Starring:
Fudo, Zetto, Joker, Shun, Ayame, Rise
Date: September 1, 2013
Summary:
Strange sightings get some attention!
"The Silk Conflict - Intro"
The land of fire
There have been sightings of strange jutsu all over the continent in the past few weeks. During the exams, nobody really had the time nor recourses to properly check out what caused the disturbances. And since none of them really disrupted anything, the villages decided to ignore it for now to avoid causing a conflict amidsts the busy exams! Right now however, an oppertunity arrose that none of the villages decided to ignore. About two hours travel from Konoha, near the edge of the forest a strange cloaked man was spotted, carrying an aura made of shadows. The news quickly spread, as the man made no effort to hide himself. Different wanderers informed eachother to steer clear from the guys, chakra sensors were going through the roof in values there!
Your village asked YOU to check out what's going on, perhaps with a partner. Just collecting information on this strange disturbance that's been popping up all over the ninja world. Perhaps you're paired up with someone else as you village though that was wise. Or perhaps you're deemed capeable enough to go take a peek on your own! If you're not alligned with a village, word has surely reached you! Presenting you with an opperunity to go see with your own eyes what's causing all the ruckus!
Fudo was certainly not one to simply ignore the rest of the world because of a test. It wasn't in his nature, and ti was something that annoyed him to no end about shinobi villages to begin with. Thus when he was made aware of the news and that Konoha may look in to it, he would insist that he be allowed to go and check on this situation swiftly, despite his place in the exam tournaments. While in other situations this may not be allowed due to it being a time when he is suppossed to be in the village, it was accepted under the circumstance that he lead the team. Essentially, it was another test, a field test for his application to be a Chuunin outside of the exams. Since they were going to send a small team to do this any how, it was simply convinient timing whether Fudo was aware or not.
Thus, he would be assigned Ayame and Shun as team mates and they would head off as soon as they were all ready. Fudo didn't give them a whole lot of time to prepare however, but he did allow for some. Maintaining a low level of Sharingan, Fudo would take point with Shun and Arisu following behind on his flanks. "Keep your senses sharp, the target may be broadcasting himself, but that could be a lure or distraction." Fudo would instruct as they moved through the area to the northern forest.
Ayame didn't require preparation… it was her belief that a shinobi should always be prepared… for anything, at any time. And then there was the fact that Ayame simply didn't have things to prepare… as both the Witch of Konoha and the villages resident, if secret ghost, she had everything she could have needed immediately on hand when she was informed of the mission.
She moved quickly behind Fudo, effortlessly dodging through the forest without a sound. Though she gave the appearance of running and moving like a normal person might, she was really just gliding through obstacles on the ground as an incorporeal entity, leaving leaves and twigs unbothered beneath her feet.
"Understood… Perhaps a quick bit of scouting is in order? I may be able to get in and out without being spotted, and be able to tell you what I found… Of course, it's up to you… You're the leader here."
Shun was a little surprised, but very much happy to have been assigned a mission. Having thought there would be no missions taken on during the exams he was curious as to what could have gained the village's interest. He follows along his teammates, having been at the training grounds when he received his orders he was ready to go immediately. He remains silent for the time being, simply nodding to acknowledge what Fudo and Ayame say.
(Zetto) A trio of small brown birds chirped noisily as they circled around a large statue like man, who just stood still while time passed by. The man twitched slightly, and then his eyelids slowly parted. He sighted. Oh how he missed the buzzling streets of Konohakure but there was no helping it. He had his fun and now it was time to serve his master and do his job and what a job it was this time. Yotsuki Zetto, Shinobi from Kumogakure, was hunting after ghosts or so he felt and it was not a pleasant feeling. Good thing he was not alone but accompanied by his partner in this crime another Shinobi from his village.
If only he had something concrete to go by but all he knew were some vague rumours but very troubling rumours. In fact something so serious sounding he had ended up traveling all the way to far west.
Not one to stand around while the competitors rested up for the final exam, Rise made a promise to jump at the first opportunity to satisfy her desire for excitement on the following day of her arrival. The new day barely begins before she ends up regretting that promise. The reason being due to a message left at her doorstep. Still, a promise was a promise and after a hasty change back into her old gear Rise is off to whatever meeting place was deemed fit to meet up with her partner for the mission.
The idea of working alongside a former comerade (even if they never actual met face-to-face) puts Rise on edge. Thus, her greeting is clipped and to the point upon arrival, and though she tried to hide it well, Rise's body language gave away a guarded feel about the young woman.
"Ya leading the way or shall I?" Regardless of the answer there is hardly another second wasted on her part. The missive was clear enough as far as she was concerned, and if there was anything else to add then it would have to be done in transit… or not at all.
