Starring:
Date: October 6, 2012
Summary:
Going on their first mission as a whole team, Sanada, Hikari, and Chiaki found themselves going out to sea. Protecting Fuji and his family was their main goal, and that seemed simple enough, until the Hunter-Nin, Tsiro came onto the scene. Team Sanada fought their hardest, stunning, poisoning, and taking over Tsiro's body but even after all of this, Tsiro still got the upper hand. Bringing the team to their knees, they could no longer go on, leaving the family unprotected and staring their imminent death in the face. Tsiro won, and the team from Konoha headed back to their village where they had to regroup and heal. The young team had much to learn, and this failure was the push they needed to help them grow.
Poster's note: Foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Battle Within The Storm"
Started in Konoha at the docks, ended on a ship out at sea.
It was a cloudy and windy day out today and a powerful storms appears to be blowing in from the east, it is at this very moment the lone shinobi Sanada is sitting on the ship mask. Eyes closed and arms tucked a crossed his chest the young ninja started to reflect on the mission given to him by the Hokage. "It appears I have no other choice but to protect this ship and its people to make sure that they make it to Kiri safely." Shaking his head he would start to drift off losing himself to the cold winds and splashing waters. Sanada would be waiting at the docks of Konoha as the ship was still getting ready to leave as sigh escaped his lips before he stood up and with a little chakra control paced while hanging up and down. "Just like Women to be late on very important mission as such, it's not like a very important political figure and his family isn't on board at all." Sanada started to get a count of everyone that is here and who is still planning to come.
Bolting from branch to branch as quickly as she could, Hikaris bright red hair flowed behind as she raced towards the boat docks. Seeing the opening and hearing the waves, she knew she was close and picked up the pace, once out of the forest Hikari stopped and placed her hand above her eyes, right on her brow line and looked for Sanada. After a minute of surveying the ships, there he was, pacing upside down on the ships mast. "There he is, that silly boy." she whispered to herself, and with a slight chuckle she was there standing under him. Peering up at her team-mate she yelled, "Hey Sanada, long time no see!" as she smiled she ran up the mast like it was a spiral staircase and sat down right above where he walked. Dangling her legs she looked up to the sky, "Look's like there's a storm coming…" her mind lost to the thought of rain put her hood up.
Jogging down to the pier Chiaki was mad at herself for being late. She shouldn't have been so lost in her meditations. It couldn't be helped though, and the best thing to do was to stay on top of things from now on. She would stop several feet back and examine the ship they were going to be protecting. It seemed to be a fine vessel, although Chiaki knew nothing about ships and sailing. As she climbed on board she would give a nod to both Hikari and Sanada before mumbling to the both of them "Greetings.." After giving Hikari a quick lookover from where she was sitting Chiaki would bow deeply. "Confrontation Beast Viper-fist User, Chiaki..I do not believe we have met yet.."
There is someone watching the ship as it boards. He has been there for a while now. It was not easy being a shinobi of Kirigakure and sneaking into Konoha. Memories of the previous war have been playing over in the boy's head. Yeah, he had fought in the previous war when he was a Genin. He felt some of the shinobi of the land remained as his personal enemies, however there were none on this ship. It made things less complicated, less personal.
Tsiro's eyes spot Sanada on the mast. The voice of Hikari then draws his attention that way. Then there is the third one, Chiaki. "It is time for me to make my move." Tsiro states as he henges into a local villager he had seen earlier in the day. He then moves out of the shadows and towards the dock. He was not moving towards the ship but away from it. Once out of sight of everyone on the dock, the boy slips into the water.
He swims under the docks using them for cover to make his way back to the ship. He remains under the boat towards the back. For now he simply wanted to follow the boat. Things would become much easier out at sea than they would in the harbor of a shinobi nation.
The sudden arrival of the other would calm him slightly as he reported the information to the cpt before long they would set sail. After pulling his squad to a unused corner of the ship to go over the orders and signals. However this was cut short as they had to do introductions, one this he stressed about the mission was that the protection of the man and his family comes before everyone else lives on this ship. After a moment passed the ship was in full swing, since it was a private ship it great aided with hiding it once it got inside the mist. For the moment everything would be going smooth however a feeling washed over the young Chuunin as he started a full sweep around the ship. It is at this moment the storm started to roll in before long rain and thunder, "are you serious?" is said to himself as he sighed and shook his head, he was still on patrol as the other two watched the man and his wife in person. Their orders were simple watch over them like hawks never allow them to be too far from sight.
