The next morning, the caravan began its slow journey. As the wagons moved through the city gates, Vannor called to the ninja, begging them near.

"Under way at last! Exhilarating is it not?" He asked rather rhetorically, a wide politician's smile on his face. He bowed and introduced himself to the genin. "Word is that some of you have lost your weapons? Were you able to locate some replacements, I hope?" His eyes drifted towards both El and Oita as he asked that, knowing precisely who had been weaponless the night before.

Oita just stared at the man. His mind whirred, then he shook his head slightly, showing 'no'. He didn't really think of himself as fully prepared, and he just got a little... tingling sensation when he looked at the man. Saying they were prepared would not aid them.

"Yes." El said shortly.

"Glad to hear, glad to hear." Vannor said with a wide smile. "For a good price, I hope?" He asked the two of them, he had spread the word that the ninja were to be given discounted prices after all.

Oita shook his head again, wondering if the man would even pay attention to something he didn't like. It didn't seem that way. If Oita said that he hadn't got his weapons, and hadn't got them discounted, what then? What would this man with the wide politician smile do then?

Akane listed idly to Vannor and the others as she walked alongside of the wagon with ehr team. She wondered just how long it would be until they met their foes. So far it didn't seem like the others had the most confidence, which would definitely hurt them in battle. She was a bit nervous too, but she had to fake confidence. All would be lost otherwise.

"Very fine, yes." El said, believing that the transaction between him and the Maker was private.

"I don't like that man." Kami said, coming to rest beside Akane. She offered her an open package of dried candied fruit, not really liking it herself.

Akane turned her head to glance at the man before leaning over to whisper to Kami, "Why? Seems fine to me..." She presumed it took a lot for Kami to not like someone and they had only just started their trek.

"I don't know." Kami said, shaking the bag of candy gently for Akane. "There's just some people you don't trust immediately... you know?"

"Thanks." Akane said and took a piece. "I'll keep an eye on him with you... but really, everyone needs to stop being so paranoid on this mission. It doesn't help anyone."

Hinji walked along the other side of the caravan, his staff making a soft, rhythmic thud on the ground. His raven was absent from his shoulder as it was circling over head, hoping to catch sight of any approaching ne'er-do-wells.

Kano walked along the side of the wagon, paying little attention to Vannor as he spoke to El and Oita. The man seemed a little bit off...His eyes moved from location to location, if they were wandering into an ambush, he wanted to be ready.

"It's good to be cautious though." Kami told her.

"Cautious... not paranoid." Akane corrected.

Ishiaki walked along the back of the wagon which Vannor rode in. It was no surprise to him that the Head Merchant had come along himself. Whatever it was they were hauling, it was certainly of enough significance that he should have come along.

"Vannor, stop talking to the kids as if you care." Tsu said flatly to the man as they moved, not looking at him but already knowing the look on his face.

"Oh Ms. Kerori, but I do care. After all, I did let everyone know to give them discounts..." Vannor spit out that last word as though it was full of bile and the worst sort of thing one could ever say. He looked back at Oita, "so you weren't able to find anything of use at all?"

"I did not buy anything." Oita said gently to Vannor, which was the truth. He hadn't bought a damn thing, but he'd been given something out of the kindness of an old woman's heart.

"Not a thing?" Vannor asked him sadly, his smile fading into a rather disdainful sort of frown.

Oita nodded at that, staring blankly at Vannor through his large glasses. He wasn't lying, he was telling the complete truth, and his face mirrored that.

Kami offered Akane the rest of the bag. "I don't really like them." She said instead of commenting on her paranoia. "Too sweet." Or perhaps she was talking exactly about Vannor.

"Oh dear...that's not very good at all." Vannor said gently.

"Indeed." Oita said flatly, just watching Vannor as they continued on. He wasn't going to give anything away, just like Vannor in fact.

"Well, I do so hope you will be of use regardless then, young man." Vannor told him softly. "Why don't you take a look around the wagons? Maybe there's something you could use in some of the other merchandise we're transporting? Not everything is spoken for in this caravan."

Oita nodded, carefully moving forward towards the caravans. He entered it quickly and quietly, not saying a word, just slipping his way inside. Now he could plunder their wares.

Smart kid. Tsu thought to herself as she watched Oita move quickly over to search the wares in the caravans. She wondered if he'd run across the thing they were meant to protect in there.

Akane took the bag and ate pleasantly, "Thanks. Say Kami... what's your favorite food?"

Ishiaki approached Hinji carefully. "Any signs yet from our eye in the sky?" He asked the boy curiously.

Kami sighed a little. "Oh... I dunno... I'd kill for some storm buffalo to tell you the truth. I miss the food from home... but I can't really duplicate any of it back at the INC."

"Say Kano..." El said next to his friend. "This Vannor fellow... does he... seem awfully companionable to you?"

"Do you not have politicians in your village?" Kano asked him curiously. The man seemed very eager to please, yes, but given his title as Head Merchant, Kano understood the why behind it.

