Starring:
Date: November 26, 2014
Summary:
Feari and Kiyoshi have been tasked with delivering a letter to the Daimyo, on their way they are ambushed.
"Delivery, heads will roll"
Unknown location
With the success of recent high ranking missions, it shouldn't come to a surprise that the pair of Kiyoshi and Feari are tasked with another important matter. One that simply can not fail as the future of Kirigakure relies heavily on this mission succeeding. The importance of such relayed to the pair well before they left the village with warning that severe consequence would follow should Kiyoshi and Feari return as failures.
Naturally a black mark on Feari's perfect record was not something the Swordsmen would stand for. His reputation becoming tarnished would leak out into his flamboyant personality, taking away the shine and gloss of his look and leaving it dull and boring. Were that to happen, life would become meaningless. Failure was not an option for the man. He'd sacrifice his life before giving those above him a reason to doubt his abilities.
"Kiyoshi-san, how much farther do you think?" They had left the village of Kirigakure and made their way toward the Daimyo's village. The mission was a simple one, a sealed letter from the Mizukage to be delivered directly to the Daimyo to discuss the future of the Land of Water and the threat of the Silence. After the incident that happened when the Silence attacked last time, there was a lot of political repair that needed to be dealt with. Knowing their were moles within Kirigakure, a messenger bird could not be sent for fear of the letter being captured on the way. Chances of being attacked were high.
Kiyoshi did not care one bit about his permnant record. Whereas most might attribute it to his being young, it really came down to it being already filled with plenty of black marks already that went as far back as his academy days. Even so, this did not mean he would not take the mission seriously, or fail in his duties so long as it could be helped.
"I'm… I don't honestly know, Feari-sama." Kiyoshi replies relunctantly, hating himself already. Rather than continue to move and sulk, Kiyoshi rummages through pockets throughout his person for a map. His efforts are sluggish a best on account of the Zanbato strapped to his back limiting his movements quite a bit. And unfortunately by the end, he's forced to look back at Feari with a sheepish grin and empty hands. "Gomen… Feari-sama.
The reply from the other was not one Feari expected and left the man with a confused look as he tilted his head toward Kiyoshi. The fumbling about and almost sheepish nature was not a side of Kiyoshi the Swordsman was used to and he wasn't sure he liked it. "Straighten up, Kiyoshi-san. Confidence is far sexier than strength and more charming than unease."
Feari himself wasn't exactly sure how far away they were to their destination, but he knew at most they were going the right way. "The few dealings we've had together, I take it you're more comfortable with a large weapon at your back than a tete-a-tete. Shame really, your time can be rather enjoyable."
Kiyoshi had followed Feari's 'command' almost instantly, though what follows immediatly leaves the man-child embarrassed to say the least. He silently thanked his past self for bringing along the hoodie today, though a part of him doubted having it up was enough to hide the blush. "Uhm… tete-a-twhat?" He asks warily. As abnormally extensive as his knowledge bank one for one his age, the phrase truly through him for a loop.
Ultimately, if Feari doesn't answering himself, Kiyoshi abandons the effort of trying to puzzle it out with a weary sigh. "Feari-sama… Despite Sunagakure's agreement on our behalf—" Kiyoshi had to pause to hold back the bile. "Do you think they might still try to interfer with this mission?"
"Tete a tete." Feari corrected the other, "It means a conversation between two people and it's a great way to form a bond." Extending a hand, he'd reach up to pull at the straw hat that adorns his head, adjusting it some to shield the light of the sun that continues to rise overhead. Afternoon was here. "Sunagakure's agreement is theirs and theirs alone. It is not one that Meruin agrees with and by extension, neither do we. The Silence have eyes and ears every where and they know this. They won't allow us to impede their progress, but we won't allow them to grow in strength. We will continue doing what we've always done. The Silence does not control our actions."
Kiyoshi blinks in surprise at first, but listens nevertheless. Feelings of surprise are quickly rekindled. Did this mean that Feari wanted to be his friend? The question troubles Kiyoshi so much that he cannot focus on anything else for a time. Thankfully, just hearing Meruin's name once snaps him to the present in an instance, muddle minded though he may be. "Nor will they ever… But, what if Sunagakure interfers?" He asks. "I'm aware that.. that they may still have their own troubles to deal with, but if we act before they are ready…" He trailed off from there, needing not to add more for Feari to see the path he layed out.