"Hello!" Hikari smiled her usual big toothy grin, grabbed the mast she was sitting on jumped down with a graceful backflip and landed right in front of Chiaki, she bowed in return, "It is very nice to meet you, I am Hikari of the Nara clan." her bright honey brown eyes emanating true happiness and friendliness. Not being able to talk much Sanada gave them their orders, Hikari went and like a hawk stalking their prey stayed with her eyes glued to the couple and their family her team was to protect. Being inside the ship at this time, she took her hood off not having to worry about the rain inside, hearing the thunder she jumped a bit. Never being that fond of storms, or dreary days at that, they took away from her precious shadows. Standing in the corner, her small pale arms crossed over her body, she kept a slight smirk on her face happy that everything was going according to plan so far.
Now that introductions were out of the way Chiaki stands erect and scans the area being sure to keep an extra close eye on the family as well. She was not much of a people person, but she could understand that they would be nervous. Perhaps talking would help ease their tension. Only problem is she wasn't sure what to talk about. "So..Fuji was it? Uh…looks like a storm is coming doesn't it?..Not a great day to be out sailing..what's your family doing going to Kirigakure anyway? Trading?"
It looked like he was undetected otherwise they would have stopped the ship. Tsiro remained in his same spot until the ship was well out to sea. The storm was going to make things harder so long as he tried to cling to the side of the ship. It was time to make his move. While he wanted to sink the ship and use the storm for cover, he could not guarantee that the shinobi would not carry the family to safety. This was going to require him to get his hands dirty.
It did not take long for Tsiro to make it to the deck of the ship. He stands there in the center waiting to be noticed. His chakra is built up and he waits for anyone to come attack him.
After a moment passed he could notice a figure standing in the middle of the ship, allowing it to passed before he notice the positions of everyone on the ship. Shaking his head he sighed. "You got to be kidding me…this can't be serious. Pawn 1! Pawn 2! Come here please!" Sanada started to gather chakra as well as he looked at Tsiro and spoke again "why are you here and can you leave and go die?" Sanada tone was rather serious as he started to gather chakra and clutch his fist and coughed. Sanada started to note the young man each and every movements closely making sure he was ready to dodge the techniques.
Hearing Sanada's rude gesture for Chiaki and herself to go out on the deck, she began to focus some of her chakra. His tone made her feel uneasy, and she had to be ready if it was serious on deck. "That doesn't sound good," Hikari stated quite nonchalantly to Chiaki, "We better get out there." Running to the door Hikari looked back at Fuji and his family, smiled and calmly said, "You stay here, we'll go check it out. It will be safer if you stayed out of sight." Bolting out the door Hikari came upon what looked to be Sanada talking with a strange boy with spiky hair and crimson eyes, whom Hikari had not seen oh the ship before. "What's happened Sanada," Hikari questioned after jumping over their new passenger and landing right next to her team-mate, in a ready fighting stance, "Who is this guy?" staring straight at Tsiro and the strange red dots on his forehead.
Chiaki nods and chases after Hikari onto the deck after doing her part to reassure the family. Standing by Sanada's side, she quietly examines the stranger and prepares to get into a more fluid stance. She frowns and reaches into her pouch to grab a couple of senbons just in case they would have to fight this boy off the ship. No hostile moves seem to have been made yet, so it was best that for now she wait for the signal. Judging from his belt he seemed to be a nin from Kirigakure which Chiaki knew wasn't a good sign. All she could do now was wait for someone to break this stand off of sorts. Perhaps he would go away without a fight, but that wouldn't be much fun at all.
As the rain falls around Tsiro he sees the three members of the protection detail arrive on the deck. "You need not know my name. Those of the after life will tell you who sent you there upon your arrival." Bones then begin to protrude from the boy's skin inbetween the mesh of his shirt and out of the holes designed in his pants. He turns towards Chiaki first and spits a single bone sliver at her before turning and doing the same to Hikari. After spitting the second sliver, he states, "Run if you wish."
