Starring:
Nendo, Mitsue
Date: December 9, 2015
Summary:
A simple day of training turns into a strangely secretive recovery mission. With only a pair of genin being sent out onto this secret C-class mission, can they come out of it unscathed?
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"The Greed of the Falls - The Recovery of the Scroll"
Somewhere in the Land of Earth
Nendo was walking along the paths toward the forest when a messenger bird flew to land on his shoulder and had its message read. The teen was expecting it to be a summons from the Tsuchikage but it was something far different from that and it caused the Toujitakumi to have a change of plans for today's training session. It was a good thing he'd already called Mitsue to the forests for their usual work on training as his partner for this mission was already settled. While Nendo waited for his partner's arrival, the older teen was busy following the directions on the small note to unseal the scroll hidden within it and began to read over the mission details that needed to be memorized.
At the edge of the forests surrounding the mountain range that both hid and protected Iwagakure, there was a discrete outpost for meeting with shinobi that were sent beyond the nation's borders on spying missions. This was important because it was where Nendo - and whoever else he could quietly gather - were going to be heading on foot. Their orders were to stop off at a village not far from the location and gather a fair amount of supplies before making way into the forests to disguise the meeting with their returning shinobi as a supply drop for ninja guarding the area. These returning shinobi had something of importance with them, the details weren't listed but they were told it was a scroll that had been sealed and that they were not to attempt opening the scroll under any circumstances.
Another day, another training session. At least that's what Mitsue would expect as he walked from the house his family was staying at out to the area where he was to meet Nendo for training. He was a bit surprised to find Nendo looking at some scroll or other instead of warming up or napping, depending on whether it would be ninjutsu or genjutsu training today. Instead as Mitsue neared he would give the Toujitakumi a curious look, head tilting slightly with a curious air as he tries to take a peek at the scroll.
Nendo wasn't going to hog the scroll, he easily smiled as he offered it up to Mitsue and tilted his head back a bit. "It looks like it's going to be just the two of us for this one…" Nendo would mutter while beginning to check through what he had with him in his pouch. "I guess we can put off training for today and see how good at acting normal we can be." The Toujitakumi mused, a bit of a chuckle leaving him as he thought over the idea of their mission being nothing more than an almost literal walk in the park. "The bottom says it's ranked as a C-rank mission so we'll have to be on guard against enemies trying to get to us but I don't think we need to worry too much. The shinobi we'll be meeting have to be of the Chuunin rank or higher after all so we should be fine." The Toujitakumi explained before tapping the back of the scroll where a map was inscribed to allow them to know the path they would be taking as well as three alternate route that could be used along the way as needed.
Mitsue looks over the scroll and the request, taking it from Nendo to examine it further with a faint frown. ~This seems like a rather strange request to make of two Genin Nendo. Why do you think they have us going by ourselves?~ Mitsue glances up at Nendo, looking at him carefully with slightly narrowed eyes. ~Unless you made Chuunin and are keeping it a secret from me…hmm?~
Nendo would chuckle a bit and tilt his head at the idea while reaching for his shirt collar, grasping at the invisible flack jacket, Nendo adjusted it with a bit of a smirk before starting off toward the village entrance and kept his voice down while they walked so he didn't let too many others hear. "I'm no Chuunin yet. I doubt I've shown proper leadership skills since I've hospitalized Hotaru so many times. I'd guess it has to be just us because of something to do with Juudai being well known and our Jounin being mostly off in missions. Two genin simply out walking and shopping would draw less attention to our movements than the movements of a team or the Tsuchikage herself leaving the village." Nendo explained, soon enough showing the pass that was included with the message to the gate guard so they could step from within the village and start heading toward the village on the map for supplies. "Besides, we're getting close to how strong Shu is."
Nendo would chuckle a bit and tilt his head at the idea while reaching for his shirt collar, grasping at the invisible flack jacket, Nendo adjusted it with a bit of a smirk before starting off toward the village entrance and kept his voice down while they walked so he didn't let too many others hear. "I'm no Chuunin yet. I doubt I've shown proper leadership skills since I've hospitalized Hotaru so many times. I'd guess it has to be just us because of something to do with Juudai being well known and our Jounin being mostly off in missions. Two genin simply out walking and shopping would draw less attention to our movements than the movements of a team or the Tsuchikage herself leaving the village." Nendo explained, soon enough showing the pass that was included with the message to the gate guard so they could step from within the village and start heading toward the village on the map for supplies. "Besides, we're getting close to how strong Shu is."
