A ANBU's Sense of Justice[Misson]

[Nanjirou Soku]

Her hair was brushed up smoothly in a bun, her gear polished and shined and her headband she wore around her forehead, the logo of the Leaf glinting brightly in the afternoon sun and on top, the Santaru wore her ANBU mask, red and green markings on it and the usual Storm Blade dangled from her waist clinking against her pant leg underneath which she wore steel pads as a inner layer of protection. All in all, Soku was armed to the teeth for this misson despite it being a observation assignment, the town was still crawling with bandits and she was going alone, so better to take precautions then wind up in a undesirable situation. She reached the village gates and gave a short, curt nod to the guards on either side whom nodded back in unison and one of them motioned to someone above on the walls and with a huge groaning of the gears, the gates swung open allowing her freedom to pass."Thank you."The ANBU replied and within seconds, she was out of the village and into the forest within which bordered the village. The person they had questioned and eventually ended up killing had said the town lay somewhere on the edge of the country and according to the map, the town was east of here so it was quite a trek.

"Well, here we go. Should reach there by nightfall if I'm lucky."The kunochi took to the branches to cover more distance, her senses sharpened on the lookout for any potential threats the forest might contain within the dark shadows that called out to her in a eerie sort of manner. The cycle of the day moved on and eventually, Soku came to a clearing in the forest and stopped for a brief break, sweat trickling down her back."It can't be too far now."Glancing down at the map, she trailed a finger down the trail she was coming and murmured to herself clearly pondering something."So if I go this way...that's a extra 5 miles...but this cutoff should..wait a minute..that is...argh!Clearly frustrated in a sense, Soku glared at the parchment and the set of shabby directions on it. If she chose the trail ahead, that would be extra distance to cover, however, there was a small, tiny winding dirt path to the left that led to a cave which looked like it was not safe for passage, vines draped over the entrance and here and there, the structural integrity of the cavern were lacking and Soku stood there for a moment simply deciding what to do.

"It may be a extra 5 miles but at least I'll get there unharmed, if I took the cavern path however, there is a risk of being buried alive in all those rocks if it collapsed and there is no visible light so one wrong move and that entire thing could come crashing down.Deciding to forego the cavern for the much longer pathway ahead of her, she folded up the map, deposited it in her pocket, confident with her choice and continued on, the night sky eventually setting in. If that man had been correct, the village would be dead ahead, She would have to be careful not to get too close though. They could have patrol groups or sentries on duty and that would not be a pleasant encounter. A couple of hours passed and eventually the backdrop of the forest faded away giving way to what appeared to be a collection of run-down old buildings with a shabby old wall surrounding the structure."This has to be it."The female ANBU murmured to herself darting off the path to avoid unwanted attention and settled down into a bush waiting for someone to come along the route so she could perhaps somehow sneak into the town.

WC: 636/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

The convoy had been walking for days the group travelled as a group of six, it seemed that each one was an experience group though this haul would seem them threw to the end of days, they had managed to hit the jack pot for once and even now they where looking forward to finally managing to have a few nights inside of a caravan, though for how long it would be seen by the groups commander. The veteran of war itself he was a man that was feared but also the master mind behind each of the attacks and so far they had not lost a single man under his command he had allowed them to come threw thick and thing together. Each attack planned and executed according to his own description and devotion he had managed to prove themselves each time and right now he knew full well that they would have a few days rest. The last haul had seen them get so much coin and with that they could stop at a local inn inside of fire country though he would be watchful until they finally managed to stop what would happen then was down to each man, as the coin was split among them equally.

“We are nearly at the Inn so I would stop worry about it, you will soon manage to get to an Inn and have fun. Just a lit longer is all you must do to control your patience, and keep an eye out, there is no point letting your guard down just because you think we are close to resting. Remember that travelling on the road this is the point that we need to be alert, do not let your guard down and that goes to the whole team. I will not accept failure from any of you and I hope you understand that much.”

“I understand boss, we will not fail you, we just need a good night sleep and we appreciate your patience with us”

“Understood boss.”

“I hear you, I will keep my eyes vigilant here, and make sure that you are now disappointed”

“I will look out like a hawk”

“I will be vigilant in this dark hour, we are nearly out for a break no point getting sloppy right now. So, I will make sure that you are doing well do not worry about us no matter how tired we are”

It seemed that the group where having a bit of a chit chat, but nothing that would distract them from anything. Though he wondered how long that would go on for, it seemed the leader of the group was allowing them to move along the road. Pondering how long they would have to go before they managed to find a bar or even a tavern. They would finally be able to put there head down for the night, sleep and get some well rested they each needed to make sure that they had a few moments of rest.

Over the last few days all they had been doing was raiding but they had finally made a good amount of profit from the recent hauls. It was like taking candy from a baby and each of them had filled their boots with not only gold. But with the blood of those that had decided to try and put up a fight for the treasure they held dear. Though of course they had all been parted with it and each of them had been proven. They had each been proven in combat and the deaths that they had caused was worth the haul that they had managed.

It seemed even on the main road it was dead at this time of the day, though that was not an issue. The quiet road allowed them to continue to move quickly. Each one of the men that was scattered around the convoy was easily to keep an eye to the man on the right, this way they could monitor each of them without having to worry about the situation. He pondered on how the man to their right was doing it also meant that if anyone tried to attack they would be able to raise the alarm in an instant.

