Starring:
Soren, Yuuki
Date: April 24, 2015
Summary:
Soren gets some good old bodyguard work, and asks Yuuki to be his backup. Of course this means that there has to be an attack.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Pairing off"
Near the border of the land of hot water, within the land of fire
Soren had gotten a mission request, and after a bit of coaxing, was convinced to accept. The request was to provide protection to a nobles daughter from the land of Hot Water, while she visited relatives in the land of Fire. With recent increases in bandit activity, this noble had been concerned, and being an old aquaitance of Soren's, it was natural that he would request someone he trusted. Naturally Soren requested some aid on the mission, namely from Yuuki. Her Byakugan would be a fantastic help for detecting threats, and he felt like it would be a good experience for her over all. A nice confidence builder.
It was just before midday as they approached the land of Hot Water border, and Soren smiled over towards Yuuki as they walked. Ayame rode on his shoulder, and she just grinned nice and wide when they approached. "So Asa-san's daughter, huh? Why isn't he coming with her himself?"
"Ex wife." Soren quipped, grinning up towards the fox. "Kiyomi is visiting her mother and aunt, who are currently living in the Land of Fire. Asakura-san isn't going to go near them. Messy breakup." he winked. He turned towards Yuuki. "Poisons were involved." he said with a smile.
Yuuki wore a black t-shirt and pants under a chuunin vest with the mark of the Hyuga on her back. Her hitai-ate was on her forehead as usual and her thigh was strapped with a kunai holster. She was hesitant for most of the trip, more comfortable than she had been around Soren before, but still quiet over all. As Soren announced that they were reaching the border, though her demeanor shifted and she carried herself with her head up, more regally like a noble herself. (which, admittedly she was by birth, though she had been stripped of that) She blinked at the admission that there had been poison involved in a breakup of a noble family then sighed and nodded her head. Typical from what she had heard about the outside world's nobles. Especially when women were involved.
Soren didn't stiffen. But he did take a breath. In and out. Then he had this cocky grin on his mug, that seemed like it could be perpetual.
It's a good thing they had both gotten into mission mode too, because coming around the bend was a girl, certainly not much passed 16, and two guardsman, each of them wearing masks. The girl was maybe 5 feet tall, probably a bit shorter, with pitch for hair, wrapped and held up with a pair of pins. She wore a pink T, and a set of sky blue pants built for riding. Pale complexion, and piercing brown eyes. Each of the guards wore a basic set of clothing very similair to Konoha ninja, except with a bit more padding around the arms, and a hood attached directly to their chest armor. It was almost impossible to tell any details of them directly, as every inch of their skin was hidden from view, but they each heald a spear in one hand, and the other arm was armored, almost as if to act as a light shield.
"Yuuki-chan, This is Asakura Kiyomi, daughter of Asakura Hachiro, noble of the Land of Hot Water, and a personal friend of mine." he says, rubbing Ayame's head a bit.
"Soren-Ojiisan!" Kiyomi yelled and waved, as she stood up in her sadle, only for one of her handlers to scold her under earshot, and she sits down, pouting a bit. When they get just a bit closer, she bows in her saddle. "Father sends his regards. Ah! You've brought reinforcements? That's not like you at all~" she says, grinning a bit, obviously teasing.
Soren bolsters his cheeky dickwaffle grin, and shakes his head. "Hey, I'm awesome, I'm not -that- awesome, and who are you calling old man!?"
The young woman, nodded for a moment, and extended a handshake towards Yuuki. "It's a pleasure to meet you.
\ %R%T Yuuki blinked at the offered handshake accepting it hesitantly, but immediately following it with a formal bow. "Hyuga Yuuki. It's my pleasure, My Lady." Yuuki watched the two exchange greetings quietly. It was clear they had known eachother for quite some time. In contrast to how long Yuuki had known Soren… She lookked at the guards, tilting her head a bit but then ended up quietly standing by as Soren greeted the girl. Yuuki was already looking around with her Byakugan activated, making sure they were not being followed and such. Compared to Soren that was all she could do really.