"Buffalo, huh?" Akane repeated before giving that some thought. If this market really had everything...maybe she could find some of Kami's homeland foods. "Just curious is all."

"We have a mayor and councilmen." El said. "All ninja, but, they're chosen on strength not politics."

Kami nodded. "I just wish I could find some of the spices. I could make most anything taste like back home with spices.

Akane lifted her brows a bit. That would also make a nice gift. "Your food isn't as spicy at El's, is it?"

"The same goes for my village. But the Kazankage's advisers...let's just say a better example of politician could not be found other than this Vannor fellow." Kano told him, shivering a little at remembering his own encounter with the advisers.

Oita poked his head out of the cart, his pack a little bit more bulky than before. He had taken a few items that would be of use. Well, he hoped they would be of use.

"None yet, Ishiaki-sensei." Hinji replied as he watched his bird start another patrol. "Either they are not in the area, or they are very good at staying unseen. I was just wondering if I should send him further out."

"It certainly wouldn't hurt, not with them having an archer somewhere..." Ishiaki told him with a nod. "As long as you can keep getting reports from it...I'll be honest, I haven't a clue how you communicate with it. And I am rather curious."

"Hardly." Kami said. "We have a wild pepper that's used in soup for when a person has a cold, but other than that... I can't think of any spicy dishes that are hot like El's... Though..." She thought for a moment. "There is a kind of bird that reminds me of the gainey fowl we hunt in the winter... Chicken... I think it's called." She glanced at Akane. "But I've only had it once... at a shop in the village when I first arrived... I try to stay away from fowl... for you..."

"And I appreciate that." Akane said, then looked at Kami to make eye contact. "Really. I do."

Kami smiled. "We all make sacrifices..."

"It is a sort of telepathic bond that was created during the ceremony that brought it into being." Hinji said as the bird flew into increasingly wider circles, "More then that, I am not allowed to say."

"You can see through it's eyes?" Ishiaki asked him, thoroughly intrigued now.

"If the need should arise, yes." Hinji responded, "But not for very long and sometimes not very clearly either."

"It must be something...to see the world from the eyes in the sky." Ishiaki said rather wishfully.

"What is the conversation about?" Oita asked as he joined his team mates, catching the last few words as he adjusted his newly stocked up back pack.

Akane nodded, "It's exactly that reason why I don't eat squirrel anymore." Of course, she was joking. Hopefully by now Kami understood sarcasm.

Kami smiled, knowing it was a joke. "Thank you Akane." She noticed Oita joining them and said, "Nothing, just the things we do or don't do because of our friendship."

"It can be very disorienting till you get used to it." Hinji stated, "Used to make me feel inhumanly tall."

"I can imagine." Ishiaki told him with a nod. "Let me know if you find anything."

"I see." Oita said with a small nod, wrinkling his nose as he thought. He carefully pulled out a selection of light weight shuriken and offered them to Akane. "Are these light enough for you? I did not wish to get anything too heavy."

Hinji nodded, "I will Ishiaki-sensei."

Akane took them and raised her brows in surprise, "Ooo.... did you get these from the wagon?"

Oita nodded to her. He'd taken a few items that would be of use to everyone.

"Thank you Hinji. I would enjoy hearing more about this telepathic bond with your raven at another time. If that's alright with you, Hinji." Ishiaki informed him coolly as they walked.

"A word of advice, El. My Kazankage actually told me it. Never trust a politician, especially one who continually smiles." Kano told him with a simple nod. He found the advice amusing when his 'kage told it to him, seeing as the man had his advisers, who were known politicians, and yet he trusted them enough to make them advisers.

"Thanks." Akane said, though was a bit surprised she was saying it. Her and Oita hadn't been on the best terms lately. She twirled them around on her fingers, "These are fantastic...."

"oh, Kami, I recovered these for you." Oita said, pulling out some small round balls that looked like chunky, purple versions of smoke capsules. He held out a handful for her to take "Pepper and glass smoke bombs. Just don't stand in the cloud when they go off. Technically, these are banned in several islands, but not the one we're going to."

"Oh Oita..." Kami said softly, smiling at his gift. "These are so nice... so much nicer than the ones I make. Thank you." She looped an arm round his shoulder and hugged him.

"Good advice." El agreed. "Advice I intend to keep."

"He undoubtedly has his own agenda, but he is being awfully courteous to us as well...it's unnerving." Kano told him, watching the man curiously

"I decided to take use of what little stock they had available." Oita said with a shrug, leaning into the hug she was giving him but not quite hugging back. he was still a bit bashful. "I hope they are of use."

Akane watched them hug and hoped her thank you was enough. She wasn't really a 'hugger' by nature. She spun the kunai, getting a feel for them. To be honest, she wished all of her kunai were like these ones.

"We shall see." Hinji said. He knew that a lot of the information his former master had given him was a precious secret to his people. He would have to see if there was any more information that he could share without violating his oath.