Starring:
Asao, Ryuunosuke
Date: August 26, 2012
Summary:
None given.
"Desert Bandits"
Ambush point between Sunagakure and Konohagakure
With war starting in the Land of Fire things were rather chaotic. Jounin and Chuunin were being sent on missions left and right. Some genin would have to pick up the slack and go on higher ranking missions than normal. Ryuu was one of these genin only the boy saw it as an opportunity to prove himself. He didn't like war and wanted to put an end to it but because of his age and inexperience, despite this being the second war he's been a part of, Ryuu wouldn't be able to make an impact. He finally managed to snag a mission, a potentially dangerous one as well. Supplies are heading in from the north. They've traversed deserts and ruthless weather. However a group of well known thieves has made this supply caravan their targets. It's speculated that the thieves were hired for this but whether or not this is substantially accurate is uncertain and irrelevant.
Turns out these thieves are quite infamous in the Land of Wind. They've been causing trouble for a while. Ryuunosuke was sent to destroy their ambush with the help of another shinobi from Sunagakure. It was hoped that this collaborative mission would improve the relationship between the two villages. Ryuu was eager to go alone but his orders were not to engage the thieves by himself. He'd gone through the trouble of finding their group waiting in the Hidden River Path. They were all staked out in trees. Ryuu only counted 7 of them. He waits for the sand shinobi to show up, although he's rather impatient about it. The young Senju is raring to go.
Asao got picked for the mission as he tends to be the most self-reliant chuunin they have when dealing with situations. Told to meet up with a konoha nin that was going to be escorting some resources on the path where a notorious gang was abushing merchants, Asao was fast to respond to the request. With his materials packed in a scroll that was on his back, he got there fairly close after Ryuu did. That sensory ability of his, said there was 10 hostiles and a genin level nin off to the side. Interesting that Konoha would send only a genin on this type of mission, then again, they were pretty tight on shinobi at the moment. Tokkan and Toku both were deployed, the henge on each making it look like there was three Asao's. Toku-Asao was up in the trees on the right side of the ambush point, Tokkan-Asao was low on the left side. Asao himself would come up on Ryuu quietly. Studying the genin for a moment, a small nod was given. "We have 10 bandits to remove. I have them partially flanked. There is a gorge ahead we can push them to, to finish them off. As this is going to be a rather fast conflict, will you be able to hold your own?"
Ryuu turns around looking to Asao as he addresses him. "Whoa. Bout time you showed up." Ryuu said with a grin. The young genin inclines his head "10? I only counted seven." Ryuu looks back and checks out the locations again. Asao would detect the other three to be underground, shallowly, and waiting further out than the rest. Ryuu nods as Asao states he has them somewhat flanked. Of course the genin then realizes something "Wait wait wait. There's only suppose to be one of you." Ryuu states. He didn't know if Asao had any clone technique in play or not but it doesn't matter he takes the man's word for it. "Heh I'll be fine. I'm a lot tougher than I look." Ryuu pounds his chest smiling as he does so.
The shift in movement was just enough though that it caused the branch Ryuu was sitting on to crack rather loudly. If that weren't bad enough the branch then gave and snapped. Ryuu fell with it but recovered. He exhales "Whew….it's alright I'm ok." he states. That was rather dumb however a lapse in thought on Ryuunosuke part. He realized it too late. Suddenly 5 of the thieves drop from their spots surrounding Ryuu. The young genin looks between them all and curses softly to himself. "So….." Ryuu starts before one of the thieves shout "Take'em out!" Ryuu sighs "Yeah I thought so." He charged chakra as they charged in.
Asao gave a small nod in response to his count. "Three are underground. Earth users." He shifted slightly as the branch gave way, having Ryuu fall lower in the trees before recovering. Asao would just fade into the foilage as he'd call out he was ok and draw the attention of the bandits. Shaking his head slightly, Asao moved, different tree from a different angle, he'd narrow his eyes as he studied the situation for a moment. 5 there, 2 above ground in that area, 3 more under ground. A small nod was given. The puppeteer above would start the attack cycle. Toku-Asao dropped down on the two that were above ground, puppet blades looking like knives within his hands as both men would be slashed at. With that, Toku-Asao took off for the gorge as Asao had mentioned. Tokkan-Asao dropped down on the fight that was starting to develop around Ryuu, a lightning strike from within the embrace of it's arms would jag back and forth, before snapping out to get the attention of one of the bandits. If they'd go to follow Tokkan-Asao, then he'd also retreat towards that gorge. Hopefully the plan would be followed by Ryuu. If not, Asao would have to adapt his style.
