"I've had this problem before." Keiryaku started. He sat before them on the floor of the lead caravan, wringing his hands nervously. "Usually the guards can handle them, but last time they pulled some tricks I'd never seen before. That's why I applied for a ninja escort." Seijou stifled a yawn, which quickly wooshed out as Uotani elbowed him in the ribs.
"Oh, right, well I'm sure my team can handle anything that comes our way!" The man replied with almost too much cheerfulness. Hebisuken rolled his eyes and resumed staring out the back end of the wagon.
"Way to sound enthusiastic, sensei..." He muttered. Keiryaku simply nodded eagerly.
"That's fantastic! I'm so glad I can count on you to defend my supplies." The middle aged man wiped his sweaty face with a section of the fancy cloth robes he was wearing. Shirubake leaned over towards Hebisuken and whispered with a dry laugh,
"Wow Hebisuken. I didn't think it was even possible to be more dim-witted than you." The snake boy growled and shoved his teammate back over to the other side of the wagon.
"Now boys, play nice." Seijou drawled lazily as he leaned against the wall of the covered caravan and took another pull of his newly lit cigarette. Before it reached his lips again, a spray of water cascaded over the end of it, putting it out. He frowned, glaring as the water returned to the canister on Uotani's back.
"We don't allow our sensei to smoke." The Uchiha gloated to Keiryaku, who merely looked confused. Suddenly Hebisuken yelped as a smoke canister nearly missed colliding with his head. It hit the floor with a clatter and broke, releasing a heavy fog inside the wagon.

"Hebisuken! Uotani! Shirubake!" Seijou's voice barked.
"Already on it, sensei." The Hyuuga stated, leaping out the back of the wagon to stand with his teammates. The rest of the caravans were similarly stopped, grey smoke pouring from their windows. Uotani quickly spotted the dark forms causing the trouble, darting between the wagons amidst sounds of screaming. She signalled to each of her teammates silently, sending Hebisuken straight ahead to check the other caravans and Shirubake to the left, while she took the right. Both boys nodded, accepting her temporary leadership. She dashed off, running down the side of the road. The smoke made it difficult to see, but she found the first raider breaking down the door of a supply caravan.
"Hey!" She yelled, grabbing his attention. The grizzled man turned and started when he saw her appearance.
"Not you again." He snarled. "You're not taking this prize from us."
"What?" Uotani asked, taken aback. "I'm here to stop you! I have no intention of stealing!" She declared and he sneered through his stubble.
"Don't lie! You're with that other fish man, aren't you? It figures he would already have this route marked." The girl's head reeled when she finally registered what he was saying. Another... fish person? They were miles from Konoha, and she doubted this outcast had ever seen another Uchiha, let alone one who raided caravans. Unless...

"Tell me more about this fish man." She demanded, drawing her kunai and advancing towards him. The raider scowled, oily black eyes creasing at the edges.
"I don't think so." He drew a jagged katana and lunged at her, but the fish girl leapt out of the way. She formed a trio of simple handsigns and water spiraled from the canister on her back to slam into his chest. He thudded against the door frame of the caravan, grunting as he was pushed back, then his hands began forming seals.
"Blade fury!" He yelled roughly, pointing his sword at the girl. A pentacle of glowing blue swords slowly circled around the original, then shot towards her like arrows, whistling through her hair as they missed her head by inches when she ducked. She growled as the raider charged, brandishing his sword as if to chop off her head. Quick as lightning, she pulled a kunai from her thigh pouch and blocked it. But instead of the tense pull of her shoulder muscles to indicate a successful block, she nearly fell off balance as the rough edged katana went through her kunai as easily as butter. Fish man, fish man, fish man, she thought as her eyes caught the dark blue shadow of chakra around the jagged metal; an embedded blade. Who else could he possibly be? No one would possibly disguise themselves as a fish person by choice, nor would the mimickry of an Uchiha bring anything but trouble to the imposter. And just how many fishy Uchiha men were missing from the family? Just one. Uotani gritted her teeth, throwing away the broken blade, and reached into her back pouch. Her fist closed over the handle of the lone weapon there just as the raider swung again.

The clash of metal rung in Uotani's ears as the chakra metal sai Seijou had given her caught the katana and snapped it in half. Leave it to Bushou-sensei to actually give them a useful graduation present. She stood and advanced a step, twisted the weapon again and pulled, disarming the man with a nasty smirk. He had even taught the three how to use them, although it had been a long, frustrating and painful day. The raider backed away, looking panicked, as he started making handsigns. Then the world slowed and Uotani watched him make the full movements before quickly mimicking them herself, even before he had finished them. The two massive tidal waves reared out of the ground, moving like ancient earth-shackled beasts, and inexhortably collided. Dodging the monsterous sprays was simple enough for the fish girl as she wove her way through the waters to reach the raider on the other side. With a sharp thump, the man was pinned between the sai prongs and the wall of the caravan, a look of nervouse terror on his face. Sometimes, using her Sharingan was worth the price of being aquatic, Uotani thought.

"Now, tell me more about this fish man."