Starring:
Date: July 18, 2013
Summary:
A short, low rank mission gets ambushed by some allies of the Recluse
"Unholy Alliances - Messages in Genjutsu"
Miati Forest
The hospital was gearing up for the chuunin exams which were right around the corner. While the village had not been announced officially yet, it was a given more medical supplies would be needed to go with the groups, no matter where it was. Thus Taiki and a small group of others were sent out into the Maitai forest for fungus, which when distilled and treated, provided some outstanding antidotes against some of the lesser-known poisons. Taiki was to lead this group, so after gathering the people he needed for this relatively mundane mission, and making sure things were okay with the clan, he and the group made their way here. In a way, this was a sort of vacation for Taiki…
Usagi was relatively quiet for this mission, oddly enough. She knew what the mission was, and knew how to handle it pretty well, and with Taiki here, it was a shoo in unless another village's shinobi were out here and looking for it too and didn't want to back off. Or the random assassins and the like, but that was normal. She does seem a tad distracted as she follows along for the time being. Not so much that she'd smack herself on a tree branch, but considering the low level of threat on the mission, it's obvious to any who know her that she's definitely thinking of something else.
Yawning, HInotori isn't an herb picker at all, but surprisingly enough he does know of the plants they are looking for. Having a girlfriend who does this sort of things does help. But still Hinotori moves around as if the guard for both Taiki and Usagi. Having known of the Exams coming, he is just curious as to who all will be joining it from the village, "So why is everyone quiet?" hea asks.
Taiki blinks and looks back, then shrugs. "I'm quite frankly enjoying spending a little time away from whiney elders and the messes they created," Taiki responds to Hino's question. "I actually have time to think for a bit, and puzzle through what may be wrong with my next medical sealing jutsu. It's a bit refreshing, even though this could barely be called a D rank mission. That just made sure no one thought to say they couldn't risk me being out here." It's true though, like Usagi predicted, the clan as a whole were rather paranoid about losing Taiki, and had tried to hobble him away from the team. It was only through words with and from the Hokage that prevented that from happening. Nozomi bark-howls a couple of times, causing Taiki to nod. "Our destination is just beyond the next marker," he says, pointing to a leaf insigna that had been etched into a tree a long time ago, which was barely about 10 yards away.
Usagi pauses long enough to look at Hinotori, and shrugs slightly in response to his question. She still remains quiet as Taiki answers his portion of the question, a small smirk coming to her face as he mentions the part about what ranking the mission is. As she looks at the others briefly, Nozomi barks, getting her attention as she follow Taiki's gaze to the leaf mark. She nods once and leaps forward onto the tree, landing on the branch and kneeling a bit. At least unless Taiki and the others move ahead. This was as good a vantage point as any, honestly. She glances at them for a few moments to see their actions, again oddly silent.
Hearing Taiki's response, Hinotori isn't all that surprised, it's been hard trying to get ahold of Taiki to just go hang out and now Usagi is back around, it's good seeing her now as well. "Well I wasn't meaning it like that, I mean, we haven't hung out too much and thought we can talk about just anything." he chuckles. "Granted I do need to pick up something for Kasumi-chan when we get back." he grins a little bit. When Usagi moves head of them, Hinotori watches her as she flits through the trees. "He Nozomi-kun." he calls to the ninken and tosses out a doggie treat. "Catch!" he calls to him. Granted his voice isn't really loud or anything. Though it would be noticed quite easily Hinotori loves the ninkens.
Taiki smiles at Hino's comments, then arches a brow at the continued silence from Usagi. "I was trying to do just that, Hinotori-san. Just as I said, things have been… aggravatingly hectic. In a way Usagi was right about how my clan would react when I became Alpha. But there really wasn't much of a choice in the matter, you know?" Nozomi wags her tail excitedly and starts to leap up to catch the treat, only to be pushed out of the way by Shinobu. At first it would be surprising, for the dogs never acted like that, but a soft "thunk" could be heard from a tree a short distance away. In addition, a small bit of white fur drifts to the ground right where Nozomi was not even a split second before. Taiki crouches down and starts sniffing the air, trying to determine what just happened.
And just like that, Usagi seems to vanish from view. It might explain her continued silence at this point, as well as her distraction earlier, but nonetheless she's no longer visible to the naked eye, at least not without enhanced senses. Taiki would hear a soft 'poof' as if something was just summoned, and that's about all for the Nara woman in the team.
For a long few moments nothing seems to happen, then slowly a single man, clothed in a heavy cloak that obscures any and all identifying traits seems to rise up from the ground from right behind where Usagi was before she disappeared. "Leave here," the man(?) rasps. "You trespass."
Taiki's head snaps toward the sound of the voice, and though he can hear quite a bit, he somehow completely missed any detection of teh man at all. "This is the Land of Fire, and we're from Konoha. You have no claim over this area. Who are you to tell us to leave?"
For a long few moments nothing seems to happen, then slowly a single man, clothed in a heavy cloak that obscures any and all identifying traits seems to rise up from the ground from right behind the tree where Usagi was before she disappeared. "Leave here," the man(?) rasps. "You trespass."
Taiki's head snaps toward the sound of the voice, and though he can hear quite a bit, he somehow completely missed any detection of teh man at all. "This is the Land of Fire, and we're from Konoha. You have no claim over this area. Who are you to tell us to leave?"
