The Senju Village was on the corner of the continent, near the Land of Thunder. To reach there from Amegakure, one had to go through Land of Waterfall which had mountains with enormous waterfall, one after another, some as tall as the building in Amegakure. The forests of Land of Waterfall was filled with wild animals.
It was peaceful; the weather was nice, not a single rain cloud in the sky. This land was a marvel to the people of Akatsuki, who only knew Amegakure and had never been outside of the Land of Rain. The land without rain.
Yahiko took lead as the others followed, Konan and Nagato walking beside him. They walked down the path that took them through the forests.
"These mountains...are so high!" Yahiko pointed towards the tall mountains that they had to walk over.
"These trees...I've never seen trees so huge...even the one that you cut down that night was only so tall..." Konan commented, looking up at the trees, the thick foliage that hid the sky from sight.
Nagato followed behind the group. They were treating this like picnic, but he was careful. He had to be. The Third Ninja War was raging and skirmishes at the borders were a common occurrence. What if there was another one right now?
"Look a waterfall!" Yahiko yelled and pointed forward. The waterfall was enormous, covering the sky with water. There were even rainbow formed around the waterfall.
"It's so pretty," Konan covered her mouth. She was mesmerised by the sight in front of her, "is this even real?"
"Yes, it is," Yahiko nodded his head vigorously. He was excited, looking around the forest, the trees, and the waterfall. He looked at Cloud, "have you been here before?"
"Once," Cloud admitted, "I've seen sights from around the worlds. There aren't many comparable to this place."
Konan had sparkles in her eyes, holding onto her arm. She was entranced by the beauty of nature. The people who joined Akatsuki dreamt of peace and a better future for their village. It wasn't something he was adept at dealing. They had loyalty towards their village, even if he managed to drag them to the Senju Village they weren't going to forget about their village.
"Since we are here, let's spend the day! We don't know when we'd get the chance to come here again!" Yahiko grinningly addressed all the members of Akatsuki.
"Alright!"
"Yeah!"
"Yay!"
Yahiko yelled in excitement, he looked towards all the members of Akatsuki, "Come on! Let's go! Let's have fun!"
The members of Akatsuki cheered. Yahiko jumped up, swinging his arm around Konan's shoulder, "Konan, want to have fun?"
Konan followed Yahiko's palm resting on her breasts, her palms squeezing them. She blushed, playing with the blue locks. Her eyes met with Nagato's and a shy smile appeared on her lips, "Sure..."
Nagato blushed and looked away. He couldn't peel his eyes away from Konan as he watched Yahiko kissing Konan's neck, his palm caressing her breasts over her shirt.
"Hey...Cloud...did you know this place had waterfalls?" Yahiko grinned.
"Yes, I did. I visited this place during the mission," Cloud shrugged, following the group as they went around the waterfall. The other members of Akatsuki were excited. They saw waterfalls before, but nothing like this. The sound of rushing water was so loud that it drowned out any other sounds.
"There's a lake behind the waterfall," Cloud added, pointing towards the direction. Yahiko let go of Konan and ran towards the lake, Konan giggled as she followed him.
The entire Akatsuki gathered around the lake. They stared at the large body of water. It was clear blue colour, they could see the bottom of the lake.
"It's so clean," Nagato stared at his reflection on the surface of the lake, "there's no mud or dirt..."
"Wow, look at how deep it is," Konan remarked, "and it's so clear."
Yahiko took off his shoes, stepping on the rock around the edge of the lake. He glanced towards Konan, who was standing in the middle of the lake, her foot was in the water, "wanna go swimming?"
Konan smiled, nodding her head, "yes!"
Yahiko grinned and took off his clothes, "Hey! We are going swimming!"
Konan giggled as Yahiko stripped and threw his clothes on the ground. Konan removed her clothes and dropped them on the ground too, she waded into the water, "it's cold!"
She shivered, feeling the coldness of the water on her body. She laughed as the coldness of the water sent a chill up her spine. She didn't mind it; it made her more excited. She giggled and splashed water at Yahiko. He yelled, splashing her back.