Kiyomi smiled happily as she shook Yuuki's hand, beaming for a moment. "Oh, no, please, call me Kiyo. Soren refuses to, but that's what everyone else calls me." she says with a big grin. "I'm still angry, daddy wouldn't let me leave these two behind. It's frustrating, he's always just too protective, you know?" she asks with a smile. "Ah, look at me, I havn't let you speak yet! Any friend of Soren's, is a friend of mine!" she states with a bright, happy grin.
Soren smiled just a bit, and continued to talk with the 'princess' for a moment longer while Yuuki glanced about.
Indeed there were a few men following, dressed in Identical garb to the two guards. 4 of them, at points surrounding them, each one seeming to focus away from her, keeping watch almost. Beyond them, there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary yet.
Yuuki turned back to Soren, not relaxing the Byakugan just yet, wanting to stay aware. She offered a small smiile to Kiyomi and bowed again then leaned in as if to whisper girl's secrets to her, women had a code after all. But instead she whispered a question to the girl. "How many guards did your father send with you, Kiyo-sama?" She grinned as if she had just admitted to liking one of the guys in Konoha or soemthing. Yuuki could be quite tricky if given a reason to be. And if those guards weren't with Kiyomi….. Well then they were already surrounded…..
Kiyo grinned, and shook her head. "Oh, why do you ask?"
Both of the guards suddenly looked at each other, before becoming a bit fidgety.
Then it dawned on Kiyo. "He had us followed didn't he!" she yelled at her handlers.
And now the guards took a slight step off to each side. "Ah-uh… yes, Kiyo-sama. He felt that the two of us would be insufficient until Soren-sama and Yuuki-sama arrived."
Soren grinned and snickered just a bit, smacking his own cheek. "Oh, he's going to regret that when Kiyo gets home." he snickered. If Yuuki was careful, however, she would notice one of the point guards suddenly tumbling down an arrow blooming from his chest.
Yuuki listened as the guards admitted to having brought more men than the princess knew about. It was good to know that the guards were Kiyo's….. And then she saw the man fall with the arrow in his chest. Immediately Yuuki leapt forward, half tackling, half dragging Kiyo to the ground with her, just in time it seemed to save her from an enemy arrow. Yuuki turned to Soren. "Incomming attack!" Turning to Kiyo, Yuuki spoke quickly, seriously, her expression completely different than she had shown the princess thusfar. "Keep your head down, Hime-sama." She slipped from her chuunin vest andquickly pulled it onto Kiyo instead. It was padded and might help protect from arrows. "Head for the trees. They'll have a harder time hitting us there."
Indeed Yuuki rescued Kiyomi from an arrow! Or did she? The arrow slammed into one of her guards chest, and without the warning, would have passed just over Kiyomi's shoulder, and pierced him through the heart, but as it was, he had enough warning to only take it to arm instead. Soren twisted in the direction of the barrage, flipping his wrist up, and batting one arrow out of the air with his prosthetic. Then the arrows stopped.
Kiyo tumbled to the ground, looking rather surprised, as Yuukipulled her chuunin vest over the girls head. She looked at Yuuki, and nodded, starting to move towards the tree line as quickly as she was told.
Soren glanced at Yuuki, his chakra starting to flare around him, readying to do his job.
Yuuki saw the arrow strike the guard as she got Kiyo moviing toward the trees, her byakugan active and searching, looking for a safe path out… Then.. The arrows stopped… Yuuki turned, lookng around them with her pale eyes. veins showing at her temples and cheeks as she utilized her kekkei genkai. Still, she was covering Kiyo with her body….. But why did they stop? "What do you want?" She called out… Hoping Soren was ready to act, hoping that she was buying them time….
Soren glanced around, looking alert as can be. He grinned. "Maybe you scared them off?" he said with another small grin.
Indeed, no more shots came… for now atleast. But it seemed as though all but the guards immidiately next to Soren, Yuuki, and Kiyomi had been killed, each of them with a single well placed arrow from what looked to be incredible range. Soren glanced at Yuuki, and lifted a brow. "What do you think we should do? We might be able to track them down…" he says, before glancing at Kiyomi, his head going back to a swivel. "You aren't hurt, are you Yuuki?" he asked carefully.