[TWC:714/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Soku snapped awake the sound of a group approaching and instantly, her brain went into panic mode."Patrol group. Damn!She said uttering a curse before quickly grabbing her pouch which had been laying beneath her and quickly fading into the bush nearby, her eyes settling down to see whom indeed had decided to happen upon the bandit town this time of day. The group came into view and it was a large one and mentally, she began to count the number of men.1...2...3...6. There are 6.A feeling of horror suddenly came over the kunoichi as she realized one very important mistake. The map was laying there out in the open fluttering in the wind. If she even attempted to retrieve it, she would be seen. In all her panic, the Santaru had disregarded the parchment and now it lay there, a big, stinking clue to anyone who came along that someone had been here. She glanced at the approaching group and cursed. No time now for it."Damn!Damn!Damn!" They would see the document and being bandits, their curosity would be aroused and probably check to see if it held any value."Hopefully,
They just think it is a worthless piece of paper. If they did confiscate it, it was troublesome but she could still make in the town, just had to get the timing right.

Preparing herself mentally, Soku slowly reached behind her back into a pouch and readied a smoke bomb. Once they reached that gate and were granted access, she would launch the projectile briefly confusing the guards for a while she made it inside. Speaking of guards, she shot a glance towards the run-down wall where a head popped up and upon seeing the approaching group, his eyes widened and he began to shout to someone below and soon enough, there was a mass of them on the battlements watching the group approach."This could be harder than I thought."Soku said wryly eyeing the sentries. Silently praying no one saw her, with a free hand, Soku grabbed hold of a rock and from her hidden positon flung it at the wall watching as it hit with a resounding thud that echoed across the plain. Hopefully, it would attract the guard's attention and perhaps cause the bandit group approaching to stop momentarily which was what she wanted. They were spread out almost in a formation style, each man covering a potential threat area. She smiled, but what if the threat came from above?

The smile was gone as quick as it had come. She had considered using the Lightning Beast technique to distract the group but somehow, they were giving off the vibe that they weren't stupid. They would know a jutsu when they saw it and that would blow her cover. Sighing to herself, Soku kept stationary in her spot, smoke bomb in one hand, her eyes darting back and forth between the guards on the wall and the group. The Santaru mentally noted down the features of the six men, seeing as this would be part of her misson report when she summarized her findings to Yukio. The girl was itching to just charge out there and single-handedly give them a good solid punch or two but wiser heads prevailed. Wriggling the toes in her feet to keep the blood flowing, Soku laid a palm on the hilt of her sword barely breathing as the footsteps got closer and closer, her heart pounding in her chest not daring to move a inch. This would be the turning point, all she had to do was keep hidden. She was beginning to learn how hard a simple task could be.
WC: 611
TWC: 1247/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

The group continued to move with purpose as each of them walked, it seemed that each one of them had a weapon, though how well trained they where in it would be a different matter. Each one seemed to move with years of experience, they were a well-oiled machine, it seemed that they had been part of the military before which part though was to be said. It seemed that the unity from each of them would be something that was hard to match even with this day, the leader of the group seemed to be a crazy woman. She had a gleam in her eyes that said something much more sinister was lurking under the outside skin.

The group pushed on there movements where focused and they did not dwindle though it seemed that the girl that was in charge was at least that of an S-Rank. Though her eyes never moved from the cart the group branch off from the main track and into the forest itself. Deciding to take a safer approach, the group had managed to head in completely a different direction to what Soku had originally anticipated it seemed that they still had a long way to go but the main thing was that they where all on the same page the group moved as one without any question or hesitation in the orders that they had been given.

The girl suddenly hopped onto the back of the caravan it seemed that she was watching the bush that held Soku in, the sinister grin now spreading across her face as she brought her hand up and allowed herself to blow the Anbu in Training a Kiss. It seemed that Soku may finally have stepped out of the little kids league right now and each time that she faced the unknown she would never be alone any more. But right now, the group had moved out of sight from the spy. They had moved threw the forest and headed to the nearest Inn it was only a mile down the road and time to it was quick as the group finally saw the building coming out in the distance. The group came to rest just outside, it seemed that a few of the men dealt with roping the horses in place, sorting out the carriage and making sure that everything was secure. The head of the group and two other men that she considered to be the best of the bunch was in the Inn. They allowed themselves to discuss the matter as well as hiring out rooms. It seemed that the group would be setting themselves there for the night, it was a decision of having a good night’s rest that they needed, and they knew full well that each of them could use it. This way they were a few days out of the location that they had allocated to be set up. The real question here was going to be would they leave the guards around the waggon.

It seemed that the head decided to spend the night drinking away the noise from the Inn showed that they had. Though the group of themselves swapped up the rotation. There were always two guards at the cart threw out the time as the sun slowly allowed itself to go in. The drinking and noise of the bar continued to get louder and louder. It seemed that the drink was flowing and each of the people seemed to be enjoying some time off. Maybe this was something that Soku could use to gather information though she would have to be careful. It seemed that something was not right with this group and each of them where better trained than could be expected.

[TWC: 1,338/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Soku suddenly felt her heart drop seeing the direction they were taking winding off into the forest itself. Once they passed, she would follow, in a attempt to get a handle on their destination. There was a girl among them and she looked deadly serious at the task at hand. The kunoichi watched as the girl leapt lightly onto the back of the caravan cart as it trod past seemingly focused on the bush she was concealed in.There is no way she knows, how?!Soku stayed still, her eyes widening as the female made the motion of blowing a kiss towards her, a sinister smile overlapping her features. The ANBU was getting a bad vibe off this woman and knew she would do good to avoid all contact with this villian. The cart faded away into the greenery of the forest and Soku rose from the bush letting loose a sigh of relief."That was a close call." She retrieved the map fluttering in the light wind breeze pocketing it once again grateful that maybe, they still were not aware they were being followed. The kunoichi scaled a oaken tree and whisked through the branches keeping her step light on the fragile twigs, her pupils focused on the slim figures ahead, the cart rumbling behind them. Stealth was essential and she kept a ways back hiding when necessary until finally, a inn burst into view and the group stopped. It seemed this would be their resting place for the night.

