"Let's make sure our weapons are ready, though; things are tense outside of Konoha right now - I heard from my parents that I should at least keep ready. I mean, we have enemies just like everyone else, and they're bad people who would attack even kids. But don't think I'm trying to scare you - I just want us to practice being on high alert as good ninjas should..."

[colour=ee6262]Lin’s face contorted out of control, then inflated like a balloon until an eruptive laugh burst from his lips, it gradually softened, turning into sarcastic drawn out syllables - hah - hah - hah. [I]“Let’s make sure our weapons are ready…”[/I] he said with Ren’s voice. With one swift movement, Lin reached to his side and brought out a kunai raising it towards the red head’s neck, he continued to speak with Ren’s voice, [I]“are you… a good ninja… Ren?”[/I] The words fed an insidious smile, his eyes gleamed with amusement as water droplets bounced off the cold edge of the blade. “Am I… your enemy… Ren?” Lin moved closer, invading his victim’s space. The tension in the air was thick - but then, in a sudden shift, Lin’s expression changed once more and laughter returned to the street. “You guys are too easy.” He said with his own tone. The kunai retreated, Lin took a step back and now the smile on his face appeared genuine.[/colour]

[colour=965d27]The ambiguity of the situation unsettled Mu, leaving him uneasy about Lin's true motives. In response, he let Lin's cup slip from his grasp and delivered a forceful push to the instigator's shoulders, questioning, "What's your problem?!" Unable to conceal his frown, Mu ushered Ren, "Come on, let's go." He raised his arm to signal Kasumi, who had moved ahead, shouting, "Kasumi! Wait for us!" Mu hurried to catch up with her, reassuring Ren, "It doesn't have to be just us; Kasumi wants to eat too." By the time he reached Kasumi's side, Mu felt a slight improvement in his demeanor. Nervously, he asked, "Have you ever eaten ice cream, Kasumi?" His wobbly voice betrayed how shaken he was.[/colour]

[colour=ee6262]Lin looked down at the cup which was now cracked from persistent misuse. He’d escalated the situation beyond even his own comprehension, he was wearing a wide grin but it wasn’t revealing how he really felt. The adrenaline pumping inside him was delivering an intense anxiety, what really was his problem? Was this encounter a prelude for something much larger to come? He deafened himself to the noises in his mind and tried to close the distance with Shinya. What’s your problem, what’s your problem? It rang, over and over again. “Hah! What’s my problem he said. Did you see that?” Lin asked walking alongside Shinya. “You going home or what?”[/colour]

Hidden within the confines of the dense Konoha outskirts, a covert unit of Suna intruders bided their time, patiently counting down the moments until the cover of nightfall would grant them the advantage they sought. The once-reliable Konoha sensory network, designed to safeguard against such external threats, had seemingly become obsolete.