Seina headed to the jonin department the next day to receive her first uniform. Although she had been given the same vest when she was promoted to Chunin, it wasn't mandatory to wear it, so she hadn't put it on. She knew her own clothes were much safer than that vest, so she hadn't wasted time sewing runes or enchanting it. The jonin uniform, even though she was a tokubetsu jonin, was somewhat different. If "different" were a synonym for "mandatory."
"Here you go" said one of the wardrobe assistants "put it on. It should fit like a glove."
She put it on, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. First the navy-blue pants, then the sweater, and finally the vest. Everything else was personal touches, so she put her pouch back on, along with her gloves and knee-high boots. As she expected, not a single bit of skin was visible below her chin. She cast some quick spells on her clothes to avoid overheating and stepped out of the cubicle. The young man, in his twenties, smiled upon seeing her.
"It looks fantastic on you. Ninjas these days…" he shook his head "you're getting younger and younger."
"Thank you for the uniform," she said, bowing slightly.
As soon as she left, just as she had detected with her spy spells, someone appeared to give her a message from Tsunade-sama. She headed towards the Hokage tower unhurriedly, feeling a bit strange wearing new clothes. Even her wakizashi had to be relocated to her back due to the lack of space because of the vest.
"Ah, Seina," the Hokage smiled as soon as she saw her enter "the uniform looks good on you."
"Thank you, although I feel strange."
"You'll get used to it sooner or later," she assured her "I wore a similar uniform for years. When I changed into these clothes, I almost didn't recognize myself."
"Here you go, Tsunade-sama," Shizune interjected, handing her a scroll as usual.
"Ah, yes… I have a mission for you," the Hokage smiled "We'll wait for the rest of your team to arrive."
"What kind of mis-"
A couple of knocks on the door cut off her question. She turned to look at the newcomers. The only one she recognized was Tenzou. She had seen the other two around the village and knew they belonged to the Aburame and Hyuga clans.
"Alright. Everyone's here. Yamato, Muta Aburame, Tokuma Hyuga, and Seina Uzumaki. You have been summoned for the following mission" said the Hokage, tossing the scroll to Tenzou, or was it Yamato? "Your mission is to investigate the location of one of Orochimaru's bases in the Land of Ice. Find this base, take any documentation you can, and destroy the hideout. Eliminate any minions you find and bring back their bodies if possible. Understood? Yamato, you'll be the leader."
"Hai."
"Leave as soon as possible."
They left the Hokage tower, passed the mission department, and followed Tenzou to the entrance.
"We'll meet at the north gate in half an hour," he informed them and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
Seina used the hiraishin to appear in her room. Despite being able to use her magic to appear in her room, she preferred to use chakra whenever possible to avoid revealing her aces up her sleeve. It took her less than a second to realize no one was home, so she checked to make sure she had everything she needed: warm clothes, weapons, suitcase, magical tent, potions, her comprehensive medical kit, extra clothes, stones already prepared with the shiki jutsu for using the hiraishin… The only thing she needed to replenish were the bentos, so she went to the kitchen and grabbed enough to last her a few weeks. Since she had them prepared in advance under a spell, it didn't take long to have everything ready.
She left a note on the table, glancing at her brother's notes, Sasuke's, and Kakashi-sensei's, then disappeared after one last visit to the bathroom. When she arrived, she found Tenzou waiting alone, looking at what seemed to be a map.
"Hey."
"You're early," he smiled "Congratulations on your promotion, Seina."
"Thanks. Should I call you Yamato or Tenzou?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Tenzou is my real name, well, my first name," he confessed "Better call me Yamato from now on."
"Huh. Alright."
First name? She didn't press further as it was neither her business nor the appropriate time. She would have to get used to thinking of him as Yamato, but it wouldn't be a big problem. Shortly after that, Muta and Tokuma appeared. Muta, unlike Shino, had light brown, straight, and long hair from what she could see. Like others in his clan, he wore the typical black glasses, a gray coat that covered up to his chin, and a sort of jar filled with insects that were not kikaichu, in addition to his usual kikaichu. Tokuma resembled Neji a lot, but with short hair except for two strands framing his face. He wore his ninja headband like a bandana, covering his forehead, so she guessed he was from the secondary branch of the clan.
"Alright. We're all set. Let's go."
