Starring:
Shuuren, Akechi, Naru, Tobikuma, Ataru
Date: August 7, 2012
Summary:
A band of thieves trick Konoha into thinking they're merchants at risk of being robbed and hire them to protect a carvan they stole. Meanwhile, the owner of the caravan and a Chuunin are on their way to come back for it.
Poster's note: Profanity filtered in obvious places.
"Common Interests"
Miati Forest - River Path
A lowly merchant came before the Hokage and begged that a team of shinobi come protect he and his brothers on their way to Fuuma Alley to deliver goods. They claim to have been attacked by bandits that nearly killed them and stole their caravan. While they were able to escape with the goods that time, they fear they will not able to make a second escape, so, with some payment of course, a team of Konoha shinobi has been sent with the carvan to protect it from whatever bandits or other people or creatures may happen to attack it. It currently rides along the river path in the Miati Forest, the merchants having said they'd rather take the back way to try to avoid confrontation if possible.
Meanwhile in Kumogakure, a set of men that work for Nagamura Shuuren came back to the village saying that the load of goods they were on their way to deliver to Konoha was stolen by bandits. They were all quite eaten and bruised… so Shuuren didn't cut their paychecks TOO much. After sending a recon man to spy on the bandits and figure out exactly where they are headed, Shuuren requested for a Chuunin escort from Kumogakure and made haste toward the Land of Fire. From the information that was gathered, the bandits are headed toward the Land of Rice Paddies and planning on taking the river path in the Miati Forest to get around any main traffic. Thus, he and Akechi are currently in the top of pretty large tree, looking down on the path and waiting for the caravan to show up. What they're not counting on is that these idiots actually requested help from Konoha and have them outnumbered now.
"… Spot anything yet?" the Jounin Medical Ninja ask as he glances over the path. No expression shows on his face, though he is obviously a little irritated at this ordeal. It's like bandits and pirates have something out for him lately, as much as they've been attacking his ships and caravans. One would figure they'd learn their lesson with how many of them he's had killed by now.
Akechi would be more serious this time since he wasn't with his trusted shinobi Odo, sighing as he looked over at Shuuren extend his hand out for the scroll. Once obtain he would unseal it and read the mission over once more, "it seems like the one." Sighing as he moved towards the group, his eyes focus and burning to make up from his last failure. Akechi would have two scrolls in hand as he started to gather his chakra to launch an attack.
It was an interesting mission at the very least, a random escort pickup which hopefully would lead them right towards the Land of Rice. Naru was becoming less interested in missions like this, but a special case had made it deemed worthy for her, it was the perfect opprotunity to get Tobikuma out and about, and seeing what a real mission was all about, and from what she could see, he was well prepared for it also. Her sharingan remain employed in its lightest form, picking up on anything that might have seemed out of the ordinary for they were on way towards some fairly netural grounds, making it fair game for anyone to attack them with little shinobi resistance. " How are you fairing?" Naru asked curiously to Tobikuma, a light smile on her face, " Don't let your guard down, we have to be alert at all times…" The senior Uchiha advised, though she wasn't going to get too much in his way, this was a learning experience after all.
Finally! His first mission! As fate would have it, Tobikuma is accompanying his senior who has been helping him training, so it seems to be the perfect scenario. "I'm doing well, Naru-senpai," he quickly replies. The young Uchiha is definitely exuding enthusiam and excitement, but there is a mix of awareness and caution in this aura as well. As he stands on the other side of the caravan, his dark blue eyes look out over the area to make note of anything out of the ordinary. Of course, his eyes do not compare to his senior's blood-red pair. "Naru-senpai," he begins. Continuining to look out over the area, he asks, "If we run into any bandits or enemies should I use enough force to scare them off or should I use lethal force?"
Ataru was along as well. Of course with the group going to the Fuuma Alley area, he was in disguise. So while Naru knew who it was, most others wouldn't recognize him most likely. This is due to him wearing a pure black outfit instead of his normal red cloak and a hood with a black mask that had white writing on it. He was keeping silent and to himself, the less to give away for anyone that would be looking for him from the mob, but his attention was on the surroundings to keep alert. If they were going to attack, this would be a good spot, so he needed to stay aware of the surroundings.
