Out of Ame

I had gotten what I wanted, and told mom we could have some fun and get the hell outta Ame. Mom used this free time to gather more information, and after marking down targets for us to exploit, me and my mom shared a Cheshire-like grin and perhaps even a Evil Villain Laughter. *Ahem*

Targetting these Nobles and rich merchants was for a few reasons, besides placating my, and I think even Mom's, kleptomaniac tendencies. These targets were corrupt, shrewd and double-dipping. They were aggressive businessmen, and even women, and they were responsible for funding a lot of black market trades of narcotics, weapons and even flesh trade.

Selling slaves and people as object was frowned upon, but technically not completely illegal in all countries. Besides safeguarding shinobi or nobles, normal people could end up bought and sola, and the administration will turn a blind eye to it, as long as the seller and buyer keep paying the bureaucrats in charge.

This was before Second Shinobi World War. People were still not conformed to the civilised mentality. The Daimyos were Fat-fucka who sprawled over their thrones and watched their subjects suffer. This was a cruel world, and my mom and me had no reservations in bringing these cunts, a few notches down. My mom had made six shadow clones, and I did the same. The original me and mom took Konan on our backs, and left towards the Land of Grass, Kusagakure.

I was certain Nagato wasn't the only Uzumaki out of Uzushio, and wanted to find Karin and her mother, in the Land of Grass. The shadow clones however could survive for a few hours, and they spread out towards the Land of Fire, to target the few minor nobles and merchants who live in the area.

We arrived at the check-point, and left after informing the border outpost that there was information about the noble who had his wealth stolen. And we gave them the scroll which said that the noble had saved another stash of wealth earned from underhanded dealings and brokering trades with enemy shinobi.

We left after that towards the north, and reached Land of Grass by the next day. Mom had began to have me and Konan join her in the daily exercise and training, and we practised chakra control and Nature Transformation as much as we could.

Konan had Water, Earth and Wind Affinity, with Water being her primary, Wind her secondary and Earth her last affinity. Mom had made Konan practise Chakra strings, and taught her to use Leaf and grass to practise her chakra control.

I was meanwhile, pulling and pushing dry grass against each other, and used wind through the grass blades to practise sharpness on uneven edges. The blades of grass became so sharp, that they whistled past the trees, leaving a grass sized hole in the stem.

I did the same for my lightning chakra as well. For my Water Chakra manipulation, I was covering my body with water droplets and moisture to prevent me from sweating or getting dirty. The water stuck to me in a thin layer, and only my glossy face showed the presence of the water chakra.

I always thought that Konan used Wind chakra or Lightning chakra to make paper origami. They looked sharp, and could withstand Jiraiya's fire jutsu.

But apparently, Konan was most proficient in Water Nature Manipulation, as she passed Water chakra through the piece of paper, like she was testing her chakra affinity. She then tried to pull and tug on the edges of the paper, and forced a lotus to form using only her chakra.

Seeing that, my mom and I were staring shocked at Konan. My mom was shocked with the apparent ease with which Konan folded the paper. The sheer control and concentration required to do that was prodigal.

I was shocked, on the other hand, because now I know why Konan didn't sharpen the edges of the Paper Kunai with the Wind chakra in cannon. And also why her paper could withstand the fire jutsu.

I turned to face mom, only to see her look at me with a resigned look, "Now, your Origami hobby girl became a potentially dangerous kunoichi who could manipulate water chakra within a sheet of paper at 6 Years Old."

We heard a soft mumbling, and both of us, turned as one to the topic of our discussion who was staring at her feet with her hands pushed behind her back.

Seeing us stare at her, she spoke softly. "Ano, Tachibana-san, I am only five years old."

Mom threw her hands in the air. "And that is the thing she will object." Thinking clearly, mom spoke to Konan in a no-nonsense tone. "I don't care what you learn from me brat. Nor do I care about what you do with what I taught you. The only thing that matters to me is my Arashi is never in danger because of your actions. He is a kind boy, but don't think I will blink an eye to end you, if my son is implicated because you were careless or foolish."

Hearing my mother speak, Konan immediately defended, "I would never do anything to hurt Arashi-kun. I would stand before anyone who wants to hurt him. I lo... Waaah."

My mother spoke something in her ear. And I saw Konan faint with a deep blush. My mother picked up Konan to carry her on her back, while I cleared our equipments and stored them safely away.