Starring:
Hiroshi, Natsuki, Tsukiko, Yuzuna
Date: July 31, 2010
Summary:
Ataru and Natsuki lead the team in search for further information regarding the recent unusual activity of the samurai.
"Cliffside Rumble Tumble - Part 1"
Unknown location
It had already been a long journey, the team traveling to the Land of Earth to a small remote monastery within its borders. After the incident in the Land of Rice, Natsuki felt it important not only to report the information she had learned to the Hokage, but also check to see if there was any information about the lost treasures of the Samurai in the temple that she used to call home. The Kage agreed to let her go and investigate, sending with her several members of the team that initially responded to the Samurai along with the seasoned Jounin, Ataru.
It was on a craggy outcrop along the face of a cliff that the shinobi stopped for a short break. Resting their bodies and partaking in some traveling rations. It wouldn't be anything that would look abnormal, other than the fact that it was a small band of shinobi and not just a small band of hikers. "Tosai would love to be on this mission." Natsuki said casually, scooping a spoon into a spicy mixture of curry and rice. "Then again, I'm sure if he was on the mission, the food would be a helluva lot better."
Hiroshi chuckles lightly at Natsuki, its true tosai would have loved it here, but Hiroshi would not have seen his large friend in some time now. The teen Hyuuga would once again sport his green and black body armor, with short green and black shorts. Hiroshi would take a small brown cookie from his rations breaking it into fours as he sets it before him. "Cookie anyone, but don't tell Tosai, I kind of stole these from his stash." would be said as he lets out a small chuckle Hiroshi has had almost more than he could deal with because of these samurai, but also because of them he has taken his training allot more seriously. Hiroshi would then dig into a small brown duffel resting on the ground before him as he takes out a full loaf of unsliced bread. A sweet smell would emit from it as he takes a large bite from the sweet buttery goodness.
Yuzuna remains perfect stoic and silent as she leans against the cliffside, her legs partially stretched out in front of her with her right arm resting on top of her knee. The Hyuuga kunoichi only takes a small bite out of her own rations, not particularly hungry but knowing that not eating would only limit her energy. Not to anyone's surprise, she doesn't contribute to the small talk, instead her pale opal eyes blink slowly as she watches their surrounding with a distant look.
Tsukiko steps in and settles down to eat as well. She eats quietly, not adding anything to the conversation at the moment. She smiles though, appreciating the company
"OOOO Cookies." Natsuki said with a wide grin, reaching out to grab the quarter of the mammoth Akimichi cookie that Hiroshi had brought. "I totally need to hang with Tosai more. If for nothing else, just for the food." Natsuki laughed before taking a bite out of the sweetness, only heightened after the spicy curry she had finished.
Ataru reclined against a rock, looking out across the valley and just took in the sites. In his mouth was a sweet smelling cigarette, its thin trail of smoke wisping up from the orange glow of its tip. "Remind me to thank Hashiramako when she returns, she introduced me to these cigs and man, they are great." He added casually to the ongoing nothingness of the conversation. Meanwhile, along the trail on the opposite wall of the canyon that they were actually traveling towards, Yuzuna may make out the shapes of some samurai pennants, similar to the ones the group had seen earlier, however, from this distance the details on the flags would be a bit rough to discern.
"sure but I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I dislike the smell of smoke, but in stressful situations I guess those would come in handy." Would be said by Hiroshi as he smiles at Tsukiko, giving her a friendly wave before turning his attention over to Yuzuna. The quiet Hyuuga, normally had something to say, but silence has fallen over her. Hiroshi would then sigh as he looks down at his stomach, pocking at his belly through his dark armor, at the location of his former fatal wound. Hiroshi was not really alert to much of what was around him, the teen Hyuuga peering only at his small boxed lunch as he slowly devours his meal of rice, octopus hot dogs, and sweet roll.
Yuzuna chews absently on another bite of food as her pale eyes blink slowly, glancing out past the cliffside at open air while the rest of the team chitchats. Even with the mention of the sweet cigarettes, the Hyuuga kunoichi remains silent and still as a statue, with the exception of her eating. Breathing out slowly, her nose twitches just slightly as she catches the faint scent of the cigarette smoke.