Ryuu equips himself with his trench knives and prepares for a brawl. Asao's puppet managed to fatally wound both of the thieves above land. They could be taken out of the equation. Meanwhile on Ryuu's side he had to fend off 5 rather angry looking thieves. Asao's other puppet managed to take out one of the men surrounding Ryuu. The young genin didn't want to be upstaged on his first solo mission. He flipped the trench knives around and spun slashing outward enhancing the reach of the blades with wind chakra. After that he makes his way towards the gorge following the other Asao. Ryuu may be a little dense at times but he remembers the plan. As he does so though Asao would notice the 3 underground thieves would be moving that way as well. One sought to intercept Ryuu and the genin would've been none the wiser.
Asao's fingers twisted as he continued to manipulate the two Asao-puppets. With the two that Toku-Asao having struck at being down, Toku would go high again. While the ones under the ground tried to intercept Ryuu, Toku-Asao would jump down, blades extended, to stab as far into the ground as it/he could. Even if it was only a knick, the poison the blades carried should at least give them something to think about. Tokkan-Asao was clicking, much like a clock would as it/he ran with Ryuu. As one of the bandits following them got close, Tokkan-Asao would suddenly stop, pivoting on a foot, to lead with a savage left fist right for the middle of the bandit's face. That lightning chakra rippling through Tokkan-Asao to add to that impact as the man would potentially be left twitching on the ground. Asao himself had to move now, as the range was getting closer to his edge. However, between the three, they should end the potential ambush and have the man that Ryuu hit as a source of information.
As Ryuu ran with the other Asao Puppet he noticed one had stabbed the ground. A cry of pain was heard and Ryuu figured Asao had somehow spotted one of the underground bandits that he mentioned before. The second underground bandit two was taken out. 5 thieves remained now. So far the group seemed to be doing well. Ryuu managed to wound one of them before with his maneuver. "Enough playing around get serious!" one of the bandits shouts. In seconds Ryuu and the Asao puppet with him came under the assault of a large earth upheaval attack. Ryuu looks back and his eyes widen. He focuses chakra to the soles of his feet and leaps off trying to outrun the attack. The bandit that had been underground popped up and with a few hand seals performed a summoning jutsu. A Crane standing on a long blade appeared. "Take'em all out." the bandit commanded. With that said the crane unleashes a wind bladed attack that sent scythes of wind throughout the area. While the other bandits were protected by the earth upheaval attack, Ryuu and Asao would not.
With the summoning, both puppets would meet up by where Asao was, each of them holding a blade in hand, making it hard to tell who was who. As that attack came, the three Asao moved in unison, scattering away from the attack to once again surround the bandits on the ground, leaving them that singular escape towards the gorge. Tokkan-Asao and Toku-Asao started ticking, the exact timing of that of a clock as they moved in unison. The attack? That puppet lightning would start arching between them, jagged bolts bouncing from Tokkan to Toku as the henge faded from both. This revealed Tokkan to look like a humanoid puppet with bands of metal through out it's whole form. Toku was a sheet that almost looked like a cloak, except it was stretched out taunt, the symbol of Sunagakure emblazoned on it's middle as the bolts of lightning would bounce to it and back, striking at the bandits in passing. Asao himself was in the middle, his eyes hard as he'd watch the whole thing unfold. Ticking away, the world was being manipulated in time to that mental clock of his. Of course, anyone close to Ryuu wouldn't be hit if they were within melee range of the genin. He'd be safe, anyone else however, was definitely a target.
