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Matthew ran through the forest, bounding up to one of the trees. His geta were built rather well for leaping from branch to branch, keeping hold of each branch in their spokes as he leapt in strides, rushing through the forests of the Fire Country. Yusuke would no doubt be following nearby, moving rather easily. He knew how long distances were so easy for him.

"What is it with me and forests," Yusuke says as he running on the forest floor instead of hopping through the trees like Matthew was doing. He wasn't that type of traveler, unless it was for stealth reasons, but if they were going to need a good welcoming to this village he spoke, best they try to appear as "welcoming" as possible without being suspicious.

"I can't go through one mission without having myself run through some forest. If any of your ninja friends, Matthew, leap out and attack us, I'm not promising to leave them without a few whacks in the head."

((There's more than three, honey, just fwi. I'm playing a multitude of people. >.<))

With a pull of Helios' wings, he 'cut' the wind, a brake in his flight, dropping down to the ground in his humanoid form. He seemed to favor the illusion of the pheonix the most, best for his light-attributed powers. He could just as well turn into anything else, but preferred the advantages of being able to fly.

Coming along on the ground, eight paws slowly came to a stop, two brown foxes yeilding to allow Matthew to go first. Going upright on their hind legs, their furry bodies melded into the images of two identical twin girls with brown hair and yellow eyes.

Callisto's nose twitched, sniffing the air with her keen sense of smell. Pulling her orange-tinted sunglasses over her eyes, she craned her neck up, looking off at the volcano. She could already smell the smoke, whoever it was was getting ready awfully fast.

Circe had noticed the smell, too, and pulled her mecha goggles over her eyes, rotating the lenses like a camera's focusing ring.

"Matthew, whoever it is we're looking for, we'd better find them quick. I'd give it approximately six days, nine hours, and fourty-two-point-six minutes until we've past due time," Circe explained. She'd built the goggles herself, and with a few quick calculations, had come up with the approximate amount of time.

"And, it'll take us about a day to reach the volcano, with all of us running with no rest," Callisto added.

"We should move quickly," Helios advised, as a last word, giving Matthew a quick nod to urge him forward.

((Sorry for the delay x_X...Oh, and Tsunade, remember this is after the time skip. I think the Leaf and Sand are allies now >>))

Matthew faced the Leaf Village jounin, nonflinching, yet also nonthreatening. After the disastrous attack that the rouge shinobi Orochimaru wrought upon the village in the past, he realized how distrusting they were about outsiders. He wondered if Yusuke's reputation (or even his own) was known by the Hokage.

"We seek an audience with the Fifth Hokage," said Matthew, "It's a matter of urgent business.

The guards stared at the group with hard eyes. Just then, the leader lifted his head and yelled up to the guard tower. "Open the gates!" The mighty gates of Hidden Leaf opened wide and the lead Jounin said to them, "Hokage-sama is waiting for your arrival." He stepped aside to let them pass.

Helios made a small scowl. "Just make sure you watch what you say, here, Yusuke," he warned under his breath, "I'd rather not have a pack of ninjas without a sense of humor trying to tear me apart."

Not that Helios couldn't take them, but it would prove easier to get what they wanted if they DIDN'T UPSET THEM.

"Not everyone has the same definition of 'funny'."

The twins stayed behind Helios, carefully eyeing the surroundings. Their ears twitched a bit, keenly listening to the wind.

"Nii-sama," they called in unison, to get his attention.

Helios put his nose in the air, and smelled the air. "Yeah, he's getting closer."

"How close?" the twins asked eagerly, large anxious smiles on their faces.

Helios let out a sigh. "I'd say a bit less than half an hour."

The twins giggled, squealing under their breath.

Helios shook his head ignorantly, letting out another dissapproving sigh. "Urgh... girls."

He was starting to think he'd never understand how the female mind worked.

Well, now he was on the same page as every other man in the universe.

*Renegade would enter last, amost seeming sectioned off from the others because he was a few feet behind them. However he simply walked pass the guards as the others did. He didn't like wearing his current outfit in a place like this...*