Yuuki turned her eyes over the trees again and shook her head slowly. Soren's question made her blink a few times, as if confused, then she firmed up again. "No I am not hurt. We do not seem to have been the ones targeted… yet." She looked to Kiyo and then back to Soren. "We cannot allow their deaths be for nothing. We will get Kiyomi-hime to safety."
Soren nods. He glanced at Kiyomi, and mulled it over in his head. "Ok… two options. Either I'll take Kiyomi and run ahead, leaving you to cover our escape, or we reverse it." he says, another arrow streaking from a completely different direction, Soren just barely shifting away from it in time, leavin a nice tear in the shoulder of his clothes.
Yuuki ducked and glanced back as the arrow cut into Soren's shirt. She frowned and shook her head carefully weighing the situation. After a moment of watching Kiyo-hime, Yuuki couldn't help but send her away with someone familiar. "You take her, get her out and Ill cover your escape." It was simply said and there would be no arguments.Yuuki was the ranking officer here, and the lives of these two were in her hands. She would keep them alive no matter the cost. "Go." She turned and took the chuunin vest from Kiyo again, pulling it up to cover her head and hair… as well as her identity. Leaping out she headed in the opposite direction Kiyo and Soren shoudl be moving, trying to look and run like an injured princess….
All channels have been gagged.
Soren nodded. "I'll get her to safety…" he says nodding. But before he goes, he bites his thumb, his hand waving through several seals, before pressing his hand to the ground. "Kuchiyose no jutsu." And after a moment, Ayame stood next to him. "Ayame… take care of Yuuki… keep her safe…" he says, before flickering back to Kiyomi, snatching her, and taking off. Not another word uttered.
Certainly Soren and Kiyomi had gotten away, right? By this point they had to have gotten away. Arrows continued to fly at Yuuki occaisionally, any time she seemed to slow, really. But eventually, she would be able to come to a stop, and the forest would be -dead silent-.
The woman sighed under her breath, a mask pulled up over her face. This was getting boring. She had 4 more arrows in her fingers, ready to fire, as she hung from the tree branch. She seemed to be doing an exceptional job of hiding her chakra, but at closer glance, her clothes were actually helping obscure her chakra even more. Were they somehow enhanced with seals? Either way, Yuuki finally caught a glance of her, as she adjusted her quiver, before she started fading between the trees again.
«FOX» Soren says, "note; she's approaching."
Yuuki slowed as the arrows lessened, looking around, certain that something was either wrong or about to fall on her head…. The veins in her face tensed and she looked around with her Byakugan…. And spotted a woman with bow in hand. It was a fleeting glimpse at first but Yuuki did her best to keep the woman in sight, immediately heading for that location. She was prepared to take ana rrow if that meant she could take the woman down with her….
No actuall Arrows came. The woman perked her brow as Yuuki charged her, and simply jumped to a higher branch, finding a nice place to sit. When Yuuki came within range of her hearing, a voice rang out through the trees. "So'd Lord Asa-whatzitz hire you and that other guy?" she asked openly, stowing her bow for a moment, looking down at the other charging woman.
«FOX» Soren says, "Yes, I know. There's a reason she's talking. XD"
Yuuki slowed, eyes on the woman above her, but she only paused a moment before walking up the tree so they were level with eachother. "You could say that. Why are you trying to kill the girl?" She kept her steady and her cool, her pale eyes watching every move the woman made….
GAME: Save complete.
The woman grinned behind that mask, looking at Yuuki after a long moment. "For having such ~pretty~ eyes, you don't see much do you? That arrow wasn't meant for her. It was meant for the guy -behind- her. Sure she would've been clipped, but what better way to scare her on her way than to inflict a little damage?" The woman looked at Yuuki, and stook. She was actually just a little shorter than Yuuki standing. "My turn~ What are you doing here? She was only supposed to have a handful of guards… I can't imagine her father would go all out for a skilled shinobi bodyguard team. Not for a visit to her mothers." It seemed this woman knew very well what she was intruding on today.
