Here I come... The Start of a Journey

[Retane]

"Where I go, Retane comes too."

The Emerald Warrior had listened to it all. He was quiet, taking it all in as it played out. Inirtias was talking to his kinfolk still, though it looked like he was now talking to a singular being. Perhaps it was the leader of the group; Much less rash then the ninja, well Airyonna at least, and not so foolish either. However, she did have heart and determination. It was his fault for putting her on the spot, but things had went the way he had planned.

The namek took the sai and slammed it into the small wall of ice, cracking it, but not causing it to be destroyed. "I am done here. I am going"

Retane turned then, and started towards the direction he had intended before he interevened with the Guardian's life. The namek nodded his head and Arith, Inirtias, Sverit and Gulish started to follow. The ninja even opened a path for the group to pass. The namkeian stopped and looked back to Frost, "Are you coming? Or is it a one way thing?"

The Guardian had been watching them leave, with an awkward look on his face. Jack looked around at the crowd that had encirlced the area and threw his hands up with a nervous smile. The ice wielder took a few steps before Asuma stepped forward as he lit another cigarette.

"I don't think you understand, that 'slippery bastard' is called Gollum, and has tracked down and killed or been the cause to some fine ninja and elves' deaths , and even snatched our children to prey upon. He allies with orcs and goblins and uses them to get his feast on. You get the pictute I guess. But we've discerned that even if you stop him, he is able to get a scent of his victim and will track them down when they least expect it." The ninja took a long puff of his cigarette.

The namekian looked back at Jack, who paused for a bit and glanced back at him. The Emerald Fiend scoffed for a moment and turned to Asuma, "So you think this Gollum can kill him when he is around me?"

"That's not it, with everything going on around here, and since we know that, that thing will be tracking him; It's best that you come with us." Asuma had looked the namekian in the eyes till he heard a low mumble frm behind him and had to look down.

"We are not taking that thing to our village." Airyonna was collecting her sai from the now melting ice.

"That thing, Aryonna, goes where your 'Ice Boy'goes. And that thing calls himself a Namek. Unlike you, I dont want to lose any more friends then I already have. So how about we trust me on this one ok?" Asuma had stood tall then, walking towards her. He almost said something else, but held it back last second.

The Namekian noticed this and kept a note. It was obvious, he was the leader of this small battlement then, and she was more of a front. She was younger, and Asuma was much more expereinced. Retane saw the ploy as deceit, as well as smart. He wondered how strong this ninja was but only laughed, "So let me get this straight. To save everyones lives here, am I being asked to go with you or are you telling me to go with you."

The ninja grinned, " I am asking you. I am asking you personally. I am taking a huge risk here, but I would like to have you and your comrades come with me to our village. You say this is your home? Would you rather have us as enemies or possible allies?"

The Emerald Warrior looked back at the group and stared at Sverit and Gulish. He shook his head for once and laughed as he let the orgosynth take a break. "I think, I'd like to actually meet my neighbors. But if anything comes to harm my friends, or I think something is a foot, I will kill."

"I think we can agree to the same thing with you, though I am taking a risk". Asuma made a few hand notions and most of the ninja disperesed. The ninja looked hard at the head elf, who actually frowned in annoyance, but with a wave of a hand, most of the tribe started moving away.

Retane looked then and it was his own group with Jack, Arith, Inirtias, Gulish, and Sverit; Asuma, Airyonna, Alaina and four other ninja; For the elves, the one guy that seemed to be the head of the formation and three others remained. "So is this our protection, or is this the strongest you have to try and keep me contained?"

Asuma let out a sigh and spoke to three of the ninja. Without even a nod, they vanished. The head ninja then looked to the namekian and shrugged his shoulders, "I sent them to tell of our coming and our numbers. I'd rather let my leader know what is going on before I get there, in case anything happens. The others here are members of my own squad, I tend to like to keep them close. It's our job to work together as a team you know. Vulen here", the Knuckleblade wielder looked at the head elf, "Is here because he has to report back to his own leader once things are finished. The other three are his own proteciton detail. "I guess you could consider us your, protection detail, or escorts."

Arith laughed, "We have an escort service!"

----

"How much further", the Emerald Fiend asked after a while. Inirtias had been communicating wiith Vulen and the other elves off and on while Jack and Arith had been making jokes about everything. Airyonna and the other ninja had been quiet for a bit.

"Actually if you look ahead you can see the gates, if you can see it." Asuma smiled for a moment and almost put a cigarette to his lips but stopped himself. He grinned for a few moments and let out a sigh, "Wife doesn't like me to do the thing. She can smell it on me."

Retane already knew the smell and nodded but looked ahead and saw a chain of huge trees forced together with a green leafed archway that was open. He actually paused then, and looked back at his comrades, " I have another destination in mind, but are you guys sure we want to do this?"

