Book One: Dawn of Oomi
Chapter Four: A Place Away From Home - Part One;
100 Miles an’ Runnin’

- Prologue -

Today was the day! Oomi sprang from her bed like a bat out of hell, tossing her sheets into the air and far away from the bed in the process. They fell like a curtain dropping, revealing a girl in little more than her underwear with her arms raised high above her head. Today was the day! She’d never been all that far from the village, and had never been outside of Tsuchi no Kuni at all. Today, though, today she was going to go all the way to Sunagakure. Excitement rippled through her body like a cold chill and she shook. There weren’t words to describe the feeling and so instead a high pitched scream did the job.

Soon after the thud of feet speeding through the apartment roused Harou from his slumber. He’d actually forgotten that his little girl was going to be visiting another nation. She’d be gone for god knows how long. There was a sudden pang in the pit of his stomach. There was no way she was ready for something like this. Maybe that was just his desire to protect all that was left of his late wife, or maybe he’d just never actually considered the idea that she might see more danger than what the rocky land around Iwa had to offer. He slipped from his bed and out into the hallway to catch Oomi just as she speed passed him still wet from a recent shower. All he could do was smile and head onward for the kitchen. It was still early, probably the earliest he’d ever seen her awake — if she hadn’t stayed up this late training somewhere and come back zombified. He glanced at a clock hanging above the stove; 4am. It was both too early and too late for him to be awake.

Inside her room, Oomi had already begun pulling on her clothes. A white cami covered by a tiger orange and white vest on the back of which her clans symbol sat proudly. About her waist a pastel purple sash, knotted on her left side. At the small of her back, attached to the sash, was a metal plate which bore the symbol of Iwagakure. Over her legs an entirely too short pair of light blue jean shorts. She’d already fastened a bit of off white rope about her long bronze locks and trapped her hair in a somewhat high sitting pony tail and was now wrapping a similar bit of rope around her biceps, arms and hands. This was indicative of her chosen taijutsu style; muay thai. That done she finally slipped on a pair of orange tai chi shoes, attached to these shoes was a pair of ropes similar to what she’d wrapped around her arms which she wrapped up the length of her shins.

A moment was taken to inspect herself in the mirror, during which she posed in various ways ensuring that every bit of her outfit was just right. She wanted to be comfortable, stylish, and menacing all at once. Though the last bit probably would never be true. Who’d be frightened by a girl that stood no more than 5’9 and was nearly all lean muscle? Probably no one, at least not until they saw what she could do. Not that she could do much of anything now, but she’d never admit that. As far as she was concerned she could take down the Tsuchikage right now if she wanted to. She didn’t want to… she had to do some other things first…

Oomi patted her hands against her belly and stretched. It was then that Harou called her downstairs to a feast. Her eyes grew wider and a shrill cry leapt from her lips. “Thank you, daddy!” She exclaimed before literally leaping into his arms. A moment later the two had sat down to enjoy the breakfast Harou had prepared.

“Oomi, I want you to be careful while you’re away. You listen to everything that Karumo and Harichimo tell you, you understand? They’re both Chuunin, probably both going to be Special Jounin by the time you all get back so they know more than you.” Harou told Oomi as she stuffed her face with pancakes. “This probably isn’t there first time going so far either, so they’ve definitely got more experience than you.” He was wrong and didn’t even know it. “So, you just make sure you do as you’re told and keep yourself safe, okay?” He finished, pointing his fork at her.

“I gof fifs dadf.” Oomi replied behind a mouth full of food. “I’mf Fuumi, refemfer.” She continued before finally swallowing. “Nothing can beat an Oomi, dad.” She added as if this were a matter of fact. “You don’t have to worry at all.” She finished with a wide grin.

- “I wanna drive the truck!” -

Breakfast with her father had turned into an hour long discussion about the do’s and don’ts of traveling. A lecture really. She couldn’t blame him. This was proof that his little girl was growing up. He’d have to get over it though. This was just the first step in a long road. Things would only get more dangerous from here on out. Oomi nodded her head vehemently in agreement with herself.

