Starring:
Tsiro (as Yari), Meruin (as Fukiya)
Date: June 16, 2013
Summary:
Fukiya receives his official hunter nin equipment and is taken on his first field assignment. A training one, more than anything else.
"A Hunter's Beginning"
Classified
By orders of the Mizukage, Tsiro was given the task to train Meruin as a Hunter Nin. Due to his previous knowledge of the shinobi, Tsiro decided to skip the classroom lessons. First, he was certain that Meruin would have some form of immunity to most of his poisons. Unlike Jynn, Yari would not be knocking Meruin out. Instead he would send Meruin a letter with a time and place to meet.
Once Meruin arrived at said location, which happened to be in the forest, he would find a bag with a note on it. The note read:
Meruin,
Within this bag are the standard tools of a Hunter Nin.
A Hunter Nin Mask
A Hunter Nin Uniform
A standard issue Katana
Four Senbon
A scalpel
A vial of acid
You are to keep these items hidden at all times, except when you are wearing them. Put the items on. I will be there soon.
Meruin received the letter.
It was obvious as per the fact that he'd suddenly appear above the bag at nearly precisely the time that was listed within it. The Okumo had been within the area, hidden but not going to the actual meeting place early. Timing was important. In the life as a shinobi, too early could be just as devastating as too late.
And so it was that the Okumo widened his eyes slightly, reading the note without bending towards it or touching it. Swift investigation found his new tools and the instructions associated with them. In a pair of seconds, all of the silk clothing he wore vanished within his form, leaving him bare to the forest for the small amount of time it took him to dress in his uniform and put on his mask. The Katana was strapped on, and the senbon, scalpel, and acid vial secreted after a few moments of searching for their proper places.
All done, he leapt into the trees to await.
After about an hour, Yari arrived. He was dressed in his full hunter nin attire. "Come out." he stated. He did not bother to look around for the Okumo. He knew he was here. It was not like Meruin to arrive and leave. They really did not have much time for this. He needed to explain a few details. Then they needed to get onto the hunt. There is a single tap of the foot as Yari waits.
The fledgeling hunter nin slips down from the trees, landing in a crouch beside Yari with a supple sort of grace, and rising to his feet with the same. A nod was given to the one who would be his instructor for his new responsibilities and then silence and stillness would wrap about him. Much better to listen than to speak. Much better to avoid wasting the words and the breath simply to waste time. Instructions would come.
"You shall only know me as Yari. That is my codename. Your codename will be Fukiya. While wearing the uniform and the codename, you are not to use any clan specific jutsu. These clan specific jutsu will allow enemies a place to look in order to retaliate. Now, if you are certain that you will kill your target and the only way to do so is to use these jutsu, then you may. Just do not let anyone bear witness to it. Understood?"
After a moment for the words to sink in, Yari would start speaking again. "We are going to be working out in the field today. You will follow my lead. We are after Hozuki Ikkaku, also known as the Water Scythe. Follow me. His base of operations is about three hundred yards from here. It is guarded by ten men and some traps."
And just like that, the mask has a name, an identity, and Fukiya is born. Their birth is an unemphasized thing, the little fanfare of the passing comments making it seem nearly unimportant, and the figured did nothing to change that, giving no reaction until asked a question. A nod. The abilities that'd been used up until now would have to be erased. He would have to develop skills anew. But it was just a part of being noone.
A hand was raised, a sign given. Forward.
The two masked shinobi travel roughly two hundred yards on the ground before Yari stops and holds his hand up. He points to the eye slits on his mask before pointing forward. He pointing out two shinobi guards on patrol. They were maybe twenty yards away. There movements were fairly regular. They travelled together around in an oval shape. This was the time where the two started to move silently and sneak around. Yari then points upwards into the trees. When the guards have their back turned, he moves quietly up into the branches.
Yari allows Meruin to go first. Just like the hunter who trained him, this was a test. Yuri allowed Yari to walk directly into a trap. He would either see it or die. That was the law of the hunter nin. Everyone carried their own weight from the moment they placed the mask on.