They registered their departure at the registry desk and left the village. Yamato jumped to the nearest tree branch and started running. Seina was a bit surprised to not to receive any mission information and to have left Konoha in such a hurry, but she said nothing. She just kept up with Yamato's pace as he moved through the trees northeastward. She wondered if she should tell him she could summon a creature capable of flying them, shortening the journey, but she metaphorically shrugged.
They ran for hours without stopping. Luckily, it was winter, so it wasn't too hot in the Land of Fire. When they stopped, the sun was high, so she knew it was noon. Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn't eaten since breakfast early in the morning. Perhaps they heard her stomach agonizing because Yamato halted and stopped in the nearest clearing, still within the Land of Fire.
"We'll rest and eat here. We'll also discuss the mission."
She sat on a rock, casting a spell to avoid a sore butt, and took out her bento. Muta and Tokuma looked at her curiously, clearly wondering how she had fit the black box larger than her pouch inside it. Still, they didn't ask. They also said nothing to Tenzou when they saw him pull another bento from a small backpack, a gift from her. Compared to Tokuma's backpack and Muta's bandolier tied to his jar, they seemed to be carrying nothing.
"As you know, Orochimaru has several bases around the world. We knew about the most recent one in the Land of Rice Fields and also the base in the Land of Stones. In the past two years, he has been using these two bases, but they have already been destroyed," Yamato informed "In fact, Seina has destroyed two of Orochimaru's bases this year. The one in the Land of Rice Fields and the one in the Land of the Sea. We thought the latter was abandoned, but it wasn't. The documentation Seina collected with Jiraiya-sama in the base in the Land of Rice Fields was enough to lead us to the base near Kusagakure."
Muta and Tokuma observed her curiously for a few seconds before turning back to their leader.
"Kakashi-senpai and his team eliminated this last base and gathered enough information to make us believe there is one more base in the Land of Ice. Fortunately, or unfortunately, we haven't encountered Orochimaru directly so far, but it could be a possibility. It could also be a trap," Yamato said seriously "We must also consider that on the other side of the Land of Ice, with whom we have a tense relationship, is Kumogakure, with whom we also don't have the best relationship… Any questions?"
"Why is the relationship so tense with Shimogakure?" she asked, having read nothing about it.
"The Land of Ice is a small country whose village Shimogakure is almost always forgotten. Its daimyo received Konoha seven years ago to sign a trade treaty, an alliance, but tried to betray us and massacre the team sent. Kakashi-senpai, Itachi Uchiha, Sugaru Nara, and I were the ones sent back then. From Konoha, we believe Shimogakure was influenced by its neighbor, Kumogakure, to prevent us from having any relationship with the only territory that connects the Land of Clouds to the rest of the continent by land. It wouldn't be surprising, as Kumogakure had already tried to steal the byakugan by then, so we know their intentions were not, and are not, good."
"Then we'll have to be careful with Tokuma," Muta said dryly, glancing at the person in question.
"Not just with Tokuma," Yamato sighed "I hope they don't remember me because I doubt I'd be well received if they realize we're there."
Seina saw the pointed look from Yamato and knew he wasn't just talking about himself. She was sure he was also referring to her. After all, those who hated her father the most were the ninjas of Kumogakure. Specifically, Raikage A and his jinchuriki Killer B, whom her father, apparently, didn't finish off due to a recall from Konoha during the last ninja war. She didn't know for certain if they wanted to kill her, but it was safer to assume they did and stay on guard.
Great. Three-quarters of her team were in danger just by setting foot in the Land of Ice. She wasn't even surprised. Actually, now that she thought about it, was Seina safe anywhere? With all the grudges that were "inherited," it was a wonder ninjas could leave their villages without being targeted for some historical revenge that no one fully remembered.
"Thanks to the documents extracted from the other base, it appears Orochimaru is interested in people with ice dojutsu. Many of them fled south by ship to Kirigakure decades ago, but some are still hiding in the Land of Ice. Moreover, the cavernous terrain of the country seems to influence the construction of Orochimaru's bases, possibly due to resource savings and the natural defensiveness of the area."
"Honestly, I'm surprised Orochimaru doesn't have a base in every country," she said with exasperation.
"What makes you think that?" Tokuma asked.
"Well, he's not just any exiled ninja but a criminal with ambition. He's not hiding, waiting for people to forget about him, but carrying out his plans despite everything. If I were him, I'd have a hideout everywhere so that, when I needed to move to continue with my plans, I'd have a base ready to hide without getting caught," she replied, shrugging.