Arith didn't speak, but moved beside the namek and folded his arms, looking out with his face guarded, and laughed, "it's kind of obvious that we have chosen follow you. No elf, nor ninja will be able to handle you right now."

Inirtias nodded, "There's something weird going on and any ally to the ninja and elves are welcome. They don't want to fight, well not really."

"And you Jack? Before we enter this place, are you ok with all of this?" Retane was calm and looked him deep in his eyes.

"Yes", Jack nodded and offered his usual half smile. Sverit and Gulish also nodded.

"Good timing too, we are heading from here straight to meet Lady Tsunade. She knows you are coming, but I will only allow three of you to enter." Asuma spoke but didn't stop there as Retane glanced back at the mention of seperation, "They can wait in the hallway, but there's only so much room for us in her office."

The namekian shook his head after a few moments and kept going, "Just remember my promise. Anyone comes to harm." Retane took the lead then, striding into the city. He admired the wall of trees that towered around the system. His heritage made him wonder how they had been able to do such a thing, but it proved that this clan of ninja were indeed intelligent. Their city, as well was well structed and busy as well with people of all ages running about as they got deeper into the city.

The Emerald Fiend realized that he wasn't wearing his cloak soon though, as the crowd actually parted around the party, trying to keep their distance. It bothered Retane actually, but he didn't show it. He understood their ignorance, he already knew that these humans had thought him related and kin to the goblins he had recently killed. The Horsemen was positive that he wasn't, but he'd be better to try and hold a two way conversation with a rock. Still, it made his skin crawl as he watched men, women, and children a like whisper with cupped hands. His ear's tried to tune into specific conversations, but there were way too many. Retane knew this shouldn't have been a problem though.

"We're in the marketplace", Asuma said loudly. He had taken the lead with the other ninja taking the rear and the elves right in front of them , "We keep it here for easy access to traders and such. Helps the economy actually, and easier to spot people that are where they shouldn't be else where. You should ignore these people reactions though. They are just scared and nervous as you can guess."

Retane glanced around and caught sight of Arith, who was actually waving his hands at the crowd. Inirtias and the other elves smiled and Sverit and Gulish were actually laughing at him. Meanwhile, Arith just seemed oblivious shouting, "Hello ! Hold your applause please, and have no fear, the Honorable Gremlin Snatcher is here! Rest easy and sleep good tonight, I shall solve all your problem I promise."

The namekian stopped and turned and with a low voice yet annoyed and louder then he wanted, growled, "Just what do you thinkyou are doing?"

Lythian's Champion simply looked at his comrade and laughed, "They heard I was coming. They heard I caught you. They all wanted to see it for themselves."

"Oh hell." Retane muttered and turned forward. He didn't want any part of this and started walking again. He did catch sight of a little girl with long brown hair, almost in rags, tug at her mothers hands

"Mommy is that really what a gremlin looks like?"

"Hunny I don't know? Maybe? I suppose?" The Namekian did his best to ignore the outright comment.

"Ewwww, mommy I don't like gremlins they look yucky!!!"

Retane stopped then, dead center in front of the girl. He couldn't handle it any more and yanked his head in her direction and in the most awkward sounding voice ever, tried to be whiny, "EWWWWWW! Look It's a yucky hoooman."

Behind he heard a clank of metal followed by laughter and knew it was Arith. "Look, kid" Retane stated loud and clear as she jumped back startled,"I am a Namekian from Planet Namek. I am not an orc, not agoblin, and I am not a gremlin."

"The little girl stamped her foot and pointed at the Dragon Armored comrade of Retane's, "Yes huh! He said you was! He said he snatched you."

The Horsemen looked at Asuma, who was just grinning, and muttered, "Lets get out of here"

----------

They had traveled without any more interuptions and made their way to what Retane assumed was the center of the city. Located there, was a green and red tower surrounded by walls. They had passed a rather huge graveyard with plenty of people paying their respects to the dead, but up til then, the namek hadn't paid attention to much. Now they stood at the door where Asuma motioned for Airyonna, Alaina, Vulen and Retane to come with him, "Only three others though."

The namekian didn't have to think, "Sverit, Gulish, Inirtias stay here, make sure I know if something comes up. "

Asuma sighed and opened the door, and wallked in. Retane followed second with the others filing in behind him. The room was circular with a single window that sat behind the desk. Around the room were shelves of books with four masked ninja spread out, standing up straight almost like statues. Behind the desk was a young blonde. She looked to be in her twenties, with brownish-red eyes. She wore a gi of some sort that was green and had a diamond in the middle of her forhead.