Creating many hand seals for her Shadow Skin, the shadow at her feet began to crawl up her body and harden, unfortunately not quick enough as the bone shot from their foe went straight into and almost through her left forearm. Yelping in pain, Hikari gabbed her wound, "You are gonna pay for that! Shadow Body Bind!" letting go of her now bleeding arm, her hand stained a beautiful and sickening crimson color she began to form many hand seals, her shadow now aimed at Tsiros' shadow. If all went according to plan, Hikari's shadow would reach Tsiros, capturing him so that he was helpless against her groups onslaught of attacks.
Chiaki grimaces as the sliver shoots past her side tearing her kimono and leaving a relatively deep gash. She looks down at the blood soaked wound and her grimace turns into a forced grin as she pulls out her poison laced senbon and rushes at Tsiro. Hoping to at least graze the skin so the poison could take its toll. There was no more waiting, the time to act was now.
Sanada could tell that they are outmatched in every way as he sighed before long he started to going into offensive. Sanada first made sure that he had the distance to react to his techniques and note that skill level young man. sanada knew that acting fast while he was currently focus on getting him into a genjutsu once done he would bark out orders "Pawn Two guard my body! Pawn One Guard Pawn Two!" Sanada would then try and take off Tsiro to give them a chance to combat him on uneven terms.
Tsiro evaded the shadow technique with his dance. It was not the first time he had seen a technique like that. He knew full well exactly what being touched by that shadow meant. He continues his dance away from the poisoned senbon from Chiaki. While he did not know it was poisoned, he had no intention of being cut. Then comes the leader of the group calling all of his people pawns. His chakra starts to surge breaking the hold over himself. This was becoming an interesting mission. "I believe I will have to start my dance for this." Now moving even quicker, the Kirigakure Chuunin rushes towards Sanada aiming to stab him with a bone protruding outwards from his elbow.
Not being able to catch the quick Tsiro, Hikari's shadow slowly reached its stretching point and came recoiling back to her feet. "You're good," she smirked at Tsiro. Without warning, Hikari bolted into the air flinging a kunai in his direction. Landing on the mast, she jumped down behind where he was now and punched swiftly at his back and tried to wipe him off his feet with a sweeping kick to the knees. Not taking the time to see if she had done any damage, Hikari went back to her position next to Chiaki, breathing quite heavily she yelled to both her team-mates, "Come on guys! We can do this!" punching her fist into the air she laughed her little crazy laugh.
Hanging back for a moment Chiaki winces from the wound at her side and watches for a moment thinking on the best strategy for this. This guy was way out of her league, but Hikari and Sanada seemed to at least have a chance at beating him. Thinking to herself that the best strategy for her would be to not get in the way, and not to die on her team. Of course Chiaki is a stubborn one, her teammates aren't going to have all the fun. Following Hikari's lead she runs not far behind her so Tsiro would hopefully get caught off guard by the onslaught. Still holding her senbon she attempts to jab at him at any angle she could get in on.
Sanada would have Tsiro for a short moment as he was able to read some of his surface thoughts before he was ejected from his body. "Pressure it to squall! He's too strong and his murderous intent is rather powerful. Shifting as he slides across the docks before allowing himself to fade from view the young ninja would be hold three kunais in hand as he smirked. "However his allowed me to gain insight to him, he's like an open book now. Pawn One take position b and attack, Pawn two run support for Pawn One. Go!" Sanada would be using the heavy rain an flicker of the lightning to launch his shuriken and kunai storm towards him. For the moment trying to take his body would be rather stupid and the young Yamanaka knew that. "Cpt! Get some lights on this deck pointing them at 10'o clock."
Tsiro was in full dance. He was able to evade the kunai before hearing Hikari touch down. He was quicker than she was. Soon he had slashed her before dancing away from her. He manages to slice Chiaki as she tried to hit him with a senbon. He then continued to dance away from her attacks. Sanada came forward as well and recieved a slash from a bone. "Yes, I am very good at what I do, and I have a natural killing intent. Leave the ship or I will destroy you along with the family." He then moves towards Sanada. This time he was aiming dual elbow slashes for the young leader. "You should respect your people. Calling them pawns will lead them to have mixed loyalties. Especially when one is not native to your land."