Mitsue silently chuckles as he reaches forward to dust off Nendo's shoulder to help with that invisible jacket. ~It looks good on you,~ he teases, giving the older teen a wink before turning to walk with him towards the gates. ~I guess it is less suspicious to have us go out. Even anyone who's been watching the village wouldn't exactly be surprised to see us out together.~ Mitsue gives a small bow to the gate guards as they pass through. ~Although in the end I can't imagine it's anything overly important if it's just us…~
Nendo would laugh lightly at Mitsue's comment and undo his forehead protector before tucking it into one of the pockets of his pants. Best to make this trip as a normal person to spare himself at least one chance from any unknowing enemies. "It's a good opportunity to see what they have on sale at the villages out there too. If there's something you like we can add it to the garden plans." Nendo offered up while they walked. It would take a while for them to get to their destination anyway and the map mostly detailed the more traveled roads for ease of movement. The Toujitakumi gave a bit of a squint and thought over the map once more…. all of the roads were the more traveled ones now that he thought about it. "We're going to be out in the open for all to see this whole way. I think we're decoys.." Nendo suggested based on that bit of information, though it was a bit of a dangerous assumption if they were going to be drawing the attention of enemy shinobi.
Mitsue's hitai-ate was finally a part of his cloak, so there was no removing it…although in the end he could probably cover it up. Ah well. ~That's not a bad thing, and it would make far more sense. Someone else will be taking care of the real item of import and be able to keep it from any hands while we pose as a distraction.~ Mitsue walks along next to Nendo, keeping an eye about as best he can as they go. After a short distance he lets a hand slip free of his cloak and reaches to wrap around one of Nendo's, turning his head to give the older teen a violet eyed wink. ~Might as well make it look as real as possible, right?~
Nendo was a bit glad about the idea that they were a decoy, while it meant they would no doubt be under attack from other shinobi if they were thought to be the ones carrying the scroll then at the least nothing would really happen until they were on the way back home. With Mitsue taking hold of his hand, Nendo would smile a bit more broadly and give their joined hands a slow swing as they walked together. Once they were at the village, Nendo would guide Mitsue toward the market street so they could start buying things. Dried meats, canteens, flat breads and rice. Things that could be kept for long periods to be exchanged at the drop point.
Mitsue smiles quite happily as they go to the village, letting their hands swing as Nendo does so and…well, he's just quite happy. When they reach the village and over to the market street he looks over things, pointing out various items to Nendo. He finds a few items that he does like, one of them actually a mini pottery wheel. Mini is of course not exactly small, but it's one that is made for traveling in a wagon. He could use one of those for his new home for sure….of course he wouldn't have the oven or anything but just the thought he could have something to remind him of Nendo at his home made it seem worthwhile. But they wouldn't be able to carry it back would it…
Nendo smiled a bit as they went shopping and began picking over things including those things just for fun. Instead of going too far on the shopping for supplies however, Nendo was glad to see Mitsue remembering that fun was part of this trip too. When the younger teen began eying that pottery wheel however, Nendo would laugh a bit. "Ok, I'm a little strong but I don't think I can carry that around on my shoulder for this whole trip. When we're coming home we can buy a wagon and cart it back with us." Nendo offered while overlooking a man bump into a villager and try to pickpocket them, successfully snatching the man's money pouch and beginning to jog off with it. The Toujitakumi was too focused on plotting out their return trip to notice however.
Mitsue grinned sheepishly at Nendo, bumping shoulders with the older teen and nodding a bit in understanding. ~I don't expect to get it. It was just a thought. I wouldn't have a place to put it until the house is finished anyways.~ There was always later to think about it anyways. As he starts glancing around for other items he notices the theft. A faint frown flickers across his features and from within his cloak he makes the hand seals in secret, sending out a bit of darkness towards the man to try and hold him in place while also sending his voice to Nendo as well as the man it was stolen from. ~That man behind you has your money pouch.~ That way Nendo would know something is up while the man would be able to hopefully react to it, even if he wouldn't know who it was from.