She’d left her house just a few minutes ago around 5:45am or so. Over her shoulders was slung a purple backpack with the print of a monkey that suspiciously matched Oomi’s own light caramel complexion. The monkey appeared to be a master of kung fu. Dangling from her right hand was a duffle bag of equal purple, though on this was Oomi’s name in large block letters. The letters had a black outline and were filled with a gradient color of purple to an almost pink color. Notably the ‘i’ was dotted with a heart.

It didn’t take long to reach the gate, mostly because the girl ran the majority of the way. Once she was there the first thing she took notice of was the large camo painted truck. Surely, this truck was here for her. She rounded the vehicle from the back and circled to the side where she found Karumo. A wide grin crossed her face. “Today’s the day, Karu-sensei!” She exclaimed with a fist pump from her free hand. Her smile seemed to grow wider with it as well. That done she turned and simply tossed her bags into the back seat. This was her first time seeing a truck like this, but she wasn’t going to ask where to put her bags. Nope, she was just going to make an executive decision like an adult would do. Mhm.

She then turned back to Karumo. “Are you excited, Karu-sensei?! I’m so excited! Oh my gawd! It’s going to be so much fun!” She was bouncing around now, unable to contain it all. “Aaaah! I’m gonna see Sunagakure~” She shouted, probably causing a few folks around to stop and laugh at the overly excited genin. “Thank you for bringing me along, Karu-sensei!!!!” She shouted and nearly dove into Karumo’s gut with a hug that was surely more like a tackle. "Can I drive the truck?! I wanna drive the truck!!" 

Training:

~~Several Hours Later~~

~~Jump forward about an hour~~

- Driving the truck~ Driving the truck~ -

“I’ll tell you what,” Oomi was already beaming with expectance. Harichimo was going to agree that she’d be able to drive the truck at some point right? “Once we reach the border and hit Ishigakure, it is a straight shot all the way to Sunagakure. We will stop at the border post and have a stretch, then you can take over.” The girl in the backseat was now grinning from ear to ear. “For now keep up the good work watching our tail and soon you can captain this beast.”

“Huzzah! Captain Oomi!” Oomi shouted with her trademarked fist pump. It was settled, she was going to be driving the truck sometime soon. She’d let them in on the fact that she had never actually driven before when it was too late and she was already driving. For now she had a string of questions to ask Harichimo while she waited, which she of course asked and he answered.

“Yeah, this will be my first time out of the country as well.” Harichimo started in response to Oomi’s string of questions. “I have lived my whole life in Iwagkure, working at my family’s clinic. We only ever leave the walls to go collect herbs in the wild west of the country and it is never really that far away.” He continued as Oomi nodded in agreement with all that he’d said thus far. “It’s good that you thought ahead and packed smart. If you need though, you can reach in my pack and grab one of the extra water canteens or some food. I always am more prepared then anyone should ever need to be.” Oomi giggled and nodded again, Harichimo didn’t know it, but offering her food and water had just made them the best of friends. “Meeting the council will be quite an experience which is why I am glad we got the future politician here to do all the talking so I can keep my mind on the medical mumbo jumbo.” Oomi laughed in response.

For the rest of the ride she’d babble on about how she thought that Harichimo and Karumo would do just fine when they met the council. She also noted that if they’d been sent then they were more than capable of getting the job done; the Tsuchikage wouldn’t have sent them otherwise, right? She also made it a point to make mention of what would happen if things went south during the meeting. She’d already forgotten that her acting as security while the two men played their part wasn’t an actual guarantee. Thusly, there was much boasting about how she’d beat up the Sunagakure Council and every Shinobi in the village if she had to. Not that she was anywhere near strong enough to actually complete the task.

After a while, the girl went about stuffing her face with snacks that Harichimo had brought along as well as some that she brought herself. It was a wonder how she kept her figure, despite eating like a hungry pig. Sometime later she’d catch sight of the check point Harichimo had made mention of earlier. The time was nigh! Captain Oomi would be a thing soon! She bounced in the back seat a bit as they finally came to a stop at a fairly deserted outpost.