Durning her attempt to slash and hit this fiend, Hikari was cut by Tsiro right across the stomach. So much adrenalin rushing through her vains she barely felt a thing at the moment. Getting the hint from Sanada and the light from the captain, Hikari's shadow was now much more visible and two times the length of her body, "Perfect," she thought to herself, "maybe this time I can get the boy." Her flame red hair soaked now from the rain, Hikari looked as tho she was a fire that had been put out but on the inside that fire was burning more intensely than ever. Creating multiple hand seals, she put her head down and whispered, "Shadow Body Bind." The tip of her shadow already being only a few feet away from Tsiro, it shot quickly at his trying to imprison him. If all worked out, she would have him stunned, not being able to move a muscle her team could finally teach this boy a lesson. This was Hikari's last try before she did what her foe wanted them too and abandoned ship, feeling horribly guilty at this point Hikari frowned and yelled over to Sanada, "If this doesn't work out, Sanada I won't be able to take any more hits, I'm at my breaking point."
Chiaki cries out in frustration as the bone slashed at her chest she slides back from the fray and tries to catch her breath. Nothing she could do was getting through to this guy, she was being the most useless one on the team. There was only one way she could help out, and that was protecting the people that actually held value. She runs between Tsiro and Sanada attempting to distract him. She was able to get one of his blows to connect and winces from the pain. However she couldn't stop the second hit. She continues to try and fight, however in her weakened state she could only make one last jab at Tsiro.
The counter of his kunai storm was most destructive as it sent him sliding back a good distance however he wasn't done just yet, he was getting ready to muster up some defense when Chiaki dove into the path of the attack a narrow gaze was given as he shook his head "no!" Just then the young genin body was tossed about which caused him to lose focus and take the hit due to his lack of timing cause him to take the heavy damage. It is at this moment that he knew that they stood very little chance of defeating him. "Cpt! Turn this ship around at once and report back to konoha have them prepare a medical squad and strike force squad please!" Sanada would sigh as he waved through more seals trying to think of what to do next and thus he barked out even more orders. "Chikai! Can you hear me if so go and stay with the family wait there until you hear further orders. Hikari fall in and strike, I'm going to try and take over again and by doing this, hit me with everything you go!" Sanada would start to focus as he mustered up sighs before narrowing his gaze the storm fit the young chuunin rather well during this moment the chaos was rather calming for him to say the least. Once again he would try and bring him under his will and if he did or didn't he would try and strike him with his chakra to take hold of his body.
Tsiro heard the words of the shadow user. As his eyes glanced downwards over the shadow, he thought he had moved around it, but his body freezes. He takes a number of attacks and becomes poisoned. He even feels the leader lurking around in his head. "You know you will only last for so long. Now you are simply thundering me off." he growls. His crimson eyes focus on Hikari for a moment.
Finally her attack worked, Hikari had the evil Tsiro in her grasp and he could not move or defend against any of their attacks. "Now it's my turn." she whispered to no one and everyone. Her eyes intense with the crazy sensation of war, she needed to win this. Stepping closer to their foe, Hikari created her hand seals slowly as she walked over to him. Being an arms length away, she whispered to him, staring directly into his wicked crimson eyes, "Shadow Neck Bind." A shadow grew out of the shadow connecting the two very opposite ninja, shaped as a hand it creeped up to Tsiro's neck. Hoping to grab it and squeeze, strangling the boy who was trying to kill her and her team. Her shadow hand releasing and once again she screamed it, "Shadow neck bind!" the hand shot up again to his neck, wanting to choke him again.
Chiaki smiles a little as the senbon breaks through Tsiro's skin but she stumbles clutching to her wounds. Sanada's words were distant to her as a battle raged in her mind. All she could think about was how weak she'd if she were the first who ran away, but she was hurt and the family did need protecting. She glared at Tsiro and pondered whether or not getting back at him would be worth denying orders. It was worth it. If she made it out of this she would apologize to Sanada later for disobeying. She rushed at Tsiro, full of a new found adrenaline, trying to get in several jabs from various angles while Hikari's shadow held him in place.