As Akechi starts to move, Shuuren looks down to where he is preparing to attack and looks over the ones driving the cart… Wait, shinobi? What the heck is going on here? Normally, he'd make a call to Konoha to find out what's going on and try to put things to a stop peacefully, but, if that cart makes it to Fuuma Alley, it will be lost forever, along with its valuables and commodities. They're going to have to bring this to a stop on their own, hopefully without damaging his caravan. Bloody thieves…
"Aim for the ones on the cart. The shinobi are not our concern for now," Shuuren says in a low voice as he draws a kunai. His eyes narrow as he ponders the best course of action here. It's going to be a tricky situation. He begins to gather chakra, preparing for a fight. Of course, if any of them are Uchiha or Hyuuga, they're probably going to be spotted rather easily, which may not be totally bad if they can figure out a way to get the message across that they are not trying to steal something that's not theirs.
Taking in the words of Shuuren, Akechi would notice that as well. Shifting in his stance he would have no other choice but to stop it my other means. Flashing through a could of seals he would unleash two senbon scrolls making sure not to aim it at any konoha shinobi nin. Once the attack wsa done he would move his body between that path and himself, once there he would speak "I can't allow you to pass, so please come to a stop so we can exchange information." Akechi would stand there for as he watched each of their nin making sure all their eyes where on him.
Akechi's attack quickly began short lived as it had caught the eye of the Uchiha, almost as if she saw it coming, and reality she did.. Her fingers slipped back into her dress revealing a pair of kunai between her fingers and she let them fly loose into the air, each kunai slammed into the needles, deflecting, decoursing every single one of the needles as they began to hit and clank against one anothr until finally plumeting to the ground below,
" Lethal might be necessary, Tobikuma-san… " She states honestly, a little perlexed that they seemed to be attacked first without any dialogue, which inevitably would be their own undoing, "You picked the wrong day to raid this caravan, we won't allow you to stand in our way…" Naru's voice was stern, and to prove she was serious she placed her hands together, focusing a torrent of chakra throughout her body. She wanted to know what Tobikuma had to say though, this wasn't just a mission, it was a test for him as well.
Tobikuma nods to the orders. "Also…." The Genin continues to survery the area, but lifts an arm and points a thumb at the other person with them, asking, "…Who is that?" As the attack occurs, the boy blinks a few times and attempts to intercept the senbon, but is too slow as his senior is already acting on it… and successfully to boot. The boy blocking there way is now seen and he examines him, instantly spotting the head-band wrapped around the arm, and begins to wonder what is going on. "Wait!" His voice would echo through the area before stating, "Wasn't it suppose to be bandits attacking the merchants? He is a Kumogakura Shinobi according to the forehead protector." The boy points a finger toward the other shinobi before thinking for a moment. "Unless…he is a bandit and got his hands on a forehead protector somehow?" He then drops into a combat stance, waiting to see what answers his questions bring…as he might have to act at any moment.
As Akechi tries to distract the shinobi after throwing the senbon, Shuuren smirks slightly. Of course, as he fully expects, one of the shinobi sees it coming and throws a weapon to deflect it. Smirking slightly, the Jounin reaches into his coat and withdraws a gold-tinted food pool with the Roman Number 'I' on the side. He pops it into his mouth, giving it a moment to kick in before his eyes pop open, and he flickers. Reapparing on the wagon, he goes to kick the men driving it off the top and to the ground. "Off my caravan, douche-bags." Of course, this might cause some confusion, as the bandits claimed to be merchants that had been mugged. It definitely causes them to look a little nervous.
"Your caravan? This belongs to us, you little chop!" one of the men on the side calls out as he grabs a clump of dirt and throws it at Shuuren. While he expects it to hit his eyes, it merely spread out… and gets on his suit. Bad move.
Akechi slapped his face as Shuuren crashed in and assulted them "well this just looks bad…not to mention what I did. Well yeah, oh well guess I have to roll with it. The name is Uzumaki Akechi nice to meet you konoha-nin." Akechi would be holding two sealing tags folded in each hand a surge of chakra could be seen emitting from it as attempted to touch both Naru and Tobi all the while its clear another thought would be on his mind. "It appears that he dove into crazy medic mood, I have to end this quick before things get back for everyone." Akechi manner would be rather calm and collective as he focus of what was going on before him.
The whole battle seemed to converge on them in a mere instance, Akechi using his sealing jutsu, attempting to pull them into a hault while the distraction would be long enough for Shuuren to slam dunk on anyone that was on the top of the caravan, it played in slow motion for the Uchiha, and Akechi was the first target. her eyes shifted, instantly locking him in a genjutsu of her own, As the attack had struck Tobikuma and herself simply faded out of existence, straight out of sight but course this was merely an illusion, giving them enough time to get away, and for Naru, to slip right infront of Shuuren's attacks, as he aimed for the target she was there briefly, the man behind her began to fade out of existence however his kick managed to slam her into the side of the caravan, knocking off the top and landing on her back.