It was a good thing, too. All that water and snacks had caught up with the poor girl. When the others got out, she sped out past them as quickly as she could. “Gotta peeeee~” She announced to the world and vanished for a few moments. When she came back she had a wide grin plastered across her face. “Captain Oomi time!” She chimed before grabbing one of her bags, taking a seat somewhere near the others, and helping herself to a meal of her own.

When that was done Oomi retrieved the keys from Karumo and climbed into the driver seat. She’d been watching him drive from the moment they’d gotten in back in Iwagakure, and felt pretty confident about the matter. Well, at least she was confident about how to get the thing started and the team on the move again. How hard could everything else be? She started it up and they were off. Meanwhile Karumo took his chance to tease her quite a bit about her driving, which admittedly he had good reason to. Not that she was doing horribly, but a few jerks here and there were bound to happen what with this being her first time driving.  

Sometime later, about a mile outside of Kaze no Kuni’s border, Oomi was beginning to get a hang of this driving thing. She could certainly drive in a relatively straight line now! Of course, this meant that she’d learned a new skill and by virtue was already stronger than she’d been when she left Iwagakure. A wide grin slipped across her face and she took her eyes off the road for just long enough to glance at Karumo. He, on the other hand, seemed focused on what was ahead. “Hey Oomi, slow down and stop it looks like there’s some debris in our path.” Oomi twisted her head back to where it should be. Sure enough, a large log sat in the road blocking their passage. Nothing they couldn’t handle, of course. Though what she didn’t see was the men that were lying in wait.

Oomi slowed and then came to a full stop just a few meters away from the log. As Karumo turned to give Harichimo the heads up. Still she hadn’t seen anyone and was just about to ask what Karumo was talking about when four men came from their various hiding places and started toward the truck. “Hey, out of the truck and we’ll make this easy on you!” What must have been their leader called out. Oomi’s lips curled into a goofy smile. This was exactly what this trip was missing, an opportunity to punch someone in the face. Oomi turned to Karumo who was motioning for her to hand him the keys, which she did with a slight frown. She was afraid that that would spell the end of her adventure in driving.

It wouldn’t matter in the end though, not when there was someone to fight just outside her door. Already, one of the men was circling around to the back, which had prompted Karumo to slip from the truck. Two men stood in front of the truck, one with a scimitar and the other a crossbow. They were obviously ensuring that they could see all things, and probably figured what seemed to be their boss could handle checking the back. Not to mention there was the guy that was now standing on Oomi’s side of the truck. If anything he’d be able to help the guy in the back right? They had no idea who wrong they were, but they’d become privy to their terrible mistake soon enough.

Oomi smiled at Harichimo just before he slipped from the truck. “This is going to be so much fun.” She chimed just before slipping out of the truck to greet the scimitar wielding hooligan that was waiting for her. When she got out, she closed the door behind her and then turned to the would be highwayman. “Hi, I’m Oomi.” She said with a wide grin. “Make sure you remem— “ She could hear Karumo and the other man talking at the back of the truck and suddenly found herself interested in what was being said when she heard mention of how Karumo’s associates would be taking to this situation. Without even thinking about it, her legs were already starting toward the back to see what was what. With a little luck she might catch Karumo in the act and learn a thing or two.

“Hey, little girl! Stay put!” The scimitar wielding driver side standing guy shouted, pointing his weapon at Oomi. In response Oomi turned to him and scoffed.

“First of all, who are you calling a little girl, little man?” She started. It was a rare occurrence, but Oomi did have a fairly short fuse. Not to mention she would be 18 in two more years so who the hell was this guy calling little, huh? “Second of all; calm your tits. I just wanna hear what they’re talking about.” She added.

The man, however, didn’t seem satisfied with her response. “Stay put, you don’t wanna get hurt, little girl.” He said as he took a step or two closer, thus closing the small gap Oomi had created when she started toward the back. More importantly, he’d called her a little girl a second time. There was no such thing as third chances, a first and a second was all this guy would receive.