Feari thought on Kiyoshi's questions for a time, not having the right answers, but had something he could say that would fit. "Sunagakure won't interfere. A threat like the Silence is big enough that it may take all the villages working together to deal with, but the way Sunagakure decided to make a deal without the approval of any of the other Kage's or Daimyo's was overstepping things. A bit presumptuous if you ask me. This issue won't be fixed any time soon, so Kirigakure needs to continue dealing with things the best way they know how." As the pair continued ahead, moving further from Kirigakure, Feari took a moment to glance about the area. Several trees and shrubs made up the path they were taking.
Kiyoshi frowns a little and furrows his brows, but refrained from speaking once more. The self-assuredness of most Kirigakure folk still bugged him a little, though he understood the 'why' well enough by now. Seeing Feari take a moment to look about from the corner of his eyes reminded Kiyoshi to be more attentive. All of his senses are strained to pick up even the slightest of differences in the immediate area. Unfortunately, without having been to the area before, discerning what was normal and not may have hindered his efforts.
There was a rustle in the trees, the foliage waving about slightly. Something caused by the wind or an animal of the wild. Whatever caused the disturbance, it was enough to get the attention of Feari, but as he stared in the direction his senses were unable to discern anything of importance. "As I was saying…" The man shifted his attention back to the path ahead. "That's why we're delivering this to the Daimyo. Kirigakure will continue to move regardless of the Silence…"
The moment Feari finished his sentence the trees and shrubs began to rustle once again before several figures jumped out into the road, surrounding the duo. "Give us the letter! You shall not interfere with the Silence." There were ten in total, some equipped with blades, others bare fists and the rest were already focusing their chakra as they started going through several hand signs.
By the time Feari starts speaking again, Kiyoshi has given up completely and is ready to start moving again. He restrains himself however, and patiently waits for Feari to start moving first. A frown touches the corner of his lips at the man's words. Why was he speaking about their mission details in such — The question in mind is abandoned the moment the rustling in their surroundings grow abruptly louder. By the time the figures have the duo surrounded, Kiyoshi not only has a hand on the hilt of his blade, but had also shifted just enough to where both Feari and the Kirryu were roughly back to back from one another.
"…How is our delivering this letter interference?" He asks, buying just a little more time to measure those he faced before them. His grip tightens at the sight of those forming seals pre-emptively. It was the taijutsuist prerogative to ensure that such seals are never completed. However, he couldn't risk screwing up whatever plan Feari might've had in mind..
Feari was not dressed for combat and while it would be an easy matter to change his wardrobe, the man decided to stay in his current outfit. The threat of the SIlence was a big one, of course, but these brainwashed thugs should be no challenge for a skilled Swordsman and a Jinchuriki. "I'm curious myself." Feari would add as followed in Kiyoshi's movements, protecting the others back side while he watched those before him. No weapons would be reached for however. The mans hands were hidden within his long sleeves that hang at his side.
"We gave you a warning. Attack!" Those making handseals finished up before bringing their hands to their mouths and forming great fireball techniques that merged together forming a larger and more powerful sphere of flames. When the flames dispersed, the kenjutsuists would attack, followed by the taijutsuists.
If not for the threat at hand, Kiyoshi would have turned back to Feari with a grin. Instead, he settled for shifting his feet a little, further readying himself for any surprises. They do not disappoint.
After a muttered curse, Kiyoshi sends a pulse of chakra down the length of his blade, activating the latches triggers. By the time the final latch springs free, the sphere of flames has consumed him. Whatever shock value Kiyoshi gains by surviving the flames with only gleaming bone white skin and a still burning jacket is lost the moment the Kirryu fails to fully ward off their strikes. At best, he turns their blades aside enough to turn vital wounds into mere flesh ones before the taijutsuist join the fray. Against them, he held the blade's flat side as a shield until the last makes the mistake of trying to retreat.
One powerful slash of the blade is followed by another… then another. Strikes that kept Kiyoshi spinning until he was ready to turn his added momentum against the nearest kenjutsu with a surprise flying kick!
The brightness of the flames that was quickly followed by the heat of the attack was more than enough to get Feari to instinctively move out of the way before being engulfed by the fireball. The swordsman was already charging towards the closest of the two kenjutsuists that were heading his way. Their blade would reach high and at that moment, Feari leaned into the open stance of the other and brought the flat part of his palm into the mans nose, briefly stunning the individual.
Seeing another opportunity, Feari grabbed for the mans hands to take the grunts own blade and force it into the path of the other Kenjutsuist that was approaching. When Feari would move to give himself room, he'd spin about only to come face first with a fist that reached his jaw. He didn't try to dodge it, just took it to the chin. The pain was real, but he held his ground as he brought a hand out from within his sleeve and with a clutched kunai thrusted it into the taijutsuist.
