Starring:
Jerle (Emitter), Satsukiyami, Onimitsu
Date: April 18, 2012
Summary:
With a hostage being interrogated the last time Team 10 plus one went out to investigate the arson in the forests surrounding Konoha. The information gathered from the individual revealed a location where the main group was held up, prompting officials to take action and recruit the ally Satsukiyami the water ninjutsuist to put out the flames. Deciding it's a great experience, he brings his student Onimitsu along for the show.
"UnNatural Disasters - Konoha: Raining on their parade pt. 1"
Northwest of Konoha, near the border of Takigakure and Kusagakure.
It's been well over a week since part of the forests that surround Konohagakure had succumbed to a fire. Leaving acres of the earth scorched, the thick and lush trees blackened and the animals that resided in that parts forced to flee from their homes. Though a few unfortunate ones weren't quick enough, caught up in the blaze and their carcasses left to rot or be eaten. Efforts to clean up and restore the forests to what it once was has been slow. With many people, villagers and shinobi alike, either being too busy or just uncaring to offer the little help required to do so. Be it planting a new tree or nursing an orphaned critter until it's able to fend for itself.
Despite the restoration process being slow, it would seem the investigations of who or what was behind the incident are moving along rather quickly. With just a few days ago team 10 plus one had already gone out to comb the area where the fire had happened. As luck would have had it, with two excellent trackers in the squad, they were quickly able to pick up a scent of individuals not too far away. Ambush the two men and bring one back in for interrogation. After all the information that was deemed necessary was siphoned from the man, plans were set in motion to prevent further incidents.
This of course being where Satsukiyami comes into plan. Knowing the individual was an expert in water manipulation, so far to the point of possibly having a sustained water clone for long periods of time. He was perfect for the job. As with the information gathered, it was only the right choice to hire an outside hand that could handle this delicate situation and remain virtually unharmed in the end. The man was a valuable ally to the Leaf and they were going to test these 'waters' today.
Quickly a sealed message was sent out to Satsukiyami, relaying the details of the event, the information gathered from the hostage and even a whereabouts to the 'groups' hideout. It's left open for the Water Specialist to handle the group however he wishes. Dead or Alive. So long as they no longer bother Konoha.
As his pale hand leans on the cane of the umbrella, the Kyoumen's eyes were narrow in the noon day sun. He had received the summons, he had his scroll as well. This was a perfect little trial for Onimitsu…his apprentice. He had summoned the man the moment he received his orders, and now he stood by the gate.
In his right hand, he still held the orders. He was still reviewing them, looking unconcerned due to the fact the location was mostly known. The aura of fearlessness was always on Satsukiyami though. He had nothing to fear from anything flame related…
Despite still being within the Land of Fire as soon as the summons had reached him, Onimitsu chose flight to speed things along. A gamble in more ways than one, but as luck would have it he pulled through without any major incidents along the way.
Just a conscious nagging at him for abandoning the twins with nothing more than a note being left behind. It distracted the former chuunin. Thus, he nearly plowed right through the younger(?) man upon touching down. "Kyo-Kyoumen-sensei!… I.. That is, this one apologizies for tardiness."
With the two gathered before the gates of Konoha, the only thing that remained was completing their assignment and ridding the forests of the arsonists. It was a task that was created with success in mind as no other back up plan had been formed as of yet. The hopes and safety of the village seemed to rest in the hands of Satsukiyami and his renowned fame. With plus one thrown into the equation, the chances of completion could only increase.
The orders that Satsukiyami held were rather clear and precise. Giving the exact location of the groups campsite as it was relayed to them from the hostage. From the gates, travel northwest several miles until reaching a clearing just before the bordering of Kusagakure and Takigakure. It is there where the suspected individuals might be.
Satsukiyami was already walking when Onimitsu finally arrived. He was quieter. That was only due to the fact he was focused on the goal. Whoever was doing this had been labelled mentally by Satsukiyami as 'terrorists.' He had motivation to stop that. He would look back to Onimitsu and wave for him to follow.
"We're heading northwest, we will travel fast and quiet. Someone has been burning the lands here recklessly in Konoha…I came here to stop it with my rain, but Konoha has hired me to find the individuals instead…Let's run."
Silence. The only thing in Onimitsu relatively short life that never meant anything good had or was to follow. So, he bowed his head even further out of dark mixture of shame and, strangely enough, fear for what the reprimand might be. However, curiosity started to gnaw at him too much as well to keep from risking a glance.
"Wu-wait a mo-moment sensei… Is that—" He cut himself off, wincing from the tone. "Ne.. nevermind.." He muttered, finally rising straight into a brief jog, then running and leaping (when necessary) following Satsukiyami's lead. Quiet as the elder man had suggested until a thought occured to him. "Wh-waht… *cough*… You never told…. *headshakes*….. Did they say what we could expect?"