Some bandits moved to secure their mounts whilst the leader of the group along with two others disappeared into the inn perhaps to allow themselves some fun as was evident by the noise. If Soku was to have chance at gathering any information, her chance was now. The issue arose of how to enter the inn without attracting attention. Balancing lightly on a small branch,, she moved one hand to her shinobi headband and with a swish, untied the knot and pocketed it. Risks had to be taken and the move the kunoichi was about to perform was almost certainly that of a madman. She hopped down concealing herself behind the tree and in a quick few motions, her ANBU plated vest came off laying the heavy armor to rest against the trunk of the tree. Soku was simply dressed in a short sleeved black shirt and some long tan trousers. At least now, she would not draw as much as attention. Eyeing the blade, the girl debated with herself before coming to a conclusion. "It might draw a few eyes but I do not want to be unarmed."Collecting the Storm Blade, she strapped it along her back and mentally prepared herself for the suicidal task she was about to peform all for the sake of retreiving some valuable information.

She slowly crept her way forwards towards the inn entrance and when close enough, began to walk in a relaxed sort of way her eyes riveted on the cart outside and the bandit guards to whom she gave a brief glance allowing them a charming smile as she disappeared inside the structure. The noise was overwhelming here and it was impossible to find the three who had entered here in such a crowd. Making her way over to the counter, she slid two coins across to the bartender."Water,, please." Soku scanned the crowd looking for any faces that might stick out. That girl's features was not forgettable, blowing that kiss as she passed. A glass arrived before her and the kunochi nodded her thanks taking a small sip. Oh, she was nervous alright, crowd full of people, who knew what could happen? But any chance to get close was perfect and the cover of the crowd shielded her well. Problem was, it concealed the woman as well.
WC: 638
TWC: 1885/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

As Soku walked past it seemed that the men guarding the wagon stopped what they where doing and simply watched. They said nothing, but their eyes said it all as they continued to watch it and not do anything. Not speaking to her they just studied her every moment, her every action they made sure that every step she took was perfectly examined. They did not talk they did not even utter a single sentence as she walked past them and back into the bar. The two men continued to rope the horses and saddle them to the seats. It seemed that they had a purpose and they had a task to completely, though conversation begun between the two of them with her exit from the situation. It seemed that they where happy with the night so far as the day was behind them. They had managed to move into the night with no problem and no issue.

“The horses have managed to be strapped in, we have the weapons on route to their destination now. We are coming around the corner to what could be considered a high point for the attack that is planned. It cannot be long away now, and we will soon have the army prepared and ready”

“Agreed, it is coming around the corner and no-one can deny that. The real question is what they will do when everything finally comes together it is not like they are going to be prepared. We will catch them off guard and we have the element of surprise, this is what it was supposed to be, and they are not stupid with the plan that has been created.”

“I have to say I agree with you on that one, each of them has managed to prove why they have been given the roll that they have got. Though the real question now is what will happen tonight. Are we moving out or are we having a bit of time down at the bar?”

“I could use a drink at the bar and that is fine with me if I am being honest”

It seemed that when Soku entered the bar she would be welcomed to a crowded sight. The place was rammed and people where in every corner of the bar. The noise was incredible inside of the bar as people gossiped to their hearts content though some of it was pointless other bits of it had to come up with conclusions about the days work and the taxes on the land, though most of this would be pointless to Soku, she was here to gather information and she would have to work for it. Though it seemed that the ones she was looking for had managed to get themselves hidden in the back of the bar. A table with eight people crowded around it, the back of the head of the girl that Soku had run in with earlier could be seen as the bar man handed her water though the look of his face showed an unamused approach as it seemed that water was rarely given in this establishment.

“We will stop here for the night, it seems that the men have got tired and we can delivery the shipment of weapons in the morning, one night break will not stop us in our duty.”

“Understood Ma’am. I will book the rooms for the night, we should be lucky I will post one sentry on duty at all times if that is ok with yourself”

“Yes that is fine, see to it and I will keep drinking god knows we need it for what is coming in the future”

[TWC: 1,951/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She took a causal sip of her water glass, her eyes slowly riveting to land of the back of the woman's head, her ears perched for anything. So it seemed they were not the run-of-the-mill bandits as she first thought. The Santaru processed what she had just heard into her brain mulling it over.From what I am gathering, that woman is the leader of this group spearheading a delivery of weapons to a group.Soku had heard the term "army" used by one of the guards outside when she passed and that brought up a matter of concern. It seemed this bandit organzation was much, much larger than she first antcipated. Soku was willing to bet that these weapons that that they were talking about lay within the caravan outside. It would prove useful to know what type of weapons they were and how much they numbered so she get a good assessment of how much battle force they were supplying and just exactly how these weapons were obtained."For that, I'll have to take a peek at it."Soku said murmuring to herself in a low tone. The Santaru decided that the time to act would have to be tonight seeing as the group moved rather quickly. It would be risky but doable. Gathering from what she heard, there would only be one sentry on duty tonight from the looks of things.

Nodding appreciavtely at the bartender, the Santaru stood up and headed towards the entrance taking a alternative route to the exit to make sure she wasn't spotted by the other kunoichi. The ANBU walked past the caravan shooting it a quick glance before continuing on her way back to her foresty hiding spot where her gear was stowed. It was time to prepare for tonights spying misson. Soku could have gotten a room but that would just raise eyebrows and increase the likelihood the bandit leader would realize the AiT had followed them here. Digging in her pouch for a piece of parchment, the Santaru jotted down a record of Day 1 observations, folded the sheet up and pocketed it. She would compile these notes into a final misson report if need be. "Alright, time to get prepped."Turning her attention to the gear she'd discarded when she entered the bar, Soku grabbed ahold of the standard ANBU vest she had brought along, nodding to herself as it fit snugly into place. There were also some steel plated gloves and her Leaf headband which she equipped rather promptly."Armour, check. Weapons, check.
Smoke bombs.. check."

The kunoichi was bringing along some elaborate getaway tools should she be discovered while snooping through the stash of goods within the horse-drawn caravan. Dusting off her vest, the girl cracked her knuckles mentally hyping herself up and looked down at the ANBU mask in her hand."Might as well, it wouldn't help if they got a glance at my features." There was a click as the mask slid over her tan skin concealing her features. It was time to execute Operation Spy and Seek. Scaling a tree, the light armored kunoichi took to the branches observing the saddled horses cropping peacefully on some grass blades. She would wait for a oppturne time to strike but for now, she played the waiting game.

WC: 545
TWC: 2430/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

It seemed that the head of this little band that was together had been making their own destiny tonight with drink and food they had not stopped screaming and shouting about how the future was down to the actions that they did. Though Soku left the bar already it seemed that when she left she had missed on information that would never be repeated every again, though the real question was what information had she missed, that was something that would never be discovered now the opportunity had passed itself it seemed that Soku had failed to gather information that would be crucial in the future, but that was the job of an ANBU to seek worth while information and know what was needed from what was not. Though that came with time and practice. People had to understand when to stay and when to go and in this situation the conversation had gone into a dark conversation. It seemed they had to learn and had to understand the overall plan and they had been granted the access to having that knowledge, the group that was here now had all the keys to the puzzle that they where part of the key to solving their own destinty.

“Ma’am, if I can ask what the Chief is going to do while you are out here, surely he has been kept busy at work though I would love to know what you have been making him do during your absences after all he probably is always as busy as ever”

“I have had him prepare the troops, I have had him gather the resources that we will need to fight a prolonged front and I will have him make sure that everyone is prepared for what is waiting for them. It should be all done and settled by the time we get home, this way we don’t have much work ahead of us bar bringing the shipment back, well not that I can think off. Besides every now and then we do need a break. We need to take the time to rest before everything breaks loose”

“Agreed Ma’am, everyone needs to have time before anything happens. Everyone seems to be looking forward to it though, and it seems that we are all in good spirit. Anyway, what else have you got planned with the evening I am sure that we cannot drink here all night am I correct?”

It seemed the conversation had gone off topic though the group stayed in the corner. By the cart the two men that where dealing with the cart protection still chatted away with each other, they were being merciless. In the securing of the crates making sure that they were chaining things up and of course having the time to put all of the padlocks into place, it seemed that everything was being prepared and had been secured as well as the horses being well chained to their posts it seemed that they had nothing else to do now and both of them would be going ahead and joining the rest of the team, it seemed that once there mission was done the cart was left on its own.

Though for anyone that would be willing to open they would only be blessed to see weapons and body army in a quantity that would be something of a joke. It was more a full-scale invasion force that would be supplied with the amount that was in there, though if Soku could get inside of the crates would be a different matter. The door shut behind the men as they allowed themselves to enter the tavern.

[TWC:2,612/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Soku felt a wave of relief pass through her as the men retired to the bar for the night, it seemed so. If there was a time to act, it would be now. Scanning the outside of the bar for any potential threats and seeing none, the Santaru leapt down lightly barely uttering a word knowing full well the fellows inside had said something about posting a sentry. If so, she had to work quickly and in complete stealth, easier said than done. She approached the caravan slowly checking to her left and right ever so often to make sure no one came snooping around. What she was doing was highly risky and Soku could not afford to be discovered, not at this crucial point in the misson stage. The ANBU approached the rear of the wagon noting the noise coming from the bar. So they were still partying it away, it seemed like.Excellent, just keep doing that, you jokers.The ANBU stuck her head into the back of the caravan blade at the ready in case anyone was waiting to pounce upon her. You could never be too careful in these situations exposed like she was.

Seeing no threat, she sheathed her sword and eyed the contents that littered the surface."How do they expect to supply a full-sclae army with this? This has to be a joke."There were only a ha dful of weapons littered about barely enough to supply a small village if even that. There was a few sets of body vests as well but that too was lacking in quantity. Soku shook her head frustrated while at the same time determined to dig deeper. She paused for a second looking at one of the crates."Don't mind if I do."Balling up a fist, she sent a palm flying into the crate, wooden splinters flying as the box was reduced to a heap of wooden rubble with a resounding crash. The sound could have alerted someone so she had to work fast. Eyeing the contents of the box, Soku nodded in sastisfaction seeing the amount of weapons that tumbled out in quick sucession."Now thats what I like to see." The Santaru retrieved one of the weapons examining it deciding to take it back for further investigation perhaps to see where exactly they had obtained these from and to whom they originally belonged to.

Quickly hopping out of the caravan, Soku knew full well the crash might have awakened someone or were they that drunk that such a thing didnt even ring a bell to them. Weapon in hand, she slugged it back to the treeline to her hiding spot setting the sword down. Still shocked how she had managed to pull it off, she still had one lasting regret. They would see the smashed crate and the disarray of the things inside and know full well someone had been snooping and probably fan out to search. With this in mind, the girl began to prepare to move quickly packing up her stuff stuffing the stolen blade in a cloth bag. It was time to take to the shadows again and observe. After all, the cover of the night was quickly fading away.

WC: 533
TWC: 2963/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

It seemed like inside of the bar things where still going well, each of them where making sure that they had the fill that they could take, they wanted to enjoy the drink and it seemed that they were going to enjoy the drink and food that was now freely flowing around. They allowed themselves to continue to have the spoils though it seemed that they where going to allow themselves to speak, shout, indulge in the company that was there for that night and of course they would allow themselves to drink as the conversations got louder, but one person allowed themselves to slink out of the conversations.

The group lieutenants allowed themselves to stand as the head walked away it was clear that she was doing something, as they sat down the puppet limbs and bodies that where with them clanked around as they brought themselves down. It was clear that they had a few minutes to think about everything before they raised a hand, this allowed them to get a bar maid to come over, deciding the best option to refill the drinks, they allowed themselves to continue to sip the new set of drinks as the chitter chatter went back around.

It seemed that some of the men allowed themselves to ponder the rewards that they had received, for each of them had been away from there family for months now, no-one of them managing to get home and each of them wanting that badly. To be with the family they had at home days before the future was waiting for each of them. They would have to understand what was being asked of each of them. That would be the difference that they would have to come and accept. They would soon be required to once more go out and do the will of the village though this time it would be for a different matter, it would be to do the bidding of the leader, the one that ordered these tasks. The second in charge of this group decided to speak to each of them.

“We have been in the thick of it for a while now we are coming to the end of that journey, and we are coming close to the end of it. We are at the point that we wanted, and the village will thank us for the hard work that we have done and everything that we have been through. That is down to us and our boss, not we need to get a night sleep and see this to the end.”

It seemed that while Soku had been busy this has not gone a miss, as she tried to vanish to go back to seeking answers from a distance, the cart had been ransacked but it seemed that she had managed to make a grave mistake. From the bushes behind her stepped out the woman from earlier, her face cold and dark as she looked at Soku for a few seconds it seemed that she allowed a sinister smile to come to her lips before speaking.

“I think someone was trying their luck as much as possible, though it seemed that has now failed. Though your face, it is such a beautiful shape. I hope you do not mind when I peel the skin away and keep it for myself. I know that you may miss it but believe me I need it more. You will ask questions I understand, but I hope you realise it is pointless to run from me. I am very good at my job and not many people ever make it away from me intact.”

[TWC:3,224/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Two things caught Soku's attention, none of which would prepare her for the hell that followed. A flash of movement followed by a woman, the very same she had saw earlier, a evilsh grin spreading onto her face.Crap,crap,crap.Soku took a few steps back, her hand resting on a pouch that contained a handful of smoke pellets. Somehow, she got the feeling that this woman wasn't in the mood to play around but she wasn't going to be taken captive, not this early anyways."Well,the contents of that cart were quite...curious. I don't suppose you could enlighten me as to why you and your little group here are holding such a heavy amount of weaponry. One would think some foul intention is at hand."She was fighting fire with fire and the girl knew it. The "peeling off skin" part really irked her and she resisted the urge to unsheathe her weapon. The voice of her Captain echoed in her head."Report and observe, do not engage." That misson could very well turn into a elimnate the threat assignment, she was not suited for any sort of combat situation. Soku had travelled light to move swiftly, she wore only a light padded vest and a small bag containing the bare essentials that she needed.

"Listen, its been fun talking and all but I really dont feel like hanging around at the moment. Besides, I have no intention of being questioned or captured, it should be the other way around,
really."Nodding once, a small object slipped through her thin fingers hitting the grass and there was a shuddering aftereffect as a boom sounded followed by a cloud of smoke. Taking advantage of the smoke bomb, she produced a Elemental Clone to confuse the confronter and took off in the opposite direction keen to put as much distance between her and the aggressor as possible. The clone took a seperate path whizzing back towards the forestry. It would be up to the older woman to decide which one was a duplicate, that is if she had rendered what had happened during the chaos of the explosion. The ANBU hoped she was kidding about the "good at her job" part. Almost every bad guy said that.

"Did I do it? Did I lose her?"Soku said panting stopping for a brief moment casting a look around her surrondings. Her feet refused to run anymore and she grasped the trunk of a tree for support taking in large exhales of oxygen. The kunoichi had trekked deep into the forest within, surely the bandit could not have kept track of her this far in, could she? The con part of this was that her cover was blown which would make her task a hundred times harder. A variety of thoughts were flowing through her brain and she had lots of questions. But right now, she had to assure she was in a secure and safe place away from that maniac."I should not have approached that cart! It was a high risk and I blew it! Damn!"Now, she had a crazy lady after her who didnt seem quite right in the head and Soku would not be surprised if she brought some of her bandit friends. "Fine then, bring it. I ain't scared.Her blade flew out of its scabbard in a defensive stance, the tip pointed towards the looming shadows of the trees that could conceal a threat. The red glare of the kunoichi's Sharingan phased into existence scanning the area for any bandit goons.

WC: 588
TWC: 3551/6000
OOC:[Used Elemental Clone]

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

​

Soku might have considered not running if she knew who she was messing with. Though it seemed that the girl was not ready for what was coming her way, as the woman moved she allowed herself to keep up watching as the clone moved somewhere, it seemed that she was at least half skilled though he had to ponder on really what the motivation was behind her own actions, she would have to ask a few questions though it was her nature to get replies if she gave answers, though she instantly landed in front of Soku, her own sword coming out in a flash of motion as it echoed and screeched as it slid down her blade locking it in place with a sinister smile.

She allowed a small smile lick of the lips as she made eye contact with the Leaf Shinobi, it was clear that the evil glance was not just for show, though how much of that would be true or not what be a different matter. It seemed that Soku had managed to land herself in a difficult spot and one that would not easily be rectified, even with the attempted evasion it seemed that had not worked. Something was not right with this Woman, her eyes glistened with the lust for blood and death, the very air around her smelt of it and she lingered around with a precision and accuracy that was unheard of as her sword stayed connected to Soku’s own blade.

“I can tell you, I can tell you everything you want to know, but the truth will hurt, and that will be such a sweet taste. Such a sweet dream that I love for and hunger for the suffering of someone so innocent, is there nothing better in life than to see someone so innocent corrupted by the truth of the world, that is truly a glorious thing.”

She laughed manically as she forced her blade down sliding herself only inches from Soku’s face as her eyes never blinked, they never left the ANBU’s and it was in the darkness that the two would stand there facing each other and knowing that there fates had been locked together if they wanted it or not this was the situation now and they would have it this way. This was unavoidable and no matter how you looked at it they had come to this end.

“War, we are coming, preparing and readying for war, and when that happens your friends, your family everyone you love, everyone you care about will die and I will be the cause, for your suffering will be the greatest treasure I can achieve during this time. And the best bit is, it is already beginning and there is nothing that you can do to even stop us now. You are to late, and the short time that we needed has passed and we have come to this point with precision and efficiency that was beyond expectation.”

Sliding the blade apart the woman’s fist came out and slammed into Soku’s guts as she used the force of the impact to create a distance between the two of them in the blink of the eye. It seemed that she wanted to have her own question answered. It would be fair that they got some answers in return, that had to be something that was only fair as she toyed with her food like her reputation had called her out for in the past.

“So now I answered a question, I want to know what you care about the most in this world Shionbi”

[TWC:3,829/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She had made a mistake. A grave mistake in fact. Sweat trickled down her neck as Soku stared at the demon of a woman that stood before her. Her blade rang out echoeing as it pressed against the hard, cold steel of her own sword locking it in place. There was no escape from this, she could try but the ANBU realized this bandit was no mere thug, she was a killer, perfectly capable of ending her life right here and right now. She had to play her cards right or suffer the consequences."Damn....you"
She said between clenched teeth glaring down the villian. In response, she felt a sudden jolt of pain as the lady sent a fist into her gut causing her to sprawl in the grass and heard the whoosh of her blade hitting the grassy surface, out of arm's reach for her. This would prove difficult."A war? I'll be damned if I let that happen. You think a punch or two is enough to keep me down? I have endured worse, seen worse and can do worse.! Let me show you what a shinobi is really capable of, one that hails from the Hidden Leaf!"Standing up, she swayed a bit still dazed from the impact of the punch and slowly began to form some hand seals speaking as she wove them."What I care about? I care about the village, my friends, family but most of all, I care about my mentors. The ones who guided me,
taught me, showed me right from wrong. Something you obviously have not learned in your youth. Black Panther."

There was a eruption of chakra that flowed from her hands and began taking form next to her. First, a head appeared, two yellow glaring eyes taking in the situation. Then came the legs and body. Soon enough, it took the shape of a panther which was literally made of Black Lightning. It let loose a growl staring at the foe and upon seeing Soku's state, it's eyes expressed rage and instantly, it stepped in front of the girl baring it's fangs at the crazy sword lady."So let me ask you one more time, why are you so intent on war? Do you intend to attack the Leaf? What are your reasons? We can still resolve this if you all halt this mad operation of yours. It will not suceed. I have seen many two-bit attempts to eliminate ghe good in the world. They all failed. Yours is no diffrent. Do reconsider your current course of action. I do not wish for this to end this way. We can talk."In all honesty, Soku had no intent of discussing terms with her. She just wanted to catch the lady off-guard by flavoring her words. How well that would work, well, that remained to be seen.

If it did come to a combat situation, she would be in for the fight of her life. The kunoichi had been taken aback how quickly she had moved and in effect, prevented her from making any attempt at escape. This was no mere thug, perhaps a ex-shinobi? Did she have a name?"A name perhaps? I do like to know who I am talking to even if they are my enemy and breathing down my neck."The more questions, the more information she got. That is, if she even lived to fill out the misson report, She glanced at the panther in its ready position. The thing's hind legs were bulging. It was ready to pounce, to bowl over the prey in front of her. All it needed was a command from it's owner and the person in front of her would be toast.

WC: 615
TWC: 4166/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

The woman allowed herself a few seconds as she contained to smile towards her prey, it was clear that the Leaf Shinobi had walked into a pit of vipers, the only question left to answer was would she be bitten for her mistake. As the girl laughed slightly it was more of a throaty chuckle as she listened to the words being spoken, though each time Soku spoke it seemed to fix her concentration onto the matter at hand, it seemed that she still had a lot to learn about reading the situation, a young member of Leaf and nothing close to a veteran that should have been expected.

“I am quacking in my boots, you truly are a match for anyone of a student level, I give you credit for that much. I would have even had considered you for teaching myself, but alas a pup sometimes need to be hurt before it learns its true place in the world, now I am going to show that you very lesson that you have missed. Prepare yourself, as I will show you how pitiful Leaf truly is against the skills and the true loyalty that has been commanded of myself. Prepare yourself”

Instantly the woman leaped back in those few seconds, her eyes swirling into the form of Mangekyo Sharingan as she allowed herself to start to laugh, the licking of her lips became more and more manic. It seemed that she was enjoying this situation and the pressing of Soku as he allowed himself to prod her buttons slightly. Her hands came up as the Chakra released from inside of her, it was close to being considered a torrent of energy as she brought the blade up, it was clear that she was preparing herself for combat in those few seconds. That was something that most would back away from, the pure sight of the woman and her energy flowing from her showed her level of destructive nature or not.

In a split second the sound of clicking limbs erupted from behind Soku as a figure landed, its white robes clearly shinning that of the medical branch in a split second. As the man stood up the puppet like hand came out and grabbed Soku’s shoulder, as it allowed itself to click its head back up the eyes rolling in the sockets to focus on the scene that was unfolding in front of them. It bowed its head slightly towards the female, it was clear that the man knew the female though those few seconds ticked over like time had managed to stop itself. It was waiting for someone to speak and the new comer was the first one to do so.

“Sennin, we have been summoned back. It seems the Kage wants to bring the war council together, we must leave now. I know that you have no finished with your play thing, but you must make sure that you attend I would hate to keep the Kage waiting again mistress”

It seemed that the woman tilted her head, a slightly look of anger came across her face in those few seconds. It was clear that she disapproved of the opening words, there was something about the situation that would send shivers down most people’s spines and that was coming from someone that had spent years learning how to make someone suffer.

“I would say silence before I remove your tongue, but I already changed your body for the better didn’t I my Chief, but fine I want information from her before we go and join the conversation. This way we can go with some useful information.

[TWC: 4,438/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Seeing the blade come out and the woman's confident demeanor, Soku rethought the current course of action she was taking. Perhaps she had not taken the foe as seriously as she should be. Glaring at the rival Sennin, her eyes pulsated with a immense type of hatred. She hated being toyed with like this and this lady might be some big, great, maniac killer but that was not going to get in her way."I am not here to bandy words with you. You think I am frightened of you? If I was scared, I would not be here right now. I said I want your name and I want it now."That creepy licking motion she was doing with her lips just proved how exactly crazy this female was but the ANBU dealt with all sort of maniac creeps. This rival was no diifferent. However, before any of them could make a movement of any kind, there was a slither of movement and Soku felt a cold, wooden hand clasp onto her shoulder and tighten."What in the....?"Turning to look and she raised a eyebrow, slightly surprsied. Of all things, it was a puppet, that much was clear from it's appearance and the static movements. It wore a pure white robe like those of the medic-nin and she called him..chief? They had a Kage?!."Medical Chief?Kage?Sennin? Just who exactly are you bozos?!Get your clammy hands off me!

Shouting at the strange newcomer, her panther technique which had been roaming waiting for a chance to be useful, sensed it's owners distress and with a ear-splitting roar pushed off it's hind legs, leaping at the puppet, claws seeking to rip that wooden mass about. During the midst of this chaos, Soku's anger at her inabilty to do anything was growing and that was she realized just exactly how useful her eyes were."You know,puppet. You can't grab what you can't see."Her eyes a swirling mass of red as the tomoed pattern began to evolve hinting the beginnings of a Mangekyo, she focused on a tree branch that rested just above this creep's head."Kamui!"The words were spoken and a transformation began to take place. Her figure began to flicker and fade in and out of reality it seemed as she began to warp out, her destination that tree branch. Soku had never done this before so if this techniqje worked, she would probably have some chance at escape if any at all.

"You remind me a bit of someone, you know that? Maru was his name. A puppet like you but far less evil, but evil all the same." The warping effect began to form on the tree branch and her body began to solidy once again. Had it worked? Had she sucessfully utilized the space-time ninjutsu technique? Meanwhile, Soku sort of regretted not sending a clone after the woman. Right now, though, she had her hands full with this new enemy. The great hulking mass of her Black Panther was clearly visible as it attempted to tear away at the "Chief", fangs swinging one way or the other. "Don't kill him! Theres still information he csn probably give us!"From what she gathered so far, this bandit group sounded like the makings of a village. A Sennin, a Kage they spoke of and presumably this man was a "Chief", medical chief was her hunch. All were vitsl to the role of a village and their goal was to thwart the Leaf apparently. A rival village soley dedicated to wiping out the Hidden leaf? That was a threat that definetly could not be allowed to bloom. She needed to report this, but first, she had to survive, and that was a most diffcult task considering the situation at hand.
WC:626
TWC:4792/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

The puppet man allowed himself to twist his head as he looked at Soku, though what could be said of the look that crossed his face was not something that most people would enjoy. It twisted and conformed in ways that other people had not seen before. The inhuman face came to life as the jaw unclicked itself from the bottom of his lip as his eyes widened and the rows upon rows of teeth came out as it eyes did not blink, did not lose eye contact it focused on Soku not caring about the world at all only the prey that had fallen into the trap.

“Well now aren’t you a pretty think Soku from the hidden Leaf Village, don’t worry your name is safe with me, we have scouted we have come to see and we have found everything out already, but your name. It will be a name I will tell everyone when I remind them about the foolish girl who tried to stand up to me, the foolish girl that tied trying to stop me from leaving. You see for when mistress commands me, I obey without hesitation without a second thought. And you stopped me being with her”

Its body contoured as it brought all four limbs onto her hand that had grabbed her, dropping her arm instantly and dragging her with it, as she smashed into the floor the man that was known as the chief was there. It seemed that he was a lot more able than he considered in the first place, though he would not admit it he loved the feel of when the knife went into his flesh, when that flesh was replaced by bone and when bone gave way to wood and now he was here in this situation it was clear that he was built for fighting.

“You know, in another life we could have got along, but now it seems that I must be the person wo kills you, for that I am sorry, but I only do as commanded and cannot do anything but my best for my Sennin. For you see, she saw the impurity in my body, the impurity inside of my very being. She saw the weakness and saw what I could become with her guidance, and she gave me that guidance that very reason to be alive. She took away my suffering, my weakness you see and created me to be the perfect being and look what I have become. Look how pure I am now do you see? Do you see why I must serve her? For she made me perfect in every way, every inch of me is pure.”

His eyes seemed to pulsate at the very words that he was speaking, was this what true insanity looked like, some may even have found the time to call it devotion though it was clear that what ever it was the man was beyond the point of reason in those few seconds. It was clear that each one of them had a grand design, but this man believed that he was to follow the woman that Soku had met earlier.

“I would say it was lovely to meet you but know that the truth will reveal itself soon enough, but for now I must go elsewhere enjoy this shell. After all purity is in the eye of the beholder.”

With that the puppet body just stopped working, it fell apart on Asuka’s very arm snapping bone and muscle with the weights of the augments and traps that had been fitted to the body it seemed that the body had stopped working completely.