The Emerald Warrior stared long and hard into her eyes. She was more mature then her age told. She ws seasoned and he almost looked away when she realized that she was looking straight into his as well, judging him. The Horsemen used his perephrials to see the ninja and elf stand beside him, but with Jack and Arith standing close behind him. Asuma and Airyonna stepped forward and stood beside the desk. Still, she stared long and hard into Retane's eyes. Still, he did not flinch.

"So you think you are big and bad because you take out a wave of goblins?" Lady Tsunade said.

"I don't think anything. I did what I did to end the conflict. I felt I had better places to be. Simply, a wrong place and wrong time, it seems. I have other places to be though, if we can hurry this along." Retane still kept his eyes locked with hers.

"Where's that? Who are the Horsemen?" The Morikage asked.

"You are looking at 'em, and it seems I have acquired a little home here in the Tangled Greens." Retane actually felt a little taller when he stated it in front of her, still she didn't flinch.

"Well what's your purpose? Or do you have one?" She actually had maintained a calm voice and no other intereferred.

Retane almost hesitated, but it was obvious to him the truth, "To get stronger, to protect my own. I have my own agenda, but it doesn't pertain to you. However I will help you, if you can help me."

"Fair enough I suppose. So what is a Namek? Are they gremlins, orcs, goblins or what", Tsunade asked finally with a little more force.

"I am a Namek. I am in a universe not of my own. From what I remember, my kind were predominantly those close to naure. They were monk like, cared for the planet. They were one with it, I suppose." Retane saw no reason to lie, he felt pride in who he was, Horsemen and Namek.

"But you seem a bit more aggressive then that?

"I am classed as a Warrior. We have to protect our kind." Retane answered.

"Still agressive?" Tsunade questioned again,and the namek knew what she was talking about.

The Emerald Fiend shrugged his shoulders, "I am one of a kind I guess. I do what is best for me and mine. The goblins shot me first. I told ninja, elves and golbins alike, that if they assualted me, I was going to make them fall, and then their frends as well. The goblins fell. They just didn't get back up."

"The elves did. Plus I already know everything. I just want to know why?" Her eyes were still fixated on his, her hands moved to prop her chin, or keep it straight, but perhaps it showed intrigue.

"Seems I ally with an elf or two. They didn't shoot me with an arrow for no reason, and I guess, I can understand their ignorance with what I am." The Emerald Warrior even hinted that he was also talking about the scene earlier

Finally the Morikage looked to Arith, "Gremlin Snatcher?"

The Champion of Lythia, threw his hands up and laughed, "He's a gremlin I tell you."

"It seems", Vulen, the elf intergected, "That tht strange one there, consideres anything green or close to it to be a gremlin. He has never actually met an actual one from what I have learned though." Lady Tsunade looked at Asuma then looked to Jack, who was actually looking around ammused by it all.

"Jack Frost, are you sure you would like to keep with the company you have joined?" Her voice was deep then almost commanding.

Jack looked at the head ninja and again and used his off-like smile and nodded, "Seems we are stuck like a tongue on solid ice?"

If Tsunade wanted to smile, she didn't, her face remained calm and showed no emotion, "I want to tell you, that I am happy for what you did. I realize you didn't have to, but preserving that orchid and it's smell was very kind of you. If we ever need another a preserverd, and can reach you, would you mind?"

Jack shook his heand, "Not at all." The Guardian glanced at Airyonna who shared a glance and both looked away from each other.

The blonde ninja looked from Retane to Asuma and took in a deep breath, "It seems Retane injured Gollum. Our scouts have tracked him near the orc's closer towards that, 'spot'. I'd like for you, Airyonna, and Alaina to track him down. I want him brought back alive. He may have intel on all the strange happenings going on.

"And Sotin?" Asuma had to asked.

"Going back" The Leader of Mogukagure stated.

"Damned, of course he would be." Asuma seemed annoyed.

"Retane, are you up to leaving from here to go ahead and end the trouble of Gollum here and now?" Tsunade fixed her gaze back on the namek who met it again.

"Only if you explain this 'spot' to me and what it means, then sure." The Emerald Fiend wasn't stupid and needed to know.

"You talk more like a mercenary or a soldier of fortune, you know?" Tsunade again had calm eyes, deep down though, she wanted to say something else, but even the namek couldn't understand, "Orcs, Elves, NInja, Goblins, have all seemed to suffer it. But it's like a plague that can infect anyone. Those infected change. The are almost souless. We've tried to contain the issue and there are rumors that a cure is being hunted for in the Pale Moors, but we are having issues here. We need one now. We try to seal them incase a cure is found, but for now, ther isn't one. It is hard. "

"I'll go." Retane answered. "I'll go only if you are hospitable to Sverit and Gulish. I don't need them with me on this."

"It's a deal. Meet up with one of our caretakers and everyone prepare to move out in three hours", Tsundae barked.