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kenshin tightened the lock on his folded arms and said staring into devonte's eyes and closeing his "Do as you wish....knowing my body will go under a subconcious,i want you to make absolutley sure that weakiling over there does nothing with my vessel...."

"HEY!" Mizuchi snapped, starting to spring up, but was stopped by his sensei.

"Mizuchi!" he shouted. That one word stopping the boy dead in his tracks. "Kenshin, I'll have none of that. I've told you once, I'll say it again- we're a team so show some respect for your teammates. Understood? I'm not your baby sitter, I'm sick of having to treat you like a kid! You're a genin now, so grow up and start acting like it!" he barked at Kenshin. His patience was running out with him. He was expecting Mizuchi to act a bit childish, after all he was a child, but he expected better from Kenshin. 'Crap, now I'm even thinking like their damn baby sitter!' An owl swooped down from out of nowhere and landed on Devonte's shoulder. He didn't seem phased by it at all. Just looked up at the owl.

"From Lady Mizukage, Devonte-san."

"Thanks." he said to the owl. It bowed its head and disappeared in a small poof of smoke. He read it over. "Our second mission's been canceled. They were just refugees from the Snow." he slipped the message into his pocket and turned his attention to the red haired genin.

'Oh just wait till you have to speak with Lady Mizukage on your own for longer. We'll see how she likes your attitude.' "Sit facing away from me." he said to Kenshin. "And you won't actually be unconscious. Just close your eyes and keep you mind clear, and calm." he said, much more at ease than he had been. He had to keep a calm mind for this jutsu. (As a genin, he'd been the only one who ever had a clam head!) He placed his middle and ring fingers gently on the boy's temples. His hands glowed, much like the green glow in medical ninja's hands, but his glowed deep indigo. This was one of Devonte's family's 'special' jutsus....

Devonte found himself in a white empty room, just as he always did when he projected himself into someone's mind. "Now, let's see what we got here..." his voice sounded soft and echoy. He walked through the empty space as the layout fromed around him.

Devonte stared calmly into the eyes of this twisted apparition. It wasn't real, just an illusion. A projection of Kenshin's inner psyche. As long as his own mind calm, he couldn't be harmed. Though, the worst that could happen would be that Devonte would substain temporary mental instability. "Who are you?"

Devonte didn't react to the warped Kenshin. "Really? The Kenshin I first met was nothing like this.

Outside Kenshin's mind: Neither Devonte nor Kenshin had moved, and both had their eyes shut. Devonte took a deep breath, but otherwise his sensei was pretty much stone. Mizuchi just laid back against the side of the boat and tried to start up a conversation with the old boatman. "So.... how long have you been driving boats?"

The old man chuckled. "Oh, I'd say a good forty years or so. Though I don't usualy take people with me."

"Doesn't that get boring?"

"Not really. There is nothing on the face of the earth that I love more than the spray of the sea." he beamed down at the little blue boy. The two continued talking while Devonte confronted the crazed version of Kenshin...

"So, how'd all this get into his- or, your head. Hm?" Devonte spoke casually. "Kenshin usually isn't a very blood-craving kinda guy, if you know what I mean. Well, except thoes times you showed yourself."

He let the katana slide right into his astral body. "And what exactly do you suppose this is going to do?" he said as the wound bled profusely.

Outside: Devonte's body twitched a little at the same time his astral form was stabbed.

"Yes, but before we leave..." Devonte pulled off one of his gloves to reveal a series of markings on his hand, extending up his wrist. "This'll keep 'him' out of our way, at least untill we complete out mission." The markings glowed and spread out from his hand, engulfing the entirety of Kenshin's mind with the seal....
Their eyes snapped open.

Devonte fell backwards in his seat, panting slightly. "Fffff..." Devonte breathed out, blowing a strand of hair out of his face, only for it to fall back over his eye. "Uhn.." Devonte grunted so softly, it was barely audible. He had a headache from being stabbed in his astral form. But it was nothing of anyone's concern.

Mizuchi and they boatman's eyes both shot up at Devonte's sudden movement. "Sensei?" Mizuchi said, curiously.

Devonte looked to the front of the boat. They were approaching land. He stood, catching himself before he started wobbling. He looked down to see his fingers of his hand that bore the seal twitching. That seal always took quite a bit out of him. 'I should get over it by the time we find the rogue.' He said, hoisting his giant axe on his back. He walked over to the captain and handed him some money. "Thank you for the ride, sir."

The old man took the money from the jounin and smiled. "No truoble at all." He turned to Mizuchi. "Just remeber what I told you. You'll do just fine."

Mizuchi saluted him and grinned sadistically, then stood by his sensei. They docked in a small town on the edge of a desert.

"We're not in any rush. We're gonna walk to the desert and track her from there." sadi Devonte, leading his students through the town.




((Village Hidden in the Sand: The Desert))