The thief was just a common pickpocket, and while his natural awareness and instinctive caution was almost enough he fell into the illusion. As that dark figure appeared, the thief stumbled back and fell over only to try scrambling back ward from the figure on trembling limbs. That was the state of the man that drew not only the eyes of the alerted man, but of the Toujitakumi and the rest of the village in the area as well. The man that had been stolen from patted at his clothed and then rushed at the thief to not only snatch his wallet where it had been dropped, but also to begin kicking at the thief before the sandaled foot of Nendo was shifted into the way. A slight crackle of lightning rippled along the Toujitakumi's form in the lingering effects of the jutsu while the owner of the wallet began yelling both at Nendo and the thief. "I'm not defending him, I'm saying hitting him won't do any good. He can't move right now." Nendo explained to the yelling man.
The argument would continue on until the authorities could arrive and collect the man, take witness reports, and then drag the thief off to be processed. With the groceries gathered up, Nendo would give Mitsue a bit of a pat on the back and start off for the road out of the village so they could continue on to the outpost in time for the drop off. If there was anything to be noticed or not however was up to how cautious the pair of ninja were. Perhaps they would notice the lack of other travelers on the road at this time of day or perhaps it was something to do with the rustling of the bushes and the slight flickers of light reflecting off a surface.
Mitsue winches when the man starts getting kicked but before he can do anything about it Nendo had interceded. Mitsue just waits back a ways for the authorities to arrive and take care of things before they start off once again to continue their mission. Unfortunately he's a bit on the blind side and doesn't see anything surrounding them. Perhaps he was a bit too lax with the whole decoy thing, figuring no one would be attacking them just yet anyways!
Nendo was having a bit too much fun perhaps, not paying enough mind to his surroundings even when he did step a bit more firmly to test their surroundings. Perhaps that was why it was so easy for those hidden bandits to get the initiative. With a rallying cry from both sides of the road, the bandits charged from the bushes armed with drawn swords, farming tools, and even simple wooden clubs to try jumping and attacking the passing teens. If it wasn't for that war cry of theirs, The Toujitakumi might not have managed to shape his chakra in time but when those farming tools and blades were brought down on him, it was a booming explosion that met the attacking bandits. All save for one who seemed skilled in striking when the Toujitakumi wasn't prepared and managed to run the Toujitakumi through the right arm with his blade. The thing about interrupting the Toujitakumi when he was having a good time was that it usually made him a fair bit unreasonable. Screws came loose. With his left hand gripping the blade, he claimed the sword via his chakra and caused the metal within the grip to explode in an effort to remove the lucky one from the equation. As he tore the blade from in his arm, Nendo flashed through a set of hand seals and kicked up some dirt before thrusting his hands into the thin wall and letting it gather onto his fingers. A pulse of chakra was all he needed to send those hard earthen bullets flying at the group in front of him.
Mitsue wasn't expecting said odd attacks either and while the first attack went through a genjutsu clone the other attacks were caught by a moment of fear that made them miss the Gansao as he appeared to be much scarier than he really was. ~These can't be the bandits they were expecting. Not with these weapons,~ he says with a faint frown before sending out a genjutsu to try and help keep them running away. Scary!
While two of the bandits were felled fairly easily for Nendo, two more were still raring to go and continued trying to bash and slash at the teen. The prey of the Gansao on the other hand were far more swiftly dealt with as the combined fear attacks worked well to send most of the bandits running from them. The few that remained seemed fairly nervous but unwilling to run away immediately.. Something was keeping them there…
What was keeping them there however, escaped Nendo for the moment as he frowned and watched the few gathered. Forming a series of hand seals, Nendo stomped a foot against the ground firmly and forced several chunks of earth to lift from the path before breaking and reshaping into a small cloud of bats flying near the older teen. "If you're here to try robbing us you picked the wrong people.."
