Hiatus is over

Idate Morino did not like Konoha, not one bit. Being branded a traitor of the village and forced into exile was a fair reason for that.

Truthfully, Idate didn't care for any form of shinobi, whether they be from a major village or a minor village. After being one and then having no choice but to take a look from the point of view of an outsider that took up residence in a village without shinobi, it was easy to dislike the greatest killers in the world.

Still, he knew that in the upcoming race would require an escort team, and Idate would have to suck up his general contempt for the village; if only for Boss Jirochou. Idate was to be the runner for Jirochou's family, the Wasabi clan, against the runner of the Wagarashi clan. The winner of the race would control the port town of Degurashi, so says the Daimyo of Ta no Kuni – the Land of Tea. Idate found the whole thing to be a little strange, but he understood it was better to settle a territorial dispute with a simple race than with bloodshed.

In any case, he did not like Konoha one bit, and when he was told that he would join the group that would go there to receive an escort?

Nope.

At the halfway point Idate made a run for it. He wasn't holding the mission scroll, he wasn't the boss – he was just a face that the shinobi escorts needed to learn and become familiar with so that they could better guard him. With that in mind Idate felt no reason to stick around, he knew the group had his picture on hand so that the Shinobi escorts would know who to look for; they didn't need him to be there physically.

So, here he was, sitting in a local tea shop, eating some delicious Ta no Kuni dumplings, when a curious sight came into view.

Entering the shop was a tanned teen his own age with red hair, yellowish eyes and a Kumogakure hitai-ate strapped to the side of his head with a small Konoha dogtag on his neck. It had been nearly three years since Idate had left Konoha, but he still remembered his lessons. When anybody, be it shinobi or civilian, wore a dogtag featuring the insignia of a Shinobi Village came into view, it became immediately obvious that that person was an ambassador of some sort.

No. While that in itself was strange -a Kumo-nin buddying up to Konoha of all places!- what truly caught Idate's attention was what was in the red head Kumo-nin's hand.

A leash.

A leash spreading three ways.

A leash spreading three ways attached to the necks of a trio of Konoha Genin, all who looked like they wanted to murder the Kumo-nin in the worst ways possible.

It took a considerable amount of restraint to not bust a gut right there. Served Konoha right!

"Raiga." The pink one said, she had a fairly nice voice Idate noted. "Why are we here?"

"I got hungry." The red one that Idate now knew was named Raiga said, dragging the trio towards one of the many open tables of the shop.

The blonde one in a blinding orange jumpsuit yelled loudly, causing the tea shop to echo. "WHY ARE WE IN COLLARS?!"

"Well." Raiga said. "I've never babysat, nor have I had to take missions with anybody that wasn't Bee-Shishou, Karin or Yugito. But, I've dogsat before. I figured that it can't be much different."

Idate had to cover his mouth to stop a cackle from escaping as the black haired one brooded into his collar in response to that statement.

It was then that the Raiga kid looked around the room and focused his gaze onto Idate. To be fair, they were the only people there are the moment, tea shops were primarily frequented at night and it was the early morning.

For some strange reason Raiga then turned the pink haired one around and dug his hand through her pack, which caused her to screech. He pulled out a piece of paper and held it up, turning his attention back on Idate.

He then let out a feral grin.

"Idate Morino." said Raiga. He then took the collars off of the genin trio and turned his full attention onto the now nervous Idate.

"You did a runner. I can't have you doing that when I'm supposed to guard you."

Idate didn't get the chance to make a retort when a second Raiga appeared from out of nowhere. Idate felt the weight of a chop on his neck and saw only blackness.

Jirochou Wasabi wasn't exactly certain how he should react to the sight in front of him, but he knew one thing at the very least.

He had blackmail for years.

Idate, his ward, was gagged with a bright red ballgag while a trio of Konoha genin held leashes attached to a smattering of collars tied over his neck. A Kumogakure shinobi, the leader of this curious group, looked as if nothing was wrong while he snacked on a dango skewer and read Icha Icha.

"Welcome. I take it you had no trouble reaching my land?"

"Not too much." The Kumo-nin said, refusing to take his eyes off his smut. "This kid pulled a runner though. We found him by accident when we were on a break and I decided to catch him instead of let him walk."

"And the ballgag?"

"You never know when you'll need it." The Kumo-nin stated with utmost sincerity, taking his eyes off the book and placing it against his heart.

Jirochou decided he didn't much care for this shinobi.

"In any case, you understand what is expected of you?"

The Kumo-nin shook his head, "Only partly, if you don't mind could you tell me and my twerps the mission details?"