Yahiko splashed her hard, making her face wet, "I got you!"
Konan giggled as she walked back, trying to keep her distance, "hey...stop!"
"No way!" Yahiko charged at Konan, chasing her around the lake, splashing water on her. She giggled as he chased her around, she kept running around him, laughing.
"Don't have all the fun by yourself," the other member of Akatsuki joined in, splashing Yahiko and Konan with water.
"Hey, stop it!"
"Splash them back!"
"Yeah!"
Konan laughed and splashed Yahiko back, the two of them continued playing in the water. Yahiko was splashing water all around, his palms sending a wave towards Konan, making her wet. She squealed in laughter, "stop!"
Nagato watched the two of them splash each other. He stared at Konan. Water covered her naked body, wetting her long blue hair. Though water also covered most of her body, giving a good view of cleavage.
"Not joining them?"
Nagato peeled his eyes away from Konan's beautiful form, seeing Cloud, "Huh...?"
"Not joining them?"
"I..." Nagato was lost for words. He didn't know what to say. He just stared at Konan. He loved Konan. She was the most important person to him, but he didn't have the courage.
Cloud pushed Nagato, "Just go."
"Huah!" Nagato fell into the water, face first. His body dipped underwater, he came back up to see Yahiko and Konan laughing. The two of them started splashing water over him, making him cover his face, "No, stop!"
"C'mon! It's so much fun! Join us!" Konan splashed water towards Nagato. Nagato turned towards Yahiko, who was waving him over. He looked down at the water and back at them, "I...I don't know how to swim."
"We'll teach you!" Yahiko shouted, "Don't worry!"
Nagato hesitated for a moment, he looked at the two of them and slowly waded forward, "Alright."
Cloud sat down on the edge of the lake. His eyes scanned the surrounding, having activated Libra. He watched Konan's reflection on the lake as he looked through the area using his Materia.
"Hey! Cloud!" Yahiko shouted, "Join us!"
Cloud watched as the Akatsuki members started splashing water at Nagato, making him cover his face with both his hands, "You guys play. I am keeping watch."
"Come on, there is no need for that," Konan waded closer, her hands rested on his shoulder. Nagato turned towards her, his lips were moving, "It's not fun unless everyone is there."
"It's fine..." Cloud turned his head away.
"Come on, you are shyer than Nagato," Konan giggled, pulling him in the water. He let out a gasp as his head was under the water. He came up, coughing, "what was that for?!"
Konan laughed, splashing him. Nagato and Yahiko were laughing. Cloud looked at the three of them, rolling his eyes when Nagato splashed water on Konan, making her squeal, "What are you doing?!"
"You splashed me!" Nagato laughed, "that's what you get."
Konan smiled, laughing, "Hahaha!"
Cloud rubbed the back of his neck. He finally sighed, giving in.
.
.
.
Night,
Cloud snapped opened his eyes, sensing his surroundings. There was no wind, but the trees around the area were swaying slightly. He walked out of the tent, finding Nagato sitting where the campfire was. He was staring at the flames, his eyes were closed, he seemed to be meditating.
"Everything okay?"
"Don't you sense that? Someone's here," Cloud scanned his surrounding. He reached out for his sword that flew to his palm, tearing the tent he was in.
Nagato made a hand sign, spreading his senses out, finding a group of ninja surrounding them. There were too many of them for him to see all the way around.
He didn't hesitate. He weaved the signs for an Earth Style Jutsu. He slapped his hands down, "Earth Style! Earth Wall Barricade!"
The ground around the Akatsuki's campground erupted, rocks shot up in a large circle, forming a protective wall around them. The rumbling woke everyone up, who picked their ninja bags and rushed out of their tent.
"What's going on!"
"We are surrounded," Cloud jerked his head up. He leaped over the wall, seeing the swarm of Kunai's coming towards them. Since they had surrounded themselves with walls, sending kunai with paper bombs was the easiest way to kill themselves.
