Starring:
Luna (emitter), Soujiro, Ataru
Date: July 30, 2012
Summary:
A Chuunin Investigator and a duo of Taijutsu experts are off on what is suppose to be a simpe investigation mission on uncovering the location in which two members of the Inuzuka clan was attacked, one dead and another in a coma, with the last known location acquired they scour a distant cave within the Land of Fire, plowing through tracks and uncovering a few unexpected surprises.
"Inuzuka Pride Chronicles - Recluse Investigation"
A Cave within the Land of Fire
A chuunin represenative was summoned forth with a rather interesting mission, straight from the Council of the Inuzuka Clan the mission was to investigate the recent death of a founding clansman and another found comatosed. The exhibition consisted of 3 individuals, one who was an investigation expert, while two others were placed on the mission for guarding and pulling of traps as well as another set of eyes on the ground. The Chuunin's name was Henriku Rebeka, short golden hair lengthed down the sides of her cheeks, and dressed in traditional chuunin attire, she looked idly at an opened map pointing off in the distance. " It should be right down this way… the uncharted cave between this area of the forest and the great lakes," It was broad daylight and surprisingly enough they remained within the Land of fire, though miles and miles away from Konohagakure, closer towards the Land of Grass. " We just need to find out what we can find out,"
Ataru had managed to get a job from the higher ups for him and Soujiro. That mission seemed relatively simple, just guard the person they sent out and keep an eye out for any information. That in mind, Soujiro had been gotten up early so they could train a bit before it had been time to leave. The treck being relatively uneventful has Ataru slightly bored by the time they get there. A nod was given to Rebeka, he'd smile and motion. "Alright. Lead on, we gotcha back and ya ain't gonna get hurt at all, hai?"
Soujiro was a walking zombie as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands. "I still don't see what the point of waking up early to train before the mission was a good idea. Can we stop soon for a nap break?" Already knowing what kind of reaction he would get from Ataru, he met his gaze if he were to look over at him. "We've been walking for ages. I'm bored. My feet hurt. I'm sleepy. And im pretty sure ive been the only one being attacked by—" He interupts himself by swatting at his right shoulder. "…bugs." He lets out a sigh. "Do we know where we are even going? And by we i mean…" At this moment he points his finger at the girl's backside hoping to get Ataru's attention.
"Well I would hope so right? This is why you are here right?" Rebeka arched a curious eyebrow at Ataru, from the way he was saying things he seemed to be unsure if she was going to get hurt or not, "This is the cave," she statd again, most so to get the complaining Soujiro's attention, only a slight bit of irritation was hinted in her voice, still she pushed forward, revealing a small seal and holding it up infront of them, with a bit of focus it began to give off a bright light, illuminating the entrance of the cave, it seemed to be just a normal cave, though a stench of burned debris and blood seemed to fill the air. " We need to keep a look out on anything strange… we still might cross paths with a shinobi here.."
Ataru would shrug towards Rebeka with a small chuckle. "ah yah yah.." Ataru glanced over at Soujiro, nudging him. "Come on mate, we're on a mission, buck up already." Chuckling, he'd look at the cave with a light nod. "Right. so we beat up anyone that we're havin ta deal with ifn they mess withcha when ya go lookin fer whatever it is yer needin ta find.. hai?"
Soujiro stopped at the entrance of the cave and took in its sights. "I dont know about going in there…I had a bad experience once with dark places. Wait, what was that? A shinobi? Seriously? Again?" He would look over towards Ataru. "What are we looking for in /here/ that would get a shinobi's attention?" The teenager puts his hands on his hips. "You two can go right ahead. I'll stand watch out here. And by standing watch i mean, taking a nap. I'll let you guys know if anything wakes me up." With a grunt, Soujiro goes to plant his butt on the ground where he stood.
"The thing Is i don't know what I'm looking for…" Rebeka replied back, she rubbed the side of her head rather cluelessly, though as Soujiro complained and sat on the ground there is a sudden burst of light, a seal burning against his rear until finally there is a small scale explosion bursting under his butt, enough to send him a few feet into the air. " You need to becareful!" Rebeka scolded, checking out the surroundings, nothing seemed to be admist other than the small crater in the ground from the explosion. " This place is laced with traps of all sorts, you need to be on your guard, do not compromise this mission…" Her orders were quite frank but eventually she moves deeper into the cave system, holding her seal while keeping an eye out, there appeared to be scrolls, lots of them burnt and unreadable, blood soaked the ground as well.