Yuuki narrowed her 'pretty' eyes for a moment then tilted her head, seeming to ponder for a moment. "Then if your target was not the princess, but rather her guards…" She shook her head and prepared to move if she had to. "Tell me your objective." Were the guards traitors perhaps? Or was there value in scaring the girl herself? Soren should be wll away by now with the princess.. She could buy time if nothing else…
The woman harumphed. "You didn't answer my question… why should I answer yours?" she asked with a grin. "Oh, don't worry your pretty little head at all~ All you need to know, is that we've done our job~ Assuming your little boyfriend doesn't do anything rash, my partner should leave him with with minimal harrasment." she says, looking Yuuki dead in the eyes.
For a moment hesitation and feaar flashed in the chuunin's pale eyes. She grit her teeth and took a deep breath before she finally seemed to relax and get control again. Opening herr eyes she shook her head. "Yes we were hired by her father. Or rather I was. My friend is not shinobi." Technicly true! She looked back toward where she thought they would be. "Why would you want to kill guards?"
The woman grinned wide. Then a blast erupted from down the path. "Woo~ Looks like your boyfriend di something stu-"
And then another.
"…" she turned, blinking a couple times. "Huh…"
And another.
"Well…" The woman looked equal parts surprised and perturbed. "For not being a shinobi, he's holding up pretty well. Not many who can survive one hit from him… much less a second."
One more blast. "… or third…"
Yuuki watched the woman as the first explosion sounded… The first comments turned into a running commentary… As the third explosion sounded Yuuki couldn't help but smirk lightly. "You were saying? Now, why don't you tell me why you were hired to kill guards…."
She smirked. "Well… assuming your boyfriend is still ali-" *Boom* "… still alive, if quite rude, I'll admit… I don't particularly like working for me dinner~" he says with a smirk. "Agree to let my partner and I leave, and I will tell you." *Boom* "Who knows, your boyfriend might not survive too many more of those attacks~" she says with a small grin.
For a moment hesitation and feaar flashed in the chuunin's pale eyes. She grit her teeth and took a deep breath before she finally seemed to relax and get control again. Opening herr eyes she shook her head. "Yes we were hired by her father. Or rather I was. My friend is not shinobi." Technicly true! She looked back toward where she thought they would be. "Why would you want to kill guards?"
The woman grinned wide. Then a blast erupted from down the path. "Woo~ Looks like your boyfriend di something stu-"
And then another.
"…" she turned, blinking a couple times. "Huh…"
And another.
"Well…" The woman looked equal parts surprised and perturbed. "For not being a shinobi, he's holding up pretty well. Not many who can survive one hit from him… much less a second."
One more blast. "… or third…"
Yuuki watched the woman as the first explosion sounded… The first comments turned into a running commentary… As the third explosion sounded Yuuki couldn't help but smirk lightly. "You were saying? Now, why don't you tell me why you were hired to kill guards…."
She smirked. "Well… assuming your boyfriend is still ali-" *Boom* "… still alive, if quite rude, I'll admit… I don't particularly like working for me dinner~" he says with a smirk. "Agree to let my partner and I leave, and I will tell you." *Boom* "Who knows, your boyfriend might not survive too many more of those attacks~" she says with a small grin.
Yuuki frowned. She disliked the idea of letting the woman go, but she was on a mission to see the princess to safety not to catch this lot and her friend. And she was quite right in a way.. Soren might not be able to keep that up.. it sounded serious. "Fine. Leave, give up your mission and tell me exactly whats going on here and, well, I can't stop everyone at once. You got away."
The woman grinned. "Oh, no worries, my dear. We've already done what we came to do. Her father's 'personal guard' have been slaughtered to the man, and she has no doubt been terrified out of her mind." she smiled and tilted her head. "Thank you though, you have proven -most- gracious." she says with a simple dip of her head.