"She's right," said Muta. "The Land of Ice is a good candidate for one of his bases. Not only does he know it rejected our alliance, but it is also next to our enemy, Kumogakure. Orochimaru is a traitor, but he's not stupid."
"Exactly. We'll cross the border into the Land of Hot Springs today and rest there."
They gathered their things and resumed their journey. They kept running for hours. The sun was setting in the west when they crossed the border and ventured through the forests of the Land of Hot Springs. They avoided villages and roads, preferring to head towards the border with the Land of Ice. When it was completely dark, they stopped near a village a few kilometers from the Land of Ice.
"This is the only night we'll sleep well, boys and girl," said Yamato, walking towards the village. "Rest while you can."
They went to a small inn and requested a room. The woman, a civilian, gave them a dirty look when she realized they planned to sleep all in the same space. Her problem, clearly, was her presence. Seina had to bite her tongue not to laugh in her face when she realized what she was thinking. Yamato, and the others, noticed but said nothing. The opinion of civilians mattered little to ninjas in most situations.
"I think she thinks you guys are perverts or pedophiles. I'm not quite sure..." she said with a smile, closing the door behind her.
"Seina, the barriers," Yamato requested, making a circular gesture with his finger. "Let her think what she wants. We're not here to please a civilian."
She nodded when she saw his expectant face, having already set the necessary magical barriers to protect them and prevent eavesdropping. Muta and Tokuma put their things down, securing the perimeter with the kikaichu and the byakugan, but they were alone. Yamato sat on the tatami, again taking out the map she had seen him looking at, and placed it on the coffee table.
"We are here," he said, pointing to a spot on the map. "The ninja village is just 100 kilometers from this point. Then there is an extensive area between Shimogakure and Kumogakure consisting of a mountain range with an unknown cave system. Orochimaru should have his base in this area."
"That's about 250 kilometers of terrain," Tokuma frowned, looking at the distances. "If we're not lucky, we could be searching for days."
"That's why you three are here," Yamato smiled. "Among the three of you, you should be able to triangulate the base faster and avoid Shimogakure and Kumogakure."
"The three of us?" Muta asked, somewhat surprised. He turned to look at her. "I thought you were our backup and our medical ninja."
"I am," she nodded, "but I also have other abilities. I can find Orochimaru's base using my powers."
"Powers?"
"...I have a kekkei genkai," she finally said. It felt strange to say it so directly to people outside her circle, but what could she do.
"Seina's powers aren't exactly a secret, but few people know," Yamato interceded. "With her help, we can determine the direction of Orochimaru's base. Once we reach it, between the byakugan and the kikaichu, we can investigate the base from the outside and inside. Seina will also send in her sealed summons, and when we find a hidden spot, she'll use the hiraishin to transport us inside without being seen."
"Is that how you infiltrated the other base?" Tokuma asked, with a slight smile.
"That's right."
"What do we do about Orochimaru's minions patrolling the area?" Muta asked. "If we attack them, we'll alert them to our presence."
"I'm afraid so. We'll have to move unnoticed among them, if there's anyone guarding the area, before entering the base. Once we destroy the base, we'll likely encounter attackers, so we'll have to be alert during our escape."
"I could use the hiraishin to return here," she said, remembering.
"Could you teleport us 350 kilometers with the hiraishin? All four of us?" Muta asked, astonished.
"Yes. I've been doing tests. Worst case, I could use one of my summons to fly us out of there."
"Alright. This is what we'll do," Yamato began.
In the end, they decided to infiltrate Orochimaru's base without raising the alarm. Once they gathered all the documentation possible, eliminated Orochimaru's minions inside the base, and destroyed the base, they would take care of any possible enemies outside the quarters. If that wasn't possible due to their numerical disadvantage, she would use the hiraishin to escape as close to Shimogakure as possible without being detected by them. From there, they would return on foot until they crossed the border with the Land of Hot Springs and then head to Konoha.
Just hearing everything they had to do, she knew it would take days to complete the mission if they wanted to do things right instead of rushing it. They went to sleep after having dinner and taking a quick shower. She didn't even take off her uniform, leaving only the vest next to her wakizashi within reach, and fell asleep on the futon.
The next day, she woke up with a start when she heard Yamato moving beside her. She checked that they were alone and stretched, yawning, before putting the vest back on and hanging the wakizashi on her back. She saw Muta and Tokuma waking up, fully alert despite having slept the entire night like the others. They had breakfast and used the bathroom before leaving the inn.