"Shit..." he didn't want to waste time. He weaved hand signs, using one of the few Jutsu that Aerith made, "Aero!"
A white light appeared right around the barricade, generating intense air that shot out in all directions, forming a wall of sheer air pressure that pushed back all the kunai.
"I'll back you," Konan jumped beside him, "Paper Shuriken!"
Paper shot out of the pouch at her thigh, turning into a multitude of sharp shurikens and shot towards the ninja hiding behind trees.
"Water Style: Water Wall Jutsu!" a wave of water crashed into the paper, dissolving into nothing. While the two of them clashed into Ninja's in front of them, the others who had surrounded the group threw their shuriken. But the other members of Akatsuki jumped at the walls, countering the attacks.
"Water Style: Wild Water Wave!" Yahiko spewed water out of his mouth, covering the kunai that the ninjas had thrown. His hands made signs, "Water Style: Water Trap Jutsu!"
The ground under the attacking Ninjas turned into water, drowning them. The others who weren't affected jumped off, "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Jutsu!"
Fire dragons came out of their mouths.
"Wind Style: Dust Storm!" Nagato spewed out dust, while Yahiko, "Water Style: Water Wall Jutsu!"
A barrier of water appeared in front of him. Cloud leaped into the air, circling in mid-air, dodging all the jutsu and walls between him and the ninja attacking them. His eyes fell on the nearest one, towards whom he threw the broadsword, putting the force of his Telekinesis behind it. The sword smashed into the tree, and the ninja hiding behind the tree barely dodging it.
He landed right beside the tree, observing the ninja who had fallen to his butt from the corner of his eyes. He pointed his palm towards the ninja, "Stay down."
SLAM
The ninja felt a shock run through his body, almost as if he had been hit by a falling wall, knocking him out. While they were focused on the members of Akatsuki, he used the night in his favour to knock them out one after the other.
[ write the cinematic fight ]
"Stop right there!" Cloud swung his sword, clashing against the kunai of a larger man. He could tell by his chakra that this guy was a jonin, the head of the group.
"You are better than I expected," the Jonin grunted, barely managing to hold the sword in place. He had to use all his chakra, 'how does this guy has so much strength?'
Cloud stepped back, kicking the man in the gut, making him fall back, holding his stomach, "argh..."
Another Ninja appeared beside the Jonin, picking him, retreating, "everyone retreat!!" The two of them leaped away while the other Ninja covered them, throwing Shuriken towards Cloud.
The green aura surrounded the blade of his sword. Cloud leaped up, rotating in the air, "Blade Beam!"
The green slashes came out from his sword, dividing into three, chasing the group of Ninja retreating through the forest. The ninja started jumping away, trying to dodge the blades. Some of them managed to dodge while the others got caught in the shockwave, getting slammed into the trees nearby.
It took a while, but the surrounding chaos ceased; the air was filled with cries and gasps of the wounded and injured. Cloud made sure to injure enough that they couldn't fight anymore.
"Cloud!" Konan landed in front of the large man, "who are you?!"
"I should be asking that! Who are you? You are the one who attacked us!" the man gripped the bottle with water inside, ready to drink it like it was some kind of last resort.
"Stop lying," Cloud placed the blade on his neck, "We were all sleeping. No one from here attacked you."
"We were attacked by someone wearing a black cloak with red clouds. The same clothes as you!"
"Cloud, stop!" Yahiko leaped in, coming between Cloud and the Ninja from Waterfall Village. The other members of Akatsuki came, with Nagato carrying a torch that he had lit.
"They attacked first..." Nagato could heart his heart pounding in his ear. They would have died if Cloud hadn't sensed them in time. He let his guard down.
"No, it wasn't us," the Ninja denied, "it was you who attacked us."
"Was your attacker really wearing a cloak like this?" Yahiko bent forward to look in the man's eyes.
The man didn't wave, "Yeah!"
Yahiko took a deep breath, straightening his waist. He grinned, "Ok, I believe you. Can you stop your people from attacking us again? We can talk about this. There is no need for anyone to die."
