[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/zVH1sVU.png[/img]

[COLOR=black][sup][b][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/naruto/images/d/de/Konohagakure_Symbol.svg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/18?cb=20090830222821[/img]    Konohagakure no Sato | Chunin-going-on-Jonin | Edgelord Supreme[/b][/sup][/COLOR][/center][hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=black][b]TIME:[/b] [i]Present[/i] | [b]LOCATION:[/b] [i]Konohagakure - Date's residence -> Sunagakure borders[/i] | [b]INTERACTION:[/b] [i]Shizuka Ichimi, [@Syn]; Kamui Uzumaki [@Spanner]; Date Watare [@Queentze]; Ishi Kakumei, [@Write][/i][/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT]

Sakana gave Date a short nod when the boy affirmed he was ready to leave on command, when he felt a hand grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to turn around. It was, who else, Shizuka. Sakana listened to the boy say his piece, though the rant earned little more than a disinterested slap of the hand against Shizuka's hand that was gripping his shoulder. [i]“You'd best think twice before putting hands on me, [b]Shizuka,[/b]”[/i] he calmly stated, almost matter-of-factly. He unzipped the flak jacket he wore, and lifted the mesh shirt underneath, revealing the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing. [i]“Hit me hard enough and we both might just vanish.”[/i] He then gave Shizuka a shove, forcing him to back off. He wasn't exactly keen on being touched by strangers, especially not in an aggressive way like Shizuka just had. 

[i]“But at least you're showing fighting spirit now. That seemed to be lacking when I met Kurin, in the forest of death. You could've earned my respect then, but you weren't there. In fact, my companion here, Kamui Uzumaki, saw you and your girlfriend in another direction, and also happened to see you didn't come to help when we engaged Kurin and Jaakuna.”[/i] He made a short gesture with his hand in the general direction of Kamui, 'introducing' Kamui through that. Shizuka had made an already poor impression on Sakana even worse by doing what he had just done, and failed to realize that there were others nearby as well. 

[i]“So, to inform you. I'm Uragiri Sakana. This is Uzumaki Kamui. Then there is Watare Date, who I've never met either. And you are Ichimi Shizuka. Pleased to meet you.”[/i] He glanced at Shizuka one last time, his eyes shooting daggers, before turning to face Date and Kamui both. The mission ahead of them was quite important, from what Sakana knew, both for the participants, the receiving village, and Konohagakure itself. So, it would probably be best to set some ground rules for the mission, and explain the roles of each member. Or at least, how he proposed things would go.

[i]“Me and Shizuka are in command. Since Kamui is a sensory and medical nin, command will go to him if both me and Shizuka die. In battle, it would be easy to establish a tactic now...”[/i] he said, slowly raising his hand and scratching the back of his head slightly, thinking about the tactics they could use, but slowly he'd sigh and come to a conclusion. [i]“But that would probably change in the battle, since we don't know what it looks like, or who we will fight. So, just use your instincts.”[/i] 

He'd glance around the circle of four shinobi, before nodding at himself, affirming the plan to himself. [i]“Understood? Okay. Let's go,”[/i] he'd say in a commandeering voice, and before they could react, he'd have taken off towards the rooftops and sped off in the direction of Sunagakure. The distance to get there was quite large - and since access to Amegakure was now blocked, they had to travel a small while around it. With hindsight, that meant they would arrive too late to welcome the two criminals that set themselves upon the Kazekage, but there was no way for them to know it at that time. 

During their travel, Sakana instructed the four of them to take a standard travel formation - Sakana was at the front, Shizuka next to him as they shared a rank and thus, the command. Although Sakana had his doubts about Shizuka, he was willing to reconcile his opinion if the boy proved his worth, and to do so, he was willing to share the position of leadership. For now. Following them would be Kamui, since he was quite vulnerable as a sensory and medical nin. Then, closing the line and guarding the rear, would be Date. [i]“Kamui..”[/i] Sakana would speak up, alerting the boy once they got closer to Sunagakure. [i]“Please begin using your sensory technique. I don't want to be surprised again, like we were with that giant shark guy.”[/i]

After an hour or two of travel, the party of four would reach Sunagakure, where they were met with a sandstorm that covered the edge of the border. [i]“Tsk,”[/i] would come from Sakana as he sucked in the air through his teeth. This was a problem. They could't exactly wait for the sandstorm to die down, and it didn't seem like there was an opening. 
 
As if on cue, a lion seemingly appeared from nowhere, standing behind them and suddenly casting a very large shadow over the team of four. It made Sakana turn around and immediately pull out his two knives, that hung horizontally across his back at his hip. [i]“Hien!”[/i] he yelled, with the blades suddenly flowing blue with chakra. But, it seemed the Lion was not intending to pounce them and devour them as if they were a snack - rather, it offered the passage through the sandstorm.

[i]“I see.. you are the reinforcements from Konohagakure no Sato.. you are [b]late[/b],”[/i] the lion boldly stated, although it made no attempt to reprimand them beyond that. [i]“The kazekage is currently engaged in a fight with two.. scandalous criminals. But, to access them, you must pass through the sandstorm. This would be a problem, if it weren't for my expert knowledge of sand, and all things related to sand.”[/i] Hm, yes, the lion seemed to be quite particular and strange. Never the less, it continued, giving them 'the key.' [i]“Simply form the tiger seal, and walk through, and you will find yourself on the other side unharmed. Really, it's such a simple trick, I wonder why nobody ever found it out.”[/i]

Sakana couldn't help but feel slightly strange at the giant lion talking to them, and giving away the trick to getting through the sand as if it were nothing. Perhaps that's why the Kazekage had placed him here however. And there was no reason to doubt it - if it were one of the criminals' summonings, then it would likely not have gone through the trouble of setting such a convoluted trap for them. So, Sakana sheathed his blades again and looked towards the sandstorm, then began walking towards it. 

His trust in fate guided him, though his bravery played large part too. As he hit the sandstorm, he formed the tiger seal, and continued walking, half expecting to be trapped forever in this hellish sand, though in a short period of time he found himself on the other side of the massive wall of sand. From here on out, Sunagakure was only a short distance away. 

They'd continue their travel, with the objective coming closer with every step now. Sakana propelled himself onto a building on the edge of the village, providing an overlook onto the situation in front of them while waiting for Kamui to prepare some status report for them to use. [i]“Seems like we're late, like the Lion said,”[/i] Sakana mumbled, though it was aimed at nobody in particular. From what he could tell, there were massive jutsu going off left and right, though it was hard to tell who was who. Additionally, it seemed like the entire village had been terraformed into some massive water oasis. A good basis for his water jutsu, but less for his fire. He slowly surveyed the region before speaking up again. [i]“Kamui, sitrep. Shizuka, Date.. any ideas?”[/i] he glanced back over his shoulder, waiting for Shizuka or Date to speak up after Kamui had given his sitrep.