So everyone's closing in on he last sighting together. Close to a nearby village, on a crossroad frequented by merchants by the edge of the woods leading to Konoha. He was just standing there, or so the reports says. For hours even.
Fudo's keen sharingan should pick the signature up at a big distance. He's standing there with his arm outstretched. Just a massive blob of chakra, in front of him, a faint smaller blob resides. It looks like he has a captive of some sorts! Getting closer, regular eyes reveal a merchant's sitting in front of the man, who's calmly holding his hand over the merchant's head. The hand is olive in colour, almost too green to be human. Though the man in the black cloak is completely concealed. The merchant is pale, and looks to be running out of chakra soon. Shivering, he seems unable to move or speak. A bit further back is his cart, which derailed.
Interesting enough however, Fudo's keen eyes notice something nobody else would be able to notice. The entity brewing with chakra has lines of chakra tracing under the ground, going back all the way to the village, as if he's a puppet controlled by a puppeteers. The string however, being a constant two way stream of chakra. Odd, since the person there looks completely human. "Al-basra, no-zglul…." He chants over and over again, as he preforms his ritual on the suffering merchant.
"If the opportunity comes up, we'll see if we cannot use your talents for such, Ayame. Shun, I want for you to remain rear guard, I can't see everything even with these eyes and I will need to focus to ensure that Ayame is not in danger of being discovered while keeping an eye up ahead and our flanks." Fudo would say in a hushed but direct tone as they traveled along three tops as well as open ground quickly until they reached the location. He'd halt the progress of the others in his team suddenly, narrowing his gaze as he'd notice these details. "This… may be…. too dangerous for that approach Ayame…" Fudo would murmur under his breath. "Something is not right about this guy. But we need to stop him or that merchant is going to die. Surround him, but keep your stance… and listen to what I have to say. He may attack in ways you cannot see or even notice…" With that, Fudo would take the chance of coming out towards the man and attempting to get the shrouded man to submit to his will.
Ayame can see the man and his prisoner easily enough, and looks briefly to Fudo for guidance. Whatever was going on was clearly a BAD thing, by just about anyone's standards… what with the groaning merchant, and the weird green foreigner, spouting what sounded to HER like one of her 'spells' or what she tried to pass off as a spell anyway.
"Understood…" She spoke after a moment, then turned her attention back to the man, glancing back at Shun. "I'm going around the other way…" And then she disappeared, unmanifesting, and then remanifesting across the way from the strange green man. She waited for Fudo to attempt what he was planning, then gestured to the man, "To me…" She whispered harshly, and her chakra cloud lashed out at the merchant, surrounding him and solidifying just enough to yank him away from the green foreigner. She wouldn't be able to lift the man, but she could certainly pull him across the ground and away from his attacker.
Shun nods affirmatively at Fudo's order and hangs back as guard against any allies the mysterious cloaked man may have. He watches briefly as Fudo and Ayame work together to save the merchant while remaining alert to his surroundings.
Having never met Rise before Zetto was not exactly sure what to make of her. Not that he complained. As Spartan as he might look Zetto is surprisingly social person - trait regular visitors to Konoha sake bar would know more than well. There was little room for small talk as the two made their way to this present location so he made mental note to get back to the subject of getting know her better later.
A merchant with his friend or at least thats what it looked like to Zetto. Yet something was off. With this thought in his mind he turned Rise to see if she shared the feeling or not. He never got a chance to express his thoughts as all hell broke loose. "WTF?", his voice boomed over the scenery. "Did I drink too much sake the day before or is this for real?", Zetto cursed loudly. "Thats the Uchiha… now what was his name again… Fudo. WTF is he doing?! You better stop or it is the IRON CLAW FOR ALL!"
Running helps ease the tension that hovers about Rise but only a little. She had hid it well enough during the initial exchange but Zetto's form was disturbing, both in a bad way and in a good way. "Focus," Rise muttered darkly to herself before picking up the pace further, only to slow down a few minutes later. Their scent was faint but still just strong enough to cause a flicker of recognition. It would seem another party had beaten them to the target. Impulsively, Rise barely spares Zetto a glance to forwarn him of her intention before pulling out all the stops in a mad rush; blissfully ignorant or indifferent about her surroundings during the rush. All that matter was the fact thatt the best way to start any investigation/impromptu interogation usually meant landing the first blow. Which she did or at least tried to do with her first strike aimed at his gut.
During the final few seconds in which her fist was motioned forward, fear ceased her heart. Something was off…
"Grraaagh! Take this!!" The first blow: a rage infused fist instead of a tenative sucker punch.