There's a slight pause before a voice speaks, seeming to echo from the surrounding area, making it difficult to pinpoint a location. Apparently Usagi has learned to throw her voice a bit. "I am a keeper of the forests, spirit. What is your purpose here? Why do you ask us to leave?" Yes, she's completely ignoring what Taiki just said a few moments ago, though she's yet to reveal herself at all.
Hinotori watches Nozomi and Shinoubu go after one another for teh treat, "I have more." he tells them. But when there is a shuffle and a man appears. Hinotori looks up and slows his movement stopping above where Taiki is, his eyes easily activateing his Sharingan. Looking directly towards this man, watching him and the surrounding area trying to see if there are others around while Taiki tries to speak to the man. It's the voice from the surrounding forest, he keeps the emotion to laugh away from his lips. He simply just moves to the side and look out for others who may be hiding about.
The man, if he is a man and not a woman, it's hard to tell even gender in that outfit, laughs a raspy laugh, though it seems oddly empty. "You lie," it says before sinking back into the ground. Another figure quickly rises behind Hinotori though, too quick to be the same person. "You are nothing," the slightly higher pitched voice says from behind him. "Leave now, or die."
Taiki and Shinobu growl as Nozomi starts to round to Taiki's other side. "I can't track them," Taiki signals the other two via and-signals. "No scent." For the moment he'll let Usagi speak, since she has the best tactical position of the group.
"I do not. I am of the Nara clan, the keepers of knowledge and watchers of the forest" Usagi's still throwing her voice for the time being, and still definitely not visible to the naked eye. Except for sharingans, anyways. Where she is now though for anyone but her teammates is a good guess, and by all likelihood, she's moved from where she was a moment ago. "I ask again, what is your purpose, spirits?"
Turning around with a bit of a yawn, having spotted where Usagi is, Hinotori looks at the individual that managed to get to him rather quickly. Seeing as he didn't attack, shows that these people are only wanting them to leave. Narrowing his eyes just slightly, HInotori looks to this person cehcking to see if he is real or genjutsu or not. Would be rather impressive if this person does turn out to be real.
Instead of sinking into the ground like the last one, this person just seems to fade from view. One moment its there, next moment it's translucent, then it is gone. Instead it is replaced by a ball of light in the middle of the group that flashes once. "You choose… death" the ball "says," flashing in time with the words. The next moment it, for all intents and purposes, explodes into a veritable storm of whirling foliage. Leaves, sticks, and other forest debris radiates out, seeming to cause vast damage to the surrounding area. Taiki and crew seem to start taking heavy damage as the debris whips around, flattening everything in its path.
Usagi pauses briefly at the ball of light, raising a brow as it explodes into a whirlwind of foliage and various pieces of the local fauna. Still cloaked, she simply shakes her head slowly, and resumes her search for the one causing the trouble. She's returned to being silent for the time being, starting at the tree she 'was' in, and moving from there.
As Usagi perceives the genjutsu, it breaks, leaving the area completly untouched. Even Taiki looks untouched, just rather upset. The dogs and Taiki both sniff around, activating their senses to the fullest. Just then the trees start to move, branches whipping out to attack anyone that draws close to them. Indeed, a couple start trying to uproot themselves in attempts to get at those remaining, as Hinotori seems to disappear. Taiki once again seems to be caught in this trap as he and his ninken appear to be picked up and thrown about like rag dolls.
Usagi shakes her head again, looking at the scene and shrugging slightly, ignoring it once more. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, throwing her voice again. "Leave this place, whomever you are. Because if I find you still in the area, I can certainly make you a spirit in truth" She continues on her methodical search to find this person or people, though listening for any signs of this being's location via sound. Sight really couldn't be trusted at this point, and she wasn't going to jump the gun that easily either.
"Impressive," a voice sounds throughout the area, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "We were lead to believe you were weak against genjutsu." This voice is definitely feminine, and without a disguising jutsu. The illusion fades again, and one does not take its place. Instead a head, and only a head, pokes up out of the ground. "A mutual friend sends his greetings, Taiki-kun… Usagi-chan. Unfortunately, that friend is very upset that you managed to once again slip through the traps set for you. But neither one of you can hide behind your clans forever, as has been proven once again. So our friend sends this warning… You have graduated from a flea to a skunk. Soon, very soon, you will die. You have no idea the power lined up against you. You have awakened a slumbering dragon, and it will devour you, your clans, and everything you hold dear. Say your prayers, Taiki-kun, Usagi-chan. And sleep with one eye open. Death comes for you." With that the head shrinks back into the tree and disappears. Nothing else seems to be happening anywhere near.
Usagi stops and waits for them to speak. When they are finished, she simply states, in a very cold voice. "I am the angel of death. I will be its harbringer for you. And none of you will escape" She doesn't attack the tree, she knew that was simply the conduit, and takes a deep breath and shakes her head. "We'd best get the ingredient and be on our way, Taiki. I know the clan head of the Nara will want to know, as well as the Hokage. Though please keep in mind, this is only going to have your clan elders trying to keep you tied to the Inuzuka compound even more now. And in either case, we had best not dawdle" She takes a slow breath and releases it. "And I doubt I could pull what I did at the chuunin exams to try and make jounin" She gives him a quick smirk as she lets the cloak drop from her. "Just tells me I need to step up my training again" She pauses, taking a moment to re-seal the scythe (if she can) into the scroll, taking a slow breath and letting it back out. "Tomorrow. Late afternoon. We're sparring. You need to make sure you keep the dust off of you, and I need to shake some off"
