- Mission Title: The Great Escape

• Rank: B-Rank
• Points worth per player: 45 pts
• Location: Land of Snow
  Description:
  It has been a year since the fatal attack on all five of the main lands. The Fire Squad has now recovered from their Land of Snow battle, but it is now time to return to the island as Lord Sasuke wants clues as to where the Mysterious Man may be hiding or clues that may lead to his war plans from the former occupied land. Lord Sasuke has chosen a team to scout the Land of Snow and to eliminate all and any hostiles they may encounter.

---

We join the infamous fire trio as they hop aboard the same boat they used a year ago. Everything becomes familiar and likely brings flashbacks of a time not everyone had a happy ending for. Sigmund, the teams outcast, sits patiently by himself at the front of the ship, enjoying hot green tea to warm the pits of his stomach as his anxiety rises around him. The icy cold water hits the ship's sides, sending small chills to the crew. The captain resumed his rightful place on the wheel, familiar with the journey it took to cross these waters a year ago. Most of his crew had offered to rejoin him, while others either declined or weren't so lucky to survive the first trip. A cold breeze pushes through the ship's quarters as Chef Zuka prepares his famous stew for everyone. They had been traveling for a week now aboard the ship, awaiting to stop at the dreaded Land of Snow. They had refueled a couple of days ago in the only outpost in the Land of Frost. Passing the Land of Demons was next. What kept the realization that the war was still happening was the dark clouds of smoke from the Land of Demons. It unfortunately was a sad familiarity they all had grown accustomed to.

Sigmund brought the tea to his lips, taking an ever so slightly sip as he stared at the Land of Demons. He shuddered as he closed his eyes, his heart racing, memories flashing back. He shook his head. Old memories of his terrible crimes were the only thing that crossed his mind as they traveled their way here. He had regretted ever allowing them to place him on duty again. He was confused and angry why Lord Sasuke believed returning here in the first place was a good idea. Was there something he missed? Was there something here they could use to turn the tides? Or was this a wasted trip to reopen old wounds and tensions. It had already started bad before it even came to be.

Sakuya made sure to dress more warmly for the trip, remembering the previous trip to the cold country. At least this time they would have no need to infiltrate under a different guise - the enemy might have gotten wise considering how Kotatsu and Sigmund were freed from their grasp. On the ship the medical nin did her best to make sure everyone was in good health. Making sure the Princess' health would not be adversely affected by the cold first, Sakuya did her best to communicate with the rest of her teammates.

Including Sigmund.

Especially Sigmund.

She may be younger than everyone else and probably continued to cling to some naive ideals, but Sigmund was able to pry away from whatever made him bad and made considerable efforts to make up for it. It was understandable that he would not be forgiven easily by most, and he would need someone who would help him should he stumble.

Coming up from the ship's mess with a bowl of Chef Zuka's famous stew, Sakuya looked around the deck until she spotted Sigmund. She hurried to approach with the bowl and a spoon in hand, figuring out how to use a bit of her chakra to shield the food from the cold.

"S-Sigmund-san?" she called out once she was close enough to offer the food, "Here's something to help warm you up and fill your stomach! S-staying out in the cold every time isn't good for your health!"

Nanami looked at the boat as she boarded it. It reminded her of their travels during the mission that was the beginning of her own personal and emotional hell. It took a lot to keep herself together since then. She adapted or more of learned to seal her emotions off in another part of her mind. Which allowed her to become a very efficient assassin. Her fire dragons were now vastly stronger. As she had fully mastered that jutsu. Her medical jutsu were also as strong as they get. As Nanami walked up the stairs to board the boat. She hadn't faced Sigmund yet. She was concerned that one of her demons might manifest itself. Though she would bring herself to wave and smile at Sigmund as she walked past him. It was the most she could manage for now. She would also wave at Sakuya and smile. There was so much to talk about, and yet the words escaped her. So she would wait for one of them to approach her before talking to them. Nanami went from being over emotional, to being more or less emotionless.

   It hadn’t phased him that they would be returning to the Land of Snow. He was sure everyone else would think differently though. He remained as far away as possible from his squad, not wanting to cause any discomfort or unease. The talk their leader had with them didn’t change a thing. They were the most dysfunctional squad for this job. Nobody trusted him and unfortunately, he didn’t trust nobody either except probably Shiroma. His thought process has been interrupted as he heard foot steps approach. Several actually. Nanami passed by and he merely nodded at her before Sakuya called out to him. ”Yes?” he asked before he was offered a bowl of food. It looked absolutely delicious just from the sight. He kindly took it and set it in his lap. ”Thank you Sakuya. I’ll keep that in mind.” he said before noticing she was more cold than he was as it continued to snow.

   ”You look more cold than I do,” he commented before getting up on his feet. ”Here, take this. You need this more than I do,” he said as he set down his bowl on his chair and took off his leather jacket, the inside lined with what appeared to be wolf fur. He placed it on Sakuya’s shoulders. When he took it off, he was in a black tank top, his pale skin almost matched the snow. While many might’ve thought he was ill, it literally was just him. Upon further inspection, anyone would see he had numerous scars all over his arms. It looked more scary and frightening. “You can give it back whenever. The cold doesn’t bother me,” He added as he sat and down and began using the spoon to eat his soup. It was quite delicious with every bite he took, his face showing his delight.

---

The boat continued to go through the harsh weather and it become apparent that numerous ice bergs were beginning to appear. The Captain’s secondary came down to the captain’s cabin above deck and informed him of their findings. The captain then stopped the boat and dropped anchor. While it was a cause for concern, the Captain informed Lady Sarada that they wouldn’t be able to continue to traveling until tomorrow.

Nori that the trip back to the Land of Snow wasn't going to be an easy one. Not just physically, but emotionally. They were returning to the place where everything started. Where their lives changed and they became separated from one another. Voluntarily or against their will. While she knew it would have been smart to have returned back to what was now known as Izalith, she had no recollection of where it may even be when she woke up that fateful day. When she had, she had been alone. She remembered searching for the others, but they were nowhere to be found. Maybe what happened back then happened for a reason. Maybe things were meant to turn out this way so they could all find their own way back to where they needed to be mentally, physically, and emotionally. There had always been this emptiness inside her with Sigmund and Nanami not around. For the longest time, it had been the three of them. In her heart, she wanted to believe there was a chance that they could become the team that they once used to be. Although, judging by the brief glances or interactions she had had with both of her old teammates. perhaps it wasn't possible. Nanami, maybe. But Sigmund...the scars ran deeper with him than they did with her. As she looked at him from across the way of the ship deck, she felt her heart ache. Since they were young kids, there was always this special place he held in her heart. He had always been there for her. Protected her. Challenged her. It was hard to believe that the kid she once knew back then, the one with the smile that always brightened her day, could turn into someone so unspeakably cruel and demented. Nori never wanted to remember him that way yet those were the last memories she had of him.

She couldn't deny that when she saw him again that she wanted to cry out of relief that he was no longer the person that he once was when she had last seen him. While she knew that Sigmund couldn't entirely turn back to being the person he was before everything happened in the Land of Snow, he was back. He was here physically across the way. As much as her feet wanted to pick up and go to him, something held her back. What if he didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore? What if after this mission was over they parted ways and they never saw each other again? Nori didn't know what her plans were for after all of this, but she hadn't fulfilled what she sought out to do a year ago. She was still in search of that one person that could give her answers: her mother. It didn't matter how far she had traveled over this past year, she couldn't find her. There was a possibility that she passed when the whole war had started, but somehow, in her heart, she sensed that she was still alive. She brought up her hand and lightly held onto the pendant dangling around her neck. But, she thought, if she continued her journey, she would be parted from her friends again. She would be apart from Sigmund again. Even if he no longer felt anything towards her anymore, she knew there was that possibility that she would never see him again. Would she be able to handle that the third time around?

Nori watched the brief interaction that Sigmund had with Sakuya as he placed his jacket around her shoulders and in a way, it pained her to see him acting so kindly to someone else. She knew she didn't deserve to feel this way, but she did. Memories of the two of them together flashed in her mind and the tears she hadn't expected to fall, had trickled down her cheek before she was even conscious of it. She blinked and brought up her hand to wipe away at her cheeks before she hopped off of the box. This was ridiculous. Why couldn't she just go over there and talk to him? What was the worst that he could do to her? She knew that if she didn't talk to him and clear the air, there would always be this invisible barrier between them. There may have been a disconnect between them, but Sigmund wasn't some stranger. The three of them had to stop all of this if they ever planned to work together again. After fastening her cloak around her shoulders, she made her way across the ship deck in his direction, each step heavier than the last. Finally, she stopped beside Sakuya and looked down at Sigmund, who was happily consuming his meal. "We need to talk," she told him in a stern voice before she turned her head slightly to look at Sakuya beside her, giving her a softer expression. "Could you please give us a minute, Sakuya?"

With tensions rising, Sarada knew she wasn’t going to be able to get them to just drop everything and begin to like each other. It wasn’t how life was and it wasn’t going to be easy. She made it clear that she wasn’t going to tolerate the behavior that they displayed last year. A part of her believed she was at fault and failed them in some way, somehow, but at the same time, they needed to take responsibility for their actions as well. Sigmund paid the price, he was free to redeem himself If necessary. Sarada on the other hand knew she’d have to keep a close eye on all of them; with a such a enriched history, she knew she couldn’t fail again. She was actually surprised she even allowed something like this to happen under her command. She wasn’t too proud of it to say the least. While she wasn’t one to express her failures, Shiroma could easily see the bit of doubt Sarada expressed.