<Public> Kinda skishy Soren punts Hige. e.e
Yuuki scowled, but simply turned on her foot, heading straight for Soren and Kyo's location. She opened up her eyes, activated byakugan and followed the trail, kunai ready if she needed it…
The woman followed just a step behind Yuuki.
*BOOM* Another blast. It didn't take more than a couple minutes for them to come within Yuuki's Byakugan range. It was an impressive sight. Kyo has found a nice place to hide behind a particularly large tree, whilest Soren and another man, about 6'3" duked it out. The man stood, brandishing a beaten, worn in breastplate, and heavy armored gauntlets, greaves covering his legs to match. Closer inspection would show he and Soren using very similair techniques. The man in full plate using chakra metal guantlets to generate massive blasts of chakra, while Soren focused his through his prosthetic hand. Both of them seemed pretty beaten.
The Brawler roared, and charged in, massive fists of chakra coming together and slamming down onto Soren, who blocks similairly, using his Armored Chakra technique, letting out a massive crash, echoing through the forest.
Yuuki leapt down and winced, turning to the side as the crashing of the two men colliding resounded. Looking up she looked between them, waited then leapt forward trying to nail a few tenketsu while she was at it ont he brawler. Then she called out. "ENOUGH! You've done your job now leave." Turning back toward the woman who had followed, Yuuki gave her a look like 'call off your dog'.
The brawler took the couple hits, the chakra running down his left side ceasing. He glanced down, then at the woman who just poked him, and his face turned beet red. He spat out a curse, before being curtly cutoff.
"Tetsu! We've done our job… we're to leave now." the archer spoke, her voice stern, then slipping into a more sultry tone. "Quickly, before the kind woman changes her mind." she says, smiling.
He glared up at her, then at Soren. He grinned, smiling through bloodied teeth. "Next time scrawny."
Soren seemed to have taken a few solid hits square to the face aswell. Bloodied nose, his mouth was bleeding just a bit. A gashed brow. "Oh, any time scrawny~" Soren says, grinning. He spared a glance at Yuuki, lifting a brow.
Kiyomi peeked out from behind the tree, terror on her face.
Yuuki narrowed her eyes dangerously at the brawler but merely allowed them to leave. She watched them silently, broodingly until they were well out of her sight. Then she sighed and let her eyes relax as she went to Kiyomi's side, checking her over. Obviously there was nothing wrong with her but she checked anyway. Then she turned to Soren as she wrapped an arm around Kiyomi, unsure if she should say anything or not, but there was a look of pain on her face. "Are.. are you both… alright?"
The pair wandered away slowly, the archer very nearly needing to drag the brawler away, but they do leave.
Soren spits a bit of blood onto the ground, wiping his chin, before glancing back at Yuuki. He looked like hell, but it seemed atleast, like he had given as good as he got. "I'll be ok. I take it you scared them off with stories of my awesomeness?" he asked with a small grin. He walked a bit closer, a faint limp noticable on his right side.
Kiyomi looked absolutely shaken, as she hugged into Yuuki's side. "Yeah… yeah… I'm fine… my duo… he… and Soren… they… they…" she shook in Yuuki's arm. "My duo…"
And by the look of the landscape, the two warriors had quite the tiff.
Yuuki rubbed Kiyomi's back gently. "it's alright and you're in no further danger." She looked up at Soren, her eyes flickering over his apparent wounds. The Hyuga looked upset by the injuries Soren had sustained but was equally torn by the fact Kiyomi was there. No need to upset the girl further. She frowned as she tried to soothe the girl. "Soren-san… They achieved thier mission. They didn't mean to kill Kiyomi-hime." A glance down at the girl amde Yuuki blink. "Soren-san is pretty serious when he fights, huh? It's okay. You're safe."
Soren blinked, lifting a brow, as he knelt down infront of the two of them. "If that's the case… then we may wish to head back to Kiyomi's father. It's closer to his residence than to her mothers." he says, stroking his chin a bit, as he reached back, summoning a basic firstaid kit from one of his sealed pouches, starting to bandage himself up, particularly tending to that gashed brow.