Ataru looked about as they got into that cave. The blood noted as well as the scrolls. He'd glance over at Soujiro, "yo mate, it's probably best ya dun lay down.. ya may not wake up, eh? Come on, keep alert, we'll getcha a nap after we're done here.." He'd shake his head, charging his chakra to have it flowing about him. Better to be safe than sorry, in case they were actually going to have to have a throw down around here with someone else.
Soujiro is thrown into the air and tumbles to the ground about four feet from where he was just sitting. "What the hermit what was that?!" He yelled out while getting to his feet. "Be more careful? I think if I were to be more careful i just wouldnt move at all. How was i suppose to know this place is booby-trapped?" He says as he folds his arms across his chest.
Walking into the cave the teenage boy immediately notices the blood marks on the ground. "By the looks of things i'd say you're right, Ataru." With that said, he would point out the blood marks to Ataru as they passed by.
The blood marks seemed to lead them on a trail, though there was nothing else really seen from their perspective, what they could see was this place was completely rigged, seals, wires, cloth draped over holes, the placed looked completely cleaned out at the same time, evidence destroyed, but there had to be something… Something else lingering in the distance. After walking perhaps a mile into the cave things began to become more vivid, the strench grew stronger and there were desks, tables all pulled and peeled apart, scrolls and seals shattered and even books… "This must be where they stored everything…" She states quietly, moving over towardsd one of the desks, very careful to not get in the way of things, she rummaged through a few of the books, trying to pick up on anything useful. "Try and help me look for anything that might actually be readable…We need to know who we are dealing with,"
Looking around slowly, he'd give a small nod. Whoever rigged this place up was very impressive in their work. It'd take a lot of effort to put that many traps out there for someone to have to go through. Following Rebeka's lead, he'd start checking that area. The first check is of course for a trap, then he'd start poking around to see if he could find anything worth actually reading. They were after something here for sure, so his attention, other than on traps, was still to be alert for anyone coming their way.
Soujiro would take note of the various elaborate works within the cavern. He couldnt help but to get a cold chill that if whoever was clever and crafty enough to rig these, that they might still be here. He also figured that they wouldnt be too happy having uninvited guests either. It was at that moment that the Chuunin girl snapped him out of his thoughts. As he watched Rebekah and Ataru search the area, Soujiro put his hands up. "No way. You guys go ahead but im not going to be the reason why another trap is triggered. You two weren't blasted in the air earlier. My bum is still hurting from that." He says as he reached back to rub his backside.
There were quite a few misshaps within the area, Rebeka was looking through things but didn't quite find anything in general, if anything she simpy shook her head about let otu a sigh, a few symbols…Something that spoke about the "Reclue" but other than that there was nothing… No membership lists, no money… " This place is cleaned out…" Rebeka spoke out with a tired sigh. Ataru would find nothing, actually the area he was looking through was filled with tacks as he swept through the pages, perhaps prickling lightly against his hand but nothing too serious for someone as strong as him… Soujiro though would notice something, while he was idle there seemed to be s lightly worn scroll down the room, and a body, blooded and decaying, wrapped up in cloth… "Reclue…do you guys see anything about that?"
"I'm findin nothin. Sorry Rebeka-san." He'd stop to be even more careful in his search with the tacks. The last thing he needs is some poison left behind to take him out. Giving up on his search there, he'd look around one last time before glancing at Soujiro. "yo mate, ya able ta find anythin around here? Or are we a total bust fer the area, huh?"
Rebeka blinked for a moment, taking a look at the broken body from afar. " Good work, " She states waving for the others to move forward, it was the she spotted something in the corner of the room, the dead corpose with something wrapped within his hands, was it a scroll? It must have been somethng anyways, she peaks forward and looks over the man for a moment, " Looks like he was burned alive.. Or whatever this situation is…" She sighed and shook her head, there wasn't any other leads to follow other than this scroll… " It looks a little odd though doesn't it?" Rebeka tilted her head and looked around once last time, " You guys are careful with your hands… mind removing this scroll from him?
"Careful?" Blinks, Ataru looks at his hands, then over at Rebeka. Shaking his head, he'd glance at Soujiro with a shrug before looking to the scroll. "Right.. I can fake it at least." Moving over to the dead body, being extremely careful of his surroundings so as to not set off any further traps, he'd take his time studying the body, verifying that there is nothing set to blow up in his face off of this attempt to recover the scroll from the corpse. Hopefully, he should be good enough to avoid any damage to the scroll, or himself.