The chanting man doesn't move much. Fudo's genjutsu was met with the man looking back at him. His eyes pale, much like the Hyuuga's. Though with an actual Iris. Giving him that insect look. The genjutsu hits him for sure, though then blasts straight through him, as if he just shrugged it off. Then however, someone rushes up to punch him. He lifts both hands to block her. The block looks like it's sufficient, but then Rise finds what she's supposed to be punching just disappeared into a black cloud of smoke. Though pitch black smoke, as if the shadows themselves became a gas.
"Sssssalasar…" A voice hisses from behind Arisu, before an arm waves at her to whack her across the head. The merchant meanwhile just fell over like a fat bag of meat, being dragged towards Arisu slowly. Then, the man looks at Fudo. "Firaya.." He calmly says, firayah? Sounds like… yep, fire! A giant fireball suddenly comes dropping from the sky! He seems to only be focussing on those who use chakra though… or directly attacked him. Since the rest are completely ignored as if they don't exist. Rise is the final one he looks at! He lifts his arm, then punches, causing a a fist of shadows to soar at her to strike her chest!
It seemed that Fudo was unable to cause the opponent to crumble before him, at least this easily. With a narrowed gaze, the teen stood before the man and his prisoner as Ayame attempted to to get the merchant free of his grasp. The entrance of Zetto and Rise was noted, especially since Rise had attempted to attack the cloaked figure and did not succeed. Fudo would simply explain, "This appears to be a hostage situation… and this… "man"… appears to be a tool or a conduit for another." Then Fudo considered that because this person… if that's truly what it was, was connected via a chakra link that went all the way back to the village, that severing the link may actually do some good.
Fire though "Firaya" has to be dealt with. Fudo would dive out of the way and roll a bit as he noticed it a bit late, calculating down to the last /inch/ his escape route as some of his hair is singed and a coat tail is caught on fire. He rolls over it, snuffing it, and back on to his feet as he would begin to draw and throw kunai at his opponent. At least it appeared that way as they streaked towards him and then diverged, moving around him through control via razor wire to sink in to the ground behind his form. "Attack that spot as heavily as you can!" Fudo would command.
Now that the merchant was free, Ayame released him before turning her attention back to the cloaked man. She doesn't even blink as his punch rushes right through her head, her body only flickering slightly as it passes through harmlessly, "…Nice trick, that whole smoke thing." She smirks wickedly, "I can do it too~"
Suddenly, she was gone, unmanifesting all over again, setting her chakra cloud into violent motion before she remanifests behind the man, "Except, I don't leave a smoke trail to follow. Guess that means I'm better at it than you are." Her body took on a slight violet glow that quickly died after a few moments… Then she seemed perfectly normal again, save for the fact that her eyes were now jet black. "Fudo-san… Someone should see to removing that merchant from the area. I imagine he is weak."
Zetto grunted. Apparently Rise did share his feeling after all judging by the way she sprang into action like a cobra. The Yotsuki man could not help but to appreciate fluidity of her movements combined with ferocity of a tiger. The phrase "punch first ask questions later" came to his mind as he finally took a step forwards and then another followed by sudden explosive burst of speed. His heavy steps hammered the ground as his figure made its way towards the epicenter of all this.
Somewhere in back of his mind he wondered about the person Fudo seemed to be teamed up with. Having been forced into a situation where he has to trust an unknown person did not make him too happy but with fire raining down and fists flying there was no time to hesitate. Besides whatever words Fudo was able to form in middle of all this did not fall to deaf ears. The hulking juggernaut of man tensed his muscles and sent his body flying. For a moment it seemed like he literally glided through the air. "Ill give you my knee.! Here take it!"
Even after fist meets palm Rise tries to force him off guard by adding more pressure; but in doing so, she is left off-balanced when the man loses substances and vanishes in a black cloud of smoke. Coughing, Off-balanced, and undaunted nevertheless, Rise waves away what smoke cloud's her direct line of sight without wandering out of the impromptu cover until it naturally disappated. Even if prolonoged exposure meant a greater danger later on, the immediate danger of being taken off guard while trying to grope blindly for the light had her troubled more.
"What do you mean—," She started to call out as the last wisps, but by that point the source of the advice — an Uchiha from what was said by Zetto and seen from her perspective — had already begun to engage the enemy once more. A second more and her mind goes blank of all conscious thought except 'move' in response to the shadow fist closing in from her peripheral. A simple, fluid side-step proves enough to get out of range. After which her conscious returns along with a spark of anger.
"Don't."
She bites down on her bottom lip, reiging her anger long enough to watch, then strike with a barrage of shuriken once Zetto is clare. All of which fly wide at first before abruptly curving back inwards.