Ryuu managed to avoid the earth upheaval and the wind blades. He lands and growls. "Now I'm mad." Ryuu states. Of course Asao's actions made it so Ryuu would only be confronted with 2 bandits. The other two feel to the ground stricken stiff thanks to the lightning and slowly dying on the ground. Ryuu smiles and focuses wind chakra along his arms. "Alright." He says before dashing off. One of the bandits tries to attack Toku "Damn puppet!" Behind Asao's puppets Ryuu leaps and attacks the bandits with a whirlwind kick. He spun mystically with a whirlwind at his heels. He lands and assaults the other bandit with a straight and finishes with a slicing uppercut.
Immediately following up on Ryuu's attack on the one that went after Toku, the cloak puppet would start to spin. Jagged blades along it's edge would snick out as it spun into that rushing attack on the man as he'd try to recover from Ryuu's kick. The other one was left in melee with Ryuu as Tokkan went after the summoner and his summon. Twin blades would snick out of the arms of Tokkan, letting it jab at both summon and summoner trying to take them out of the fight as well.
After Ryuu's initial attack the puppets cleaned up well. There was one bandit remaining after Tokkan took out the summon. The crane vanished in cloud of smoke. Now the solitary bandit was rather nervous and knew he was out numbered. With his entire team destroyed there was no way he by himself stood a chance. In the distance though the caravan with the supplies could be seen. It was the target of the thieves and the lone thief spots it. Ryuu looks that direction as well. In that instant the bandit flows through handsigns. Asao would sense an enormous amount of chakra being gathered. "Earth Style: Giant Spire Launch" he shouted before stomping his foot on the ground. A huge spire rose from the ground knocking trees over and causing quite the quake. The bandit then formed the ram seal and the spire was split in thirds. Each third was then launched at the caravan. "Oh no." The young genin says dashing off. He can only intercept one. Ryuu manages to get around and in front of it. He concentrates wind chakra into his arms and plants his feet. He tries to stop the chunk of earth with his bare hands aided with wind chakra. It was a stretch but Ryuu was putting his all into this. Mean while the remaining bandit would use this chance to escape.
There was a hiccup in the gears. Once more the bandit was able to put a twist on torque of the plan, causing for a scramble defense. As Ryuu went after one of the spires, both puppets would be launched after the other two. Toku once again had those blades out, spinning to strike and cut into the spire, stopping it short. Meanwhile Tokkan did much the same, although for it, the blades were used to cut into the spire, deadening it's attack until there'd be nothing left behind the puppet but rubble.
The two shinobi successfully protected the caravan. Ryuu slows the sailing earth chunk to a stop and it drops. The young genin exhales and falls over against the chunk of earth panting. It took a lot out of him. Toku and Tokkan shredded and diced the chunks into pebbles. However the bandit had escaped. If Asao checked he could feel his chakra getting fainter and fainter until it left his range deeper into the Land of Fire. Ryuu stands and shoves the chunk of earth off to the side out of the caravan's path. He ends up over by Tokkan. Ryuu sits on the chunk now rather content. "Well…I say all things considered that went well." he smiles. The caravan passes them by. "I think I'll catch a ride back with them hehe."
Asao would walk towards the two puppets and Ryuu. Checking the path, then looking the direction the bandit went, a small shake of his head was given. "We failed. We didn't remove the bandit threat completely. However, it should not take much to follow up with those that were wounded to find their base and resolve that problem." Asao would look at the caravan, give a small nod and look back to Ryuu. "You did well. I will make sure to add a satisfactory comment to the mission log for your capabilities." With that, he'd turn and walk away, stopping long enough at the fight area to gather up two of the wounded, one held in a bear hug by Tokkan, the other wrapped up like in a rug with Toku and Asao would head back for Suna.
Ryuu shrugs "But the caravan's safe. And if they come back I'll be with the caravan." Ryuu nods to Asao. "Take it easy. You're pretty handy with those puppets. I'll be sure to…uh I never got your name." Ryuu states scratching his cheek. "I'm Senju Ryuunosuke, you can just call me Ryuu." he says calling out to Asao. Ryuu backed up towards the caravan not wanting to get left behind. He waited for Asao's answer though or would try to for as long as he could.
Asao glanced over at the introduction, a small nod given in response. "Asao. Considering the reduced force, it should indeed be within your capabilities." One last wave given, causing the puppets to shift with the motion, Asao would turn away and continue his walking for Suna. Not exactly much for words, it seems.