Soujiro laughs. "Ataru careful with his hands? You haven't seen this guy in action." He says rubbing his face with memories of Ataru beating him in past "training" sessions. The teenage boy folds his arms across his chest and watches as they poke at the dead corpse for further clues. "Don't be afraid of it, Ataru. He won't bite. Hey, give him a kiss." Soujiro giggles. "I dare you, Ataru." His giggles evolve into full on laughter. "If you won't kiss him at least dance with him!"
Soujiro wouldn't find anything, But Rebeka soon did, as they both examined the body Rebeka's hands began to light up, very slightly, she was performing a very light autopsy, bouncing her chakra through the decayed corpse only to suddenly curse and force away her hands. " Hey! Stay quiet, theres no time for this!" Rebeka commanded Soujiro, she narrowed her eyes down slightly then points to Atsuro. "There his a seal, somewhere in this body, but if you are a quick taijutsu expert like the mission log stated, this should be easy to recover," Rebeka orders with a light smile, taking a few steps back, " Come on loud mouth, we need to see what happens next…" she directed to Soujiro
Great, now the report said he was a taijutsu expert. Making a face, he'd sigh softly. Waiting until the others were away, Ataru would focus himself. Grab the scroll, get away before it can go off. That aura of power surrounded him as he'd center in his chakra and then with that blinding move, plant one hand on the scroll, the other literally picking up and chucking the body off to the side away from everyone and pulling both him and the scroll with that chakra enhanced leap to dodge back towards the other two.
"Come on where?" Soujiro asks with a raised eyebrow after his laughter would die down. "I havent moved since we first got here." He then looks over to Ataru. "Hey, Ataru…if you blow us up, im going to haunt you in the afterlife." For now the boy would just stand and watch what happens next.
Everything seemed to work quite easily, with scroll in hand Ataru was virtually unscaved, however the body is thrown against one of the walls, exploding into a puddle of acid which inevitably begins to eat away at the walls, removing a secretly lair behind it, though what was to happen next was going to be a true treat for the both of them. A giant dog, about 8'7 towered high above them withni the cave, black, eyes a bright golden hue, drool drizzling down down and exposing its fangs to the group, it looked like a ninken, from Konohagakure but it was rabidfied, crazy and deillusional, "GRAWWWW" The ninken exclaims, shaking the cave in its wake, causing rubble to fall from the ceiling, unfortunately one nailed
Rebeka right on her head, knocking her clean out cold to leave Soujiro and Ataru face to face with this dog demon. It stretched forward, some acid pouring on its body but it attacked, bringing its calls down on both Ataru and Soujiro, attempting to cut into their flesh.
Ataru moved, cursing silently as Rebeka was knocked out, he'd scoop her up and with a bodily shove, take all three of them out of the initial range of attacks by the dodge. A gouge of the canine's strike caught his leg, having him hiss in pain as they'd slide to a stop. Resting Rebeka on the ground, he'd stare at Soujiro, his normal demeanor completely changed. "Watch her, hai?"
Turning, Ataru stared at the dodg, slowly walking back towards him. "Ya have one chance.. We can get ya help, I dun want ta hurt ya, but I will if I gotta. Calm down, let's getcha back home and help patch ya up.. hai?" Ataru put himself between the two he was defending and the nin, hands in that guard as he was ready, but maybe it wasn't too far gone as to understand.
Soujiro didn't think anything of the body hitting the wall until he saw a passage way appear due to the acid flowing from the body. When the dog appeared, the boy's eyes widened. "You've. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me." He says in amazement at the sight of this fiend. As the beast let out a roar, Soujiro shieled himself from the falling debris. Before he knew it he was being swept away from where he previously stood. Looking over his shoulder he realized Ataru was the one to be thanked for that. However, at that moment he watched his friend get slashed by the creature's claws. After being set down he looked over and saw that Rebekah had been hurt. The situation had escalated very quickly and Soujiro was left with taking care of a wounded shinobi while watching his friend comfront the beast head on.
Was Ataru really trying to talk down a crazed, battle ninken, it seethed through the teeth, sniffing at the man who seemed to want to confront the beast, it didn't cause it to back down though only made it even wilder especially with the taste of blood on its lips. With a slight dismissing grunt it roared again, leaping down upon Ataru to push him directly into the ground and lastly aiming its jaws to the mans chest, bitting nd mauling into any flesh it may have been able to pick up… Rebeka was still quite out cold, her cheeks had turned cold, though it was obvious her vitals were okay.
