Starring:
Date: March 3, 2015
Summary:
Reizei Ming Ha, a prisoner escapee, has tracked Ryouji down for an assassination against the clan. But Michiko and Yori step in to save the day.
"The Usual Suspects - Fight on the Mountain"
Unknown location
It's dark, late at night and high on a mountain peak overlooking Kumogakure. Ryouji sits on a cliff overlooking the village as he enjoys the night air and sights from high above. He's not doing much but couldn't sleep this night so took a long stroll from the village. Not far enough away that he could be considered 'wondering' since he's still technically in sight of it. Ryouji sits with lighting cutter across his lap, his polishing and cleaning tools set out around him as he runs a rice cloth across the blade making it shine. There's a light warm breeze across the mountains, odd for this time of year, but Ryouji takes it and enjoys the time contemplating life, the universe, and everything. Obviously, there's not much to do at this point, so anyone could be doing anything at this time of night.
Michiko comes walking up the mountain, dragging Yori out of the village for a bit of training, perhaps, as the Saito is also with her. She senses someone rather familiar sitting nearby, so she's leading both to the Reizei, though she has yet to tell Yori. For now, she's just talking about chakra control and how it works in regards to water walking.
Yori wasn't going to say no to a lesson of any sort and so, when Michiko has told him about this little trip, he had of course agreed. Even if it cut into his little bit of time he normally had for sleep. He has no clue that they're heading anywhere in particular and besides keeping a general eye out for danger he's not being overly watchful.
A lone figure sits hunched behind an outcropping of rock. Her body gives a shudder as she's been waiting for this moment for Ryouji to be out in the open and alone. For days she's been hiding out beyond the walls of the village surviving when many of her fellow prisoners have fallen to the retched Kumo-nin blades or jutsu. She even risked once to henge herself into an old woman and got close to the Reizei compound, her main goal since escaping prison. Reizei Ming Ha, a jounin from the clan and arrested for letting an entire squad of genin get butchered because they weren't 'up to her calibre' for skill. She has one sight in her eyes this night. The son of the clan leader. If she can kill him, then she can begin to exact her revenge. Even her own clan has failed her, they're weak and worthless. 'Almost' beyond her notice. But they put her in this situation, so why not take the second son of the clan leader? It's only right to her. So she begins using her jutsu to blend into the shadows and crawling on hands and feet down the rock face towards Ryouji. A long three pronged Naginata is strapped to her back.
Ryouji sits there and even picks up the chakra farther down the mountain of Michiko and another smaller signature of a genin he's seen before. He stands up and peers down, they're still too far away to see in the darkness. Though he was planning on staying the night, he does wonder why anyone else would be here.
Michiko focuses a bit of her chakra for now, the girl searching for anything that might be important. It would allow her to 'see' in the darkness, finding trees, people, and even some of the small creatures that are moving. For now, she doesn't sense Ming Ha, as the Reizei is too far from her, but she does have this feeling… "Hmm… Wonder why he's not moving…" she comments softly. "Anyway… You need to make sure that you're focusing your chakra precisely. The water won't be steady beneath you, so it's not a constant flow."
Yori nods to Michiko as she explains more about the chakra control he's been working on. Maybe he should be doing more training and less of that researching but then, when the Raikage puts you on a task, you kind of put your all into it. Especially as a Saito. "It's just a little different is all. I'm sure I'll have it down Michiko-san."
Ming Ha, having not been detected yet, decides to end this in one strike that'll be sure to end Ryouji so she can have her revenge! Her naginata slides deftly from her back with one hand. She silently turns it in her hands as she leaps off the wall behind Ryouji and flips over end so she lands on her feet. As she does so, she drives the staff home, hoping to impail the chuunin on the staff then casually flick him away like so much garbage.
Ryouji does not even seen it coming, the blade explodes out from his back and through his rib cage. Blood sprays outward as he hardly lets out a cry. His mind is in shock as all his senses are screaming for him to get away, but his body is slowly going numb as the blade is sticking out of his chest a good five inches. He has enough energy to turn his head and sees the crazed looks of Ming Ha. But it hardly registers on Ryouji's senses, "Who…are…"
Michiko narrows her eyes as she feels someone move, saying, "Yori-San, go get someone… I have a bad feeling…" Then she speeds up, using chakra to keep her propelling forward swiftly until she reaches where Ryouji and Ming Ha are. The girl's eyes narrow a bit as she takes in the scene and immediately attacks the stranger she recognized as an escaped prisoner. "Well, you coming to us makes this easier…" she says, dirt exploding to cloud the area and make it impossible to watch for the bolt of fire coming Ming Ha's way.
Normally Yori isn't one to disobey an order but they're a little too far from the village for him to even think of getting there and back in time before whatever is going to happen will happen. So instead he does something that he has never done before and ignores the order, following after Michiko. At least maybe he can help. When he sees what's going on in the faint light from the moon he moves quickly towards Ryouji to try and keep him from hitting the ground and, you know, from getting stabbed again. As best as he can at least.
Ming Ha laughs as the blade drives deep into Ryouji. She did it! But he's not dead yet? Such a pitty, he'll have to suffer then. She pulls the blade out and is about to thrust it back in when she is caught by the dirt bomb that temporarily blinds her. She howls with crazed anger as she flails the staff back and forth. She then takes two firebolts square in her chest, sending her reeling back from Ryouji. Her vision clears enough and sees the cause of her pain. She reaches behind her and throws out a kunai at Michiko saying, "Keep away girl, this is Reizei clan business! I should kill you for interfering, pest!"