Mitsue frowned when only a few of the thieves took off and he turns his violet eyes on the two that remained. They were certainly asking for it, so he could deliver it. A few quick hand seals later and he's sending out a massive, overwhelming darkness towards the two that remain to try and break down their psyche. ~What is wrong with these people. This certainly can't be the ones that they thought might attack us…they aren't shinobi that I can tell!~
Those lingering bandits didn't stand a chance against Mitsue's illusions and shuddered in fear before they'd drop to their knees and bow their heads to the round. They'd given in. Pain they could handle, fallen allies they could endure, but whatever was in those illusions was enough to make them crumble in the presence of the Gansao before them. Nendo however frowned a bit as he heard the sound coming from the one shaking in terror the most. Reaching over his shoulder and motioning with a pair of fingers, he guided a pair of bats to shift into small birds and grasp something from the pack of things they'd bought.
"This is what you want? Take it. If you want food you should work for it and not rely on mercy of those you attack." The Toujitakumi explained before he'd direct the creatures back into the earth once the loaf of bread had been dropped by those bandits. When they came out of the illusion they could take it and go. For now however, Nendo took Mitsue by the hand and began leading him along the road once more, getting room away from those bandits before he'd start bandaging his arm to stop the bleeding.
Mitsue wasn't happy that Nendo had been hurt and he might have done more to those bandits if Nendo hadn't started showing some mercy to them. He just frowns at them as he lets the genjutsu fade after a few moments. And then they were off again, heading to the outpost. ~We should stop so you can properly bandage that Nendo,~ he says, displeasure reflecting plainly even in his mental tone. ~I'm guessing those weren't the type of attackers we were to really expect, but still any injury should be properly taken care of. We can be a few minutes late.~
Nendo smiled gently and Mitsue and closed an eye as he tried focusing on sending a mental message to the Gansao but the pain in his arm was enough to throw off the delicate line of focus he needed to preform Genjutsu. "I think those were just poor villagers trying to steal from anyone travelling through the villages in the hope of someone having food. I'll report them when we get back since we're not here to go arresting bandits but…. I guess you're right on the wound." Nendo would admit as he stopped by a tree and removed the messy bandaging done over his sleeve. As he rolled up his sleeve and revealed that scarred arm, The Toujitakumi would start to work a bit of salve over his wound so that the bleeding was forced to end and his bandages could be applied over it tightly. It would have to do until they got back home.
They could see the general location of the meeting place from here. It was not far off the main road and in a small clearing that housed a pond. A fairly obvious place and a well-hidden location at the same time. The amount of animal trails and tracks crossing the area would serve to hide them away from most trackers. No one was currently visible at the pond from where they were but it was possible that they were simply being quite stealthy in their hiding. "One last thing, Mitsue… if they ask the pass-phrase is 'Do you hide in the falls?' and we will respond with 'Only when we wish to bathe upon the rocks.'
Mitsue stops when Nendo does, watching as the older teen takes better care of his wound while his own arms fold over his chest. Of course…it's beneath his cloak so nothing really changes on the outside. ~Well they should know better. I'm going to come back after we finish this mission and show them /why/ they shouldn't be attacking just anyone walking on the roads.~ Yep he was grumpy that Nendo got hurt and it showed in the thin line of his lips and the slight narrowing of his eyes.
Nendo would smile at Mitsue's anger that was being displayed but wouldn't bother trying to cool the boy down just yet. He'd wait to remind him of the pottery wheel that he'd buy on their way back. For now, however, The Toujitakuma knotted off the ends of his bandage and rolled his sleeve down once more so they could start off toward that clearing. About halfway toward the meeting area however, the Toujitakumi would frown a bit and glance to Mitsue out of the corner of his eye. a bit
Nendo would smile at Mitsue's anger that was being displayed but wouldn't bother trying to cool the boy down just yet. He'd wait to remind him of the pottery wheel that he'd buy on their way back. For now, however, The Toujitakuma knotted off the ends of his bandage and rolled his sleeve down once more so they could start off toward that clearing. About halfway toward the meeting area however, the Toujitakumi would frown a bit and glance to Mitsue out of the corner of his eye. Motioning to his eyes, Nendo pointed to the trees where the leaves were rustling a bit. It would have been a squirrel but the rustling was too heavy. ~Be ready with your Genjutsu. Something's not right…~ The Toujitakumi would forward his thoughts to the young Gansao as he continued toward the pond.