"We still have a couple of hours before sunrise," Yamato said. "Once we cross those mountains, you'll notice a sharp drop in temperature, so it's best to have your clothes ready. Let's go. We have no time to lose."
They started running, using the forest cover to avoid being seen, and crossed the mountain that separated the border between the Land of Hot Springs and the Land of Ice. As they approached the base of the mountain, she began to notice the drop in temperature due to the altitude they were climbing. She reinforced the spells on her clothes, frowning at the thought of the runes she hadn't had time to sew, and jumped into a crevice between two mountains.
They took a few minutes to put on warm clothes. She put on her reversible jacket, hat, and neck gaiter. Her gloves were the same as always, full of spells and runes, as was the underwear she wore. Once she put on the jacket, light, comfortable but warm, she noticed the difference.
She looked around using the aura spell, but like her spying spell, it didn't detect anything either. They were really alone. Yamato stood up, signaling them to continue, and they crossed the narrow corridor between the mountains. In the distance, they saw the snow starting to pile up. When they emerged on the other side of the valley, all she could see was a snowy forest and, if she enhanced her vision with spells, she saw how the forest in the distance was completely white with blue reflections caused by the ice.
"We've arrived. Stay alert. We don't want to be noticed in these lands."
Seina jumped after her team down the mountain. Fortunately, it was still dark, so they went unnoticed without much effort. If it weren't for being in enemy territory, she would have stopped to sit on a rock and listen to the snowflakes falling on the trees. She could barely hear any birds and the animals in their burrows, sheltering from the cold.
Before entering the Land of Ice, she cast a spell at her team's feet. It wouldn't help to be silent if they left a trail of footprints in the snow. Yamato glanced at her and nodded in her direction while Muta and Tokuma, ahead of them, didn't seem to notice. At least Muta, because she knew Tokuma was periodically activating the byakugan to check that they were alone.
In silence, they ran through the snowy forest until they passed by Shimogakure hours later, just as dawn was breaking. Yamato led them inland until they found a small hill surrounded by pines. He indicated for them to stop and, with a gesture, asked her to cast the spells needed to remain undetected.
"Alright. We're 20 kilometers west of Shimogakure," said Yamato, pulling out a half-folded map. "We should find a place to camp temporarily. The area we need to search has no forest, so if we go during the day, it'll be easier for us to be spotted."
"You plan to attack at night," Muta thought aloud.
"Exactly. Now, what we need to do is locate Orochimaru's base on the map. If we hide without attacking, we shouldn't attract much attention. Seina, can you use your powers to keep us hidden?"
"Yes. I can camouflage us easily. If we stay quiet and hide our chakra, they won't notice we're here."
"Perfect. You can start searching."
Seina conjured an arrow and placed it in her hand, ignoring Tokuma's wide eyes and Muta's startle. The arrow turned decisively until it pointed northeast. Yamato had her walk around to ensure the direction of the base.
"It seems to be pointing in this direction," he indicated on the map. "It's a vast area. We'll need to gradually get closer. Tokuma, can you see anything in that direction?"
"Negative. Just the forest and the beginning of the glacier plateau."
"Alright. We'll start searching in that direction from a closer range. Seina."
She cast spells on the team, watching as they turned translucent and blended with the surroundings. Muta was so still he almost seemed to blend with the tree behind him, despite his golden aura. They left the clearing heading northeast. When they reached the edge of the forest, Seina saw what Tokuma had mentioned. All she could see was ice and snow and, in the distance, massive white mountains. Yamato had her use the spell periodically, adjusting their path as they ran over the ice.
Tokuma, with his byakugan activated, first alerted them to the presence of a team in the distance.
"Team of five ninjas at eleven o'clock."
"Can you distinguish if they belong to Shimogakure?"
"No. They're too far."
"Muta, send one of your kikaichu. I want to know where they are at all times and which organization they belong to."
"Yes."
"In the meantime, we'll take a small detour."
They veered off their chosen route, avoiding enemies whether they were from Shimogakure, Kumogakure, or Orochimaru's ninjas. After a few minutes, when Tokuma could no longer see the unknown team, Yamato stopped them behind an icy rock.
"Did you discover anything, Muta?"
"They seem to be Shimogakure ninjas. From what I could hear, they're investigating some disappearances in the area."
"Interesting," mused the jonin, frowning. "If it's Orochimaru's doing, he must have been very indiscreet to attract the attention of a small village like Shimogakure."