Stillness.
Fukiya awaits as the halt is called, eyes slits looking towards Yari as movement is made. Two ahead. Guards, just 60 feet away. Examination showed unerring movements. Some patience had the guards' backs to them and the hunter trainee moved forward with his instructor, taking to the trees when instructed. And then he was to take point.
No time wasted on acknowledgement but for the simple act of obeisance, Fukiya began progressing, travelling along the branches towards their destination. And then he suddenly stopped. It seemed he'd barely started moving before he did so, head turning to the side. There, on the back of the tree, an explosive tag. The hunter's hand raised, motions steady, smooth, deliberate.
It was removed, rendered inert, and progress continued.
Yari follows behind Fukiya. He stops as he does. The Okumo had proved useful. There was little doubt that he would be the type to be blown up. Yari gives a nod to Fukiya to continue onwards. Once they were started again, Yari continued to scan forward. He was looking for guards or trap wires. Besides explosive tags, they were among the most common ways to guard against intruders. For the most part it was clear travel to the compound.
Surrounding the compound are armed guards. Two travel around the ground floor. Two are guarding from the roof as they walk around it. Through the windows at least two more figures can be seen on the inside. It is a three room cabin-like establishment.
Fukiya makes the same counts that Yari does, the slits of his masks turning to allow him proper sight of them all. Two inside, ground floor. Two more, upper level. Two more, rooftops. Those and the two guards they'd spotted making rounds early counted 8 of the ten men intel had suggested was present, and none of those spotted were their target. The hunter looked back to his instructor, signing two thing. Kill. Capture. Circumstances made it clear that this was a question.
Yari knew they needed a way in. It would have been simpler to kill all them and be done with it. This however was training. Fukiya had to be able to deal with situations outside of brute force. There were a couple options here. Yari thinks over the gear. The fire tag that was pulled from the tree would make a good distraction to get most of the guards to head out into the woods. That however would alert the target. He would either be on the defensive or even worse, on the run. This would have to be done the hard way.
Yari points to the guards on the roof. Then he places his finger on the bark of the tree they are on. With two fingers out he makes a circle. He stops the circle at the point where the two guards on top would be looking away from where they were. He then taps his fingers on the tree. Then he moves his hands once more pointing to the ground. Once more he puts two fingers on and marks the point where those two would be facing away. If Fukiya had been watching there movements, then he would realize every three rounds the guards patrol leaves an opening to the side of the establishment.
A moment of silence while the other hunter processed, but a nod soon followed. A single sign. Silence. Neither kill nor capture, but never be known to any. And the target? It was the regular ANBU that were brought out to capture on a mission like this. The hunters were called on to eradicate.
A fist was raised as Fukiya looked to the compound, examining the guard rounds waiting and occasionally tossing surveillance glances around to assure they wouldn't be stumbled on by others. One round passed in this manner. Another. A third. And then the opening came. The forward signal given towards the point of infiltration, he'd vanished…
And reappear there, moving to enter with stealth, eyes out for the unaccounted for guards and target.
As the third round of the patrol moved by, Yari vanished as well. He appeared next to Fukiya. In his hand was a kunai. This time he moved towards the window, wedging it into the crack between the window and sill. He forces the window open quickly. Where the patrols were at, they should not have heard the noise. He glances inside the establishment before waiving for Fukiya to move in. This was obviously the restroom of the place. Luckily it was unoccupied. After Fukiya entered, Yari would follow. Then Yari reached into his vest to retrieve a picture of the target. He showed it to Fukiya before moving a finger across his neck. They were going to take the man's head.
Close against the wall, Fukiya served as lookout as their entrance was made, slitted eyes scanning their surroundings before swiftly slipping inside when it was ready. His gaze flickered even before he was fully through the window, checking corners, doors, ceiling, automatically noting exits and potential enemies. It was an even quicker affair than usual, what with it being a restroom, and he looked to his partner.
A picture. The hunter commited the face to memory, giving a simple nod at the slit along the man's neck. Head removed. Evidence of a successful mission, without a doubt. Information noted, he moved to continue, knowing that speed was of the utmost importance now that they were within the target compound. Anyone could enter at any time.
