AGE OF SHADOWS (war at dawn)

It was now past noon and the three ninja were waiting for their team mate and their sensei who had both disappeared to who knows where since sunrise, while they were all waiting they were also doing their things.

Sora was surrounded by some animals and birds, Kaguya was watching them in amazement, she was captivated by the colorful birds and squirrel.

Shinokaze was sitting on a tree branch about forty inches away from the ground, he was eating an apple.

"How are you doing this?", Kaguya ask.

*Umm oh* "it's not that hard, the Nosuke clan shares a great bond with all kinds of creatures", Sora answered.

*Hmm* " that's great, can I touch them?", Kaguya ask with her hands out, the squirrel freaked out and jumped, this made Kaguya to stumble away *wow* "that didn't turn out well", she then sat down *hm* she glanced at Sora who seems in thought, "thinking of Shinra?".

*Umm* Sora look at her with a plan expression, "I don't have to, he is a ninja and he is capable of taking care of himself ".

" Yeah I know that, and I know you care a lot about him seeing as you are both friends... I don't know what Hayate sensei has for him so I am kind of worried about him being with Hayate sensei alone", Kaguya brought her knees closer to her chest.

*Huh* Sora stares at her," (wait a minute... Don't tell me she's already having a thing for that guy)", Sora thought *Huff* ," (sorry Kaguya, you are not the only one who has fallen for his charm, every girl that crosses his path always do)".

"(Morons, weaklings like you should be praying to return from the mission alive)", *hm* Shinokaze scoffed.

" Hey, brats".

*Huh* the teens look over to were the voice came from an saw five thugs.

" So you little brats are playing ninja ", *eh* one of them ask, they were all carrying swords and short guns.

" Pirates ", Sora frown.

" Sorry misters, but we are ninja ", Kaguya smile.

*Hahaha* " did you boys hear that? She said she's a ninja ", one with bald head and a little ponytail laugh.

" She must have slipped on her tongue ", *hahaha* a skinny guy laughs.

" (Morons, if they knew what her smile meant they would have been running without looking back)", Sora look at Kaguya who was smiling with her eyes closed, he then look at the group of thugs," what do you guys want?".

"That was my line brat, you ninja are trouble, so what are you doing in our land?", the ponytail guy ask.

" Your land? Don't make me laugh,we all know pirates are always on the sea, coming to the land means you have your eyes on something here", Sora said with a smile.

*Huh* they all flinched.

*Ah ha* " I was right ", Sora's smile grew wider.

" And so? It's not like you can do anything about it ", they started acting terrifying.

" You are going to tell me what you are looking for, and you won't be leaving this place until you do so obediently ", Sora informed.

" You rodent, I am going to blast your head off", he pulled out a gun and shot Sora, the bullet was divided in two by Shinokaze's fan *huh* " there's a third?".

" Do you have to be so clumsy? I thought Hayate sensei left you in charge cuz you have potential, you are a waste ", Shinokaze said.

" Quit blabbing, I never asked you to step in", Sora carefully walk past Shinokaze, this made the blue haired boy to frown in annoyance, Sora stood in front of the pirates and stare them dead in the eyes," please don't make me draw my sword, so speak, why are you here?".

"Draw out your sword if you wish, I'm still going to have your head", the arrogant pirates were all ready for a fight.

"Very well".

"I never expected it would have turned out this way", Kaguya pulled out some needles from her backpack, the pirate pull the trigger again but the gun fell apart as Sora's sword cut through it.

"(Damn, he's fast)", the pirate slash his sword and Sora deflected it, he kicked him away and caught the hand of the skinny one, he nailed his knee on the pirate's stomach and kicked him aside.

"You need to be pretty faster if you are going to lay a hit on me", Kaguya said with a smile as she was swiftly dodging the bullets shot at her.

"Stay still you delinquent ", a guy with tattooed face was shooting at Kaguya.

*Ha!!!* A blond tried to cut Sora and the brown haired boy blocked with his sword *tch* "(he is strong )", the pirate grit his teeth trying to overpower Sora, both of his hands gripping his blade firmly as he push against Sora who was using just one hand.

"You sure are a weakling you know that?", Sora used his left hand to restrain the pirate's hand.

*Ugh* the pirate gasp, a squirrel sprung out of Sora's attire and jumped on the pirate's face *ah!!!* "Get off ", Sora swept his legs off the ground and he crashed on the ground.

"Come on, can't you hit a girl?", Kaguya ask still smile.

"Shut up!", the pirate shoots furiously yet Kaguya dodged them all.

"Hey", she appeared in his face.

*Ugh* the pirate stumbled back, Kaguya smile and wave at him, he frown for a second before everything went blank and he collapsed on the ground with saliva running out of his mouth.

*Ha!!!* A pirate was running after Shinokaze, he got to the blue haired boy and ready to bring down his blade when Shinokaze ran his elbow into his stomach *kahh* all the air in his lungs ran out of him, Shinokaze grab his head and push it to the ground with enough force that knocked him out.

*Ha ha ha* the skinny pirate was slashing rapidly at Sora and failed miserably on laying a hit on the Nosuke boy, Sora side step him and ran the handle of his sword behind the pirate's neck sending him to the ground.

"You bastard!", the one with little ponytail started run towards Sora, the brown haired boy raised his leg and it hit the pirate square in the face and he passed out as well.

" Man, you really are a joke".

*Huff* I thought they were going to be a good warmup, too bad they were disappointing ", Kaguya sigh.

***

*Hmm* " those filthy bastards", Hayate frown *um* he look at Shinra who was completely covered in sweat, he was deeply concentrating on separating his reiketsu, "(it's been hours now, and it's already dark)", Hayate leap off the boulder," Shinra, let go back to the others, you can continue some other time ".