Shun, being new to missions but keeping his senses aware like he was told to do, noticed that the merchant was free, but still within the combat zone. Instead of jumping in to the fray, he would seek to take care of that and hold the rear guard with the merchant safely under his guard.
Fudo would notice this and smirk, inwardly praising the boy's initiative, but h's eyes became sharp as he noticed something within the merchant was off. Something about his chakra was… abnormal. But only for an instant, and then it was gone. Like the strange chakra had burrowed itself away in to the man's normal flow some where. Or maybe he just imagined things. "Shun… don't make too much contact with the man, and keep sharp.." Fudo would lightly warn. +p Very good
The cloaked man seems surprised by Fudo's initiative. The kunai curves, though then it meets a slightly curved throwing knife, which is thrown at the exact angle to throw Fudo's weapon off target, and yet curve his own right towards Fudo! He however isn't in time to see the surprisingly fast Yotsuki coming (nor does it look like he actually sees like human's do! So the knee hits him right in the chest, causing him to fly up. Once in the air, he gets pierced by all sorts of weapons, which stick into his body… he comes down with a thump, looking dead….
Then, he slowly stands up, turning back into smoke before showing up next to Fudo's kunai on the ground, reaching down, he grabs the paper attached to it, before disappearing again, trying to slap it onto Fudo's shoulder, the colour of the paper changed to purple too! Did he just overtake the bomb? Then, he turns towards the Yotsuki. "Raido…" He says, … Lightning!? A thunderbolt comes down from the sky, aimed right at the Yotsuki! Multiple enemies, Fudo notices his link slowly weakened as he expanded more chakra! Then, he actually runs, drawing a smoke trail around Arisu, which then manifests in tons of copies of him, which merge together into a purple wall, much like a seal made of chakra, intended to bind her in place! As a final attack, he rushes up to Rise, aiming three kicks at her, just as someone would do regularly!
The entitiy, though not physically damaged seems to slowly run out of juice. His movement slowed, his attacks lessened in intensity! Each time an attack comes at him he zaps to another place, being kept busy while Fudo does his move. The man looks at Fudo a second too late. His arms spring up to stop him, a brief screech follows up, then he distorts like a broken projection. Eventually dying out. The chakra stream is gone too. Leaving metal weapons behind that used to stick into his body in the place he was last seen!
It seemed that the smoke and fade was unecessary in the end, but Fudo would still focus abit of chakra, just incase this wasn't the end. Stepping from some flora cover near by, Fudo's brows were tightly furrowed as he looked to the weapons that clattered on to the ground. He looked back to the merchant, not at all sure what to make of that… but perhaps it had to do with his connection to the…. being that just disappeared. Maybe some of that strange chakra remained as a residual effect. "Whom ever was in charge of this… was no where near here. It seems they were controlling that thing by channelnig chakra to it from else where to here, underground. I had thought we were dealing with a body but, that seems not to be the case. Ayame, given your… expertise, maybe you can still figure out if we were facing an apparition or something else. The only real clues we have is partial information."
Looking towards Rise and Zetto, Fudo would nod first and say, "Thank you both for showing up to this as well. If you don't mind… I will continue my analysis. I will try to be brief. All evidence point to the merchant over there being a victim of the entity we just fought, given the cart that is derailed over there. We should check and make sure however to be safe that it is not a ruse. This thing was waiting to be noticed, that much is obvious… and something of its sever connection seemed to remain in the merchant for a moment, so I don't trust that very much. We don't know what he was truly doing… just that it looked to me like he was draining that mans chakra away. But maybe it isn't so simple as that. What ever is truly happening, is towards the town near by, and not here. We need to be careful how we handle the merchant, just incase. At this point, it may be best to report this back to the village and get more concrete information and authority to investigate further."
Ayame considers for a moment, "It used many abilities very similar to ghosts… but I do not believe that it was a spirit, or apparition… While many of the abilities used were very interesting, spirits don't travel through smoke trails." She shakes her head, "And I don't know of many ghosts who just let weapons hang in their manifested forms… It was either some sort of shinobi, a sorcerer, or a construct made from either a shinobi or sorcerer… not unlike a puppet."
Ayame considers the merchant for a moment, "Fudo… perhaps we should take the merchant somewhere safe… load him into the cart and move him elsewhere perhaps? We can question him when he seems… more conscious, and see if he has any more information before we let him go about his business…"
Entire thing was over in few minutes. Zetto nodded to Fudo while his mind was racing trying to figure out what exactly happened. He looked around making observations of his own. "So what do you think Rise?"