Tsukiko eats quietly still. She frowns at the cigarette smoke but says nothing. She finishes her salted fish and rice. and puts her bento box away again in her packs. She stands and looks back out over canyon below them She sees the flags in the distance, tilting her head curiously, but says nothing for now.
Ataru shrugged slightly, hearing Hiroshi, "I've almost always smoked, just had to stop around Natsuki cause it really bothered her. However, Hashi came up with these, they're a little light but do the trick for me I suppose." He said, glancing over to Natsuki, "And Natsuki doesn't really seem to mind them, wonder what all Hashi-san put in them." He asked, but not really in a way to expect an answer. "Anyway, hurry up and finish eating guys, we've still got a good ways to go." He said, standing to his feet and rubbing his shoulders before moving to heft onto his body a medium sized rucksack full of various scrolls where most of their belongings were stored away.
Natsuki smiled "Yeah, this smoke doesn't stink quite so much, it's tolerable Ataru-sama." She said enthusiastically as she was almost immediately was on her feet, bouncing back and forth ready as if ready to start running again.
"Well I guess its all in the effort, then again I still cannot stand the light kind either." Would be said, though not in a rude tone, such a thing did not fit Hiroshi. The teen Hyuuga would quickly finish his small lunch bringing the last piece of bread towards his mouth gulping it down. "Yes we should start moving out." Would be said as he places the now empty boxed lunch into his duffel, slinging it over his left shoulder now he would let out a small yawn. Hiroshi would take a moment now to peer over the area inhaling deeply as he takes in the clean crisp air. "This is my first time in this area, it doesn't beat Kumo but it certainly does have a sweet smell to it all." Would be said as he looks over his shoulder, batting his pale eyes lightly, "Don't you guys agree?"
Packing her dried foods in her knapsack, Yuzuna wordlessly tightens it closed before shifting it in her hands, slinging it over her head and across her back before rising to her feet with fluid grace. Falling into place as their group begins to move along the cliffside once more, she lifts her gaze to narrow just slightly, scanning the treetops while her cousin makes note of the fresh air. More small talk it seems. With her hands at her sides, the Hyuuga kunoichi only keeps a diligent watch of their surroundings.
Tsukiko looks back to the group, "so… will this be a peaceful trip, I hope?" She continues to gaze down the canyon, not looking back at the camp. "do we need to scout ahead or something?"
"This place is home to me, every time we returned to the monastery, it was along this path. Then again, it's pretty much the only way to get up there." Natsuki commented. "We're still about a day's worth of walking, we'd camp on that ledge we were just resting on. However, ninja speed, we'll be at the monastery by nightfall if we keep up a good pace and don't run into any trouble." Natsuki added, kinda leading the way even though there was only one way to go.
Meanwhile, as the group moved, Yuzuna would probably spot the samurai ahead of them again. The group was gradually catching up to the slower moving samurai, probably overtake them in the next hour. For the time being though, she was most likely the only person who saw them up ahead.
Ataru walked over by Tsukiko and nodded, "It should be pretty peaceful, hopefully." He said casually, "We're not sure if the monastery we're heading to is a target or not, Natsuki doesn't seem to think they have what the Samurai are looking for, unless it is information the samurai need." He said calmly. "Nothing to fear, if something does pop up, Hiroshi-san and I can handle it."
"All trips with me on them are peaceful, except for the last 15, but that was not my fault, then again I did not exactly make it friendly on our end either." would be said with a small chuckle, Hiroshi placing both hands behind his head as he follows behind the group. Hiroshi would remain behind everyone else, every now and then taking a moment to rub his stomach or adjust his armor, wincing in the process. The teen Hyuuga could only chuckle at Ataru and Tsukiko parting his lips to speak. "Well I am sure you all will do allot better than I at this time, but I got no complaints." he would say, after all he was the one who lied about being 100 percent recovered, but still just barely 80 percent there.
Yuzuna turns her head just slightly as she gives Hiroshi a mildly annoyed look for a flash of a moment, though it disappears behind her stoic expression as she looks forward again. "Two point seven eight miles straight ahead. An estimated eight samurai and ten horses with the banner of the samurai." she murmurs with an idle casualness, only to lift a thin brow as she calmly continues their trek with little pause. "Or am I the only one that noticed offhanded." Breathing out a slow breath, Yuzuna narrows her pale eyes while the pale skin along the corners becomes more intense with the kekkei genkai. "We should probably look into that, by the way."