Moving through the forest, the village quickly disappeared from view behind the two, leaving them surrounded by an endless landscape of green trees and shrubbery. Each twist and turn as they headed northwest toward their destination looking practically the same as the rest. Making navigation nigh impossible and getting disoriented all too easy for those less experienced.
Travel itself was relatively calm. The few noises of the area that could be heard would be the soft chirping of birds, the 'song' of a few grasshoppers trying to attract mates and the quiet chattering between Sensei and student. It seemed as though, soon enough, the two would be at the campsite in no time.
However, as the pair run through one section of the forest. That appears to be no different from the rest. Satsukiyami would spot a few odd shaped devices pinned to the trees. One nearby and another off in the distance. Onimitsu would only notice the one that is closer.
"Wait."
Satsukiyami would skid to a stop a ways away from the first object. He lands with one hand on the branch below him and the other raised high to show Onimitsu to stop. His eyes narrow, that definitely wasn't normal. Experience alone tells him that if it's foreign, it's dangerous. What they may be could be related to the fire? He would motion for Onimitsu to back off a small ways…before he'd do what comes natural during this time.
He forms a handseal, then raises one hand to the sky as that soft rain begins to fall…he spreads his rain over the entire area.
He's searching for any more points of chakra simply for security.
Onimitsu frowned and briefly closed his eye in dismissal of his next train of thoughts. They were sent on a suicide mission. Great…
Trees, Trees, and more Trees… It was official, Onimitsu truly missed the cold, confounding mist of his homeland over the endless waste of the Land of Wind's desert and the Land of Fire's dreadfully 'plain' landscape. At least, what was shown thus far in anycase. Nevertheless, he remaiend alert as he could on caught the faint image of the seal before the order forced a last minute sliding landing.
"Explosives?", He whispered just as the rain had started. Doubtless the work of his sensei but… it wouldn't be enough if what he had suspected was the 'real' point of the summoning. So, without question or command Onimitsu flashed through a short set of handseals and closed his eyes. Slowly but surely following the action, a thick mist started to surround them, but as a safety measure Onimitsu made sure that the curtian would spread out to the side first then circle back around sluggishly as if drift in from all sides as it was pushed forward. Unnatural perhaps, but a misleading trick for those expecting an army to drift out afterwards..
Naturally, he kept his eyes closed to help feel at those moving about it as well.
In a matter of seconds the area is drenched, hit by the downpour of chakra created rain. The thick foliage from the trees that hang above do little in regards of keeping it at bay. As the rain trickles down from the leaves and down the barks of the trees, slowly the ground softens up, turning from hardened earth to a light covering of mud. The tags that were pinned to the trees become soaked, absorbing each drop of water that comes into contact with it and a constant drip falls from the fuse that extends out one side of the tag.
Were any one nearby, close enough to witness the inexplicable rain in this hot August day, surely the two would be discovered. Though not ambushed, as the thick fog created from Onimitsu envelops the area. Covering and obscuring everything it comes into contact with. The creator of this jutsu wouldn't detect anything large, but there would be a few jerking movements from squirrels, birds and other critters fleeing for cover.
The very technique used to once assault Konoha and reveal it's weak points in the war was now being used to guard it. He maintained his focus only for a second longer before lowering his hand. The rain continued to fall, and slowly he began to move forward through the mist. He taught Onimitsu this technique after all, he moved through it without care as he leaped closer towards one of the boxes and kneels down.
"No one nearby, Oni. But keep your distance…"
Satsukiyami reaches out, placing his hand curiously on the device in an inspecting manner.
As always Onimitsu head kept twitching subtly in time with all that he picked up. Quick paced but unnatural movements for anything as large as a human or otherwise. "Critters.." He muttered darkly as his eye shifted open into narrow slits.
"Hnn?… Ah, as you wish sensei, but… we will have to act quickly however otherwise…" He needed not say more (hopefully) to get his point across; only follow after within a good five to eight meters away while keeping his senses half in tune with the mist readily. Just in case.
"What is it?"
Upon being touched, nothing happens. The device itself, when not activated, is relatively harmless. Inspection of the device would reveal a piece of paper with a seal inscribed on it and a damp fuse. Unless lit by a source of flames, it's basically a dud. Easily destroyed or stored away for later. Assuming it still works after taking water damage. The rest of the devices in the area could be found in the same condition, if looked for. Otherwise they might just dry out once the rain cleared.
Satsukiyami nods some, and immediately pulls the fuse out of the device and then pulls the paper free. He crumples it in his hand…and then draws it inside of his body. He leaps ahead, repeating the process with the other he saw.
"They're harmless for now like this. Come on, let's keep moving towards the clearing."
