Starring:
Date: July 6, 2012
Summary:
Rise and Akechi — the two unlikeliest pair of Kumo to be put together — are instructed to investigate the series of explosions that have taken place within the wilderness at the Base of Mount Oto. A place straddling the border between the Land of Lightning and a territory still occupied by the Tsuchigakure…
"To Go Out With A Bang"
Land of Lightning - Wilderness at the Base of Mount Oto
"Aight Akechi before we even think of taking on whatever's been messing with our territory I just want one thing clear between us…." Rise stated dryly as she led the Uzumaki to the center most portion of Amagumo Bridge. Then turned to peer out into the distance. For miles everything is more or less visible thanks to the sun being positioned merciful behind. It is in part for that very reason that Rise delayed in setting out on the mission just to ensure that they could see -something- without necessarily having to wander around the dark for a couple of hours.
"If things go sour during this little trip none of us ain't gonna play hero now are we?", She asked, eyes narrowed as she peered out of the corner of her eyes at Akechi.
Akechi would have a carefree smile on his face as Rise talked about whatever it was she was saying, as he walked he would be looking over a scroll and sighed; scratching his head as he shifted his weight around and spoke "I don't understand it at all…something about this just isn't making sense…hmmmm wondering what to do. Shadow Clone Jutsu, if only I can master this skill." Sighing as he walked he would pause and take a look at Rise "what where you saying again?" Is stated as he shifted and smiled softly. Using this time to put to reseal the scroll placing it back in the pouch.
Rise sighed in exasperation and opened her mouth to speak only to be given pause by the sound of rolling thunder. A quick glance skyward however showed no signs of any thunder clouds in any direction, so a befuddled Rise ended up pausing to stare up at Akechi before finally realization struck her. Two in fact, but beyond growling risking directly glaring at AKechi she resolved to let the Uzumaki's rudeness slide in favor of taking a closer look in the distance.
"……!?"
Wordlessly Rise took off down to far end of the bridge before belatedly calling out, "Come one Uzuma-baka! If we don't move we'll miss them!!" just as she kicked into a higher gear down the path.
Meanwhile should Akechi deem it worthwhile to glance over in the same direction Rise had just scanned he'd find that just at the base of Mount Oto a thick column of smoke had erupted. Black from tree set ablaze, but nowhere thick enough for it to be no more than the initial start of a forest fire. Also, if he kept his wits about he might even spot a risky but short route down the mountain by a way of a few ledges jutting out of its side on the way down…
Using his advance Chuunin experience and intelligence Akechi noticed a route to the side the Rise didn't take, sighing he would motion to take the path towards the fire he smirked, "Well now this is getting rather intresting…perhaps I should try and do something about this." Wasting no time Akechi would pull out two scrolls one in each hand as he looked it over and sighed. "I have no scrolls for this…perhaps I?" Is stated as he for the moment and shook his head. Akechi would tap his foot onto the ground as he shifted around once more. "I need to understand whatelse is going on." Shifting around as he thought about making a motion but he would use this time and wait for Rise to catch up.
Life in the Land of Lightning of course taught Rise to be exceptionally mindful of traveling within its more mountainous region. The majoriety of those life preserving lessons were far from the young chuunin's mind given the urgency felt that they needed to complete their mission. Because of this recklessly behavior Rise stumbled a few times, nearly slipped over the edge at least once, and just overall took a lot longer to catch-up to Akechi than what would've happened if she wasn't in so much of a rush!
As soon as she arrived Rise just glared at him and rush past without comment; placing herself once more in the lead before the treeline ahead forced her to slow down. Oddly enough it is at this point that she slid to a stop at the edge of and waited for Akechi to do the same… if and when he caught up in anycase!
"Akechi-san, top or bottom?" She frowned. "No, just.. *grumbles*.. Just keep yer eyes especially sharp for this round Uzuma-baka. Itz bad enough the forest might be on fire but it'd be worse if we get ambushed or somethin ya know?" She warned although the barely suppressed grin was giving away just how excited the mission was making her.
BUT in anycase, unless given reason to hesitate further Rise would merely wave Akechi on forward along with her before leaping to the nearest tree branch and take off once again. Eyes now intently focused on their path ahead for any signs of trouble.
Smirking as a slowly approuching Rise showed up, without looking at her though Akechi spoke "hey slowpoke what took ya so long?" Moving into position Akechi would notice an explosive tag on the tree before him, as he narrowed his eyes he would use one of the scrolls in his hand to toss it ahead of himself with a seal he spoke "SEAL!" a small protective dome would appear ahead of him and take the damage from the explosion as he himself would appear behind a tree. "Hey! Rise-chan there are explosive tags in the nearby area…watch out for them!" Akechi attention would be on Rise for the moment.
"What—"
Fiizzzz
"Oh Fu—"
BOOOOOOM!!!
Sharp as she was, Rise's own drive to get to the source of the original explosion gave her just too much momemteum to stop in time. Akechi's warning at least gave her that split second she needed to leap and ride out the explosion albiet with the left side of her upper body singed and ears ringing from the noise of the explosion. Miraculously she -did- manage to land again on another tree branch, swaying this way and that but thus far remaining steady enough to keep from falling off… for now.