Soren blinked, lifting a brow, as he knelt down infront of the two of them. "If that's the case… then we may wish to head back to Kiyomi's father. It's closer to his residence than to her mothers." he says, stroking his chin a bit, as he reached back, summoning a basic firstaid kit from one of his sealed pouches, starting to bandage himself up, particularly tending to that gashed brow.
Kiyomi nodded slowly. "Sorry… it's just… I've never seen a fight… not like that…" she looked at Soren, looking a bit awestruck. "I… I thought Ninja were sneaky… you two… you just hit each other…" she shook her head, shaking herself a bit. "I'm sorry… that… I always expected… if there was a ninja fight, I'd never see it. You'd be too busy hiding and attacking each other from the shadows, you know?" she spoke gingerly, just a hint of joking slipping out through the worry.
Yuuki patted Kiyomi on the back softly as Soren started bandaging himself. She shook her head softly and looked down at Kiyomi. "Well there are some who can fight like that but we're still human. We can only do so much." She sepaarated herself from the girl and moved over to Soren's side, taking his hand into hers and taking over the bandaging process. In the meantime she was whispering ot him so the girl wouldn't hear. "They were sent to kill the bodyguards. And to scare the princess. Sent by her father if they told the truth… I think her mother's is the best place for her." She hesitated and glanced down. "How is your leg?"
Yuuki patted Kiyomi on the back softly as Soren started bandaging himself. She shook her head softly and looked down at Kiyomi. "Well there are some who can fight like that but we're still human. We can only do so much." She sepaarated herself from the girl and moved over to Soren's side, taking his hand into hers and taking over the bandaging process. In the meantime she was whispering ot him so the girl wouldn't hear. "They were sent to kill the bodyguards. And to scare the princess. They knew she was comming and knew how many guards they had. I think her mother's is the best place for her." She hesitated and glanced down. "How is your leg?"
When Yuuki took his hand, then took over bandaging, he spared just a tiniest bit of a blush. Then glanced at her, not moving his head, only his eyes, and nodded slowly. "Hmmm… ok, we'll take her as quickly as we can then." he says with a nod, once she's finished bandaging his head. Yuuki's question of his leg got him to smile just a bit. "Don't worry about me. I've got much farther, on much worse." he says with a smile, reaching up, and patting her shoulder as reassuringly as he can.
Kiyomi nodded as Yuuki pulled away. She watched the two, and sat down, pulling her legs to her chest for a moment. She wasn't having a full blown panic attack… but she wasn't far off from it. "So… what's the plan…?" she asks carefully.
Yuuki finished up her work, looking tired and definitely stressed, but when Kiyomi turned to themm and asked what the plan was Yuuki smiled at her. "We're going to take you to your mother's quickly. I believe you will be safe there." Then she turned back to Soren and stood up, making a sweep of the surroundings with her eyes then motioning Kiyomi to stand and get ready to follow. "I'll take point. Then you, Hime-sama then Soren-san."
Soren nods. "Very well." he says with a nod. He glanced at Kiyomi, and smiled, rising and looking between the two.
Kiyomi nodded. "Ok. That sounds like a plan. Oh… it's… actually my Aunts house. My mother lives there with her, after she divorced my dad." she says, glancing at Yuuki. "Will you be alright?" she asked, a little concerned.
Soren smiled, walking back, and patting Kiyomi's head. "Relax, Yuuki's got this." he says, glancing at her, and smiling a bit, nodding."
Yuuki nodded back to Soren then took point, traveling along as quickly as Kiyomi could go without pushing the princess beyond her actual physical abilities. but they traveled quickly anyway. She kept glancing back to be sure Kiyomi and Soren were still keeping up as she went, nervous about something but trying to hide it.
Soren nodded. After Yuuki started on her way, Kiyomi followed after, and just a moment after Soren followed. When it became obvious Yuuki was slowing down for Kiyomi, Soren picked Kiyomi up, and carried her on their trail.
Lucky enough, though, the rest of the trip went without incident.