As he stepped into the clearing three shinobi dressed in the traditional Iwagakure attire, flack-jackets, and festival masks which hid their faces from view. A muffled voice would comment in a flat tone of voice as they held up a hand toward the short sword on their back. "Do you hide in the falls?" Came the voice of a woman, muffled but feminine in nature as she stood before Nendo..
Nendo would reach for his pack to begin slipping it off of his shoulders while watching them and speaking the return phrase.. "Only when we wish to bathe upon the rocks, my friends." The Toujitakumi would respond in a welcoming tone as a slight trickle of blood slipped from his nose. Genjutsu was a pain but he needed to use it now. ~Trap them. They're fakes.~
Once again the benefit of the fully enclosed cloak is revealed as Mitsue is able to make the hand seals from beneath the fabric while still having a smile on his face. See, nothing wrong. He doesn't quite get how Nendo knows they're fakes since he hadn't read the full scroll or anything, but he trusted Nendo enough to do what he said without question. A dark figure would appear in front of each in the three, trying to press them down mentally with fear.
Those three fakes were stunned, and at first Nendo was worried they might have managed to notice something but as the subtle sound of sobbing sounded from behind those masks, Nendo smirked a bit. That smirk would only last for so long however as Nendo ripped one of the masks from their face and stared at it for a brief moment. The Toujitakumi then began baring his teeth as his eyes took on a bloodshot appearance as lightning began crackling over his form along with small explosions. The Toujitakumi had just about lost the screws holding him to sanity when the earth lifted before the eyes of the unmasked woman. It took on the form of a pair of eyes.. and then blew up directly into her face so he could bring the woman from in her delusion.
As the woman dropped and began screaming while holding her face, Nendo stepped down firmly on her chest and narrowed his eyes. "My name is Toujitakumi Nendo… Son of Toujitakumi Tamako… Why do you have her mask..?" The Toujitakumi would question with those teeth still bared though no emotion met his eyes.. it was like he was looking on an insect and had it pinned already beneath his foot. The other two were still quietly sobbing their eyes out while low groaning sounds quietly came from within the bushes several meters away. That was where the beaten bodies of the shinobi were bound tightly and dressed to appear as though they were ninja from another nation. They were still breathing if just slightly.
Those three fakes were stunned, and at first Nendo was worried they might have managed to notice something but as the subtle sound of sobbing sounded from behind those masks, Nendo smirked a bit. That smirk would only last for so long however as Nendo ripped one of the masks from their face and stared at it for a brief moment. The Toujitakumi then began baring his teeth as his eyes took on a bloodshot appearance as lightning began crackling over his form along with small explosions. The Toujitakumi had just about lost the screws holding him to sanity when the earth lifted before the eyes of the unmasked woman. It took on the form of a pair of eyes.. and then blew up directly into her face so he could bring the woman from in her delusion.
As the woman dropped and began screaming while holding her face, Nendo stepped down firmly on her chest and narrowed his eyes. "My name is Toujitakumi Nendo… Son of Toujitakumi Tamako… Why do you have her mask..?" The Toujitakumi would question with those teeth still bared though no emotion met his eyes.. it was like he was looking on an insect and had it pinned already beneath his foot. The other two were still quietly sobbing their eyes out while low groaning sounds quietly came from within the bushes several meters away. That was where the beaten bodies of the shinobi were bound tightly and dressed to appear as though they were ninja from another nation. They were still breathing if just slightly.
Mitsue watches Nendo's quick reaction with the mask and how he smacks the girl with some dirt before stepping down on her chest. He frowns deeply at Nendo as he tries to figure out what the parchment is going on, but his attention is pulled to the sound coming from the bushes and he quickly moves there to see who is over there. If they are who he expects to find in Iwa shinobi he would cut them free…
The Toujitakumi would most likely have been nicer had it been just any member of the village whose mask the woman chose to wear but this one seemed special to the Toujitakumi as he glared at the woman and applied a bit more pressure as though crushing the wind from her would somehow make her reply faster. "I'll ask again… where is my mother?" The teen would question while forming his hand seals to let the chunks of earth repopulate the air with an assortment of flying creatures, small earthen mice walking over the young woman's form as well. He didn't need to tell her what they were for, the woman's shaking under his foot told him she knew what the Toujitakumi could do.