Chakra surged through Oomi’s body, seeking out the eight gates that resided within her. The process unlocked her potential, so to speak. When the time came, she’d be faster. She usually didn’t open with Kyōkatai, though she had when she’d first met Karumo, but, like then, she didn’t actually know how strong these guys were. She definitely wasn’t going to allow herself to look like the weak link in the chain here. So, she’d be ready, maybe even more than ready.

Forget being ready…

Oomi balled her hands into tight fists and turned to face the man. She smirked, something crooked and full of intent to do harm. “I’m not,” Oomi started. She was already in the process of throwing a right hook. Her arm swung through the air at what would have seemed like a blindingly fast pace to the scimitar wielding thug. Before he could even begin to react Oomi’s fist struck the side of his jaw, about the neck of his lower jaw. The strike sent a jolt of sensation through his nervous system, overloading it and causing his body to tense. It quickly became apparent that he’d been paralyzed. Just how she’d managed to paralyze him with a single punch was lost on him.

...she was just going to shut him up here and now.

Meanwhile, Karumo was at the back of the truck with the other guy. By the time Oomi got back there to see what was going on, leaving Harichimo to his own devises for a few seconds, Karumo had already begun to spew a rather large ball of fire from his mouth. Her eyes widened at the sight and again her lips rolled into a massive smile. The flames engulfed the poor soul, setting him ablaze. He rolled on the ground screaming, and quite literally setting whatever else was near him on fire as well.

“That was so cool!” She shouted at the top of her lungs, possibly drawing the attention of everyone toward the flaming man in the brush beside the road. “Look at ‘em, he’s even still burning! That was super awesome!” The young woman yelped and turned on her heels. She was amped now, adrenaline pumping through her veins like gasoline to a car. She took off in a burst of speed for the still paralyzed thug back near the driver side door. The added ‘umph' from her jutsu would enable her to easily pull of what she had in mind. It was a jutsu she’d learned sometime ago, but never actually used. She’d always thought it was too risky, but risk be damned. It was time to show out or take her punk ass home.

When she was little more than a meter away from the man she leapt from the ground at him. Her right knee was shifted forward as she soared through the air. The poor man, whom she’d paralyzed just moments prior could do nothing but watch as she did so. Her knee slammed into the man’s chest, cracking his sternum, and perhaps a few ribs as well via the added force of her momentum behind the blow. Masterful bodily control would see to it that she was able to twist about into a reverse roundhouse, immediately after her knee made contact with the man. This brought her left leg around his body and forced him to fall backwards. Though Oomi too went down with him. However, her descent was far more controlled and she was able to kick out her right leg to stomp his face when both had hit the ground. Of course, she was still standing. He on the other hand now had a broken nose and wouldn’t be standing up again.

As she’d been doing this Karumo was already on the move, having drawn his sword. Oomi smirked. “Did ya see that?” She asked as she drew fuuton nature chakra into her hands after performing the bird hand seal. “Pretty awesome, right?” She questioned as she fired a single one of the air bullets she’d just prepared, literally through the mans eye. She probably didn’t need to do that, in fact she didn’t at all. He wasn’t going to be getting up, but now she was making sure that he never did. This was the price he’d pay for crossing the shinobi of Iwa. It wasn’t until then that she remembered that there were two shinobi at the front of the truck and she started for there, hoping that Harichimo hadn’t already dealt with the two of them.

Training:

- ...not strong enough -

She’d heard the loud boom of Harichimo’s fists hitting the ground, but having been busy with her own opponent and being nosey about what Karumo was doing behind the truck, Oomi had missed all the things she’d have wanted to see. However, as she rounded the truck, leaving Karumo and the body she’d left behind, she was in just in time to see as Harichimo dug his knee into one of the bandits backs. “At least you two were able to get the others.” He started, directing his first statement to his teammates. Meanwhile, Karumo was dragging the body Oomi had left behind after announcing that the mess needed cleaning up. “Now for you, i’m sorry but you interfered in official Iwagakure business and may have almost made us late for our important meeting. That will normally be punished by a swift death like any other.” Harichimo finished as he reached into his coat to pull a senbon free. The long and slender needle was then slid into the back of the poor bandits skull.

