty deep in her belly that these three were going to shape their world oneday. She could feel it as clearly as the ground beneath her rear. And the Pattern had chosen Ro Kiba to guide and mentor them.
She couldn’t mess that up. She wouldn’t.
But even as she resolved to settle into her role as Tanshi, as friend and teammate, Aimee knew with that same certainty in her gut that her story with the Squad Leader was far from over.
Chapter twenty
“Gethim!”Taigashouted,barreling past Iruka as their target bolted up a tall tree.
Iruka shook himself, glaring at the wild red-headed boy. “Now look what you’ve done. It’s going to be ten times harder to get him.”
Both boys were a mess, covered in scratches, their loose, cream-colored tunics stained with dirt and torn from the relentless chase.
“What are we going to do now?” Momoka exhaled, sinking to the ground with an exaggerated flop. Her headband, embroidered with the Hi Haven phoenix, slipped slightly down her forehead, but she didn’t bother to adjust it, too tired from the struggle. “We’ve been chasing this cursed cat for two hours, and I swear it’s just toying with us at this point.”
Aimee glanced off to her right, where, as usual, their Squad Leader stood quietly, his nose buried in one of the books he always carried. She was burning to know what could possibly hold his attention for so long, day after day, but he always managed to hide the cover whenever she got close enough to sneak a peek.
And it’s not like he talks to you any more than absolutely necessary, anyway, she thought to herself.
A hiss from the tree snapped Aimee’s attention back just in time to see Taiga winding up to throw a rock at the smug animal.
“Whoa!” She stepped in front of him, hands outstretched. “Let’s not resort to violence just yet. We’re supposed to bring him back in good condition.”
“Tell that to him!” Taiga tried to dart around her, but she moved swiftly, blocking his path with ease.
He huffed in frustration. “Come on, Aimee! Let’s just finish this. I’m tired of these bullcrap missions anyway.”
Momoka and Iruka, both covered in scratches, mumbled their agreement as they moved to stand beside Taiga.
“We’re ready for a real mission!” he declared, bolstered by their support.
“Not if you have to resort to rock-throwing and damaging your target to finish this assignment, you’re not.” The hairs on the back of Aimee’s neck stood on end as Kiba’s voice drifted from behind her, suddenly closer.
“I don’t suppose you have any sage advice, Sensei?” she asked, sarcasm seeping into her words as she kept her back to him.
Like the others, she was fed up with the months of low-difficulty missions around the nearby villages. Catching lost animals, tracking down missing goods, and harvesting fields. And then there was him, constantly there, frustrating her just by existing, not to mention the other kind of frustration she couldn’t quite shake.
As usual, he ignored her.