Jirochou was more surprised that the genin didn't verbally respond to his blatant insult, they merely twitched.

"I suppose it's fine. Do you know of the Todoroki Taisha dedication ceremony?"

The four shook their heads, and with a negligent wave of his hand they made themselves comfortable on his floor.

He gave a wistful smile, staring outside at the Koi pond of his manse longingly. "It all started with a legend from long ago. The lands of Ta no Kuni were, at one point in time, constantly covered in storms. Nobody could live on the land, and the towns and villages that were there prior to the storms were all razed in the chaos. Many townsfolk were horrified; they didn't have the ability to restart their trade elsewhere and would likely die come winter.

"Then, a man called Ryuka came to them. None know who exactly he was, some say he was a shinobi, some say he was a deity, but he gave the people of Ta no Kuni a chance. He gave a child a pair of metal balls and told the boy to go to the Todoroki Taisha and place the balls at the top of the shrine. Curious and willing to try anything at this point, the boy did as he was bid. Suddenly, the storms stopped. The boy was ecstatic, but he didn't fully trust myths and superstitions, and stole one of the balls. The skies were still clear, and the boy felt he was justified.

"Four years passed, and the townsfolk grew complacent. They hadn't had any storms in that timeframe, just rain and snow, and felt that their woes had passed. They didn't stock up any supplies for storms that might return, feeling that they were safe and that they already bore the wrath of the gods.

"Then, one day, the storms that they had forgotten about came back five times as strong. Winds that could rip trees from their roots, lightning that struck all around, hail the size of kunai and rain drops that were so thin and quick they made people bleed. The town cried out in anguish, none more so than the boy who had stolen one of the balls of Ryuka. He had grown into a man, and like all men should he knew that this was his fault.

"He ran from the base of the Todoroki Taisha all the way to the top, his body ragged and hurt from having to whether the storms wroth, but in the end he returned the ball at the cost of his life. The storms once more receded, and the lands became known as Ta no Kuni from what they were called – Ran no Kuni. The Land of Storm."

Jirochou calmly sipped at his tea, pointedly ignoring the mystified stares of the genin, the assessing look of the Kumo-nin, and the murderous stare of Idate, who was still bound in a ballgag.

"From then on, every four years, there has been a race from the bottom of the Todoroki Taisha to the top. It started out as a way to appease the gods, but came to be a grand festival for all of Ta no Kuni. It was a celebrated event, people young and old would race towards the top, and the winner would be named a festival hero – a great honor to our kin.

"Recently, however, the race has taken a different form. In this part of our nation, the port of Degurashi, there are two clans. We, the Wasabi family, and the long standing Wagurashi family. Though embarrassing to admit, our clans have been fighting for generations over the borders of Degurashi, both wanting to control the whole of the town. It's gotten to the point that we sometimes would get into street brawls.

"The Daimyo tolerates our bickering well enough, but he will not tolerate violence between his greater vassals within the confines of this town; his citizens were beginning to get caught in the crossfire. He struck us a bargain, one that if we didn't take we would lose our clan status. In the upcoming Todoroki Taisha dedication ceremony, there will only be two runners, one from each of our families. The clan whose runner is the winner will control Degurashi, and the loser will retreat to their lands."

He pulled out a small scroll from his vest and tossed it over to the Kumo-nin, who snatched it from midair and began to read through the papyrus with muted interest.

"The Wagurashi clan has hired a team of shinobi from Amegakure, and so we of the Wasabi clan had no choice but to counter them by hiring a team of our own. Ta no Kuni is the neighbor of Hi no Kuni, and it only makes sense that we hire from Konoha. I truly do not understand why the Wagurashi would hire from Ame-"

"Prices." Raiga stated.

"I'm sorry?"

"Ame came out of a civil war a while back and have primarily focused on rebuilding their country. Over the last year they've been expanding by doing missions with traders and noble clans in exchange for certain rights. Most likely, should the Wagurashi win, Ame would want to build a base or two of some kind in Ta no Kuni."

Jirochou rubbed his chin in thought, "While I'm not adverse to that in the slightest, I'd feel safer with a closer country and village. Konoha already has a few bases scattered about Ta no Kuni, surely it would make sense for a place like Kiri or Kumo would be smarter."

"Smarter, and that means more expensive."

"Ah." And Jirochou fully understood now. He himself was not adverse to penny pinching and going with the cheapest alternatives, but that was business.

Business mentalities did not work when it came to Shinobi Villages.

"Speaking of Kumo, if you don't mind me asking. Why are you traveling with a group of Konoha genin?"