With a sigh, Sarada closed her journal as the captain’s second in command explained to her that they were docking for the evening. While there wasn’t a time limit on their mission, she was more focused on getting in and out as soon as possible. The longer they stayed here, the chances of chaos brewing increased. However, since it was technically shore leave for the rest of the day and it was still early, Lady Sarada decided she could spend some time with her….girlfriend? Partner? She was unsure what to call it. She suppose lover was more fitting but never really used the term before. Pushing that aside, she thanked the captain for their time and efforts and grabbed her cloak. It was a parting gift from her father before she left; it was his cloak. The very cloak Lord Sasuke decided to hone for what seemed like forever before passing it down to her. He basically just gave it to her, well…not in person but it was a parting gift of love.

The cloak was a deep purple, covering her shoulders and the rest of her body. She understood why her father liked it so much. She walked up the steps and began searching on the deck. She noticed several of her team loitering about and she could feel the tension in the air. She opted to not disturb whatever exchange Nori and Sigmund potentially were going to have. They needed to learn to cope with their issues together. Sarada quietly turned around and walked the opposite direction away from them, searching for her.

Sakuya was glad to see that Sigmund liked the warm meal she brought up. It appeared to warm up his mood amidst the chilly weather and the heavy atmosphere between the team. She had not thought too much about the cold (aside from the fact that it was really cold and she planned to go back under the deck as quickly as possible), even less so about Sigmund lending her the leather jacket he wore.

"Th-thank you..." the medical genin managed a reply, lightly blushing at the thought of receiving something from Sigmund. The jacket was warm and comfortable, and definitely helped in keeping the cold from reaching her. It was just now that she noticed how pale he looked, with scars present on his arms. She could only imagine how painful it must have been when those scars were inflicted on him. She was considering on whether it would be a good idea to ask about them or not when Nori approached with what sounded like a demand to talk with Sigmund.

"H-hai! Please excuse me," Sakuya replied to Nori's request with a quick bow before taking the jacket off to give back to Sigmund, "I'll be below deck should anyone need me."

She made another quick bow before hurrying back below deck where the cold winds won't reach her. Absence of wind really helped as she then headed for the ship's mess cabin for warmth.

   Sigmund displayed a soft smile as he had given his jacket. He knew Sakuya wasn’t use to this cold; having been here before, he had gotten use to the harsh weather here. He enjoyed his meal; it was the only nice thing anybody had done for him in a year. It was nice and he never had issues with Sakuya. He felt guilty he had faced her once and he wish he could take it all back but he couldn’t. All he could do was help mend all their wounds.

   Before he could continue any conversation with Sakuya, Nori had stepped up and demanded to speak. This was the moment he waited for. He was unsure how this would go but he was sure she would bring up everything. He felt nervous as Sakuya handed him his jacket back, placing it back in himself as he set the bowl down and sat down, facing her stone faced and cold. ”All right.” He took this moment of silence to really observe the woman before him. Nori had grown, however she seemed off. She looked cold and detached like he was. Was it a front? Was she really going to blame him for her new attitude and appearance? He knew her feelings were still there for him, but he….well he had detached himself from those feelings during his time out. He had to let it go for the time being. History was certainly repeating itself and he truly didn’t want to become the next Sasuke and Sakura duo. He didn’t know what was in store for him in terms of relationships however he knew he didn’t want that right now. He wasn’t himself and he wasn’t going to be able to give her what she wanted right now. Love was off the table for him. He couldn’t handle it; it was be distracting and would interfere with his missions. That’s all he cared about. ”What is It that you wanted to talk about? Last year was…. Well, you know.”.

"Thank you, Sakuya," Nori told her teammate in a soft voice before she watched her take off Sigmund's jacket and hand it back to him. Once she saw her return below deck, she shifted her emerald green eyes back towards Sigmund, who was putting his back on. There was no reason for her to feel so nervous, right? Somehow standing in front of him and seeing him give her that cold, stoic expression...it was as if he just felt nothing. While he didn't always smile a lot towards her in the past, there was a time where his smile was all that she had lived for. What she had longed to see...even to this day. Now things were just...like this. There was nothing there and deep down inside her, it did break her heart. She took a few steps over and took a seat on one of the boxes that was a fair enough distance away from him before she turned herself slightly towards him. "I know that you probably don't really care any which way about what I have to say, but I really think we need to clear the air if we want to make this team work again. I don't know when or if Nanami will ever come around and she is entitled to feel what she feels after everything that happened within the last year. The three of us...we're not the same people that we used to be and I'm sure you know that already. We've all gone through a lot of change in our own different ways, but that doesn't mean we still can't put our differences aside to complete this mission successfully. I'm sure that's essentially what you care about most right now more than anything else."

Nori brought up a leg from underneath her cape and draped it across her opposite one before she clasped her hands together and rested them on top of her leg. "Going back to the Land of Snow is not the most ideal for any of us considering what happened there and truthfully I didn't want to come. I had every reason not to as I don't feel like it's my place to fight for a land I don't belong to. Honestly, Sigmund, I don't know where I belong and that is what I was trying to figure out this past year," she said as she brought up her hand and lightly took hold of the pendant that was dangling around her neck. "My birth mother left me with this pendant after I was born and I wanted to believe it was a sign for me to come find her when I was ready. After I woke up in the Land of Snow all alone, there was a choice I needed to make and I made it. Maybe it was selfish of me to leave to go find what I was looking for, but I knew I had to do it. I thought maybe if I did, I would be able to find that closure in my life and move on to what was next. I didn't know what was going to happen to all of us if we ever found each other again, but I knew it wouldn't be the same and it isn't." She turned her head down to look at her lap as she let go of her pendant, revealing the blue crystalized water pendant.

"I just want you to know that I'm not expecting us all to be how we used to be because that's just not going to happen and I've accepted that a long time ago. Maybe all of us are better off not being together as a group and going our separate ways. As much as I hate how things have come to this, it's just how things are. I guess I can't...want anything more than what all of us have right now," she said solemnly before she tilted her head back up, straightening up her posture as she gave him a gentle stare. "I'm sure you've been through a lot this past year and I'm honestly just relieved knowing that you are alive. Knowing that I'm not left wondering in the dark about that, I'm at peace with what happened and I want to move on with a clean slate. I know nothing will easily be forgotten or forgiven, but I think we are all capable of getting to a place where we can all be civilized and get along. Do you think you will be able to do that?"

   Sigmund listened intently, his attention on her as she sat next to him. He didn’t make a sound or a movement, sitting like a statue as his hands remained in his lap patiently. The one thing Nori had been wrong about, was home caring. Sigmund did care. Cared so much, he lamely wrote to the Dear Tsubaki column in the newspaper for advice. When she mentioned that they needed to put their differences aside, it struck a nerve with him. He had put their differences aside. He was trying to be civilized. It was them that we treating him with disgust. He began clenching his hands into fists as he calmed himself down. ”If you must know, I know this. You don’t think I know this? Yes, we are different and yes, we have grown apart,” he confirmed. ”But don’t you dare blame this solely on me, Nori. he hissed as he stood up, facing the water as she continued to talk, obviously annoyed now as she continued to speak.

   Nori had admitted she didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want any of this and that annoyed him even more. If she didn’t want to be here, then why was she here? She didn’t want to fight their battles anymore; she wanted nothing with Izalith so why was she here? She made that clear before they even set sail and even then, he believed they were better off without someone like her and her attitude towards Lord Sasuke’s new rein and new established island. She explained trying to find her birth mother and had been unsuccessful. Perhaps she shouldn’t have came back. It didn’t make sense to him. ”You don’t know anything about me, Nori so stop acting like it. You weren’t here. You weren’t there for me when they stripped me from my rank, barring me from ever becoming Chunin again, or even barring me from joining the ANBU. This isn’t about you. What you have going on should’ve stayed on the island or wherever your home is,” he spat out as he turned around, his arms across his chest, folding to him.

   He felt a bit guilty snapping at her, but it was like she was trying to bring old shit up or make this all about her and their past. He felt like she was blaming him for everything. He did his dues and paid his price so why bring it back up? ”Is that all? I have been civilized. I have made my peace. I paid my dues. I did my time for my crimes. You’re just like everyone else. You all treat me like I shouldn’t be here. I have been civilized, Nori. I’ve left you all alone and am keeping to myself. Perhaps you all should look at yourselves in the mirror and tell each of yourselves to be civilized with me. I know my place and I know how to work with all of you. Go lecture your friend, Nanami, not me. Go back to your I-hate-Sigmund club.” He had began to walk away. He wasn’t sure why Nori decided to talk to him like this. They should’ve left their problems back at Izalith because all Nori managed to do was bring up old wounds and throw in his face that he ruined all of this. She was like everybody else: isolating him and pointing fingers at him. He just wanted to go back in time to a point where they actual were friends, but that was life and he accepted it. None of them were his friends and anymore and he made peace with that. He wasn’t entirely sure what Nori was trying to accomplish with this, but he was certain that this wasn’t it and if in fact it was, she managed to piss him off and push what was left of him away for good.