“Aww, I missed all the good parts.” Oomi whined as she pointed a finger toward the other bandit that was now lying on the ground a few meters way. “I bet whatever you hit him with was amazing!” She chimed just before turning on a heel to give her attention to Karumo. It wasn’t until then that Oomi let her clans body enhancement technique fade. She’d not be able to use it again for sometime, but she also didn’t think she would need to. Not to mention continuing to keep it active would only be a further drain on her chakra

“Hey, Harichimo, check their shoulders, do they have this tattoo as well?” He asked. Oomi moved a bit closer and leaned over the body so that she could see the tattoo as well. However, unlike Karumo she didn’t recognize it at all. Maybe had she bothered to read the travel dossier she might have. The young girl frowned slightly and stood back up straight.

Assuming that Harichimo found more similar tattoos Oomi let out a soft, but fairly high pitched yelp. “Maybe we’ll meet more of them.” The tone in her voice told that she might almost be hopeful that that would be the case. “Maybe they’ll even hold a grudge!” If it wasn’t apparent before, it was apparently now that she was hoping for this when she clapped excitedly. “More, bring me more!” She shouted at the man she’d knocked unconscious. Maybe he would wake up and remember her face. A girl could only hope.

As Karumo and, presumably, Harichimo went about moving the bodies out of the way Oomi set about the task of attempting to move the large tree trunk that had been left in the road to block them. She was strong, considering her age and rank, perhaps stronger than most than most genin, but still it wasn’t enough. She huffed and heaved and barely got the log to shift. She wasn’t going to ask for any help though. However, it can be assumed that someone did help her regardless. How else was the log going to get moved?

That done Oomi returned to the truck and her teammates, where she found Karumo dangling the keys as if offering the opportunity to drive again to her. Oomi’s face lit up like a christmas tree. Her hand snapped out like a snake and grasped at the keys before Karumo had a chance to say anything, if he was going to say something that is. The girl then quickly climbed back into the drivers seat. “Okay! Now to Suna!” Oomi exclaimed as she started the truck, and with a jerk they were off again.

As she drove Oomi went over the events that had just transpired over and over again. She was searching for some mistake she might have made, or something she could have learned from the whole ordeal. She sucked her teeth slightly at the realization that both Karumo and Harichimo had surely finished off their opponents, yet hers might have still been living. She was weaker than both men and it bothered her to no end. Not that she expected to be even as strong as them, much less stronger — especially given one of them was her sensei. Yet, still. It was more proof that she wasn’t strong enough yet.

“I should have done something different.” She said suddenly after a few minutes of driving had passed. “Muetaidō: Shikaō Zashō wasn’t enough.” She went on to say. “That guy is probably still alive… I should have hit him with something stronger.” She paused. “I should be stronger.” The sorrow in her voice was apparent as she said that last bit. “Karu-sensei, Hari-senpai…” She took her eyes off the road for a brief moment to look at the both of them. “I need to get stronger.” She nodded in agreement with herself. “Please teach me everything you know!” If she wasn’t driving she’d have bowed dramatically, instead she vehemently pumped her right fist.

Training:

Oomi, excitedly agreed to the notion of further training with not just Karumo but Harichimo as well. The rest of the ride the girls mouth ran on and on, though there were fairly long pauses during which she delved into her own psyche and spent time formulating plans and plots for the next battle she’d find herself in. After sometime, the skyline of Sunagakure came into view.

“There it is!” Oomi exclaimed, perhaps being the reason that Harichimo had awoken. Not much longer later they found themselves parked outside of the hotel that had been awarded them for this trip.

Oomi nodded and smiled wide; “I will! But first; a shower!” She shouted as she climbed out of the truck and subsequently handed the keys over to Karumo. Her bag was collected and a second later she was blowing past both men headed for her room and a nice hot shower to wash away the dirt and grim of the long trip. She’d be back out soon enough though. Exhaustion be damned, she was in Sunagakure and there was a million and forty thousand things for her to see and do here… and she was going to see and do all of them!

The girl made it to her room and collapsed on her bed. She’d told herself a lie. Sleep was what was going to happen first.

EXIT THREAD

Training: