Starring:
Tsubaki, Kiji
Date: February 8, 2015
Summary:
Tsubaki and Kiji help a shopkeeper gather some supplies (for who-knows what), but they end up getting in over their heads.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Where Sleeping Dinosaurs Lie"
Black-Sands Beach
It wasn't a mission. But it was a request from a shopowner and Tsubaki would be paid. Likely a bit less since she's a student and this task is off the books. The owner of a shop needed fish for some strange reason (Tsubaki didn't really ask /why/), and the Shirayuki was dragged into performing the task. On her way out of the village, Kiji might have seen her and tagged along at the request of the student (hopefully), and the two made their way towards the fish market… Sort of. Tsubaki wandered away after sensing something 'off' in this part of the beaches, the young girl frowning as she tries to figure out why she was drawn /here/.
Kiji had noticed the student heading for the village gates and stopped her, aking (well nearly demanding) to know where she thought she was going. When she heard the whole story she sighed. She had been a bit rough with the girl at first but she was having a rough week. She agreed to escort the girl where she needed to go since she wasn't really supposed to leave he village alone with the silence around. "If we run into any you get behind me and if it gets bad you run like rex and get someone. Got it?" Nodding sharply Kiji allowed Tsubaki to take the lead. it was her 'mission' after all. Though Kiji raised an eyebrow when they ended up heading toward the beaches. The Shimzu's eyes were a deep blue and she kept alert, though the chances of trouble this close to the village (short of an actual assault) were low. "What's wrong Tsubaki-chan?"
Tsubaki frowns a bit, looking along the beach. "I … just had a feeling…" she tells the Shimizu. She wasn't particularly off-put by the confrontation when leaving the village. She expected someone to make a fuss. Her green eyes stay green as they scan the water's edge but see nothing in particular that could possibly be of interest. Maybe it's further down? The feeling that washed over her earlier was still in her, so she decides to go towards where her instincts were telling her not to go. Then she pauses in mid-step, making herself turn to ask the genin, "Can we investigate?"
Kiji tilted her head, eyes hinting at purple as she watched the younger girl. She wasn't one to coddle anyone but honestly, any reason to be the bronto away from Shimizu Erika in the barracks was a good one. "Sure. Just.. be careful…" She acted like she was completely uninterested in what was going on but secretly… she opened her senses to check for dangers around them.
Tsubaki nodded taking the lead to travel down the beach a bit more. Kiji probably wouldn't sense anything in particular to be of interest… Though as the pair walked along, Tsubaki's uneasiness grew, and Kiji would notice a hint of chakra. Remnants or something, likely, as the body that was laid on the beach was very very dead. From the looks of it, upon closer inspection, it would seem the body was mauled by some great beast. The torso was slashed through by claws, and one of her limbs was completely gone. There was not much blood as it was washed away by the water. "… What happened..?" comes Tsubaki's voice. It was surprise and curiosity that entered her tone, as well as a tinge of worry.
Kiji frowned, her eyes shading slowly toward a light yellow.. Soomething was… strange. Something was wrong, that was more accurate. She took three long steps and came up even with Tsubaki. Seeing the body she put a hand before the girl, deadly serious expression on her face. "Wait." She looked around, searching for any hint as to what could have done this. It reminded Kiji of the Hitokage she'd fought with …. The slashes tooo. She wasn't worried about Tsubaki getting nightmares from the gore.. She was a Kiri shinobi (or would be soon) so she would have to get used to the reality of battle sooner or later… Carefully Kiji approached the body, eyes narrowing. There shouldn't be a beast that size here. In the marshes sure, but not here… She opened her senses again, more concentrated. "Be alert…"
Kiji would notice that the dead body has very little chakra. She was dead for a long time and it was leaking out of her (assuming that's how chakra works…) or something like that. The beast nearby had a bit of chakra. Enough to be noticed. Tsubaki turns around to try and find the culprit of this, frowning as she looks away from the water. Her own senses were terrible compared to the Shimizu, but even she could tell there was something large moving along the rocks nearby. It was camouflaged or hidden somehow, apparently. And also sleeping…
Kiji noticed the presence of the beast and frowned darkly… She needed a way to communicate over long distances… A flare would wake the beast… And she had Tsubaki to worry about. The Shimizu glanced down at the Shirayuki, her eyes now full on golden. "I cannot allow that thing to do this again. But you must remain safe. You can run back to the village if you choose." she looked toward the signature of the beast again… "I have to kill that thing." She gathered her chakra about her as she prepared for battle. This might not be a laid back afternoon after all , but her blood sang at the thought of taking on a beast alone, even better, a part of her whispered, she was fighting while protecting. Which was much harder. Perhaps Meruin would see her then.. though she doubted it….
Tsubaki frowns a bit. She doesn't really want to leave Kiji all by herself, even if the genin /can/ handle the beast. Her gaze hardens a bit as determination sets in. She can try and help, can't she? Provide a distraction, maybe. She stays where she is to watch for now. If Kiji needs help, she can always try. The beast itself feels a massive amount of chakra getting stored up, but it doesn't wake up. It just shifts in its spot like it's tired after a recent battle.