   He walked away. He couldn’t be around her right now because he knew he was going to snap again and didn’t want the Wolf in him to take over. Anger was the key to his newly acquired wolf sage mode and he didn’t want to unleash it accidentally on anyone. His mind was decided now: he couldn’t be with someone like her. Not this version of Nori anyways. Any love he had left for her, he vowed to lock it away now. He couldn’t deal with this new Nori. It was a big turn off and it wasn’t something he wanted right now, not with that version of her anyways. He made his way back down below the deck, giving Sakuya a head nod with a slight smile. ”Sakuya, I just wanted to thank you for the meal. It was great,” he thanked as he climbed into his bunk, taking off his jacket and tossing it by his feet before he laid down and faced the wall. He closed his eyes and attempted to meditate. It was evident that his talk with Nori did not go well.

Nori knew going into this conversation wasn't going to be easy. While she knew that she had things that she wanted to say to Sigmund, she knew there were things that he needed to say to her. Things that she honestly wasn't prepared on hearing, but knew that she had to be if the air needed to be cleared. There were, she felt, a lot of things that needed to be said between all of them. Ever since the three of them were reunited back in Izalith again, the air around them was just different. There was this type of awkward tension that was there that hadn't been there before. If she was being honest, Nori didn't know what to really say when she saw them again. What can you say really? What had happened back on the Land of Snow all seemed just like a distant memory, but it was far from it no matter how much time had passed. It was the very place that changed them all in a way that was irreversible. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. Yet they all somehow managed to come together again. Was there a purpose for that happening? While Nori didn't expect things to be the same between them, she had truly wanted to believe that they could all start over again and wipe the slate clean. However, perhaps it was a foolish mistake to believe something like that was possible. Especially for Sigmund. Her words of wanting to start over again had visibly triggered something inside him that that made him go off in a way she didn't expect.

Everything he was saying had stung her. She knew he was right. She wasn't there for him. She didn't know what he had gone through in this year that they had been separated. She didn't want to pretend that she knew who he was anymore because she truly didn't just as much as he didn't understand her or Nanami. After she had been separated from the rest of them, there was a voice in her head that told her that she was better off. That she didn't need to go and search for them. She didn't know why she listened to this voice inside her and let it control her. At least that was how it was in the beginning. She had better control of it now, but there were always those moments where that voice would creep up on her. So, Nori made that decision to not go in search of her friends. She went on her own way and did what she needed to do. Did it make her selfish in that regards? Perhaps it did in certain aspects and she didn't want to think it was the wrong choice at the time that she made it. She wanted to believe that everyone -- Sigmund, Nanami, Sarada, Shiroma -- was in a safe place away from the land that had caused so much turmoil. In her heart, she knew that they were even though she had no idea of where that place was.

What had happened a year ago was something that Nori never placed blame on Sigmund for. She knew deep down that he was still the person that she had always known even when he had done so many unforgivable things. She wanted to believe that he was still good. Even in the moment leading up to the blinding light that clouded their memories, she remembered that feeling of wanting to save him. She was willing to give up her life at any cost if it meant saving his life. She would still do that even now because...because, dare she say, still held a deep love for him that she kept locked away inside her heart. She found the keys to her heart starting to unlock one by one and that feeling scared her. Nori remembered that those feelings had made her weak and vulnerable in the past, but she refused to go back to becoming someone that relied more on her heart instead of her head. If she did, she knew that it would make everything that she worked hard on to be stronger would be wasted and she couldn't do that. So, why? Why does looking at this person after all this time make her want to break this rule that she had set in place for herself?

There were things that Sigmund was saying that she couldn't understand because she knew it wasn't the truth. Her intentions of wanting to start over were because she wanted them to be able to work together without anything left unsaid between them. She knew she had to do it because there was no way that Sigmund was going to break the ice and she sure as hell knew that Nanami didn't have any intention of being the first to break, either. She knew things weren't going to go back to how they used to be and there was no way that she could ask that of either of them. Just because she wanted them to all at least try to make amends and start over, didn't meant that was they wanted. For both of them, there were wounds that were re-opened and there was still some part of the past that was stopping them from being able to move on. For Sigmund, he seemed to accept things for how they were between them, but had it in his mind that he was blamed for how things were now. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong and that she didn't hate him. For Nanami, there were unforgivable things that Sigmund had done that she was still holding onto and couldn't seem let go of. She was entitled to feel that way, but at the same time, it was holding her back from moving on and forgiving him. That was what needed to happen. Forgiveness between all of them. Maybe Nori couldn't see how the words she spoke so casually had actually been the wrong things to say. What were the right things to say? What could any of them say that would make any of this better? What part of not speaking to each other and keeping your distance was being civilized in his eyes she wondered? Was atoning for the sins he had committed not as important for making things right between all of them after everything they had all been through together? They had all hurt each other to some degree, so it wasn't necessarily fair to blame it on one person. Sigmund was wrong on that assumption that she was placing the blame on him. That she was like everyone else that pointed the finger at him. Yet maybe he was also right in assuming that she did because she didn't choose her words more carefully. Not only that, but because she kept her distance from him for a year without saying one word to him. He truly must have hated her. She wished he knew how wrong he was everything. She was still on his side just like how she had always been since they were kids.

Nori had seen Sigmund's back walk away from her many times and every time it had pained her more than the last. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest. Maybe the right thing in that moment to say that she should have said in the beginning was... "I'm sorry," she said in a soft voice Nori brought up her hand and clenched onto her chest and watched him walk away in silence. She knew going after him now would be meaningless. He had nothing more to say. She lightly bit her bottom lip before she let out a growl of frustration and quickly stood up from the box she was sitting on. She swiftly grabbed one of her katanas from its sheath at her back and turned around quickly to cleanly cut one box. "Dammit!" she shouted before she turned again and started to cut the other wooden boxes around her.

"Ah, your welcome!" Sakuya replied and smiled after Sigmund thanked her for the meal she brought up, "Be sure to thank Chef Zuka as well - he's the one who prepared our meals!"

Seeing the pale-skinned senior genin move on to his bunk, Sakuya then looked to the stairs leading up. She had Kotatsu's help to thank for in somehow coming to terms with how she felt about Sigmund, and it showed that Sigmund was indeed making efforts in order to move on from his past and find ways to fix things with the others.

What Lady Sarada told them before they sortied was true - it won't be easy for people to get over what happened the previous year. Sakuya could only hope that despite how everyone else felt towards Sigmund they would be able to work together. She was particularly worried about Nanami - noticing something different going on with her friend.

   Sigmund made a mental note to thank the ship’s chef for his meal. It had been a long time since he had been given delicious food like that. Thinking about it, he seemed to have let go his frustrations from his encounter with Nori. It got him thinking why Sakura was being so friendly with him. He had to know. Maybe Sakura had a pure heart for forgiveness. Or maybe she was just doing it because she had to. He frowned to himself at the latter. ”Hey Sakuya,” he called out as he continued to stare at the metal wall in front of him. ”Why are you being so nice to me? How come you’re not treating me like everyone else is? Like I’m some plague nobody wants around.” He was generally curious. He had to ask. He wanted to know the truth. It would help his anxiety if everyone was honest about how they felt towards him. He didn’t want fake apologies or pretend friendships. He wanted to make things right; he truly does. He knew nobody would ever trust him again and he was sure nobody would ever truly be a friend to him again but honestly, he was okay with that. He didn’t know why he was okay with it but he was.

   He knew if this didn’t work out, being on a team again, he knew he’d stop being a shinobi for good. The fact of the matter was though, Sigmund would give up his life for them. They didn’t know that but he wouldn’t hesitate if it ever came down to it. He felt like if that happened, he could truly redeem himself and be free of this life. He shook the thoughts out of his head. It sounded too dark and morbid.

In reply to Yamada Nori (msg # 11):

Lady Sarada had wondered the deck of the ship, taking in the familiar scenery. The cold winds and harsh blizzard brewing; the giant icebergs floating on the ocean’s surface and fresh, white blankets of snow, but even though it was as pretty as she remembered it, it was a place she was done with. She knew she couldn’t fail her squad again; she vowed she wasn’t going to allow them to fall prey to this cursed island. She continued to step around until she saw Nori and Sigmund on the other side of the ship. She was actually impressed that the two were having a discussion however that quickly turned sour as she saw Sigmund walk away and Nori react violently. Sarada studied Nori’s blades and she was quite impressed. She didn’t take Nori to be a swordsman but then again nobody thought Sarada would take up after her father’s craft either. Nori was angry and frustrated and she was taking it out on the ship. Sarada knew she had to intervene.

With one swift heel, she managed to make it to the other side of the deck in the blink of an eye and midway through Nori’s swing, Sarada had used a kunai knife to stop her blade. ”Easy.” she said as she lowered her kunai knife and stood up. ”To be a great shinobi, we mustn’t react with our emotions. It causes irrational decisions like this.” she explained. ”I’m proud of you though. You took the first step of trying to ease the tension between the both of you. As long as effort is made, that’s what mattered, Nori.” she explained further as she put her kunai knife away. ”Now, tell me. Is everything okay?” she asked curiously.