"The new Hokages an ass." Raiga said, as if that explained everything.

It didn't, but Jirochou knew best when to ask for clarification and when to smile and nod.

He smiled and nodded.

Raiga shrugged and got up, dusting his knees off lightly, "The race is in two days, right?"

Jirochou nodded.

"Right, we'll be staying here for now, and if you don't mind could you drop off the rules and regulations of the race to our room? Me and my team need to talk strategy and it'll be a boon."

"I'll have it dropped off after supper."

The day of the race was upon them. It seemed as if the whole of Ta no Kuni was waiting at Degurashi for the race to begin in full.

"Remember," Raiga stated, holding the full attention of his temporary, and damnit this better be temporary genin squad. "You will guard Jirochou while I guard Idate. There is no doubt in my mind that while people are focusing on the race, his life could be targeted. If he were to die then the Wagarashi family would gain control of the port, regardless of the outcome of the race."

Naruto looked a bit put out that he wouldn't be able to race, but both Sakura and Sasuke nodded their heads in general agreement.

The announcer began to speak, his voice echoed through the various speakers of the port. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be starting the Todoroki Representative Race momentarily.

"The representative for the Wasabi family, Idate Morino!"

The crowd cheered loudly as Idate rose a hand in acknowledgement; the Wasabi family politely clapping though their faces were covered in bright smiles.

"From the Wagarashi family, the messenger, Fukusuke!"

Fukusuke roared into the sky with his fist held high, the crowd only clapping halfheartedly while the whole of the Wagarashi family beat on their chests like steady drums.

"On your mark!"

Both Idate and Fukusuke took a position, the standard form for a starting sprint. The port gates opened, showing the world a small strip of stone leading out into the ocean and a pair of small, singularly handled sail boats."

"Start!"

Fukusuke and Idate bolted, and just before Idate reached the gate his leg was tugged on and he felt it snap. He fell over, looking at his leg with untold agony while Fukusuke jeered at Idate from the edge of the dock.

Idate, however, ignored all the commotion of the crowd and instead stared at his leg. Or at least, what was holding his leg. He may have been a civilian now, but he was a trained genin and he knew how to see and feel chakra. On his leg was a small, whisp-like strand of chakra that formed a tight string that was attached –

Attached the the finger of Raiga Uzumaki.

"OH NO!" Raiga said, loudly. He ran up to Idate, holding him up and shaking him wildly.

"IDATE, NO! YOU HAVE TO RUN!"

The false drama in his voice was noticeable even to the ever dense Naruto.

Jirochou stared at the scene in front of him with narrowed eyes. Was this the end?

"OH WAIT!" Raiga yelled once more. He pulled out a sheet of paper, a race regulations sheet, from his pocket and read carefully and loudly.

"RULE THIRTY SIX: IN THE EVENT THAT A COMPETITOR IS INCAPABLE OF RACING PRIOR TO DEPARTING FROM THE PORT OF DEGURASHI, THE COMPETITOR MAY RECEIVE AID FROM A SPONSORED GUIDE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE RACE."

Jirochou was many things, and quick on the update was one of those many things.

Shinobi escort missions were also known as sponsored guides.

"I, Jirochou Wasabi, proclaim Raiga Uzumaki as a sponsored guide to my ward Idate Morino."

Raiga grinned, snatched up Idate, threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and from his back came a pair of translucent Chakra Wings. They flapped once, twice, thrice, and took off at speeds far surpassing any boat in the port of Degurashi.

As they flew off there was only one thing that the whole of Ta no Kuni understood.

Shinobi were insane.

So, it took a while for me to come back to Plot Thief. Weird, I know, because it's my baby in a way, but i've had other things going on. Now, I know people will say that I wasn't that busy, I was updating other stories.

The truth is that Naruto, as a series, has begun to grow stale for me.

Sad though it is, but too much of a good thing makes it sour, and Fanfiction has too much.

Essentially, what happened was I needed a break from Naruto as a series, focus on other things, and come back to the franchise with some renewed vigor. Aye, i should have given a warning to my Hiatus, but the simple fact is is that I don't really put enough effort and energy into Fanfiction for it to truly matter.

So, here we are. The Land of Tea arc is interesting because, in my humble opinion, it's the only anime arc that fits what you'd fine in the manga. To a degree. I found it interesting for certain, and after rewatching the episodes today decided that i'd finally start writing Plot Thief again.

Raiga is still a dick. Naruto is still loud. Sakura and Sasuke are still minor characters in my book.

All is well.

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