"Why not ask Kumo for help?" she asked. "Maybe they're not allies, but according to what you said, it seems they listen to Kumo more than Konoha."
"Maybe Orochimaru wasn't indiscreet. Perhaps he kidnapped someone important," Tokuma suggested.
"Maybe. We won't know until we find him. If it really is his doing. Seina, direction?"
She conjured another arrow and marked the path. They had to be 100 kilometers from Shimogakure, right at an intermediate point between the village in the Land of Ice and the border with the Land of Clouds. They had to be close. Hours later, they stopped at the foot of a small hill. There were no trees to protect or hide them, but at least they couldn't be attacked from behind. With her spells, Tokuma's byakugan, and Muta's kikaichu, they were able to eat more relaxed. Seeing that Muta and Tokuma had brought ninja rations instead of a bento, she offered them food, which they gladly accepted.
"How do you keep the food preserved?" Tokuma asked, examining his bento. "And warm!"
"It's a combination of fuinjutsu and my powers," she said, chewing on the chicken. "Until the bento lid is opened, the jutsu doesn't deactivate, so the food stays in a sort of..."
"Temporal limbo?" Muta asked when she couldn't find the words. "That's very ingenious."
"In a manner of speaking."
"I imagine your pouch is also made in the same way," Tokuma said, looking at her with his byakugan. "I can't see anything unusual, but it's obvious it's bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside."
"That's right. I have a tent in here," she smiled, patting the pouch, "and guess what."
"It's also bigger on the inside?" Muta asked, with the typical restrained amazement of the Aburame.
"Bingo."
"I think this will be the first time I use it on a mission. I'm actually excited."
Yamato snorted a laugh at hearing her.
"We'll make good use of it. Don't worry. As soon as we find Orochimaru's base, we'll look for a nearby place to settle until nightfall."
They finished eating in silence. Just as she put away her empty bento, Tokuma and Muta silently signaled Yamato. Seina sharpened her hearing and heard the fast footsteps heading their way. Yamato turned to look at her, giving her an order with his eyes, and she quickly raised magical barriers to divert attention from their occupied spot.
Kneeling under her spells, they watched as another team of ninjas appeared. They stopped a couple of meters away, clearly confused.
"Didn't you say you sensed them here?" one barked, turning to look at a pale-skinned boy with brown hair and gray eyes. "You're not deceiving us, are you?"
"I know what I sensed. The snow doesn't lie."
"And yet, they're not here," another said, grabbing the boy by the neck with considerable force. "Find them."
Yamato signaled them with Konoha's ninja code. Each village had its own code, obviously secret, and it was necessary for promotion to jonin. Seina had learned it under Shizune's orders when she had accepted her promotion and training. She hadn't thought she'd need it on her first mission as a tokubetsu jonin.
"Wait for my signal."
"I can't find them," confessed the boy, who now began to think he was one of the Yuki with the special ice kekkei genkai.
"Then what use are you!" yelled the first man, his face red with rage. "If it weren't for your abilities... I'd kill you myself."
"Orochimaru-sama won't like it," said another ninja curtly. "You know he wants him for himself."
"And that's why he's not dead."
"Let's go. Arguing won't help us find those rats."
"They're probably more ninjas from Shimogakure," spat one, gesturing towards the boy. "I told you we should have faked his death. Now they won't stop looking for him. I'm tired of wandering through the snow because of this."
"Shut up, idiot," ordered the one who seemed to be the leader. "Let's move out."
Seina, with her legilimency active, perceived the thoughts of her enemies. A couple of them agreed with the one who complained, thinking the Shimogakure ninjas were just looking for the Yuki boy because of his abilities. The boy, on the other hand, seemed both angry and resentful about how they treated him despite having volunteered for Orochimaru. The leader was a mess of negative emotions, but he seemed rather dim-witted. Fortunately, he was more jealous of the Yuki's abilities than focused on his task.
The one who worried her was the one who had grabbed the Yuki by the neck. Not only was he full of malice, but he also doubted they were a Shimogakure team. After all, in the last 15 days, they had killed a couple of Shimogakure teams without any problems while their team had managed to hide from them easily, indicating they were not as mediocre as the others.
Yamato turned to be informed of what they had perceived. After all, aside from him, they were a team with tracking abilities.
"They're out of my visual range," Tokuma said quietly, relaxing slightly.
"Muta?"
"I managed to place one of my females without them noticing. They're heading west."
"Seina?"