"Yahiko!"
Yahiko stopped the other members from speaking, looking at the Ninja from Hidden Waterfall, who saw something in Yahiko's eyes.
"Everyone, stop! Provide first aid to those still alive!"
"They are alive. I didn't kill them," Cloud leaned against the nearby tree, crossing his arms.
It surprised the Ninja from Hidden Waterfall, but the tension in his shoulder also left him. He scanned them, "it wasn't you?"
"No, this is our first time here. We didn't even know there was a village here," Yahiko scratched his cheek, "I mean not near us."
"I know about the village, but not of its location. I heard the entrance is hidden behind waterfall?" Cloud glanced towards the man, who didn't reply.
"Well, we were suddenly attacked by someone wearing the cloak. We chased after him, and we lost track of him nearby. While searching, we found you," the man rubbed his chin, "everything about the incident was strange. We suffered damage, but it was like the enemy was provoking us rather than try to kill us. Then he abruptly disappeared, and we found you all sleeping. But you weren't prepared. Can you explain to me what is going on..."
"You don't think...someone was trying to set us up?" Nagato nervously looked towards Yahiko.
Yahiko scratched the back of his head, "how did they get our cloak...it shouldn't be simple...this was planned. The only person I can think of..."
"Sir Hanzo?" Konan whispered.
"Hanzo? Hanzo of the Rain?" Ninja from Hidden Waterfall blurted out, "Why would he..."
"I don't understand either..." Yahiko lowered his head, "our village keeps getting caught in the battle between the Five Villages. I hoped to bring peace...though non-violent means...and we found each other, hoping for the same thing."
"But recently..."
"I joined them and warned them that Hanzo wants them dead," Cloud interrupted Yahiko, "I worked for him. I heard rumours about Senju Village and how its helping other villages. We were going to see if they could help people of Rain Village by negotiating with Hanzo. With a village behind Akatsuki, even Hanzo won't try to kill them."
"But then you were nearly killed by us because someone drew us out," the Ninja from Hidden Waterfall nodded, "Let me introduce myself. I am Hisen. The Leader of Hidden Waterfall Village."
"I am Yahiko of Akatsuki," Yahiko shook his hand, "Sorry we brought our troubles to you."
"It's not your fault," Hisen wearily sighed, "the war is taking a toll on everyone. Our village can barely protect our territory. Only because we know ways that Ninja from other villages don't."
"Like hiding behind waterfalls," Cloud stated.
Hisen shrugged, "that is our way of life."
"Look," Hisen watched them, "I believe you. I don't think you were the one who attacked us, and it's a noble goal you are trying for. I can't bring you to the village. You are all too strong for me to take that risk. I can help you get to the borders while making sure no one plays the trick. On the other side is Land of Hotsprings. They are pacifists. You should go and inform them about what happened here and I will write a letter. Best is, you keep moving until you reach the Senju Village."
"Thank you," Yahiko grinned, "if there is anything we can do, then please tell us!"
"Then," Hisen scratched his head, "when you are on your way back. Can you tell me about the Senju Village? They have made Alliance with Land of Hotsprings and Land of Frost. They sent me an invitation to join the Alliance, but I am not sure what to believe. I'll trust what you see."
"Yeah, we can do that," Yahiko shook his hand again, "Guys! Prepare! We are leaving!"
Yahiko walked past Hisen, pausing to look back, "Hey! Waterfalls here are great. One day, we are going to return to play here!"
"Hahaha! You are always welcome!" Hisen laughed, "We'll show you how we enjoy the waterfalls!"
"You can bet on it!"
Cloud glanced towards Hisen, striding away with the other members of Akatsuki. He scanned all the auras in four directions, and surely, like always, those white creatures were there. Aa few of them had turned into tiny pollen and hid themselves on Nagato's body, 'so protecting Nagato is the primary goal...and killing everyone else...they want to control him? Hotsprings....as long as I step into Senju Territory I can make sure they never leave. No matter how many of them come.'