" What!!!? Geez give me a break will you, I was almost there but you have to ruin it ", Shinra complained.

" Just forget about that for now, it's almost time for our boat to leave so we need to move ", Hayate said.

" I know I know I know! Just one more try sensei", Shinra plead.

"No, we are leaving", Hayate retrieved his swords and backpack from it resting place and placed it over his shoulder.

*Tch* "(why is this so hard for me to do, why am I like this? Am I that weak that I don't even stand out among the weak)", *tch* Shinra grit his teeth," (one more, I have to do this... It's now or never, Hayate sensei brought me out here so I can master my reiketsu, and I'm not going to disappoint him)", Shinra made the hand sign and shut his eyes *ah!!!!!!!*

*Huh* Hayate turn to his student," what do you think you are doing, I said we are leaving ".

*Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", Shinra continue without giving ears to Hayate, "(i can do it, i have to... I must make my dream come true, I must defeat Jigen Shōten!)", *ah!!!!!!!!!!* Shinra's reiketsu burst out create a gust of wind.

*Ugh* Hayate shield himself from the wind and the dust that follows, Shinra's reiketsu and yumiryoku were still mixed up.

*Ah!!!!!!!* The wind increased as his spiritual energy and demon energy separate from each other forming wheels around himself, his hair was dancing around from the wind around him.

"(No way, I thought it would take him weeks or months to do it, yet he did it in just a day)", Hayate was stunned, the wind then subside.

*Huff Huff Huff Huff Huff* Shinra look up at Hayate with a silly grin *hehe* " did it work? ", *Huff Huff Huff* he was panting heavily *tch* he fell flat on the ground.

" (He worn himself out, he really is a pretty stubborn one )", Hayate walk over to Shinra and picked his unconscious body off the ground," (Shinra Akatsuki, you are one hell of a guy)".

***

*Umm* Shinra cracked his eyes open," where am I? ", his voice was a bit low, he sat up and noticed lot of people around him *huh* he was confused.

" It seems you are awake, Shinra ".

*Ugh* Shinra jump upon hearing Kaguya's voice," hey", he greet, Hayate, Sora and Shinokaze were there as well.

" I thought you were going to sleep for ever", Sora smile.

*Hehe* " no way, I guess I was worn out from my training with Hayate sensei ", Shinra grin *ugh* he gasp, he then crawled over to Hayate, "hey sensei, did I really pulled that off? Or was I having a dream?".

"It was no dream, you did it", Hayate said.

"So now what? Am I capable of using ninja art now?".

"I don't know, why not answer that yourself ", Hayate glanced at him.

*Huh* Shinra got up and stepped back a bit," (alright, let give it a shot)", Shinra made some hand signs," ninja arts: clone technique ", five clones of Shinra appeared and they were all staring at each other *huh* " (they didn't disappear)", Shinra's face morph into a wide smile like he was going to explode in excitement," yes! I did it!", Shinra and his clones started running around in excitement, this made the people onboard to start staring at him in amusement.

" Keep it down you moron, can't you see you are disturbing the peace in this boat?", Sora glared at him.

"Boat?", all Shinra ask, they run to the edge *ugh* they were staring as the boat sailed on the water *ye!!!!*

"I said keep it down ok!!?", Sora yelled.

"Speak for yourself".

"Yeah, squealing like a girl".

"He's something else if you ask me".

"You runts, what did you say about me?", Sora frown, he pulled out some kunai and launched them all at Shinra and his clones.

"Wha.....", *ah!* Shinra and his clones started jumping around dodging the kunai *huh* Sora appeared in front of Shinra and knocked them overboard *ah!!!!* They fell into the water.

***

"Geez, I can't believe you did that to me Sora", Shinra was soaking wet.

" I did", Sora said looking at his friend.

" Yes you do, idiot ", *hm* Shinra frown.

Hayate look at them and then move his gaze to the floor of the boat.

(Flashback )

" Man, when is Hayate sensei and Shinra going to get here ? ", Sora grumbled.

" He said they will be back in time, and now it's dark ", Kaguya complained.

" (What are those two up to, the boat will leave any moment from now)", Shinokaze thought referring to Hayate and Shinra.

" It seems like I kept you brats waiting ", Hayate showed up.

" Sensei? ", Sora and Kaguya ask, Hayate then put Shinra down," Shinra! ", Kaguya and Sora rush over to him while Hayate walk over to the pirates that were tied to a tree.

" What happened to him? ", Sora ask unhappy.

" We had a little exercise and he worn himself out ", Hayate said.

" Exercise? ", Sora ask.

Hayate squat in front of the pirates, their mouth were taped refraining them from speaking," you kids did a pretty job while I was away... Now what do we have here? ", Hayate remove one of the tape," care to explain why you pirates are here on dry land? Cause that's rear".

" It's non of your business, scarecrow ", the bald haired with little ponytail spat out.

" Pretty tough, I promise you I will break your mind that in the end, you will be running around mad", Hayate smirk.

" Go ahead and do your worst ", he was practically yelling, this made Hayate's smirk darken as he placed his hand on the pirate's bald head.

*Huh* Kaguya and Sora were staring at them, even Shinokaze was interesting as he watch from a higher ground.

" Of course I will, all I need to do is penetrate through your soul, take what I need and then break what is left of you ".

(Flashback fadeout)

" (Captain Ryo Nakagawa... To think a pirate like him would pay a visit to a town like this, he must have something in mind... I wonder what the governors are doing about those filthy pirates)", Hayate wondered.