Tsukiko looks out over the direction "I.. thought I saw something.. I guess" She looks that way, then back. I can't throw my mirror bangles far enough to get a good enough look." She chews her lower lip, simply looking out that direction.
Ataru reached into a pocket on his cargo pants and pulled out a pair of binoculars, peering through them, the man nodded, "We're going to catch them soon, they're probably headed to the monastery and we know what that means." He said calmly. "They probably know we're here too, not much cover on this mountain. Unless someone can think of a way to go around them, we have no choice but to pass them. I'm not sure how they'll respond to us, I'm sure they know that shinobi are somehow involved at this point and not in their support." He added, lowering the binoculars so that any who did not have another way of looking and wanted to, could get a glimpse of the samurai.
Natsuki took a turn with the binoculars and frowned. "Whatever we do, it won't be easy."
"Shein soldiers most likely, I doubt any other samurai are going around being annoying, and causing trouble.' Hiroshi would say with a sigh, though he would not bother answering his cousins question, because it is just possible she was the only one who would notice and if not Hiroshi certainly didn't. As the group is alerted Hiroshi simply peers up at the sky, tilting his head to the side, before shaking it from left to right. "Such a nice day about to be ruined." turning to face Ataru now, Hiroshi would not lightly, "Engaging them is not going to be easy, not for a single person especially. Distracting them while the rest of us move on is not good, not even if we split up." Hiroshi would say brushing his chin idly, "I would say simulating a land slide to force them down would be wise, but I failed probability, so it would be a risk"
Yuzuna lightly quirked a thin brow as she glances from the samurai to the cliff behind them, narrowing her thoughts slightly for a silent moment or so. "A land slide…" she murmurs slowly, "sounds the most effective. Its possible that with samurai being unable to use chakra, they would be helpless to the forces of nature. It would be likely at least half of them will be buried alive beneath the land slide. Now the only question is, who here can control earth and with this much distance between us." she pauses, "If we were any closer, we will be sucked into the land slide as well."
Tsukiko shakes her head, "I.. well, I can add to the problems.. but not from this fr away. I can use wind chakra though, not earth chakra." She looks back, :what if we use clones to divert them to one side while we move to the other, since we don't want to fight them?"
"A landslide probably would take them out, but we want to be careful to leave the terrain passable. We have to get through too you know." Natsuki said casually, "That said, the path they are on, is going to get extremely narrow. They will be forced to dismount and handwalk their horses, however, even that is treacherous." The young girl said. "I'd recommend we somehow flank them, if someone can get around them, just a few people, block it that direction. The rest block the rear, that will limit where they can go."
Ataru nodded, "Actually, its going to have to be a combination of all our efforts. I was given a briefing about each of your skills and abilities. Natsuki, use your genjutsu and your fire skills. Hiroshi and Yuzuna, use tree walking and get below them on the cliff, try to stay hidden. Use Juuken to send chakra into the earth try to make the earth vibrate and seem to be quaking, that will help Natsuki's genjutsu. Tsukiko and I, we'll try to use our wind manipulation techniques to blow them off. If they are feeling unsettled and uneasy because of the genjutsu and the vibrations from Hiroshi and Yuzuna, they should be off balance to be easily knocked off." Ataru said with a smile. "What do you guys think?
"Well I am glad my bad idea turned out to be a good one." would be said as Hiroshi sighs lightly, now needing to figure out a way to simulate a land slide. And still there is probablity and the thought of whoever else is below the mountain." Would be said. Hiroshi would not lightly as he turns to face Ataru. his plan did seem alot more easier to pull off, and required more thought, but it was almost flawless. " Yes not a half bad plan, just going to take a great deal of chakra manipulation on myself and Yuzuna's part when it comes to simulating that earthquake, but if we wont be engaging any samurai that may be an easy task at hand." turning to face Tsukiko, Hiroshi would smile lightly, "What do ya think, ready to use that wind training and show them how Konohas wind mistress does things Tsukiko?" Hiroshi would ask, chuckling lightly.