The lightning storm was getting rather serious and it appears the team is making progress though, as Hikari with the added lights catch the man dead in his tracks he is unable to use any type of tool or item to break from and thus the genjutsu drains him as he slips back into his body. "Master control time, from within his body Sanada would speak "I may only have him for a moment use this time now to strike him with all you got! Make him pay for hurting Chiaki!" Sanada would be using all his will power to make sure he didn't defend from the attack in anyway as both of the men took the brunt of the damage the situation was getting real. "Tsk, I should've been a better leader…that's it!"
"Hikari release me from your jutsu so that I can drown this fool! no one can swim in this heavy mess and thus he will have no other choice but to drown as I slip back into my body!" Smirking the young man if release would dash over to the edge of the boat and dive right into the water using his great swimming speed the young man would try and travel a good distance away from the boat once he gained it he would try and dive rather deep down into the water. He was thinking someone with water walking would have trouble walking in it and the heavy rain he was hoping would cause confusion. All this happen if and only if he still had control of the man.
Tsiro feels his throat tighten up and the stabs of the senbon. "You all had better kill me. I will be hunting each and every one of your down if you do not." The boy is precipitated and his eyes are seeing red from the wounds inflicted. It was the bodies natural way of ensuring survival.
Feeling the strain of her ninjutsu, her strength finally gave in and her shadow released Tsiro from it's grasp. Placing her hands on her knees and breathing in and out deeply, Hikari tried to catch her breath. This fight was taking a lot out of her. Not wanting to take too much time resting, this Tsiro guy was merciless, Hikari ran at him throwing two kunai directly at his chest and skipping over to his side tried slashing at his leg before she jumped up on the mast of the ship. "I just want this to be over, will he just collapse already?!" she thought to herself, getting quite angry now.
Chiaki looks up at Hikari as she leaped up on the mast and grits her teeth in thought. Now that he was out of her grasp there's no telling what he could do. She limps over to Sanada's body and crouches down by it ready to defend it. She was starting to really feel the pain from the wounds and hoped he would run off soon. She was really starting to miss those easy assignments she's heard other genin complain about. Finding a lost puppy dog would be a nice change, she would have to talk to Sanada and Hikari about it when they got out of this. She mumbled to herself "Don't worry Sanada, you're safe with me."
Sanada hung on for as long as he could trying to give his team everything they needed to put them into a spot to win; however he soon found himself in a bad spot he had to eject back to his body once there he glared as he was to damage to move or ever muster out orders. He was battling with life and death for the moment and it appears death is rapidly approaching the young man. "No, not yet not ready to die just yet." Sanada he would be lingering in and out fading on a hope a pray to get out of this alive but it appears that all this was for not though cause he was close to being a his end. Eyes heavy he would try and hang out looking at a panic Hikari and hurt Chiaki.
Tsiro felt the jutsu holding him fade. His anger and rage had him about to burst. He is too winded to give in to the fatigue he is feeling. The boy dodges Hikari's two slashes and then he counters with a single bone. Luckily for him Sanada seemed ill prepared to deal with the consequences of his technique. "Get your leader and go. If you do not leave with him, you never will." With that Tsiro moves below the deck. Screams can be heard as he finishes his job. It was a hard mission but he managed to succeed.
Being the only one with full consciousness, Hikari could not help but shed a tear hearing the screams coming from the family they failed to protect. Walking down to where Tsiro was, the walls dripping with blood, the stench of iron was almost to strong to bare Hikari looked at him and whispered, "Please leave, you got what you came for. Leave the others alone and we shall leave as well. You won, just go." Walking back out to deck, Hikari picked up the passed out Sanada and the horribly injured Chiaki, flung them both over her shoulders and jumped off the ship. She ran on the surface of the water with her team-mates in the pouring rain all the way back to Konoha and straight to the hospital. They all needed rest and all needed to think long and hard about their failed mission. It was Hikaris main mission in life now to become the best that she could be and to push her group harder than ever so nothing like this ever happened again.