Moving to the door, Fukiya silently drew his katana. New. Unpolished. Perfect. The figure kneeled, opening the door a small ways and slipping the blade out near the bottom. He checked to see if the way was clear through the reflection on the blade, turning it to view both directions.
The blade would reveal the position of one man in the room. It was the target, Hozuki Ikkaku. He seemed to be along. He was looking at some papers at a desk. Yari nods for Fukiya to move into the room. They both need to be silent. The senior hunter draws his own blade. It was a perfect match to the one Fukiya used. His feet moved quietly across the floor as he attempted to sneak up on the man without being noticed.
Fukiya's nod was given to Yari as the order to proceed was given. The blade was withdrawn and the figure shifted. An ungloved hand went to the hinges, spider silk leaving it to covered the hinges. Any sound they may've made was removed by their muffling. The door was stilled and left open for Yari to exit, the other hunter taking the silk back in and following behind, the door left open for their exit.
A moment later, Fukiya would appear behind the reading target, that ungloved hand moving to slap around his mouth and nose as his other arm would enwrap his throat. If successful, this would allow him to keep the man subdued and silent while the contact poison on his hand swiftly went to work on rendering him unable to move. It would allow for an easy killing with no chance of mistake.
As Fukiya places his arms around the man and starts to inject him, he turns to water. He reforms only a few feet away from Fukiya. His arm raises and a giant water scythe forms. As he moves to strike the scythe turns back to water and falls to the floor. The body falls to it's knees and the head rolls over towards Fukiya. Yari is seen standing on the other side of the body with his blade extended outwards. It was a single, clean strike.
Yari then turns his attention towards Fukiya. "This was a low level renegade. For testing purposes we never pick the highest target on the list. We have done well on the infiltration. Now though, we need to get the body, head and leave without trouble. Do you still have that fire tag?" he asks. "If so, give it to me. Grab the body and the head. Go back into the room. Keep the door open. I will be there shortly." Yari then reaches out for the tag.
As the body turns to water under his arm, Fukiya slips out of contact with the water, unwilling to be enveloped or some such. Instead, the man reforms, raises a scythe of water and… takes a knee, scythe losing form and head rolling. The hunter turned his head to the side, looking at Yari over his shoulder…
Information and instructions were given. A nod was given in return. Kneeling, the Okumo lifted the head at his feet, hand slipping into a pocket. He took a stand once more, giving the fire tag to Yari before moving to do as instructed with the body.
Yari takes the fire tag and places it over the door and the frame. He then turns around and grabs one of the legs on the desk. He flips the desk over in the center of the room causing a loud crash. Probably not loud enough to be heard outside the dwelling, but enough to send in one of the men inside the home. Once he is done, he enters the bathroom as well. He closes the door and holds up a hand to have Fukiya wait. He would know the signal to move on.
Moments later, "Hey boss, are you ok in there? Come on boss answer me!… I am coming in!"
*BOOM*
Even the walls shake as the explosive fire tag goes off on one of the guards entering the room. Now everyone in the area would know something was going on at the compound. As they headed towards it, guess who would be heading away. Yari then points towards the window. He would show Fukiya later how to process the corpse. That was another rule. Never, ever leave a corpse behind.
Too much blood involved in a beheading to Fukiya's taste.
When Yari would enter, he'd find that the body's neck stump had been placed over the toilet, the trainee maintaining his vigilance while the body began draining. He stared at the instructor, the question in his eyes unable to get through the mask. But his question was soon answered by the explosion that rocked the walls. The loud noise was the bait to the trap. Right then. It was time to go.
The body was hefted, enough of the blood drained that none dripped out as it found it's way over the hunter's shoulder. He reached the window, opening it wide enough to get through and simply vanished, reappearing on the trunk of the very tree he'd left to enter before going up into the branches. Retracing steps was the easiest way to avoid any other traps that'd been set up. The mission went off without any true issues.
He just hoped it would remain that all way through to it's finish.
