Starring:
Date: November 10, 2012
Summary:
Two shinobi are tasked with tracking down and retrieving a rare tortoise for a client, only problem is it's a long way back home when they do find it.
"I Like Turtles"
Small Oasis - Eastern Desert [Land of Wind]
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A small oasis is all that is left of a large spring-fed lake that once stretched out to the east from here. The spring still bubbles water into a small yet refreshing pool, with palm trees and a myriad of hardy plants ringing the water. Near the pool, a deep well has been dug from the earth and mud bricks keep the sand from filling in the well. Nearby to the Oasis, a path of dried, cracked mud patches lead towards the small town of Sukoppu Machi.
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It is early morning and darkness still covers everything, Kameko didn't exactly like being out this early but it was one of the few times the animal she was assigned to capture was out and about. She rubs at her sleepy eyes and looks back over at Suterusu, the person that had been assigned to accomplish this task with her. She pulls out a small scrap of parchment with a painting of the animal they were supposed to go after. A tortoise with a bright yellow colored pattern on its shell. "We are to go after this tortoise, its skin and bones are highly sought after for medicinal purposes, and its shell is often used for decoration. They are usually out and about around this time because the cooler climate tends to keep what predators they have at bay..Are there any questions? It should be rather easy since they tend to be rather large..although bringing it back may be a challenge all the same..with the three of us we should be able to do it though."
"Does it have to stay alive?" Unblinking red eyes stared at Kameko, that soft tenor voice crooning those words. It was said so casually, then again, everything about that figure was casual, even that half walking, half gliding gait that would make it hard to tell where he had been as the tracks were almost impossible to follow. Focusing himself a moment, he'd gather that chakra.. to *POOF* another figure into existence They would nod at each other, before both looked to Kameko. If it had to live, this might be difficult, but if it did not.. well.. turtle stew was good this time of year, right?
Kameko shakes her head at him and his clone "No it does not have to remain alive, although keep as much skin as possible intact and try not to break any bones if you do kill it. Also don't mess up the shell. After all those are the parts that our clients are seeking to use..they could cut the pay if we do not bring them back a decent specimen. If you have to just slit its throat or something." She looks around debating on a good place to start looking for the tortoise. "I'll check to the north of here, you and your friend check to the east and west. We'll cover more ground if we split up. If either of you find the animal then call the others so we can call off the search and work on bringing it back." With that she runs on ahead to the area she assigned herself, leaving him and his clone to search in their spots as well.
That figure would watch Kameko as she sorted out what they were doing. Once she headed off, the figure and clone would also separate It wasn't like they needed to communicate with each other, since both had the same mindset. Reaching out with that other sense.. the 6th sense that told him about chakra around him, he'd use it to trail towards a few different animals in the wild. Both clone and figure not having much luck until that last attempt revealed the turtle finally. Pondering, he'd pull a small whistle from one pocket and with a breath, blew a high note. The wrap was nudged aside long enough to allow him to use that whistle, quickly put back in place before Kameko could show up. The clone on the other hand, would simply *Poof* one cut off, the next one made, so both were staring at Kameko when she returned.
Kameko searches for a while basically wandering around the oasis somewhat blindly compared to Suterusu. All she could do was search for signs of recent activity from the wildlife tracks, burrows, even droppings. She blinked as she heard the whistle and chuckled to herself, she was glad that she brought someone along to help her out or else she would have been stuck out here for hours. Quickly she goes over to Suterusu's position and stands by his side looking over the tortoise. She looks down at the parchment then back at the specimen. "Seems like this is it…now let's see..what could we haul it back with.." She looks around and frowns in thought. There wasn't much to work with around here. "Well, looks like we are either pushing it back or one of us has to carry it.." It was a decent sized tortoise weighing at two hundred pounds, possibly more. "What do you think we should do?"
The figure stared at the turtle. Great, this was it. Frowning, although it'd be invisible behind the wrap, he'd glance at Kameko, then the turtle. A shrug was given then and the metal wrapped about it was pulled off. The figure would start unwinding the metal he had been wearing before, showing it to actually be a really long string of metal wire. This would then be used to wrap about the turtle who most likely started to resist. Not that he let it get away. Finally, secured enough to be stuck struggling, he would look at Kameko again. "We drag it?"
Kameko watches Suterusu as he ties the animal up and nods seemingly satisfied with that idea. "Dragging it will work yes." She'd look at the length of wire before finding a place where she could grab onto it as well. Looking back at the struggling animal she shakes her head "The struggling will make it difficult..even if bound we'd risk it breaking it few..one moment." She reaches out to the tortoise grabbing onto one of its feet and surging it briefly with lightning infused chakra, causing it to go completely limp. She raised an eyebrow looking it over "I may have killed it..I've only used this technique on people..oh well let's hurry while it is still fresh.." With that she nods at Suterusu signalling for him to drag it along with her.
He gritted his teeth, the figure going stiff as she shocked the turtle. Of course, as he didn't know what she was doing, he hadn't let go of the metal and the resulting shock definitely caught him off guard. Shaking himself to rid the extra jolt's lingering effect from his body, he'd eye Kameko for a moment before nodding. One side of the metal cord taken up, he'd pull with her. He wasn't exactly week, but he wasn't one of those super strong people out there either, a lot of his training into the silence made it so he didn't have the bulk of muscle that this situation would otherwise be easy due to.
Kameko glances over at Suterusu as he stiffened up raising an eyebrow before looking down at the wire "Ah yes..you must've caught some of that too from the link and metal…my apologies..sometimes I forget not everyone is as used to the static's effects as I am. Of course since you are a person you only got stunned for a moment unlike our friend back there.." She'd smile at Suterusu apologetically before continuing dragging. It would be several hours before they were half way to their target location and Kameko would remain rather quiet most of the trip. Wiping some sweat from her brow she looks over at Suterusu checking up on him. "How're you holding up?"
The figure would pull and move, much like Kameko did. While it might be different for the Kuroki to not be chatty, that was actually pretty close to his normal. As such, he'd glance over when she talked to him, a simple shrug given in return. If he was sweating, which was entirely possible considering the load being dragged, it'd be caught by that material wrap about him. Guess there was indeed more than one reason for him doing what he did with what he had?
Kameko chuckled faintly at Suterusu and nods at him. Whoever they were, they were certainly quiet. Still he was able to get his job done quickly and effeciently which made him ok with her. "Alright, not much longer to go. Then we can retrieve our reward. My name is Kuroki Kameko by the way. It was a pleasure working with you, you made things a lot easier on me." Whether or not he'd answer her she'd keep her mind focused on the task at hand and getting the tortoise's body back to their client.
The figure would nod in response to her mention of both how long they had to keep hauling as well as the reward at the end. His head would tilt to the side, before that soft tenor voice, slightly breathy due to the exercise they have been doing, would croon out, "I am known as Stealth.. My real name is a secret.. so.. I do apologize for not being able to tell you more." That figure would shrug slightly, before getting back to work with her, getting the body back to the client. They had better be grateful for the work gone through, otherwise the figure may have to use a few moves on them, for making him drag a turtle so far!