Kiji allowed Tsubaki to make her own descision about staying or leav ing. If it came to it, Kiji would protect and heal the girl but the best wy to teach was to throw them into the fire. Or so she'd been taught. So she gathered her strength and waited.. moving closer to the beast trying to get it into view. She perched on a stone overlooking it's little cubby like a crow… Blood vines snaked out from her wrists, exposing the scent of blood to the air, hoping to entice the thing. It it was awake it might attack, if it was sleeping.. well, she didn't feel like simply buturing the thing…
A closer inspection would reveal some odd dinosaur-looking thing. It had a large body and a rather small head. Stubby legs, too… But it also had horns on its head that were spiked and a spiked tail that was designed to slash things up. The scent of blood tickles the creatures nostrils, and its tail moves instinctively, attempting to swipe Kiji off her perch while the beast wakes up. Apparently the tail is its typical weapon…
Tsubaki gathers her chakra upon seeing the beast wake up. Her senses go into high-gear, though she doesn't think she can do much more than be a nuisance… She makes a handseal, readying herself to make a clone, but not making one just yet. She just gets ready for it…
Kiji brought up her whips to deflect the tail but it's power suprised her and she was impacted to the side. She was not helpless, though, and the impact against the rock face was lessened by her whips. She glowered at the thing, her eyes forming orange rings around her golden eyes… She was on the edge of her rage but not quite there. She focused and two more whips sprung from her back and hips. Leaping forward, Kiji tried to slice that tail, remove iit remove the threat….
Close, but no cigar… The beast got seriously wounded by Kiji's blood whips, but it didn't cut off the tail. At least, not fully. It was no longer as versatile, it seemed, as it was cut halfway through! The beast let out a deafening roar that could potentially drag more Kiri-nin or bystanders this way, though its main purpose was to stun. With Kiji hopefully unable to move or protect herself, the beast would charge at her to try and knock her out of the way and put her out of commission thanks to injury. It took its path, meaning that Tsubaki was also in the line of fire! She tries to block the charge, but it's a bit difficult when you're eight. She ends up getting knocked down.
Kiji snapped her hands up to cover her ears and her whips wove a tight weave in front of her to protect herself against the roar. She had to brace it was so strong but the hands and blood managed to keep from harming her. Immediately she had to move, again her whips came to bear. She snapped her whips around the beast's neck and used that to swing herself around, avoiding the charge and hopefully landing on it's back. That took 2 whips from her hips, leaving the whips at her wrists free to attack and attack she did. Straight for the dumb thing's eyes….
Kiji would find that she's able to grab onto the beast with her whips, ensnaring it in her grasp. But… It doesn't like that very much. After it's done charging at Tsubaki, the big thing rolls around to try and stop this crazy woman from attacking its eyes! No, it doesn't /need/ its eyes, but they are very convenient and so easy to use… Also, /this/ was painful.
Tsubaki decides to try and do her part, finishing making the seals so that an ice clone appears, smashing into the monster to dive ice cold shards into it. Another follows shortly after, though it only hits the back, which is much more armored than its stomach.
Kiji was fully aware of the beast's intentions by the shift of it's body and two whips from her hips released their hold, snapping out instead behind her, adhering to the rock and pulling her free of the rolling disaster. "Stupid beast.." Well, maybe not so stupid. Still… The ice shards made her blink.. Tsubaki was getting in on this. Damn she had to watch the giirl too. This thing would crush her… Well, every creature had a brain, usually in the head and that brain needed blood. Which made the neck her next target… This time hse added a bit of force, trying to wrap her snare around the thing's neck then putting a sharp edge on one side of the whips and yanking, spinning, trying to cut deep into the throat..
Somehow, the beast wasn't caught by Kiji's blood whips and snares. It was able to avoid it since its neck was just that wide across or something odd like that. With a roar, it seems like it's about to charge when Tsubaki is able to strike it with three kunai. One goes through its body, only digging in a little bit. Another goes through its softer underside rather close to the heart. And the third ends up striking its head, making her seem better than she actually is in terms of throwing skills. With those attacks, its basically dead now. Kiji did a lot of the heavy-lifting, though. Tsubaki looks between Kiji and the beast a bit hesitantly, unsure what to do about it now that it's dead.
Kiji watched the kunai land and blinked, glancing at the girl with a suprised expression.. Then she turned back to the 'dead' thing before them. Anger rose then, her eyes shaded crimson and she lashed out, aiming to sever the damn thing's head this time. Then she moved to Tsubaki's side. "Are you injured?" Simple question, but asked with a bit of strain.. it was easier to get into the rage than to leave it. Still she wasn't angry with the girl.
Tsubaki watches the head cut off, inwardly flinching. Not because that sight is a bit disturbing, but because Kiji's rage was pretty potent and easily felt. She looks back to the Shimizu, shaking her head at the question. "I'll be fine. I only got knocked down once because you took the beast's attention for the most part," she says in a rather soft voice, as if speaking that way would calm Kiji. "… Are /you/ hurt?" comes her next question.
Kiji tilted her head at the Shirayuki curiously, though her eyes remained crimson for a long moment. She did not answer verbally, instead, she turned around and lifted the back of her shirt, exposing the bruise there from being slammed into the wall. Right before Tsubaki's eyes it simply went away. By the time Kiji turned back around her eyes were a dull blank tone like pearls, similar to the Hyuuga look. "Congratulations, Tsubaki-chan. You have helped to feed many people this day." She folded her arms and sighed as she took in the beast… Now.. how to get it home… She shook her head. "Well, shall we send up a flare or would you like to go get someone?"
Tsubaki takes a moment to think. Well, maybe the lady she was supposed to help would find this much more useful. Better than using fish. "I'll go get someone," she says, turning to run back to the village. She's surprisingly fast, the girl working on her skills a bit more so she can become stronger and a good kunoichi for Kiri. The woman that 'hired' her gave her a suspicious look when Tsubaki requested she come with, but then obliged, as she figures that the Shirayuki must have a very good reason. If not, there's no payment. Simply. The woman blinks in surprise at seeing what the two were able to take down, obviously pretty excited by it. She ends up paying both about 150% what she was originally going to give (which isn't much more, but there's an increase!) and assists them with carrying the beast back to Kirigakure.