The Kyoumen would leap forward beginning to travel in his planned direction again…but now he lets his rain expand forward infront of him. The cloud would look like it's moving on the wind at least as he leaps from limb to limb.
Onimitsu narrowed his eye in suspicion at first, but nevertheless, curtly nodded before following along at a distance. Unlike the Kyoumen's own technique Onimitsu was forced to form a focusing seal both to build up his energy and to help push the mist even further. Too fast at first to be naturally but easily restrained at the cost of him slowing down a step or two physically.
Unfortunatly, dividing his focus /did/ also come with the price of slipping around a few times goofily but…. At least he recovered quickly? :)
Continuing northwest the false rain would be the first to reach the clearing. It revealed nothing to the wielder of this jutsu, but with each step forward eventually there would be several chakra presences detected. This would last for a handful of seconds before the sources suddenly disappeared.
When the two finally reached the edge of the forest and beginning of the clearing, the thick fog of the hidden mist would scour the area, obscuring them to those that might be out in front of them, but revealing enough for Sensei and student to see what awaits them.
Off in the distance, about the middle of the clearing are several tents that range from medium to larger sizes. It's not clear just how many people might actually be out there as the tents might just be set up for now, waiting for its occupants to return. There are also a couple pits, where bonfires would be lit were it darker or food being served. As it stands now they are filling up with the water from the rain.
As soon as the signatures went out, Satsukiyami knew whatever he sensed was taking cover from the rain. He didn't expect whatever it was to know they were effectively hiding from an ambush…but the moment that he sees the tents it's all he needed to know. He would stop, holding his hand up silently to Onimitsu. He would look over his shoulder back at his apprentice, nodding at him once. It was almost a standard practice for Satsukiyami now…
He would just look forward as his forehead begins to peel apart, and soon his body simply slices itself in two as rainwater falls into the gap…forming a second body from the other half. Two Kyoumen now kneeled watching the tents, pondering the best plan.
He would smile a bit to himself, the right one looking back towards Onimitsu.
"Any ideas before I simply just land in the middle and do my damage?"
"This looks to be it, and there are bodies inside."
"Too obvious." Onimitsu answered with a frown hinted in his voice. This was all too easy in more ways than one, especially given the 'weak' deterent the already bypassed earlier. No, something was definetly off about this entire situation, but what it was… there was no clear answer except caution.
"Whatever we've done and you do could put a quick end to this, but the smell of this isn't right." He explained with his head kept on a swivel while he searched in vain through the fog for movement, within and without. "Clones to spring the trap while we, er, one of you and this one root around the outskirts?" Onimitsu replied in as much as a whisper as he could.
"Mm…Who needs a clone, with me?"
Satsukiyami looked towards himself. Both eyes lock for a moment before they both nod.
"I'll go in with one body."
Immediately one Satsukiyami would leap forward towards the clearing. The one remaining would bring his hands up and form a handseal. From the rain itself…bodies would begin to quietly fall into place around the entire clearing. Satsukiyami was in fact using his Multiple Water Clones Technique…He's showing off already.
The decoy body approaches the tents, head and arms low as it creeps closer, aiming to come up behind the tent while the one in the rear kept down, his hands in a seal as it's clear he's focusing on maintaining the technique that keeps the good 50 clones prepared to strike from the tree-line.
He literally can be an army if need be.
Onimitsu sighed but dared not argue for the Kyoumen did have a point. Still, a part of him couldn't help but think as he watched one of his sensei move forward that the action was still reckless. That a weakness may be found to combat his immortality today.
"Yoshimitsu.." The sword needed no further proding; only the desire being passed along through their bond for its master to hold it, to release it from its metal cage and present whoever was dumb enough to turn their sights away from the clones upon them — a quick end. Next and naturally, a red aura seeped from the blade, engulfing it as well as part of Onimitsu's own hand out impatiences. "Just a little more…"
"It is a trap!" Was shouted from one of the many tents currently being pelted with rain and slightly obscured by the mist. An uproar of voices can be heard as many people ready themselves, rustling about the tents as they arm and prepare for the inevitable fighting to ensue. After which they wasted little time springing forth from the opening flaps of the tents, several older men and women. Ten at the most. Each with a headband for Konoha and the symbol scratched through.
Their eyes scan the field, but with the mist it's difficult to make more out then the person standing next to then. Suddenly an individual amongst them speaks up, a sensor-nin. "They have us surrounded about 1 to 5! That or their clones. Either way it doesn't matter, we will die fighting for what we believe!" Another uproar of the group this time cheering in unison, shouting incoherent phrases of motivation that all jumble together.
When the noises die down, each of them begin to focus. Clasping their hands in the necessary signs to do so. With or without the sensor-nin, most of them are blinded from the mist and can do little but wait to defend themselves and retaliate in kind.