Ataru was fast. Faster than the dog probably realized. As it'd go to pin him down, he moved, a dodge to the side that put his back at the wall. As it'd snap at him again, he pushed off, leaving his own indent in the wall as he lept into the air above it. Coming down at it's head, that heavy blast of chakra was just behind a solid punch. "I said HEEL!" That attempt to knock it senseless was followed with a double kick at it's chest. Pushing it back and down as he'd once again resume his stance of guarding the others. "Calm down! I can help you, but you will NOT push me around."
On the outside Soujiro looked as if he was in shock, on the inside? Well inwardly he was scared for his life. He watched as his friend and the beast from hell battled in front of him. He looks down to check on the girl and noticed the color fading from her face. He rested the back of his hand against her cheeks to feel her temperature. Something his mom would always do as he grew up. She was cold to the touch which made sense considering this place was an underground cave. "Damnit girl. You're going to make me take my jacket off after yelling at me the whole time?" He says in annoyance but has an underlying hint of concern. Shedding his vest from his now bare upper body, he laid the heavy thing on top of her chest and did his best to tuck her arms in it as well.
The ninken was stunned and smacked back away from the group, power driving it into the walling of the cave, it lets out a confused huff, though surprisingly enough it still has quite a lot of fight within it. With another growl it surged forward once again, in a bizzare sense of rage it begins to lash out, a double strike of its claws going for Ataru but then it changes targets, quickly going for the smaller and perhaps weaker member of the party, it slams down towards Soujiro, using the same rage to slice him with a double barrage of quick slashs, aiming to maim and rip him to shreds….
Ataru moved again at that series of slashes. As it'd go to attack Soujiro, he shook his head. "No you don't!" Both arms came up in that block, feet planted as he bodily stopped one strike from reaching Soujiro by digging in and stopping that leg. However, he was off center, so didn't get a chance to stop that other strike. His chakra flaring again, he'd pull back a hand to slam it into the side of that leg, not aiming to break it, but still a solid hit. "I said HEEL!!" Following that up with a spin, he'd snap out that other arm at the dog's head, trying to knock it back away from them again. "If I have to knock you out, to help you, I will. Please, calm down.. We are not your enemy, you're safe now.. Calm down, please.."
Soujiro's eyes widen as he sees the beast come towards him now. He looks down at Rebekah then back up at the situation unfolding in front of him. As if it time slowed down, the teenager stopped thinking and just felt his surroundings. It was as if something was guiding him as he performed a series of hand seals that he had learned but thought he had forgotten a long time ago. "Earthern Style: Earth Barrier!" He would call out as he slammed his palm to the ground.
His body pulsed and for a moment he felt as though he was one with his surroundings of the cave. Ataru and the animal was in his vision but Soujiro wasn't paying any mind to them. What he was focused on was the ground three feet in front of him shook, then slowly formed into a hill, then into a slab of rock that continue rising. However, it didn't even make it a foot high before he felt the the impact of the beast's claws rake across his chest and send him tumbling backwards. After a moment or two he was slow to get up but he managed to get to his knees with a groan. Wincing at the battle in front of him, he took his hand and covered his bare chest where there was now blood dribbling from three slash marks.
No words were getting through to the ninken, it was still in its crazed rabid state and maintaining its offense in terms of slashing with its claws, hopefully not infectious. With its own claws coated in blood it attempted to derail Ataru's attacks, smacking away at the physical attacks only to be pushed back from the force of the attack, the beast seemed relentless however, and certainly didn't seem to be giving up any time soon… Once more though it leaps at Ataru, rumbling the cave as more rocks began to fall, almost as if part of the foundation had been rocked due to all the movement, the ninken struck with great spead, a triple slash aimed for Ataru's torso while also moving over the remainder of what was left of Soujiro's rocky hill, applying leaning down to maul him with a single chakra enforced bite.
Once again Ataru moved, he managed to get out of the way with that chakra burst, skidding to a stop at the bottom of that hill as both arms came up, blocking that attack to Soujiro as he'd stare the nin eye to eye. "He is not your enemy. I am not your enemy. Stop." Leaning back with that wind up, he'd snap his head forward, head butting the nin in the face with that surge of chakra, going to stun it as he'd pick it up by those back paws to throw it off towards the back. "Soujiro, pick up Rebeka and run, now." A glance was given his way, as Ataru put himself in the way once again between the two and the Ninken. "Watch the traps, hai?"