" Idiots…" Naru grimanced quietly under her breath,picking herself up while the sword by her side quickly began to become unsheathed. " Tobikuma! Get that shinobi!" she exclaims, her genjutsu fell through once again, this time attempting to force a single suggestion to Akechi, force him to rest down on her knees while she exploded towards Shuuren, her blade crackled suddenly with electricty as she attempts to slash him, barely along the side of his arm. " You are going to have to get through us first!" It was confusing…why were Kumo shinobi attacking them?
Everything was happening so fast, but it seems he was saved by his senior and this is when he decides to go with the flow; Basically assuming these two are bandits who stole a forehead protector or two from some Kumogakure Shinobi. As Akechi sees them fade away without Tobikuma knowing this, he leaps into the air in an arc over the other boy while forming hand-seals and inhaling air, and as he moves over the target the Uchiha exhales a flame. The flame forms into a large ball as he yells, "Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Then the boy lands on his feet only to watch the giant fireball go crashing toward the ground and forming a single hand seal to prepare for any incoming attacks.
When his kick meets at girl instead of its intended target, Shuuren lifts an eyebrow then steps into stance. He hadn't planned on having to fight shinobi today, or he would have brought more backup. He looks at her, spotting those faintly tinted eyes and narrowing his own eyes just slightly before smirking. "An Uchiha, huh?" he asks as he attempts to flicker out of the way of her strike, but the side of his arm is sliced and given a nice shock that drains his energy a bit. "Well, at least they sent a cute one," he says, perhaps trying to throw her off a bit, or maybe just actually complimenting her. Who knows? As he brings a hand up to the arm, a light glow coming to it as he heals the cut as if it were never there. "May I ask why you were sent to protect a band of lowlife bandits, wherever you put them?"
From wherever they are, the bandits call out, "We're not the thieves here! You are!" Trying to keep up the facade.
The powerful genjutsu would fall over the young chuunin as it wrapped around him forcing him to his knees he would try everything in his power to fight off the effects but it failed. As he tried to focus himself, he would be sideswiped by huge fireball. Rolling across the ground he would pop up and with a burnt hand sigh. "Great another genjutsu type, this is starting to dice me off already." Pulling out two more scrolls he would dashed towards the smaller Uchiha and try and trap him in a scroll as he attacked with a senbon scroll as he twisted around the young man he would use his own force against him.
Tobikuma managed to hit the man right on the mark, making the battle seem to go in their favour finally, and Shuuren surprisingly was taken in by her attack, her slice easily went through him, while the bitting energy burning into his body, but it wasn't a lingering effect, she could only watch as he easily managed to heal away his wound in an instant. "A medical shinobi?" Naru asked him curiously, her eyes continued to watch in wonder of what he might do next.
" Regardless of the situation, you attacked first, and we have a mission to complete, you won't be allowed to proceed, so I suggest you leave now before things get worse for you," It was more like a command, and suddenly the crackling aura of her attacks began to manifest once more, "Black Infinity Slash," Naru spoke, feeling her charka emit and cause a swirling aura of black blades to perice and stab into Shuuren's body, it was an instant laceration from head to toe while she followed through with her secondary attack.
"Raiton Raikouhira no Jutsu!" After a swift amount of hand seals she let loose the technique, opening a palm towards him sending a barrage of scorching balls of lightning to spasm and burn into his body.
With the battle continuing and Tobikuma already preparing a defense…one would think he would avoid the binding technique, but his replacement technique fails and he is wrapped up in the scroll. The incoming senbon cause his dark blue eyes to widen and then quickly close as he is struck with the needles, causing a large yell to leave him before biting his lower lip to hold back his pain. As the scroll begins to loosen, his eyes snap open to spot the older boy closing in on him and he attempts to move to the side, but he is hit hard and sent tumbling backward. In the Genin's mind he is wondering if any of this makes sense as the pain shoots through his body. "Something doesn't add up…" he says aloud. He finally comes to a rolling stop and lays on his back before sitting up and looking over at the 'bandit, "Did your…partner just heal himself?"
"Exactly," Shuuren replies with a mod, a faint smirk remaining on his face as he keeps his eyes on the Uchiha girl. At her threat, his eyebrows raise slightly as he watches her prepare to attack. He glances around as it seems black blades come up around him from nowhere. With a shrug of his shoulders, he brings his hands up and says, "Kai," sending a surge of chakra through his body to stop the Genutsu as he flickers out of the way of the incoming lightning balls.
Now standing behind Naru against the cab of the caravan, the Jounin Medical Ninja says, "This caravan is my property, my dear, so I won't be going anywhere." He flips a coin her way, which actually seems to have no mal-intent… But it does bear the same crest that is printed on the side of the wagon and the crates it carries. "You sure you want to let them sell part of your village's food supply to Fuuma Alley?"