After she had cleanly cut the box in half and made the contents spill out onto the deck, Nori swiftly twisted the hilt of her katana in her hand and turned her body to aim at the next box but found herself stopped by the kunai blade of none other than… “Sarada sensei,” she said in a low voice with slightly widened eyes. When had she even come? She was quickly reminded how she had let her emotions control her instead of thinking of the damage she was now causing. Another mistake. She loosened the grip slightly on the hilt as she straightened up her posture to stand firmly back on the ground without taking her eyes off the person in front of her. Was it really a moment to be proud of she wondered? But like she had said, the effort was made. It just didn’t do any good. “I didn’t go in expecting anything.” She twisted the blade and quickly slipped it back into the sheath with a small click. “I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy, but I wanted to try since I knew neither of them would take the first step,” she added before she shifted her cape back around her shoulders and brushed past Sarada to take a seat on one of the boxes that she hadn’t managed to cut in half just yet.

Nori let out a sigh as she rested her elbows on her knees before she brought up her hands to pushed through her flame red hair. The small strands of loose hair fell down across her forehead and down to brush against her temples. “They both have every right to feel what they feel, sensei. We have all gone through our own battles and hardships throughout this past year and aren’t the same people that we once were. However, I knew coming into this again, that the air had to be cleared and we can go into this with nothing left unsaid and start over,” she said as she lowered her hands down from her head and let them drape loosely over her knees while she looked down to the floor. “I made the mistake of not knowing how Sigmund felt and went into the conversation blind. I have no idea what he has been through and how he feels. I’m realizing that maybe my disappearance effected him in a way that I wasn’t aware of. He thinks I hate him. That I blame him for everything. I don’t understand why he feels this way, but something I said triggered and brought up repressed feelings. I was careless in my words and because of that he thinks I am just like everyone else when he couldn’t be more wrong.” Nori lifted her head up and looked at Sarada in front of her with an expression that said she was trying to stay strong but was confused at what to do next. “What is the right thing to do in a moment like this, Sarada sensei? I don’t expect anything to go back to how it used to be. I just…want us all to try and understand each other, but we can’t do that without talking and talking right now just seems to make everything worse. I made it worse.”

"Hmmm..." Sakuya paused to think about the question Sigmund posed to her. All she could remember were what her parents taught her when they were still alive and the time she spent with Kotatsu since the last year.

"I guess it's because it feels wrong to treat others badly when they are trying to fix things together..." the young genin finally spoke up while attempting to put her thoughts together, "My mom said before that you should do things you want people to do for you, so if you want people to be nice to you, you also have to be nice to them..."

"Kotatsu also told me how things were... And you were not exactly yourself back then..." Sakuya added as she put a finger under her chin and looked up to the ceiling, "Also if we look at what happened before, Uzumaki-sama kept on looking out for Uchiha-sama even if the latter did some bad things... I guess it is why Uchiha-sama could watch over us now is because someone was there for him."

In reply to Yamada Nori (msg # 15):

Sarada had eased up once Nori sheathed her deadly blade. She’d mention to Nori to clean up the mess she made once their conversation was over. She leaned against the railing next to Nori as she listened quietly. Strangely enough, she felt guilty herself. As their sensei, she should’ve made sure their tensions had been fixed before they embarked however they didn’t have much of a choice with the urgency of the mission at hand. All she could do was guide the squad in learning how to forgive. It was funny because Sarada was stubborn and hard-headed herself and giving advice was being hypocritical to herself. She sighed softly as the snow began to come down a little harder which meant the blizzard likely was going to get worse before it got better.

”Sometimes you have to remember that you’re all kids still. You’re trying to handle adult problems while still growing at the same time. It confuses yourself. I’m not saying you’re too immature still. It just means you’re still growing, still have a lot of emotions to process,” she explained. She remembered being younger; she didn’t stay young for long as she would’ve liked but with high ranked parents with their kind of reputation, she needed to surpass that or at least get on her father’s level. She often forgot her squad wasn’t that much younger than her however because of her experience and status, it seemed she was a lot older than she really was. When Nori began explaining how she mistakenly forgot how Sigmund felt about everything, it was made clear why he reacted the way that he did. If anything, Sarada believed that’s exactly how she expected Sigmund to behave. She read his file and old reports about his temper and outbursts, always running from his problems rather than face them head on.

”I know you meant well, Nori. Don’t try to take it to heart though. You’ve missed quite a lot with him,” she explained as she recalled having studied his last year in Izalith before they had left for their mission. ”I guess you wouldn’t know what he was going through while you were away.” She paused for a moment before reaching into her satchel bag and pulled out a small book. It wasn’t big and the title read,”Uchiha Trials.” ”While we were away, they published this small book apparently. His criminal trial is in here along with his brother’s. They even have their past year in here. It was only handed out to us Jonin to keep us up to date on the Uchiha brothers in case something arose with them again,” she explained. She remembered seeing the book in her office. It was the one thing she actually read over when she had woken up.

”They punished him. Harshly. His trial made the headlines for a month straight. They charged him and his brother with so many war crimes from murder to terroristic acts. They were arrested, Nori. They spent time in jail for a bit while this all happened,” she went on to explain. ”Nobody should have to go through that. My father didn’t even go through this after all he did. He did make it right eventually before I was born, but nobody’s ever going to forget what he did as a kid.” She remembered the stories and the countless access she had on her father. He wasn’t all that different from Sigmund when it came to fighting for the wrong side. ”Imagine doing all the destruction he caused, living with it, then having to come back to his hometown destroyed and potentially looking at being executed. He faced that alone by himself while all the nations watched him and then him and his brother be acquitted from all the charges. You know the uproar that caused within Izalith’s walls?” Sarada found herself vouching for Sigmund however she was merely informing Nori everything she missed. She knew Nori wasn’t aware what Sigmund went through while she was away.

”and then having to stay within the city not ever being able to leave without having the entire city watching you, telling him how Justice wasn’t served and that he didn’t deserve to live? Can you imagine the emotional damages this past year has caused him? Sigmund’s been through a lot. Isolated and forced to not be able to become what he’s always wanted takes its toll on someone. Did you know they sealed off his sharingan and have limited his chakra reserves? He has a lot of making up to do and while he doesn’t show it, I can tell he feels he’s out of place here. He has no friends. Nobody wants to be his friend for that matter. You did mean well, you truly did. In the end, he needs a friend. Nobody expects any of you to forget what he has done. Everyone in the world is going to remind him of that until the day he’s able to redeem himself to the people and who knows if that’ll ever happen,” she explained as she placed the book back into her satchel and placed a hand on Nori’s shoulder.

”He has the world on his shoulders, waiting for him to screw up again so they have a reason to execute him. Imagine having that hanging over your head. He needs some space right now, that’s all. You can always try again tomorrow with him,” she finished with a soft smile. Lady Sarada tried her best to ease the situation and explain why Sigmund was acting the way he was. She herself hadn’t even spoken to Sigmund about the past; she knew there wasn’t a point however she knew she was stronger this time in case he ever did get out of line again. She couldn’t imagine what Sigmund was feeling and she felt pity towards him because of it. She remembered what Shiroma told her about being under the darkness’ grip; those who are indoctrinated by the darkness, they still remember every single thing that was taking place and having no control to stop it. It was like the sharingan’s genjutsu. She had hoped this helped Nori with her situation.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:06, Sat 27 Nov 2021.

In reply to Uchiha Sarada (msg # 17):

As Sarada took out this book titled Uchiha Trials from her satchel bag and began to read from it, Nori realized just how naive she really had been. She knew back then if Sigmund ever made it back home that he would face punishment for everything he had done, but she told herself, too, that she would be there for him no matter what. Growing up together, she wanted to believe that she knew everything there was to know about him, but at the same time, he never let her get too close to know every aspect of his life. He never really had many friends that she could remember when they were kids. Everyone kept their distance…except her. To hear he had gone through so much without anyone there for him made Nori’s stomach turn. She just stared up at her sensei with widened eyes without even knowing that silent tears had trickled down her face. While she had been out there searching for her own answers, he had been in a place with four walls around him with no escape. He had been acquitted from everything, but has never truly felt that he was free of anything. She could only imagine being in a place with people that were constantly watching you, waiting for you to screw up so that they could kill you.

Nori turned her head and looked over towards the opening that led below deck where Sigmund had left, watching it silently. “Sigmund…” she said in a soft voice that was barely audible. Her mind went back to that conversation she had with him moments again and the words ‘You weren’t here’ ‘You weren’t there for me’ echoed in her head over and over again. Sigmund had never been one to tell anyone how he always felt, finding it better to kept it to himself. Yet when he said those words…she could feel the pain. She could tell that he truly needed someone to be on his side. A friend. Someone. Anyone. How could she look him in the eye ever again? She lowered her head down. “Thank you for telling me all of this. I feel like…I have a better understanding now, sensei.” She brought up her hand to wipe at the tears that had trickled down her face. “It makes me realize that I said everything but the words that he needed to hear,” Nori turned her head and looked over at Sarada that was in front of her. ““I have seen Sigmund’s back turned to me as he walked away so many times in my life, but this time I feel like it may be the last. After knowing everything he has gone through, how can I face him ever again, sensei? What can I do to help him understand that I am on his side without making it seem like it is out of pity for everything he’s gone through? How can I help him?”

   Sigmund had remained quiet for a moment. Something about Sakuya’s words felt genuine and it felt nice. A soft smile began to form before he turned around and looked at Sakuya. ”Thank you, Sakuya. I promise I’ll protect you with my life. You can count on it,” he swore to her before turning back around, draping the blanket over himself as he closed his eyes, Sakuya’s words replaying in his head. Perhaps there was hope after all. If he could at least prove to one person that he’s a changed man, that’s all he needed in life to make himself be at peace with himself. He began drifting off to sleep at that point, an innocent and peaceful face as he allowed himself to finally rest peacefully for once.

