Mission Stories

Title: The Last of the Lanterns
Fandom: Naruto
Characters: Yoshi Aoki, Ryouichi Aoki, Akihiko Yuudai, Akimitsu Sugimoto, Aina Suigmoto
Pairing: N/A
Ratings: K+
Warnings: N/A
Author Notes: And another set for arc 2 :v

"Yoshi! Ryu!" Isa said as he bounced around in his seat.

"Hey, Isa." Yoshi smiled. "Taking care of the Akarikage for me?"

"Yeah! He's gonna defend us all from those weird people." The boy laughed, holding up the doll Yoshi had given him.

"Well that's good to know!" He laughed. "Hey, my brother and I are done helping people out. We were going to go join some of our friends in sending off the last batch of lanterns. Do you want to come with us?"

"Yeah!" Isa nodded.

Yoshi picked him up, letting the boy sit on his shoulders again as they walked outside the tent. Ryouichi promised that they'd have Isa return after the festival was officially over. Something that didn't sit well with Yoshi at all. He still felt guilty for having found his mother the way he did and not having the strength to tell him. Though Ryouichi had told him it was better that he didn't right then. Who knows what the boy would've done or could have or may have or whatever else there could be.

The brothers, on their way back during one of the trips, did talk about asking their parents to take him in if Isa didn't have any relatives. They agreed that he did need a home where he would be loved and accepted however they also agreed that their parents would have to ask the clan leader and that could be its own challenge. Not many non-clan or those born outside of a clan were accepted. It usually deferred to the preferences of the clan leaders or whatever exceptions to the rule were. Yoshi knew that Akihiko, the current Akarikage's son, was one of those exceptions -- something happened to his family before or something. Yoshi didn't know him that well nor did he entertain the thought to ask since the boy was very rambunctious like the clan he was adopted into.

Yoshi hoped that Isa would be that exception as well though he knew it would also probably result in trying to ease his guilty conscience. He remembered his sensei talking about that once and what the effects could be. Letting things go were good and all but how would someone justify leaving a kid out on his own? Yoshi was torn from his thoughts as Isa pulled on his hair again, pointing to a group of shinobi standing around a bunch of lanterns. Out of all the faces he saw, he only recognized two; his teammates, Akimitsu and Aina Sugimoto. Like everyone else, they seemed just as shaken by the recent events. Aina's face lit up when she saw Yoshi however and ran towards him, Akimitsu followed soon after.

"Yoshi!" She said, hugging him as tightly as he could. Yoshi balanced himself as quickly as he could and placed a hand on Aina's back to return the gesture. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, a little worse for wear like everyone else." Yoshi said. "This is my big brother, Ryouichi, and we found Isamashi, or Isa, when all this started."

"Nice to meet you both." Ryouichi said, bowing his head in respect. "Yoshi talks very highly about the both of you."

"Hi! I'm Isa!" Isa grinned and held up his doll. "And this is the Akarikage, he's gonna protect us all!" Aina cooed and took Isa from Yoshi, trying to talk to the boy and giving him a few pieces of candy that she had. Akimitsu just sighed and shook her head.

'You always know how to not be boring, Aoki." She said.

"Yeah, well, it beats being predictable!" He grinned. "Are you and Aina all right?"

"We're fine." She said. "Luckily, Aina was treating everyone with a basic medical kit she got from one of the medics. She was trying to heal half the people we were trying to help."

"Well, at least she didn't run into a building with no shoes on." Ryouichi scolded.

"We talked about this, Ryu..." Yoshi frowned.

"Are you stupid?" She asked, her brows furrowing into a knot and a mean look appearing on her face. "You could've been hurt!"

"But I'm all right!" He said, hoping she wouldn't mention any of the other 'bright' ideas he's had lately. He didn't want to get yelled at by his brother, once was enough. He grabbed her hand and put it against his chest, so she could feel his heart. "See?" She pulled it away and looked away in disgust... or embarrassment? Yoshi swore he saw her blushing.

"Damn Aoki." She mumbled.

"Hey, we have some lanterns here. Want light them and call it a night?" Aina asked.

"Sounds like a plan, Aina." Ryouichi smiled. He helped, or was rather conned, into grabbing five lanterns and handed them to everyone. Yoshi couldn't help but laugh at his brother, he could never say no to a girl but Aina was the wrong girl to try and be friendly to.

Yoshi struck a match and lit the inside of one of the lanterns, then did the same to the others. He sat next to Isa and they both threw their lanterns into the air. Yoshi loved the Lantern Festival. It was truly his favorite time of the year. Where old rivalries could be forgotten as everyone enjoyed the merriment and new friendships. Lanterns decorated the heavens and the earth. Each showing a sign of respect of the historical day that two fearsome clans joined to create a village. A village that still stands and will remain standing in the years to come. Or so Yoshi hoped. No one knew what the future would hold for any one of the shinobi or villagers.

Yoshi laughed with Isa and he made an impression of the Akarikage. Aina and Ryouichi joined him and so did Yoshi. Akimitsu was being a little difficult but he knew she was having fun too. He looked at the sky once more. Despite all the sadness that had occurred, he was still in awe of the beauty that glowed from the lanterns above.