Glancing passively to Ataru, Yuzuna lightly quirks a brow as she listens to the plan, lowering her chin slightly in a silent nod of understanding. She breathes slowly as her intense byakugan gaze shifts towards the opposite cliffside where the samurai are. "So long as we do this with swift stealth, this should go smoothly…" the Hyuuga heiress murmurs. Then with a light sigh, she rolls her shoulders before rolling her neck from side to side. "Alright. Lets get this over with."
Tsukiko surveys the area in question, making sure there is plenty of debris. She looks to Hiroshi, looking frustrated as a child might at a parent, "Hiroshi… I'm hardly the master of wind techniques.. but I'll do what I can." She looks away from him and continues to survey the area, looking for the best place to launch her attack from
Natsuki nodded to Tsukiko, "I'm not master at genjutsu either, but lets see if this works. If not, we'll just have a bunch of grumpy samurai to deal with." She laughed, leading the team to race a little closer to the samurai, since none of them were really capable of anything of that range in the first place. Stealth, she knew once she got close, would be crucial, slowing slightly the team would start moving amongst the rocks, a few possibly tree walking on the cliff face under the samurai, just out of sight.
Once everyone was in position, Ataru would nod to Natsuki, to send out a link and begin the genjutsu attempt. A tap on the radio would indicate that Yuzuna and Hiroshi would start their strike on the rock as Ataru hunkered down with Tsukiko, ready to start blowing the samurai off the cliff.
With a nod of the head Hiroshi groups with Yuzuna, and heads off into position. "Now that I think about it, all of my jutsu just may be to powerful to cause an simulated earthquake." He would say in a rather awkward tone. The teen Hyuuga seemed to be in quiet the bind as he curiously peers around the area as he takes a moment to gather a set amount of chakra into the sole of his shoe. Sighing lightly Hiroshi would move into position and prepares himself. Gathering a large amount of chakra in both hands Hiroshi would turn to Yuzuna. nodding at the signal is given before he begins to slam his palms onto the ground.
With chakra tingling beneath her feet, Hiroshi and herself blur with seep along the cliffside, clinging to the surface against the tug of gravity. "You will just have to use less power then." Yuzuna murmurs lightly in reply to her cousin, giving him a quick glance before giving him a nod. Despite their differences, he was still family and she trusted him. When he comes to a stop, she does as well beside him, crouching vertically as her Byakugan continues to scan the nearby area, seeing the samurai. As she waits for the signal, Yuzuna concentrates chakra at her palms, keeping it steady and focused, ready to be released. When Hiroshi nods towards her, she lowers her chin as well and simultaneously, the Hyuuga cousins release their jutsu at once, causing the earth to suddenly shake.
As the genjutsu reached towards the samurai, it was slow at first. A passing thought, what if they fell off the cliff? What would push them? One of the horses spooking? The images were in their head, but just wasn't quite clicking. However, a split second later, the earth below their feet started vibrating. Around Hiroshi and Yuzuna, a few rocks would start to tumble and fall.
"Whoa, what's that?" one of them asked, as his legs continued to shake from the ground tremor. The horses, started becoming uneasy as their sensitive hooves felt the ground under them. A young stallion suddenly reared up in fright, lashing out its front hooves. In the chaos, the handler went plummeting to the floor of the crevasse.
At about that time, Tsukiko and Ataru would unleash a sea of winds at the samurai. Glass melded into the wind, slicing against the horses and the unarmored parts of the samurai regalia. The strong gust pushing at their bodies as the horses fear heightened, sending several more over the ledge. Horses screaming in fear as they plummet to their demise at the bottom of the ravine. Only a few remained on top of the hill, as Natsuki watched she formed a series of handseals that were common to any Uchiha, Great Fireball Technique. Natsuki stepped from behind her rock, her hands finishing the seals as she lifted her fingers to her mouth and blew forward. A roaring ball of fire lurched forward. Several horses bolted and samurai chased after them, only to find Ataru there with his katana, slicing through their bodies. The last two, thinking perhaps it was more possible to survive the fall jumped off the cliff.
"Well, that worked about how I figured it would." Ataru said as he shook the blood from his sword and resheathed it as the team formed back together. It wasn't much further to the monastery, but they felt certain, that the monastery would be pursued again.