Among the trio of shinobi that were beaten, each dressed as though they had come from Takigakure rather than Iwa as they truly did. The main one making the nose was a woman with fairly long crimson colored hair that was colored blond for roughly the last foot of hair the woman had. The only thing that made her stand out was that she, when she opened her eyes to look at Mitsue with a pained expression, those eyes she had were the same as Nendo's were… when he wasn't busy glaring down at someone and getting ready to blow some enemy ninja sky high for hurting his mother.
~Nendo, over here,~ Mitsue calls mentally as he reaches down to remove the gag from the one that is quite obviously Nendo's mother. A kunai appears from under his cloak as he cuts the bonds tying her, freeing her and trying to help her up before moving on to the others. ~They're all here. Don't do anything stupid Nendo. Someone who planned something like this could have other information we might need.~ He glances over his shoulder at Nendo before turning to freeing the other bound Iwa shinobi.
The little voice that could put the screws back in his head caused Nendo to stand up and step from on top of the woman to walk over to where the shinobi were being held. Looking at the trio, Nendo would kneel down and brush back the strands of hair covering his mother's face before a smile would slowly break the anger on his expression. She was breathing and she wasn't bleeding, not on the outside anyway. As Nendo relaxed more and more, his mother looked at him and smiled as she said the one thing that forced all of his lightning and explosions to a standstill.
"Hey there, my little honey badger…" Came the songbird tone of his mother's voice and with it, went away all of the tension that had lined his face. He was smiling like a little boy as he looked at his mother and over looked the woman he'd attacked getting up behind him.
Nendo may be distracted by his mother, and indeed with a cute name like that…Mitsue wasn't going to forget it anytime soon! He'd ask Nendo about it later when things weren't quite so 'not good'. The movement catches the corner of his eye and Mitsue doesn't even turn before lashing out with his genjutsu once again, sending multiple dark forms down on the woman's psyche to try and keep her in place.
Nendo would turn about and look at the woman before starting to toward the woman and her allies. He didn't have enough rope for all three but he could use what he had to tie all three of them together. The rest of Nendo's time was spent working tending to the trio of Iwa nin that had been hurt. "Mitsue, we're going to stay here a bit and then these shinobi will help us take them home for questioning and…. Do you still have the scroll?" Nendo asked, the last part being directed at his mother to which she smiled a bit.
"Who said she'd teach you how to seal the entire kiln in a scroll when she got home..?" His mother asked which made Nendo laugh a bit. "But no one gets to know where it is at, until we are safely inside of Iwagakure all over again.. Then, the Tsuchikage can have it, and you boys can get credit for what you've done. Your little friend was amazing and you, Nendo… need to work on that anger problem of yours."
Once the woman is again under the effects of his genjutsu Mitsue turns back to face Nendo's mother, giving her a formal bow as a way of saying thanks for what she said. ~I like her. She seems nice…honey badger.~ The last is said in a teasing tone, his eyes showing the mischief he feels as he straightens again before he moves to stand next to Nendo, one hand slipping out of his cloak to take Nendo's.
Nendo would be smiling and planning out how he was going to handle things with getting all of these people home, and how to get his mother home. But then Mitsue began talking and caused the Toujitakumi teen to flinch a bit at that cute little name. Cutting a glance to Mitsue, Nendo would smirk a bit and squint. "I'm going to have to learn memory erasing jutsu.." The Toujitakumi teased as his mother set about trying to get up and walk a little. She'd give the two men with her a few sharp smacks before barking a harsh order or two at them about getting on their feet. Injured and beaten, they got up like the wounds were only slowing them down a bit.. They'd not let a couple of kids get a step over them. No, they were ready to get that walk back to Iwa started.
"Come on, kids… We've not been home in years; it's time we get going.." And with that, the woman would reach down and grab one of the fale iwa-nin. With a bit of a grunt, Nendo's mother lifted the bundle and started walking, carrying them like they were a sack of groceries.. and leaving the sack of groceries to the children. Today's mission was over, but the interrogation had only just begun. Worse yet, these were not the last of the shinobi that would come hunting for that scroll…
