Mission Undergarments (See? No briefs here~):

The sun was setting as Aethir sighed, walking down the path within the land of fire, an overjoyed laughter being heard. "Oh, money! What else could there be in the world~?"  "I honestly don't know. I mean without it, we're all useless!" The laughter erupted again as Aethir groaned, being slapped on the back lightly by an overly colorful fan. "Oh dear boy~! Laugh! You're doing such a wonderful job protecting us~!"  "Yes! We have all of our merchandise, and no harm has been done to us~!!" The laughter grow louder as Aethir was getting highly annoyed with the slapping of the fan. 'Why do I even...bother...? This isn't worth it...' The laughter sounded again as Aethir missed another one of the fat men's jokes, the fan slapping at him. He clenched his teeth, letting out a low growl as he was about to snap at the merchants until...words of wisdom floated back into his mind from the past.


"Doesn't it annoy you...?" a little girl's voice asked as a boy chuckled, "Not at all. It's quite the opposite actually!" Walking were three kids, a girl, and two boys. One of the boys were older than the other, and much taller. "Lamdem asks me to watch you two because he knows I don't have a problem with it." the taller boy said, looking over to the younger boy ahead of both the kids. He had a large smile on his face, watching as the boy marched forward further away. "And because Aethir is my..." The boy, Aethir, stopped marching, turning to look at the taller boy curiously. "I'm ... your what?" a younger Aethir blinked as the taller boy patted the boy's head. "Just a brother." he said, walking on past the boy. The girl stopped next to Aethir, both kids looking at each other, eventually being called by the older boy.



'But these guys...I don't know them. So does that still apply to me...?" Aethir thought to himself, eventually feeling the fan again. "C-Could you...Could you not hit me with that thing?" Aethir smiled, feeling quite annoyed on the inside. "Hmm~? Why would I stop~? I'll only stop if you laugh with us!!"  "Yes, do laugh! You're putting a damper on the mood..." Laughter erupted again as Aethir clenched his teeth as hard as he could. He didn't mind the men laughing, or the terrible jokes...But Aethir just cannot stand this constant fan hitting! He suddenly turned around with an angry look on his face. "I'VE-"  "We'll settle here for tonight~!"

Aethir stood there with his index finger still in midair. The setting sun had fallen past the hill, darkness falling upon the caravan. "...Bodyguard, you should really put yourself to work and help put up camp. And close that mouth of yours, a fly'll get in there~!" Aethir took a deep breath, looking over down the road, noticing bright lights on the horizon. It was the town they were traveling to, just a few more hours away. Deciding to help set up came, Aethir took a deep breath and began work.

As night has fallen, Aethir sat alone by the fire, the other merchants fast asleep in their tents. He was thinking back on everything that has happened thus far in Konoha. Eventually, Aethir stood up, pointing a finger as he was prepared to fire shock bullets at the source of the sound of movement. It was the fat merchant with the colorful fan, staring with a frown at Aethir. "Bodyguard, you really should be asleep. We plan to get moving at the break of dawn!" Aethir nodded, looking back at the fire with a dull expression on his face.

"Or perhaps you wish for someone to talk to?" the merchant said, sitting by Aethir, the boy simply sighing. Silence fell for a moment before the merchant spoke with a smile. "If you think us merchants just talk about money and valuables, you're sorely mistaken." Aethir turned to the man with a shocked look on his face, hoping he hadn't had said that out loud. He was mentally thinking of what this merchant just said to him however. "You were thinking that, weren't you?"  "N-No! I wasn't-" The merchant held up an index finger to Aethir, the boy staring curiously. "Don't fib. Never lie. Always be truthful. Even if you die~"

Aethir blinked, tilting his head curiously. "I've heard that saying somewhere in my travels. Quite a truthful saying! So, tell me the truth. What's wrong?" Aethir turned back to the fire, running a hand through his hair. "Well...The only reason I've become a ninja is because of my brothers. We aren't related by blood, but we have a bond as thick as anyone else's. It's just...I'm worried about them I guess." the merchant nodded to Aethir's words, throwing in his two cents. "I'm sure they're alright. No one's ever dead if you haven't found their body yet~!" Aethir turned back to the man who explained where that saying came from. Somewhere along his travels... It would appear that this merchant has seen it all.