Those that were dealing with Kiyoshi would smirk as their attacks struck true and were able to easily avoid the follow up attacks by the shinobi. One of the kenjutsuists however didn't fare as well as the others when the massive behemoths foot comes flying in a smashes into the grunts face that sends him sprawling into several bushes.
The sickening crunch of bone is music to Kiyoshi's ear. There is only a brief moment in which he bothered to check how Feari fared. His gaze snaps back to those left around him. Tempted as he was to simply try cleaving them all in one stroke, Kiyoshi chose instead to try and even thin there numbers down a little more. Taijutsuist are forced to either split apart or be… split.. apart… *coughs* by a flying Zanbato! If nothing else, the swordsman bought himself enough wiggle room to refocus on the last Kenjutsu. A short barrage of quick strikes is delivered without fear of reprisal. After all, when one could render their skin and muscles harder than steel, what need there be to fear anything?
The ferocity of Kiyoshi was indeed an intimidating presence and though the members of the Silence were hard pressed to put up a quick defense, they managed to once again avoid the strikes of the titan. Distance would then be put between themselves and the Kiri duo as the ninjutsuists finished hand signs again that both ruptured the earth beneath Kiyoshi, but also sent a blast of water toward Feari. The remaining grunts would waste no time with attacking once again, swords strikes and fists primed to take the two down so they could either destroy the letter or take it from them.
Distracted with the grunts near him, Feari is blasted and drenched by a wave of water that knocks him off his feet. Catching sight of swords coming for his long, luxurious (though now wet) mane of hair, the swordsman rolls aside before leaping to his feet only to take several kicks to the chest that pushes him back to the ground.
Coughing and choking, the swordsman still manages to let out a laugh, "Haven't been pounded that hard in quite some time." Hands would reach down to the ground and realizing its still covered in water from the previous attacks, Feari would quickly form hand signs. When finished, the water around him would pool up and form several clones that would rush at the grunts.
With his focus so narrowed upon the close range fighters, Kiyoshi had forgotton about the ninjutsuist at his own peril. It is a mistake that left him unbalanced after the earth turned against him, and open to having his chest carved open by the Kenjutsuist. Pain, though pale in comparison to the torment Meruin shoveled upon him for training, brought back focus for the titan. Without hesitation or remorse, catches the swordsman arm mid-swing, crushing it within his grasp, then swung the man by the same arm over his head before slamming him into the ground.
With an even greater level of violence, Kiyoshi allowed the taijutsuist rush right into a spear hand. Black, hardened, and gore covered fingers pop out the man's back. During what few seconds of life remain, the taijutsuist would see the onset of a demon's power awakening in Kiyoshi's eyes before having his face covered by Kiyoshi's free hand.
The Kirryu rips himself free. As the man falls to the wayside, more chakra continues to build within Kiyoshi as he turns to look at the others. His gaze is studious, more than anything else, but there's an undeniable murderous desire behind his gaze as well.
Truth be told, the only thing keeping him from moving on to the next target is seeing a bunch of Feari's spring into action..
The mass of waters clones would swarm several silence members, tackling each one before preceding to pound their faces in. The thugs would be killed or knocked unconscious, leaving only a handful left. "Kiyoshi-san. Let's finish this." Feari would call out before rising to his feet and throwing his hands up. The long sleeves hiding his hands, but not the kunai that suddenly fly out toward the remaining thugs.
A curt nod is all Feari gets in answer before Kiyoshi takes off. His Zanbato layed half-buried in a tree nearby, and Kiyoshi had every intention of ripping the thing free before joining in the action. Where as Feari sought to bombard the remaining thugs with Kunai that were secreted in the flamboyant man's sleeves, Kiyoshi chose to race with the blade outstretched, beheading those that were still standing after the barrage as he swept past with the blade held out to the side.
The remaining thugs of the Silence were either peppered with a barrage of kunai or met with a gruesome death from decapitation. Their heads rolling off their shoulders and landing on the ground moments before their bodies would give way. Nothing remained save for Kiyoshi and Feari whom were some what beaten, but still alive.
Feari would take in a deep breath and the water clones that were created dropped back into puddles. "Well, this was expected. I'm sure those in Kirigakure will be happy with our findings that there is indeed a mole within the ranks if they were able to ambush us, knowing what we carried." Giving a glance at Kiyoshi before starting back on the path once again, "Let's deliver this letter."