Soujiro ducks his head as he sees the beast come towards him yet again. After a moment or two, he raises his head up when he notices that he had not been sent flying to a wall or stabbed by a pair of claws. He gives Ataru a nod when he issues him orders to get Rebeka and him out of there. Turning to scoop her up, he looks back at Ataru one last time then begins making his way out the same way they had came in with the shinobi girl in his arms.
The fight was becoming a grotesque battle between Man and Beast. The ninken had tasted too much blood at this point, it was blinded by whatever was injected within it system and the sudden bloodlust, which was unusual for any well trained ninken, stiill it ripped through the attacks, forcing its way right upon Ataru in a blind assault of rage, as he came in for the punch the Ninken struck back with a whirling barrage of claw swipes, slashing right into his hand, though the fast paced attacks knocked the Ninken back, it was ozzing blood, badly bruised but it had not yet felt the need to become tired, it grinned and seethed, it felt like it had an advantage over Ataru… Soujiro on the other hand wasn't entire too lucky, though Rebeka easily rested in his grasp his steps weren't so smooth and suddenly another explosive tag goes off, followed by an instant chain reactio which began to settle throughout the entire cave, Soujiro was okay but Ataru… The explosions rip throughout the entire cave, even the ninken was caught off guard caught in the massive explosion and becoming buried under the debris…. The whole cave seemed to be collapsing, they needed to get out quickly… If the cave didn't swallow them, surely the Ninken will finish what it started.
Ataru curses as the dog tears into his arm, shaking his head as it'd get through, but he still managed to push it back, Panting softly, the series of explosions rocked his stance, however it didn't slow him down as he'd move, dodging away from the debris coming down at him. With the others ahead of him, Ataru would be daring. That rubble that hit the Ninken would be thrown aside, chakra coursing through him to give him that strength, once it was uncovered, he'd pick up the dodge and rush out. An eye was kept for any further potential traps, but he wasn't going to leave anyone behind, including the Ninken to that cave's collapse.
As Soujiro makes his way through the cavern he triggers an explosive tag. However, by the time the hissing of the tag catches his attention he is left with little time to act. In one fluid move, he turns his body with his back turned towards he tag and kneels down so that he can block the brunt of the blast from Rebeka. The explosion races up the boy's back which causes him to let out a cry of agony. The flash from the explosion died down and left Soujiro kneeling over Rebeka's body in a cloud of smoke, wincing in pain. His breathing was rapid and a tear rolls down the side of his cheek. His back was blackened with a few streaks of of his flesh singed off.
Soujiro lifted his head as he panted in the direction of multiple explosions. It didn't take him long to realize he had set off not one trap, but a trap to set off multiple traps. He felt the cavern begin to shake and noticed pebbles and rocks begin falling from the ceiling. Gritting his teeth through the pain, the teenage boy picked Rebeka back up and limped towards the exit as quickly as his battered body would allow him.
The whole cave system was on the verge of collapsing, small rocks, large rocks, massive sized rocks, everthing came tumbling down, smashing up any other evidence that might be around, still the main scroll was save with Ataru, and the ninken he dragged along, though attempted to force away from his grasp needless to say was quickly begining to tone down, especially with its own life in danger.. All that was left now as avoiding the rocks on the way out, but even that was going to be a difficult task to follow…Rebeka began to squirm lightly in Soujiro's gripe, she coughed and wheezed before finally opening her eyes to see Soujiro, " huh…whats going on?" the woman asked curiously, blinking idly , of course all she could really see was the slight illumination in soujiro's eyes, and and the darkness of the night from the cave entrance onforward.
Gritting his teeth, Ataru poured on the speed, his chakra starting to get low as he pushed himself onward. As he'd catch up to Soujiro who was having to deal with those rocks, that grip on the Ninken shifted so that he'd hold onto it with one arm and scoop up Soujiro and Rebeka in a crushing grip in the other and pressing himself to that max, get them all out of the cave. Of course, there was still some debris coming down at them from the roof, so it'd be hard for him to stop all of it from hitting Soujiro, although he tried his best to keep his student safe. Once outside, he'd all but collapse, panting heavily as Ninken and Soujiro with Rebeka was all put down on the ground.
Soujiro glanced down at Rebeka as he felt her move a little. "I'm getting us out of here." He winced. Suddenly a boulder comes crashing down from the ceiling just in front of him. He managed to stop just before he was crushed. However, as he backed up away from it another boulder fell on top of his back leg at just the right moment. The boy cried out in pain as he hit the floor along with Rebeka. There was no doubt that his leg was broken under the boulder. At that moment it was his turn to black out and the world around him began to blur until there was nothing…