Nanami had been standing close enough to catch everything that was said. It wasn't that she purely hated Sigmund. It is just that she lost sight of who Sigmund was to her. It was obvious nothing had been fixed. Herself, Nori and Sigmund haven't buried any type of hatchet. The three of them had been just going on about their woes. Their pains. Everybody including Sigmund was being selfish and only thinking of them. In the many battles that happened. Was she just suppose to forgive and forget everything? Was it even possible for her to? These were questions that couldn't be answered. Listening to Nori, Sigmund and Sarada. It was clear to Nanami that this would end up a disaster if something wasn't done. She really wanted to say what she was thinking. But would it really do anything but cause more animosity. She was really tired of it all. She would find a pole or something to lean against. While she was in this state of deep thinking she would passively start humming. It had been a long while since she had sung for anyone but herself or the victims of the Assassination missions she had been doing for the better part of the year. She wasn't cold about it. Even evil people deserve some solace when they die. But then glancing at Sigmund as he left. Nanami wondered how to even talk to or approach him. She missed the boy that was Sigmund when they first met. After the loss of their sensei. Things suddenly changed. She would speak towards Sarada and Nori.

"We all have our reasons and we all have our damaged selves. I am not one to talk about being damaged. The only way I could cope was by taking assassination's and intel missions while hunting for information on the man in black. After hearing everyone here. It became obvious as to why we act the way we do, and why the nation does as well. Naruto is still missing, the man in black hasn't been unmasked. So the easiest target would be one he seduced to his side. While Sigmund does have to answer for what he did. We are just making it worse. For what? To make ourselves feel better? Maybe. Being treated like a dog sucks. I guess is the best way to put it. He is chained, his power is neutered, and I can't imagine the frustration he must be feeling. But he should look at the bright side. He has his brother back. He has a chance at redemption. All of us venting to him when he himself has no one to vent to, no friends to talk to. Sigmund was my friend, but when our original sensei was killed. That is when he changed. A moment of weakness allowed the true darkness in. Believe it or not. For a brief moment I fell for him. But it was just a fleeting moment. That moment on the rooftop just talking like normal friends would. It is one of those memories that actually allowed me to continue believing there was good left in this world."

She would pause as while she sounded composed, and that was mostly due to her vocal training. It was very hard for her to just spill everything out like this. It was even more difficult to admit other things as well. But she needed to get over herself. That was her biggest weakness. Is she always thought she was superior. Even if she didn't know in those moments. Looking back she was just that way.

"It's funny that the memory that kept me going was of a person that I grew to abhor. But what is the point? We have a mission to do. As we are we will all put ourselves right back into a horrible situation. I will not go through that again. Sensei, would you give Sigmund something since I doubt he wants to see me right now?"

Nanami holds a shard of crystal up. Another fond memory was the training that their first squad captain gave them. A fairly nasty obstacle course. One we all had issues with. The crystal was pinkish red. It has all of their names inscrolled on it, as their first sensei was a user of the Crystal release Kekkei. She holds it out to Sarada.

"Maybe this will bring back some good memories for him. Our first Sensei was strict but kind. His obstacle courses were difficult. But he found a way to unite us. Even then there were some rough edges. It's time they are smoothed out. Don't you think so Sensei?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:15, Sun 28 Nov 2021.

In reply to Yamada Nori (msg # 18):

Sarada felt pity towards Nori. Perhaps Nori did go about it the wrong way. However Sarada knew with this new information, Nori would be able to make amends perhaps the correct way. Sarada knew she did the right thing letting Nori know though. She had to know. Sigmund did in fact need a friend and that friend should’ve been Nori. She had some making up to do, but it was going to take time. ”You try again and you don’t stop. That’s all you can do,” she said as she looked up at the snow falling from the sky. ”You try like Hokage Naruto did for my father. He never gave up on my father, despite my father’s protest. Unfortunately it did takes years and a war for my father to finally accept that our Hokage was truly a friend. That’s why you shouldn’t give up,” Sarada said as she looked down at Nori with a soft smile. ”He’s going to protest, of course, but giving up now only makes his situation worse. He needs you Nori, whether he wants to admit it or not, he needs you. You’re what he needs right now. Remember that,” she added softly before she felt Shiroma’s presence nearby. Sarada was looking forward to seeing her lover right now.

”Once he realizes that you truly mean it, he’ll open up again and perhaps he’ll be able to be the friend you need too in your situation,” she added. Sarada had been briefly told about Nori’s adventure after their final mission. Her disappearance was strange and the fact she went out looking on her own with not much to go off of and coming back empty handed, she couldn’t imagine what the girl was going through herself. ”Speaking of which…did you ever find any clues as to the whereabouts of your mother? I know it means a lot to you to find your birth mother. But how can you be so sure she’s still alive? Or even wants to be found?” she asked curiously. Sarada knew many youngsters who didn’t have parents or were adopted. It wasn’t uncommon, especially if their parents were shinobi and killed in action. Nori’s situation was just a simple mother giving away her child. Most times, when a mother gave her child away, it was for good reason like a better life. She remembered her own journey herself when it came to her father. It wasn’t a story she shared often but perhaps it would help Nori in any way she could.

Before Nori could answer her questions of curiosity, Nanami showed herself. Had she been there the whole time? Sarada had turned around once Nanami began talking. She seemed more understanding of the situation than she thought. When Nanami spoke about their previous sensei, you could tell this individual was important to her, to all of them. She couldn't imagine witnessing their teacher, their friend, their mentor, dying in front of them. Sarada admitted, she had lost someone important to her once. It was all a blur now because she wanted to forget, but never could. Loss and grief are hard, especially if they experienced it young, just as the war started. She remember reading up on their former sensei; a very rare kekkei he possessed.

"Loss changes a person permanently. It sounds like me honestly. The darkness feeds off your painful emotions. If what you say is true, that Sigmund changed the moment your sensei perished in battle, then unfortunately he didn't have much hope to begin with. He's traumatized. He shows signs of ptsd," she explained. She was familiar with the diagnosis herself. She actually couldn't believe she failed to see it in the first place. "I would have to further evaluate him for confirmation; it would explain a majority of his behavior towards everything. The darkness used that to its advantage. Negative emotions of any kind, plants the seed and when this hooded man appears, he's able to manipulate your soul from then on," Sarada explained. Everything was beginning to make sense now. Sigmund's broken inside and he needed something to ground him: friends.

She looked at the crystal held out to her. It was a nice present, one hopefully that would at least cheer Sigmund up. However, it felt wrong to be the one to give it to him. Nanami did make a point though, he likely didn't want to speak to her either. Nori had already opened wounds all over again. He needed space. She took the crystal, glancing at it, with a soft smile. It was a beautiful gesture. "I couldn't agree more," she stated as she placed the crystal into her satchel. "I'll give this to him in the morning. I'm sure he just wants to be left alone for now," she explained.

PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. A mental illness that makes it difficult sometimes to function. Agitation. Irritability. Hostility. Hypervigilance. Self-destructive behavior. Isolation. Flashbacks, fear, severe anxiety, or mistrust loss of interest or pleasure in activities. Guilt, or loneliness. Emotional detachment or unwanted thoughts. He's undiagnosed. Why didn't they see this before when they had him locked up like a dog? Sigmund, I'm sorry I failed you, but I promise I won't fail you from here on out. You have my word.

In reply to Uchiha Sarada (msg # 21):

To hear Sarada be so supporting and telling her not to give up on Sigmund brought hope to Nori that maybe she could still hold onto that hope that things could be worked out. It was just going to require time and patience. She wasn't sure how long it would take. Whether it was days, weeks, months or years, but however long it did take, she would wait for him. Ever since they were kids, Nori had always gravitated towards Sigmund and admired him for his abilities and strength. She had never been sure if she would ever reach his level, so she worked hard in hopes that they could reach the dream of being a Shinobi together. That was something they had promised to each other and when they got older and became part of the same squad, she remembered the feeling of happiness she had at being able to be apart of the same team together. While she wasn't always the strongest between the two of them growing up, he had always been there for her and pushing her to be at her best. He was always there supporting her when it counted the most, but the fact that she couldn't be there for him when he truly needed her, pained her because she knew he had worked hard to be in the position he was in. To lose it all was just...she couldn't imagine having everything stripped away like that. 'He needs you Nori, whether he wants to admit it or not, he needs you. You’re what he needs right now. Remember that.' Sarada's words echoed in her ears and it made her wonder if that was really true, but it made her think of just what it was she could do to make him see that he could trust her again to be there for him. She didn't want to disappoint him, so she knew she had to work on proving that she wasn't going to give up and walk away. To her, he was never worth giving up on. He was worth so much more than that.