"They're gone," she nodded. Taking advantage of his direct gaze, she sent Yamato a mental message that startled him. "The boy is a Yuki and he volunteered to Orochimaru. The guy who grabbed him by the neck doesn't think we're a Shimogakure team. They've already killed two teams this month, and none put up any resistance."
Yamato nodded at the team's words, blinking in her direction as if he hadn't heard anything.
"The boy seems to have detected us through the snow," he said. "We'd better get out of here. Seina, we'll use one of your summons. Can you summon something that can fly without being detected?"
"Yes, but I'll need to increase the perimeter of the barriers, or he'll sense us again."
"Do it."
She proceeded to use protective barriers and then summoned her dragon. Muta and Tokuma said nothing upon seeing it, but she noticed their astonishment from their expressions. She enchanted her creation with the same camouflage spell, and they quickly rose into the air.
"Use your jutsu to find the direction," said Yamato.
Seina controlled the dragon while, static on its back, she used the spell like a compass. It took barely half an hour to reach the place. She knew as soon as the arrow turned sharply, pointing west again. Seeing it, Yamato had them circle what seemed to be another unnamed mountain range.
"This is the place. Let's move away and find a place to settle away from the snow. Tokuma."
Seina waited for the Hyuga's instructions, who was using his dojutsu to find them a sheltered spot away from the ice and snow plateau. Minutes later, she descended as much as possible to a kind of depression in the wall of a very narrow and high gorge. She couldn't descend with the dragon, so they jumped through the narrow gap between the mountains while she unsummoned her magical creature. She used chakra to descend the rocky and cold mountain wall until she reached the spot Tokuma had seen.
"Good eye, Tokuma," Yamato praised. "Here they won't be able to see us unless they're actively searching. Seina, you can set up your tent if you want."
Luckily, the spot was just big enough to set up the ninja tent and literally nothing else. The tent door was right at the edge of the gorge. She used her powers to set up a few magical barriers, avoiding chakra barriers that could be detected by ninjas. A few drops of blood later, the team entered the tent.
Seina entered last, closing the "door" firmly and noticing how the cold stayed outside. The first thing they saw was the entrance, and beyond that, the living-dining room. On the ground floor, there was also a kitchen, an infirmary, a full bathroom, an armory, and a miscellaneous room in case more space was needed. Upstairs were all the bedrooms, about ten, each identical with a full bathroom. Each room had a double bed with a chest at the foot as a wardrobe, enchanted windows like all the rooms in the tent, an empty shelf for keeping things handy, and a nightstand with a lamp.
"How is this possible?" Tokuma asked, with his byakugan activated. "Ugh, my head is hurting. But this is amazing!"
Muta, on the other hand, looked like a statue staring through his glasses at the real house inside. Yamato just shook his head and proceeded to follow her to the sofa. There was no fireplace, but it wasn't cold either. The entire tent was filled with runes and enchantments to maintain the perfect temperature, to be self-sustaining without needing pipes, sewers, or electricity. Basically, it was a 100% magical tent.
"Tokuma is right, Seina. You're a genius."
"You can choose any room. They're all the same," she said, nodding at the compliment. "Also, the kitchen is stocked with food, so we can cook or keep eating bentos."
Minutes after leaving her things on the bed of the first room she found, Seina joined the others in the kitchen. Tokuma seemed the most excited of all, talking about how the room had a full bathroom and the magical windows. Muta, curiously, was nodding with quite some enthusiasm, while Yamato smiled quietly.
"Now I'm jealous of Kakashi-senpai," Yamato sighed.
"I gave him his tent only two weeks ago," she smiled, stifling a laugh. "I don't think he's used it much yet."
"Kakashi-senpai has one of these?" Muta asked.
"My whole team. It was a Christmas present."
"She gave me the pouch," Yamato nodded, with a childlike smile. "Now I carry everything here."
"Did you know each other before?" Muta asked curiously.
"Yes. Yamato-sensei trained me for the chunin exams and also occasionally for my promotion to tokubetsu jonin."
They talked that afternoon while waiting for nightfall. They had already confirmed there was a base, it was being guarded, and they had discovered its location.
"You'll have to hide us while we move through the snow," Yamato told her. "We were lucky your powers confused him, otherwise we would have had to eliminate them, which would have forced us to alter our plan."
Seina nodded, without much enthusiasm. Plans rarely went perfectly, so she resigned herself. She only hoped it wouldn't go completely awry like some of her previous plans...