"Is that why you failed to laugh?" Aethir closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "And is that why you seemed kind of down upon arrival? You know, smiling while everything is not alright is quite the insult to some." The two conversed more, eventually the merchant asking for Aethir's name. "Aethir. Lamdem."  "Aethir Lamdem? ...That's...That's pretty far into the unique zone, isn't it? Fish it out before it's too far gone!!" The boy stared at the merchant with wide eyes as he smiled to Aethir, as if awaiting a laugh at least. Aethir...had to admit, it was pretty funny. He smiled, soon chuckled, the merchant laughing as well while patting the boy's back. "Well Aethir, life's too short to always be formal and serious. Like you were picking us up~!" the boy looked at the man who continued to smile, "There's only so much time we have in this world... Will you spend it all being nice? Polite? A stick in the sand? Or will you have a little fun and absorb those around you~?"

The boy eyed the man, eventually staring down at the fire. It's true that he hasn't been conversing with others as much as he should. Heck, he kind of had been avoiding them this whole time, afraid of conflict. But Aethir thought back to the smiles he received from the old woman on the mountain, The smile from the shop keeper's faces as he went shopping for her stuff. And the smiles on the people who saw him return the gorilla back to the village alive. He's been so formal this whole time that he failed to notice the genuine feeling behind those smiles!

"Tanama Housuki." Aethir blinked, turning to the man curiously. "That's my name. Tanama Housuki." Aethir smiled, nodding to the man. "You know, Tanama...You're right," Aethir's smile widened as he looked up to the night sky, "If I continue to worry and be formal, I won't take note of the people around me. What kind of people they are. I'll always instead be worried if they're displeased or not."  "W-Well it's good to keep other's feelings in mind! Just... don't be so worried around them! Enjoy yourself, and let go all troubles." Aethir nodded to the man, eventually yawning, both of them agreeing to retire for the night.

"Money is the best in the world, I swear!"  "Exactly what I was thinking, don't you agree, bodyguard~?" Aethir stared at the ground with a frown, thinking to himself. Eventually, the words of Tanama came to mind. "W-Well I really couldn't care for money... But I do love strawberries!"  "Ah~! The truth finally comes out!! I'll sell you a strawberry for 5,000 ryo~!" Tanama laughed as the other merchants laughed as well, Aethir nervously laughing as well, not sure if Tanama is serious or not. Then, he noticed something... The fan wasn't hitting him! Could Tanama hitting him be a subliminal sign that he should smile more...? Aethir thought he smiled enough along the trip...

Eventually, Aethir and the group arrived into the village. Aethir stopped walking as the merchants continued to walk ahead towards another pack of ninjas. "Well done. We'll take it from here." the lead ninja spoke to Aethir with a smile, Aethir nodded to him. Eventually, the merchants and ninjas began their travels, Aethir watching Tanama leave before him. 'W-Wait...' Aethir thought to himself as his eyes widened, 'This...could be the last time I see Tanama... He is a merchant after all.' The boy stood there, watching as his newly made friend began to walk away. "T- ...Take care!!" Aethir shouted, waving, the ninjas turning back with a shocked look on their faces. The merchants turned, including Tanama, all of them laughing and waving. "I-I'll be sure to buy that 5,000 ryo strawberry one day!!" Aethir smiled wider as the ninja advised the merchants that they should keep movie.

Feeling better about their leaving, Aethir took a deep breath, soon deciding to just take a stroll in the village. "Oh...!" he gasped, walking the other way, "I forgot this whole thing was a mission..." The boy spoke as he began his journey to collect his reward...