"I hope he does realize that I mean what I say. I don't ever plan on giving up on him, sensei. Even though so much has happened and we have been apart for a year, he is the one person in my life that has always meant more to me than my own. I don't care what I have to do to prove that, but I will no matter how long it takes. Whether it's years, decades or centries. I won't fail him again," she told her sensei solemnly as she stared up at her from the box she sat on. It was within her vow of determination to not give up on Sigmund that she heard Nanami's familiar voice come from off to the side, causing her to turn her head and look off to see her friend approaching them. Nanami had always had a very different outlook on things and somehow when she spoke, she had a way of saying things in a way that was just very...different. She had always been one of the more intellectual ones amongst them and even though she didn't always 100% agree with her on things in the past, she did respect her. When she brought up how their sensei had been killed in front of all of them at the exams, Nori's mind went back to that time as they all watched on helplessly. Thinking about that made the pain in Nori's chest begin to ache. It was a day that changed all of their lives. She remembered the sadness she felt. The pain. The anger. The need to want to get justice towards the person that killed a man who meant so much to all of them. Perhaps that really was the moment that changed everything for Sigmund. All of those emotions manifested inside of him and created that darkness which led to so much chaos and destruction. When she had thought of it like that, maybe everything did make more sense. Yet she knew that their sensei wouldn't allow his passing to be a justification for why Sigmund had done the things that he did. He would have wanted him to be better than that. To fight the darkness inside. He would have pushed him just like he always pushed all of them. More than anything, Nori wished he could be here right now. He always had a way of making them think and bringing them together. What would he had done in this situation?

"Our sensei wouldn't have wanted all of this to happen. He wouldn't want to be the reason why Sigmund changed for the worst instead of the better. He would have had us turn all of our negative emotions and channel them in a way that we could use them to our advantage. He always pushed us to be better because he knew we all had the potential to be something better than what we were. He was tough on us, but we all respected him deeply. Especially Sigmund. It makes me think of what he would have done in this situation that we're in," she said as she gave Nanami a faint but sad smile when she saw the crystal in Nanami's hand. "He always had a way of bringing us all together again..." she began to say before she slowly stood up to her feet and stood tall. "Maybe this is another one of sensei's tests that he is giving us. How do we piece together something that is broken and make it whole again?" Nori slowly walked over towards Nanami and stopped beside her before she brought up a hand and placed it on top of her shoulder. "You, me, Sigmund. That is how this all started. Even back then we were all very different, but that is what made us such a great team. He knew even back then that despite how different we were, we could make it work as long as we stuck together and believed in each other. Maybe we just need to remind Sigmund of that again. It will take time, but when have any of sensei's tests ever been easy?" she said with a small smirk.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:03, Sat 04 Dec 2021.

Nanami could only smile. This was the first time in a long time that it was genuine. Listening to Nori, and Sarada. She knew she waso n the right track. She had no real reason to hold onto to her anger towards Sigmund. He was in the enemies grasp from the time their Sensei was murdered. She had been thinking about it for a long time. It was only after listening to all of them that she finally controlled her inner self. Even now though she could not say she was the same person. She had adopted an old moniker, one given to the creator of her jutsu - Non-person -. She would lean against Nori. Something that didn't feel right sense they first met. She hoped this would be their new beginning. But would Sigmund accept it, or go straight to it being pity. Looking back at Sarada..

"Sensei, actually you mind if I have the crystal back. I think it is something both me and Nori would like to give him, and then have a long talk. I will leave out the events and will not blame things on him. I failed because I failed myself. I couldn't protect everyone like I said I would. Well it is time to step up or give up. I prefer stepping up over giving up. If I let you do it, Sensei. Then the point of it is lost. Both me and Nori would fail this test. We can't keep having someone else do the hard things for us."

She would let out a breath and look at Nori again. She was already feeling much better. Then she posed an odd question to Nori.

"I do have a question that I think only you might know out of all of us. What is Sigmunds favorite breakfast food?"

There it was. This was the smile that Nori remembered seeing from Nanami before all of this had started. It wasn’t forced. It was genuine. After hearing her friend speak, she was glad to know that they were on the same page with one another. They were the ones that had to fix this. Not Sarada. “Nanami is right, sensei,” she said aloud before she turned her body slightly so that she was standing side by side facing Sarada. “This is something that only her and I can do. We realize that we both have failed Sigmund. Not just as his teammates, but as his friends. What is the point of reconciliation or forgiveness if it isn’t being asked for by the ones who have caused him this pain? If you go on in there and give him that crystal, we will not only have failed Sigmund again, but sensei, too. It’s time for us to step up and take accountability for our actions. He may not forgive us right away and that’s okay, but I think Nanami and I can both agree that if we don’t reach out to him ourselves, that door will close out a chapter of our lives that we aren’t ready to end just yet. There is a reason why the three of us are together again.” She turned her head and looked at her friend beside her. “Call me crazy, but I really think sensei is here with us and I think we just…need to remind of him of who we once were and that we aren’t completely lost just yet. Our team and our friendship are worth saving. Even if I have to make him a million of those octopus shaped sausages that he loved as a kid in his bento boxes, I will do it.”

Nori had remembered all those years ago when they had ate lunch together underneath their favorite tree in the school yard. That was their spot. It was a spot that held so many wonderful memories for her and Sigmund and it was really where their story began. It was a story innocence, friendship, and in Nori’s heart, love. She wasn’t ready to close out their story just yet and she hoped he wasn’t ready to, either. “That’s why I’m also asking you, sensei. Please give us that crystal back,” she said before she looked back to Sarada across from them a solemn but genuine expression. “This test is for Nanami and I to see through to the end. Whether or not we succeed or fail should be left in our hands, not yours.”

Sarada couldn’t help but be proud of the young women before her. As they continued to reconcile and remember their first start as genin with their former sensei, she reached into her satchel and held out the crystal to them. She couldn’t agree more with the two; they were right after all. She shouldn’t be the one to give Sigmund this gift. It wasn’t her place to get involved in terms of fixing their friendships with one another. However, she did feel obligated to talk to Sigmund later about last year’s events: she too was just as guilty not being there for him but she honestly couldn’t. She spent that last year in a coma and the only thing she could train herself to do was chakra control and genjutsu. She wasn’t there for Sigmund either but she had hoped he would understand considering the circumstances.

When they takes about their former sensei, she was kinda jealous. Their old sensei left an outstanding impact on their lives and she had hoped one day Sarada could do the same for them. While she was still young and didn’t have a ton of life experience like their old one, however her bloodline spoke for itself. Former ANBU and a descendant of the Uchiha bloodline spoke for itself on her part. She wasn’t like her mother or like her father: she was unique and a whole new level of Uchiha. She vowed to herself that she could make this squad proud of her as well one day, but much later in life that is.

”Of course you can have it back. I was wondering when you’d realize this on your own. While I know I’m still your leader, there are some problems that you must figure out for yourself and this was one of them,” she praised with a soft smile. ”Just remember, he’s been through a lot okay? This test won’t be easy and there’s likely going to be resistance. A lot has changed over the course of the year and that can have a lasting effect. Just be considerate. Keep your emotions under control if you can. Things will be said, for better or for worse but you all need to clear the air with one another. That is how a squad succeeds: working together,” she explained as she let out a slight yawn. ”Excuse me,” she said with a soft, nervous chuckle. ”Be sure to wait until he wakes up at least. Let me know if you want us to temporary leave the quarters for privacy. “

Nanami noticed the shift in Sarada's body language. She would smile and shoulder bump Sarada as she came and took the crystal. The weight just kept getting lighter. She wanted to be rid of it permanently. Yet one thing would be there until the man in black was killed. She had no interest in capturing such a person. In essence all of her missions were training to find and kill that man. She never just blamed Sigmund. But like she had said he was there, and the man in black was not. She would keep some of her theories to herself until some of her inquiries were proven. For now she had to make her team whole again no matter what.

"It is on us, while there was nothing we could really do to prevent last years incident. That man wanted us there, and he seemed oddly familiar. But I don't know why. Anyways. I want us all to operate with a clean slate. What happened last year, stays there. Of course we still will be searching for Naruto and the Man in Black still out there plotting."

Her head would turn and look at Sarada after she had made the friendly contact.

"While our past Sensei understood us. He had taken many teams under his wing. You will be you. He will be him. Just be the best you and everything will be good."

Nanami says with a bright smile.

"Anyways. We'll bring him breakfast in the morning and likely ask for the room for a while. Unless something explodes, ignore any yelling or shouting that might happen, as no matter what I expect his frustration to be high."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Sat 04 Dec 2021.

"Rest well," Sakuya replied as she watched Sigmund head to sleep. She was grateful for his words, hoping it would also help him find peace with their teammates too. It did not need to happen immediately as long as the situation gradually improves over time.

She quietly left the room, finding a cloak to wrap around herself to keep herself warm. Maybe she could check around the ship to see where everyone else was?

Nori had been glad when she saw Sarada take the crystal out of her satchel and come over to them to hand the gem back. To know that their sensei had understood where they were coming from and were allowing them to make amends with Sigmund on their own terms was, in a way, comforting to her. She heeded them to keep their emotions in check and to approach him with ease and consideration of what he had been through the past year. After knowing everything that had happened, she didn't want to approach Sigmund in a way that made him think she wanted to be at peace with him out of pity. She truly wanted to show him that she was still there for him even if only as a friend. Her and Nanami needed to remind him of where they came from and let him know that the three of them could work together again like they used. They were all stronger than when they had first started out together. They had developed and grown into the people that their sensei had hoped they would become. While none of them could have expected that things would turn out this way, they each had their own tests they had to face while being apart and their choices led them right back to where they started: together. Was it really crazy to think that their sensei was the one behind all of this? Somehow that crystal was a sign that maybe he was.

"Thank you for giving us this opportunity, Sarada-sensei. While we know that it is going to take work, we won't give up. Sometimes it takes something small to remind us of who we were and what we were before this all started. Hopefully Sigmund will see where we are coming from and understand," she said. She wasn't sure how Sigmund was going to react when the two of them would talk to him, but it was better than not trying at all and letting things be the way that they were. Their sensei wouldn't have wanted them to give up. It wasn't in any of their natures to do such a things. He was the one that made them realize that they were all stronger together than apart. Hopefully Sigmund would see that. "We will be okay, though, sensei. It will take more than words for him to forgive us, but sitting down and talking is the first step into piecing together what has been broken." She turned her head and looked over at Nanami beside her. "I think I may know just the thing we can make that may help him warm up to us again. It was one of his favorites as a kid," she told her friend.

We are skipping to the morning time now. Go ahead and post.

Nanami was up before dawn. She had become accustomed to sleeping in such a way due to her missions. She never left herself vulnerable. She knew she might be in such a situation in a bit. She would head to the mess hall and into the kitchen. She needed to think about what exactly she is going ot say. Will it be simple, or should she draw it out. She would come to the conclusion her short version would be best for the talk. It was simple, and really no argue points as this coming talk could likely be more difficult. But she hoped the easier and shorter approach would get the point across more quickly. As she was thinking she began to cook. She was far from the greatest cook. But she had mastered one food. Omelets. They were easy to make and needed minimal equipment. So she would start working on breakfast for everyone. She would work slowly so she would finish as people started waking up. There was nothing like smelling fresh food and coffee in the morning.

Nights out in the sea were usually the worst (but not as bad as staying out in the cold), and even for a shinobi with roots from the Hidden Mist the cold was unbearable. Sakuya has wrapped herself under her blanket to make sure she could preserve her body heat through the night, but that made getting out of bed even harder. The blanket bundle she hid herself in curled up before she finally peeked out, unintentionally shivering when the cold air came into contact with her warmed face. She soon reluctantly crawled out of bed and prepared for the day, picking up a scent of something nice cooked up from the cafeteria section of the ship.

When she came in she spotted Nanami cooking, something she didn't know her friend did during the time they shared letters. The latter seemed to be in a brighter mood than before, making Sakuya smile as she stepped forward.

"Good morning, Nanami!" the younger genin greeted as she approached, "What are you cooking?"

Nanami would turn and give Sakuya a smile. Again it was very genuine. It seems Nanami for now has gotten rid of the fake smile she had been wearing for a long time. Sakuya was one of the few people Nanami actually admired. Her pure heart and attitude was something Nanami wished she had. As she was humming and as Sakuya spoke up. Nanami would pause her humming.

"Omelets. They provide everything you need to start the day. Protein, fats, calories, carbs, as well as whatever the filling provides. These are simple cured ham omelets with a garlic cream sauce. I know it sounds fancy, but it really is simple. I created many variations when I was away on missions. They are quick, delicious, and you can find all but the cheese in the wild if my food supplies were low. But I figured it would be a nice way to start the day. You can have the first one of the day if you would like it? I figure you are not into coffee so how about some green or black tea?"

After the two friends finished speaking with Sarada, the two of friends went off to bed below deck. It had been about 5 o'clock the next morning when Nori had woken up only to find both Nanami and Sakuya missing from their bunks. It was still dark outside and she could feel a cold chill seeping in from underneath the cracks of the wooden door. While she had slept outside quite often, she could never get used to the cold weather. She sat up in her bed and planted her feet on the floor before she got up and stretched out her arms. She was quick to grab her cloak from the bed post and slipped it in. Once she secured it around her neck, she walked over to the door and opened it up. She braced herself against the cold breeze that suddenly hit her as she walked outside and quickly closed the door. She made her way up the steps and onto the ship's deck where she saw a few crew members already up and gathering things together for the rest of the voyage to the Land of Snow. She didn't see Nanami or Sakuya around, which could only mean one thing: they were both most likely in the kitchen.

Nori made her way over to where the kitchen was below deck on the opposing side and once she reached the bottom step, she reached out an arm from beneath her cloak and opened up the door. As soon as she did that, she breathed in the delicious smell of omelets. She couldn't remember the last time she had one of those. "I see you already got a head start this morning, Nanami," she told her friend as she walked inside and closed it behind her. At least it was a little warmer in here thanks to the heat from the stove. "Does the cook have any sausages on board? I'd like to make those if you don't mind. I know just the way Sigmund likes them." Today they were going to have their talk with Sigmund, so they were going to make him breakfast as a nice gesture before they did. She was glad that she was going to have Nanami at her side this time and that they were doing this together as friends to make peace with Sigmund and ease their way back into being not just a team, but friends again.

Sakuya was clearly impressed with the omelet Nanami made, taking a good look at the yellow and fluffy food her friend prepared for breakfast.

"Thank you, Nanami! I'll have green tea with it!" she replied as she picked up the dish prepared for her. The plate felt warm in her hands and helped with coping in the cold climate. It was at that time Nori came in and also greeted Nanami, mentioning about how Sigmund would like his omelet done. Sakuya then was able to put the pieces together - this was Nanami's attempt to reach out and make amends with Sigmund!

"Good morning, Yamada-san! Did you sleep well?" she turned and greeted Nori with a smile.

Nanami would smile as she went into the cold storage and brought several sausages and set them on the counter next to her. She'd wave at Nori to come into the kitchen. She started a pot of hot water, and began making tea and coffee. For Nanami she had grown to love coffee. It had helped her on many of her missions. She slid an omelet to Sakuya.

"It should be almost perfect. The occasional rocking the boat does throws off the balance a little. Feel free to cook the sausages, Nori. There are many ways to cook them. I did look for bacon, but they didn't have any."

She said as she went back to cooking the next omelet. Nanami began humming a soft melody as she cooked. She really hoped the upcoming talk would be a productive one. She planned on her side to be shorter than Nori's as there was a lot more history there.

Upon hearing Sakuya's greeting, Nori turned her head and looked over in her direction. "Good Morning, Sakuya. I see you must have also followed the scent of Nanami's cooking, too," she said with a soft smile as she approached closer to the two girls. She fixed her cloak over her shoulders and stopped beside the stove, bringing up her hands to warm them up. "After being gone for a year, I almost forgot how cold it was the last time we were here. At least we were able to get some rest despite that." She watched as Nanami started to boil water for coffee and tea on the stove top before she plated an omelet and moved it towards Sakuya. It really had looked delicious. She hadn't remembered if Nanami knew how to cook in the time that they had known each other, so this was the first time she was seeing it for herself. Although, she did seem fairly good at it.

"I'll get started on the sausages," she said as she brought her hands down and reached out to grab the pack of sausages from the counter before she moved to the other side of Nanami. She got a small frying pan from above the stove and set it down on the stovetop before she turned on the heat to warm up the pan. She added a little bit oil and swirled it around to coat the pan. Once she was done, she then took hold of a knife and opened up the package before she started to make small slits to make the legs. Nori lightly tossed them into the now heated pan one by one before she began to shuffle them around to make sure that they were evenly cooked. While this wasn't her first time cooking, this would be the first time that she was cooking something for Sigmund. "I remember as kids these octopus sausages used to be Sigmund's favorite thing in his lunch bentos. His mom used to cook them all the time and he always had the best smile on his face as he chowed down on them," she said as she smiled at the fond memory of when her and Sigmund were children. "As much as he didn't always like sharing his lunch, we would always share our lunches together every day at school."

Edited GM note:
Player Shiroma is taking some time away; being unable to make her character just vanish for this mission, your leader will
resume both their actions as one, however try to avoid any interaction with Shiroma unless absolutely necessary.

---

It hadn’t gone unnoticed that Sarada and Shiroma were becoming much closer than just professionally. They had spend every moment they could to themselves, especially last night. Once Sarada had finished conversations with Nori and Nanami, she felt better knowing her squad might actually overcome their differences after all. As a sensei, that was her job; to ensure her squad could work together regardless of any personal issues. But these issues had to be resolved. She was going to allow them to make amends on their own while they had the down time for now. She knew she needed to train them once they got to shore. She needed to know their capabilities now like before. She needed to test them all; where they could improve or perhaps they were superb on their own.

As she remained on the deck in silence, the snow continuing to fall quietly and blanket the ship. ”So this is where you’ve been hiding,” Shiroma cooed as she walked from the corner and made her way next to Sarada. ”I was beginning to wonder when you’d show up,” Sarada murmured with a smile as she turned and snaked her arms around Shiroma’s waist and brought her closer. While she had some height on the gorgeous ice Queen before her, it wasn’t much of a difference. She closed her eyes and brought her lips to Shiroma’s softly then passionately. Shiroma was surprised as butterflies grew in her stomach, her breath catching as Sarada continued to kiss her. Shiroma had frozen for a moment before she allowed herself to relax in her arms and wrapped her arms around Sarada’s shoulders. Sarada had pulled away for a moment, coming up for air as they both we panting in unison. ”I’ll never get enough of this.” Sarada had whispered before kissing her again softly before smiling and turning to the ocean, Shiroma still in her arms. ”Are you ready for this again?” Sarada asked. She knew Shiroma had been here too. This is where they saved her; Sigmund actually saved her.

Shiroma had been with the group for over a year now and she had become a vital part of their team and apart of Sarada’s life unexpectedly. Shiroma remained quiet as she looked beyond, her other persona chiming in this time as Shiroma’s eyes became ocean blue. ”This time I’ll be ready. They got lucky on me last time but I can ensure you, things will be much different now. I won’t let them hurt us.” Sarada nodded her head and they remained quiet before making their way back to Sarada’s private cabin. Shiroma never regrouped with her comrades downstairs and instead spent the evening with Sarada that evening.

By morning, the two women had still been asleep in bed, wrapped in each other’s arms, naked and in love. Last night had been a bit of a blur however it wasn’t a moment they would forget. Sarada had been the first to wake up. She held Shiroma closer, burying her head in her hair and just enjoying the scent of the beautiful woman in her arms. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep again.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:45, Sat 22 Jan 2022.

   Sigmund had stayed to himself last night after briefly speaking with Sakuya. He was awoken every time he heard the others leave the barracks. He was rather curious however he wasn’t going to get up any time soon. He needed to be alone. It wasn’t long before he couldn’t fall back to sleep and decided he needed a nice hot shower to start his day off. Grabbing fresh clothing, a black tshirt, black trousers, and black traditional ninja shoes; he kept his Uchiha kimono cloak packed away still. He didn’t want to bring attention to himself while he was here. His shower was quick as the hot water didn’t last. Using his chakra, he managed to dry himself off instantly as he got dressed. He frappes the hooded, leather jacket on himself as he walks up the steps and hits the deck.

   He had no desire to find the others however food was in the air. A familiar smell at that. Sausages He hadn’t smelt those in years let alone had any since he was a child. He began to reminisce for a moment before shaking his head. He wondered who was cooking those delicacies but he sure he’d be offered them by Sakuya later. He walked around all over the deck before settling down in the back of the ship and sat down on some crates as several crew members were shoveling the snow off the ship. He closed his eyes and did a deep breathing exercise and when he opened his eyes he attempted to produce his sharingan but when he tried, he was given pain a shock that coursed through his body. ”Argh,” he muttered out in a pant before he stopped trying. It really was true: he could no longer harness any power through his bloodline. Would he ever be able to again? Was there a way to break this curse?

   He huffed in frustration as he closed his eyes again, this time meditating his chakra, storing it for his new power: the wolf sage. He hadn’t displayed it for anybody and while it wasn’t as powerful as it was when he was able to use his sharingan, it could do some havoc if given the chance. He had to follow daily meditations so he could connect with his inner wolf, the spirit of the pack. As he continued to focus, chakra became visible around him, swirling slowly around him as he continued to control it.

"That's right! Nanami's cooking smells great!" Sakuya replied as she picked up the omelet Nanami cooked for her, "Thank you very much!"

Taking a seat at a nearby table, the younger genin had her breakfast while listening to Nanami and Nori discuss about preparing breakfast. It was good to see the two were also making amends with Sigmund.

"Do you need any help in preparing breakfast?" she finally offered after swallowing the piece of omelet in her mouth. It sounded like a good idea and Sakuya would like to help her friend out with their plan.

Nanami was becoming more and more upbeat. Being together in a fun and friendly atmosphere took her back a bit. She needed to enjoy these moments more. She has only had a few since she became a Kunoichi. She started singing a well known song as she cooked, and tried to get the other involved as she went about. Hearing Sakuya asking if she could help she would think for a moment as she kept working.

"If you want to cut up some potato's that could be useful. I am thinking ahead for an easy lunch. My diet was primarily omelets, rice, and potato's. Like I told Nori. I got very creative with how I went about varying the taste. I do not recommend bear meat except for jerky. Cooking wise it is way to tough and gamey."

She would serve up another omelet and place in on a plate. Some of the crew smelled them, and came and grabbed a plate. They seemed happy to have a hot meal. She was dancing around having more fun than she had had in years. It was odd, just admitting certain things to anyone took a good deal of stress off of her. So she was able to start to return to normal. Knowing she could switch gears as she needed emotional. Nanami tries to get the others to dance along with her.

Nori stayed standing in place at the stove as she continued to slice up the sausages into octopus shapes and toss them in the oiled pan. It had been a long time since she last cooked anything like this. Especially within a kitchen. She used to cook all the time with her parents while was at… home. Parents. Home. All seemed like a distant thing now. She honestly didn’t even know what happened to them after that event a year ago. In fact, it didn’t really occur to her to even think about them. That was sad, wasn’t it? After she had found out about her adoption and that her parents were out there somewhere, that was all that she had concentrated on this past year. She wanted to find them. To ask questions. To get answers. But she never got anywhere. Even now, though, she just had this feeling that they were alive out there. Just because she was apart of this mission didn’t mean that it was going to deter her from what she had set out to do. For now, though…

Nori turned her head and looked over at the dancing Nanami and then Sakuya… she would just focus her attention on spending time with the people that she had parted ways with a year ago and reconnect with them again. Especially Sigmund. She knew that breakfast wasn’t going to entirely make up for everything, but hopefully it would stir up some of those old but good memories that she had locked away herself for so many years and help him see her in a better light like he once did. She turned her head down and looked at the sausages that were now evenly cooked and ready to go. She reached out and turned the stovetop off before she looked over at Nanami. “These are done. We just need to plate them up with what you made and we’re good to go,” she told her friend. “Sigmund is probably already up, so we should him and bring this to him while the others eat.”

"Hai, I'll get started then!" Sakuya replied as she set her plate by the kitchen sink and went to look for the peeling knife and where the potatoes were stored, looking back to ask Nanami once she found them, "Do you prefer the potatoes diced or sliced?"

Trying to live by herself over the past year was a strange experience. For one, nobody had to tell her what she needed to do. It still left a strange, hollow feeling in her whenever she was by herself. She was able to learn how to do things on her own such as cooking and cleaning her place, but it was very different from the time before their old home was lost.

Being in the company of Nanami and Nori helped a great deal in alleviating those feelings. Sakuya started to hum one of the tunes Nanami performed before as she peeled the potatoes, finding the skills she learned from Tsunade very helpful with work in the kitchen too. Using even a small amount of chackra on the knife made it easy to peel the potatoes cleanly.

"Cubed if you could. They are going to be baked on one of the metal sheets, and just mix them in a bowl with, melted butter. You get nice soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside potatoes, and you can easily flavor them with salt and pepper. They are really good all spiced up though, so use that bag of spices and mix them when you add the butter. I am sure the crew would appreciate hot potatoes as well."

Nanami looked at Nori and nodded. She was still kind of dreading this talk, but she knew what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it. She also knew Sigmund, and she wondered how he would respond to her method. But she knew apologizing was not going to get anything than animosity. So instead she was going to stick to her guns and do what she needed to do. The food though was making her very hungry.

"Yeah our food will be ready in a few minutes. I think it would be good to start the talk out just by eating and then moving into the topics that we need. You should probably start. But do remember the one rule. No pity, no saying sorry. None of that, or he will reject us. We need to be sincere, straight forward, and real. If we are anything other than that things might get worse."

"All right! I'll do that!" Sakuya replied as she moved on to slicing the potatoes into small bite-sized cubes. She then went to look for a bowl to slice butter into smaller cubes that made them melt sooner and adding the cubed potatoes in them. The young medic then looked to where Nanami pointed for the bag of spices, checking the contents to make sure she found the correct bag before getting a cupful to mix with the butter and potatoes.

Finding a metal sheet to put them on followed next, placing the sheet on a tray before laying the mixed potatoes on them. With some help from Nanami she was then able to get the oven ready for baking the potatoes, keeping an eye on them until they showed a golden brown color along the edges.

"The potatoes are ready!" Sakuya called out to Nanami as she took the baked potato cubes out, settling the tray on the table.

In reply to Nara Nanami (msg # 43):

Nori knew what needed to be done during this talk with Sigmund. Considering how their conversation went last night, she wanted to be more cautious about how she approached it this time around and with Nanami at her side, she was sure that the three of them could at least have a civil conversation. “Don’t worry so much about me. I know we are in a sensitive place with Sigmund right now and that saying the wrong thing could ruin everything. I really want us to be in a good place and work together as a team like Akuma sensei taught us how to be. If you and I don’t give it our all to repair what’s been broken, than everything he ever taught us would be for nothing. The last thing I want to do is dishonor him,” she explained as she looked into Nanami’s eyes. Back then if three of them were ever in a disagreement with each other, Akuma sensei would make them see things through each other’s perspectives and try to make them understand one another. Nori could only hope that Sigmund would see the sides of both of her and Nanami’s story and try to understand them. She never left with the intention of hurting him. Even now, despite how much she had gone through in that year, he was still at the center of her existence. It had always been that way since the moment they met. If only he could really understand that.

Nori picked up the plate of octopus shaped sausages from the counter and turned towards Nanami, so she could place the food that she made onto it. “Sensei taught us to never give up on each other no matter what and that we are stronger together than we are apart,” she said. “It’s our turn now to be the strong ones now, Nanami. Even if it seems like things aren’t going the way we hoped they would, don’t give up on Sigmund, okay?”
This message was last edited by the player at 07:42, Tue 15 Mar 2022.

Hide waited on the boat, her equipment on and ready to go. Her puppet attached to her, or nearby so they would be ready to be used. She didn't get a lot of information on the mission, other than the general knowledge. Backup because of a mysterious stranger. Then again, even if the others knew more it was not very likely they would tell the genin the more important information. She wasn't exactly excited to travel on the water, as it was one of her weaknesses. And the knowledge that if she fell off Hide would have to drop most of her equipment least she wanted to drown.

Still this fear didn't show on her face as she glanced to the others that were also included in the backup squad.