Underwater cart-horse was a new experience.

Except for the increased likelihood of being murdered by fish, Raidou quite liked swimming. The cold was a helpful brain-slap, and the exercise forced tired muscles to sharpen up and contribute. And, unlike running and scrambling and rock-hopping, it gave his knees a break.

Most importantly, every kick took them further away from Kirigakure.

The water was blue and shimmering, shallow waves turned rose and gold by the rising sun. Even when they got deeper, the visibility remained pretty good. He could see Ryouma pulling hard on his right, surging forward with clean, powerful strokes. And Genma behind them, head ducked over Sango, Kimiko clinging to his back — both of them kicking as much as the air bubbles and their entanglement allowed. Ahead, Kakashi was a shadow and a glimmer.

The waves turned rough, breaking unpredictably over a long sand-bar. Raidou and Ryouma muscled their way through, fighting not to get yanked sideways or smashed down. Sand scraped Raidou’s feet— and then they were on the other side. The ocean floor fell away; open water stretched out ahead.

A long, long way ahead.

Raidou put his head down and swam.

He and Ryouma were well-matched for a harnessed pair. Ryouma’s reach was longer, but Raidou was stronger; between them, they towed Genma at a steady pace, making good time. The work was warming. A repetitive, simple task that limbered and loosened tight, stressed bodies. He was almost starting to enjoy himself when Ryouma jerked, alarmed, and a massive shadow roiled by with something black-and-pale clenched in its jaws.

The clone exploded.

In almost the same moment, Kakashi twisted around the shark’s dorsal fin and raked a blade across its gills. A dark cloud spilled into the water. The huge, muscular body spasmed. Kakashi shoved away before the serrated teeth could catch him, and jerked hurriedly aside when another, smaller shark flashed up from the ocean bed to rip a chunk from the bleeding shark. The water quickly turned into an ugly bloodbath, which swallowed Kakashi in the expanding cloud.

Ryouma signalled an urgent question. Raidou twisted to answer and nearly had a goddamn heart attack when Kakashi popped up, unscathed, two feet in front of him and signed, Hurry up.

Apparently that trick worked underwater, too.

A sharp tug on the line made Raidou look back. Genma pointed at Kakashi and signalled, emphatically, No chakra!

Kakashi shrugged one shoulder and held his thumb and index finger very close together. Just a little.

Raidou hadn’t felt anything, but that was no guarantee Kiri wouldn’t. The bubble jutsu was already a risk. He scowled and jabbed Kakashi in the shoulder with two fingers, repeating Genma’s order. Kakashi’s air bubble rippled faintly, as if he’d sighed inside it, but he signed a reluctant acknowledgement and slipped away, armed with a knife and his personality against the ocean.

If the ocean had a few more sharks, Raidou figured that was about even.

They surfaced shortly after that to refresh their air bubbles. Ryouma sucked in grateful breaths, holding Kimiko up while Raidou braced Genma. The water was still cold, but Genma’s skin felt like warm coals, and his face was flushed. Raidou didn’t like the faint, feverish glitter in his eyes either, but Sango squalled and complained with healthy lungs, and Kimiko was only shivering a little.