He says, "…you?" Ryouji finally croaks out before the blade is pulled free. Ryouji has the feeling of drifting, he's not sure why he's not dead yet. That really hurt. Ryouji smiles, and falls into Yori's arms. "Thanks…" he says softly.
Michiko shakes her head a bit. "You attacked a shinobi of Kumogakure. I'm going to have to ask you to stay down. If you don't turn yourself in now and go with us peacefully, we won't hesitate to use force." She hadn't missed Yori disobeying, but she was secretly glad. She couldn't tend to the Reizei without dealing with the issue at hand. A barrier of earth appears between herself and the kunai suddenly, and she narrows her eyes. "Wrong answer…" Then a few handseals later, Ming Ha would find herself trapped in bindings of metal, keeping her stuck in place.
Yori catches Ryouji neatly before slowly lowering the chuunin boy to the ground with a grimace, looking over his injuries in the little light that's available. This isn't good. He pulls out a large swath of bandaging from his pouch and pushes it against the stab exit wound. With him bleeding from both ends it's not going to be a huge help but it'll slow it down some. "Stay awake Ryouji-san. Michiko-san is taking care of that person." He says softly, trying to get Ryouji to focus on him so he can keep him as alert as possible.
Ming Ha pushes her swift release chakra and leaps. She nearly gets caught by the grasping metal but lands a short distance away and skids to a stop. "You…" she points as the swift release begins messing with her body for using it so fast. "…are going to die! Then I'll kill your boyfriend." Just as soon as she can move in a few moments that is.
Ryouji winces at the banadges being applied, but the shock begins to fade from the damage. "What is she doing?" he says, looking over and notices Ming Ha finally, "That's a Reizei. Be careful Michiko-chan!" He struggles to get up, "I've…got to help her…." Yeah, he's not going to do that, not for a little while that is.
Michiko nods to Ryouji. "Thought so… Don't worry, I'll get her, Ryouji-kun," she says, chakra levels rising to the point where it's actually visible and flickering around her frame. She watches the Reizei blur out of the way for a moment, shifting in her spot so she can keep an eye on Ming Ha (technically speaking). The ground explodes again near the woman, and bindings would come whipping out at her, wrapping around Ming Ha's legs and arms to hold her down.
Yori puts a hand on Ryouji's shoulder to push and keep him down flat. "Please don't move Ryouji-san. You'll just make it worse. Michiko-san can take care of herself." He hopes. He really really hopes. While trying to staunch the flow of blood he's also keeping a careful eye on the battle to make sure it doesn't come in their direction. He's not sure it would be good to move Ryouji, even if he was carrying him.
Ming Ha swipes her long staffed weapon around, knocking the dirt aside and says, "Is that the best you got girl!" Metal comes surging up like liquid wrapping her around the feet. She pulls at it as two more bands snap up her arms as well. Her naginata drops to the ground as she is pulled there as well from the bindings. "NO! No! I will have my revenge! You can't do this to me!" she screams. She sounds slightly unhinged.
Ryouji shakes his head since Michiko has this all wrapped up, so to speak. "I won't…" he says, watching the fight end quickly, "…I don't need to." He hurms, then winces, remembering he's got a sab wound through his chest. Luckly she didn't hit anything vital.
Michiko shakes her head a bit. Now that the woman was captured, she could get nearer. Michiko zips over, moving quickly like most Kumo-nin are apt to do, and jabs a few of Ming Ha's pressure points, forcing the woman to relax. "Just calm down… You'll wish you were dead later…" Michiko murmurs. Once the Iwata has confirmed that Ming Ha was down, she would turn her attention to Ryouji and Yori. "Yori-san, how's Ryouji-kun?"
Yori seems relieved when the battle comes to such a quick end and he nods down to Ryouji. "See, nothing to worry about." Oh, besides the chuunin bleeding out. Right. "He's going to need your healing Michiko-san. The sooner the better I believe. He's losing quite a bit of blood." There's only so much he can do with one swash of bandaging against something like this.
Ming Ha is stuck, there's no where for her to go and while she can blur herself until she's dizzy, swift release does nothing against bare metal. But she does not have to worry about it much since a few well placed whaps from Michiko lays her out flat. Her insane look quickly smooths out to nothing as if she's sleeping for a while. She'll just wake up and not be happy.
Ryouji is bleeding out both ends and isn't too thrilled about that. He's leaving a big mess and is trying to stay as still as he can without the huge gaping hole causing more blood loss. Ryouji's eyes are dimming but he's still fightning to stay awake.
Michiko nods lightly, going over to Ryouji and closing her eyes. Her chakra aura fades until it's only wrapped around her hands, the color turning green as she heals Ryouji's wounds. Medic training is super useful… The girl hmms lightly as she looks over Ryouji. "That should keep him out of critical condition. We need to get him back to the village, though. Yori-san, go run and get someone to help. I'll stay here and keep watch over both."
Yori waits until Michiko is there and healing before he draws the bloodied bandaging back. He's relieved to see the wound beneath no longer bleeding and tosses the bloodied rags to the side for now. When Michiko tells him to get help the young Saito nods, giving Ryouji a little pat on the head before jumping to his feet and running at top speed back towards Kumogakure to get some more medics and some guards.