"That's not true! This caravan is ours!" the merchants call out, though it's really up to Naru at this point.
Akechi would be smiling softly as he walked over to Tobikuma and extended his hand out towards him, a small smile would be on his face as he spoke "it appears that you're a rather smart and observant shinobi." Akechi would dust himself off as he turned towards the bandits and sighed "well now guys what to do now?" Flicking a scroll into the air he would crack his neck and sigh as he shifted from side to side. Akechi would than start to count all the bandit that they could see slowly one as he started to form a plan.
It was difficult to gain Naru's trust, especially when it came to dealing with shinobi from other villages, " What is your business with Konohagakure?" Naru questioned Shuuren, her eyes gleamed up at him, watching him without a doubt, even Akechi was at the corner of her eyes… Tobikuma was in a slightly rough state, but far better than she actually anticipated in a live battle like this. Taking a glance at the coin she quickly picked up on its characteristics, and just like he said, it was the very symbol which remaind crestd along the side of the wagon.
" If these supplies are destined to Konoha then that must be your destination, am I right?" She asks him curiously, it was interesting to see that Tobikuma seemd to catch on already with the situation. " I need a reason to trust you… " she points towards Tobikuma while tilting her head to the side. "Can you take care of him?" She asks Shuuren, after all the man was a medical special. " Heal him and we can escort everyone here to Konohagakure to short this out…"
Tobikuma continues to think about this entire situation, his face in complete thought, but the offered hand causes him to snap out of it. The hand is taken and the young Genin stands to his feet before looking over to his senior. "Naru-senpai! I think they're telling the truth!" The boy then looks over toward the 'mechants' before stating, "They were attacked by bandits before, but these two are training shinobi from Kumogakure…. and if they were bandits he would've went for the killing blow when I was on the ground, wouldn't he?" His dark blue eyes dart over to the other Uchiha waiting for her response.
"I do business with some of your merchants and restaurants. If you ever look at their shipping crates, many of them have my family crest on them," Shuuren explains to Naru, keeping his eyes on her as well. If she actually looks at his clothes, the white suit he wears is definitely made of fine materials. He looks at Akechi and the other Uchiha out of the corner of his eye, seeing that things seem to have calmed down on their side as well for the moment.
"We are going to Konoha, yes. I imagine there are some people wondering where their shipments are right now," Shuuren says with a a nod. At her request, he says, "Sure," and walks over to Tobikuma, hopping off the caravan to place his hands over the boy's wounds. A light glow comes to his hands, beginning to close the boy's wounds up. "Close, kid, but those guys are the bandits. Akechi, arrest those idiots for me. We'll let them live this time."
Smirking as the order was given he would he would extend two scrolls out and sigh, so man idoits so little time. As he darted on direction he would seal up four guys into one scroll. The next set would be his with senbon as the last was picked up with this last binding scrolls. As he shifted back to the ground he would smile and slip his hands into his pocket, "there we go, hey can you heal this little burn please." Akechi right eye would be closed as his left arm reached across his chest to run his shoulder.
"I knew something wasn't right…" Tobikuma nods and closes his eyes as the healing wave move across his wounds, causing a little 'mmm
"Good thinking, Tobikuma-san," Naru spoke softly to him, the boy was thinking quick on his feet, and quick to put on and one together, she grinned a little bit and nodded her head, though despite the situation she wasn't at all going to let her guard down, she expected Tobi to do the same. "We can play by your rules for now… It looks like our side is to an agreement, we will definitely sort this out properly with the information we get from Konoha," She states with anod of her head, not like she wanted to really go to the Land of Rice anyways, she took a step towards Tobikuma, reaching a hand out for him after Shuuren finished healing him. " You are talented, you should be very proud," Naru commented, her face was a little straight for the moment, from what she could see with her eyes, he seemed to be in great condition.
"I knew something wasn't right…" Tobikuma nods and closes his eyes as the healing wave moves across his wounds; A pleasant expression on his face due to this. Once the healing is finished, he stands to his feet and begins to stretch as he watches the Chuunin clean up the 'trash' so to speak. "I guess we are heading home," he idly says. A friendly smile is now present on the Uchiha's lips as he looks between the other three shinobi, though, he does examine the Jounin's unique choice of attire for a moment. When his senior comes over and reaches a hand out for him, he smiles up toward her and actually blushes from her words. "Th-thanks, Naru-senpai!" For a moment, the red tint remains on his cheeks before snapping into attention, "Lets head home."