Groaning but undaunted by the explosion, Rise eventually shook off the fog of dizziness. Then focused on scanning her surroundings more thoroughly both for more dangers and Akechi. "Ake-*cough cough*.. Akechi-san! That wasn't no accident so keep ya eyes peeled for more up ahead," Rise commanded before rushing ahead again. Steadfast into even a bigger mess of trouble unless Akechi or some human loving Kama decided to intervene in keeping Rise from breaching a four point barrier of explosive notes!
Akechi would notice Rise body being tossed around by the explosion and shake his head, as he prepared another sealing scroll to toss in her directions he would notice four seals spread around him. "Damnit!?" BOOM! could heard and to Rise eyes it appeared that Akechi was caught in the explosion but using his advances ninjustsu and sure speed he would enter into a body flickers using the cover of the explosion itself to hide himself . Akechi wasted no time scanning the area; Akechi would even place a protective sealing barrier around him in two directions. Everything inside of the chuunin wanted to help Rise out or to even check to see if she was fine now but he couldn't this came first spotting the targets come first. Akechi eyes if anyone could seem them where rather intense as he used everything in his chuunin nature to spot them focus harder and harder but to no avail.
Rise is only given one warning once she passed through the latest impedment to their journey: the tall-tale sound of burning explosive notes. Just barely a half a second before all four notes detonated simultaneously, igniting and crushing everything within their perimeter, Rise managed to land, twist about, and catapult herself bac behind Akechi as barely a noteable shadow within the glare from the explosion!
"Che! We ain't gonna make it at this rate." Rise muttered darkly as she righted herself in mid-air and forced the last burst of energy from the emergency maneuver to launch herself closer to Akechi as soon as her feet touched another tree.
"*growls*… This… is annoying….. Akechi, you take point this time cuz I'm getting tired of nearly getting blown up." Rise stated in between pants and would wait for either Akechi to move on or grudingly move herself ahead should he refuse.
Regardless of the decision made the only obstacle for the next few minutes either of the duo would have to worry about is navigating around the crater left behind by the ring of explosion. Then, return to hunting down the source of their main objective. A not so far off one at that from all the sounds of more explosives going off and the sent of fire ahead growing thicker up ahead..
Akechi smiled faintly as he looked over his shoulder at Rise and smirked "okay but try and keep a nice distance behind me kay, I can't have my Rise-chan getting hurt or worse killed out here." Akechi would pick the seals up and place on his forearm of his right arm and the other on the bottom of his left foot. "Alright here I go." Akechi would be standing as he sighed and flash through seals before taking off in the direction of the explosions, his long blonde hair would be swaying as he motion to move towards it, "please be careful Rise…for my sake." Smiling faintly as he touched her softly under the chin before going into another body flicker technique.
Rise sighed in exasperation and simply shook her head at Akechi's comments. In all honesty the Uzumaki would have had a better chance sweet talking a brick wall compared to the shark toothed little chuunin following in his wake. On the other hand Akechi kept Rise's attention for far longer than most without the need for blood to be shed, so… there was that.
"*ear twitches* We're getting close so less slow down'n take it slow from here. We're only s'pose to be doin recon for this 'nd handingly the problem ourself /if/ possible." Rise stated despite feeling a knife being jabbed in her heart with the admittance. With or without Akechi following her example Rise descended to the ground to travel carefully through the underbrush. Missing more notes scattered about the trees, but at least avoiding those keyed in for sensors for exchange.
Trying to take note to what Rise was saying caused Akechi to lose focus of what was going on ahead of him, this landed him right in the midst of a trap. Using his quick reflexes though he poured his chakra into his forearm and used that to deflect the attack away as he smirked he would lose track of Rise for that instant before trying to hide himself. However knowing that hiding after that flashy display was impossible he would just use this to pretend to behind all the while placing traps in his wake.
The sound of kunai whizzing through the air instantly set Rise on guard and ready to leap away at a moments notice. "Hm… Ah, silly Uzuma-baka!", She exclaimed lowly underbreath, then without another thought be given about the misfortunate seal mastery, Rise slunk forward again. Confident now that whomever was dumb enough to set all those traps to slow down any actual efforts in investigating the explosions did not do the same along the ground. Almost like someone expecting shinobi…
With a quick shake of her head the worrisome thought is banished. She had more important things to worry about after all such as, hmmmm, oh say, parting a bush to look inorder to glance into the clearing beyond? A clearing populated at that pot-marked by mutliple craters of various sizes, fallen trees, scorched earth, and… a spikey hair teen facing a tree on the far side of the clearing. "That must be him! But… what's up with that wierd Kata…", She muttered.
Even by the time Akechi arrived the young man is still focused on centering himself and build up a massive amount of chakra.
Akechi landed softly beside Rise and looked off towards the young man, based on what he sees he knew the young man was building a large amount of chakra. Sighing as he stood there he would pull out a sealing scroll he would place a protective barrier around Rise and himself, stroking his chin he would pull out a pencil and another scroll to make sure to jot down any and every move and seal the man used. For now he would be purely focus on the man and hope Rise would take care of everything else.
Rise's body was in motion well before her mind was made to strike or not at the intruder. As luck would have it for Akechi, the younger nin at least held no weapon in hand by at the time. Otherwise instead of a balled up fist being stopped just short from bruising his face by a couple of inches, a kunai itself would have certianly gauranteed an injury.
Perhaps.