[TWC: 5,056/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

This...thing knew her name? Soku was momentarily taken off guard by this. How was that possible? She had never interacted with these people before, especially not this puppet freak. Before she could ponder anymore on this new revealation, Soku felt that clammy hand tighten once more dragging her across the surface and then..instantly as if a hammer was striking a nail, smash her into the ground. The kunoichi felt her headband snap and clatter to the ground rattling as her neatly done hair bun became undone, her hair falling down to her shoulders."Damn....you.......She managed to utter through gritted teeth. He began giving one of those evil villan speeches about purity and perfection while she laid here on the ground crumpled and beaten. Her chakra was running low but she'd be damned if she went down without a fight."Save your words for someone who has the time, shinobi. I am Santaru Soku of the Hidden Leaf Village and I swear it on this soil that you will do no further harm. Be gone!
Lightning Style: Electroshock!"There was a crackling of electricty as two bolts zoomed out at the now self-destructing body.

The mechanisms within the body began to cave in collasping onto the young ANBu's arm and she felt a crack. "Damn it alll....so helpless..."She tried moving the affected limb and instantly felt a jolt of pain shoot up to her shoulder. So that was it...she had fractured or broken a major bone in her arm. Sighing inwardly, she lay there taking in huge exhales of breath. There was still hope...maybe just yet. Tilting her head to glance at the Black Panther technique she had produced, Soku made a array of noises and the beast trotted over to her pawing at the rubble with it's claws to free her of the debris. It would not prove easy and while they were busy here, she would have to make up for lost time whuch she could be busy observing this war council that this mysterious Kage had called. These were not some simple bandits, that much was certain. They were much, much more and with the array of weaponry and caliber of shinobi they had, the prospect of Leaf falling seemed very real.

"I need to...return. Form a report...at once."Free of the rubble, Soku dragged herself to a tree leaning against the bark. Clutching her arm in pain, the female considered her alternatives to press on with this misson or withdraw for the time being. In her current state, attempting any sort of recon would most certainly end in suicide if disocvered. At the same time, leaving the area would prove diffcult in her current state. They were sure to send goons after her and the Santaru was in no shape to fend off those animals. Perhaps it would be better to wait it out, enduring the pain once again, she stumbled towards a clump of tall grass huddling down in it waiting for the inevitable to happen. Time was of the esscence here and so was her life.

WC:508
TWC:5300/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

Soku had been left alone, in the wilds she had come out of the dream, out of the realm that she had dragged the body of the Chief to though it had appeared that the entire body had shut down, though if you knew the malice behind the man it was something to be wary off, it seemed that Soku had managed to exhaust herself for a few moments, but each of them had come away with something, the real question was what had the man that Soku had finally met actually managed to walk away with. That was the real thing at the bottom. Information given normally came with a price and it seemed that the Chief would have come away with something of his own if he wanted to or not.

The puppet body that was beside the Sennin slowly started to stir back into life, it was almost to clickly as it hauled itself back up to a standing height and slowly begun to rattle into life, the woman that stood waiting for her servant to come back never flinched never moved just accepted what was happening this was not the first time she had used him in this way and it wouldn’t be the last at the same time. He allowed himself to stretch his arms out as his eyes rolled back to face the front way, he allowed himself to catch up on his breath and take the surrounding in, it seemed that those that had travelled together had once more gathered in those few seconds to the Sennin call and they where not ready to move out within a split-second notice. Though it seemed that a conversation was going to happen, the Sennin needed answers. As the Chief stood silent for a few moments he waited to her to speak, as always, he would follow the command and never give one. This was the way that their relationship was he would always serve and never question.

“What did you find out about them, I expected results so tell me what results you came back with, it better be something that I need to know, or I will punish your waste of time once more. So please do tell what you have for me, and what we can use from this war, I want to make sure that we have a supply that is worth all of this punishment we are about to put the village threw.”

“The clans are still alive inside of the village, there are true Uchiha inside of the village, the eyes on their own would be worth everything imagen the frost village with the eye power that they possess. The ANBU girl was a scout nothing more than information gathering, I cannot expect any form of real force to come here, we can move out as well without hesitation and no-one will be around by the time we get back. She has learnt her lesson, but I want to explore that pain that she can endure at some point with your permission.”

It seemed that the Sennin turned her attention back to the group and watched them for a few moments, taking in the information that had been given to her as she listened to her own men talking and moving things around, it was clear that she had a lot to think on.

“This opens new doors that we need, I will inform the medics to bring equipment for removing eyes, this can be something that frost can benefit from, I will have my men prepared for such as well of course.”

[TWC: 5,659/6,000]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Groaning in pain, the Santaru dug around in her pouch retreiving a parchment and writing utensil. She quickly scribbled down some words and held it out to her fellow panther companion only to find the technique had been deactivated after her swift skirmish with the foe. Her chakra was not able to utilize any form of ninjutsu in her current state. Cursing quietly, she resorted to more desperate measures, lucky for her, the girl had come equipped with the items necessary should she fall into a distress situation like this one. With some materials in hand required to start a flame, she worked away striking the flint against a wooden branch watching the sparks fly out."C'mon...C'mon...fire is what I need. A signal of some sorts."Finally as if on cue, there was a crackling sound as the emergence of a tiny fire started quickly growing in size as it lapped up the branch and grass around burning it to ash. A column of smoke could be seen for miles rising into the sky. This was her way of signaling for help although the risk was very real the bandit group could track her down as well.

Soku embraced the fact that she could not stay here. The kunoichi had no way of knowing of help was coming or not. There was also the risk the attackers would come back to finish her off. After all, the ANBU had learned some very interesting facts and they were sure to deem her a threat."Alright,
let's do this then."Biting her tongue to silence any outburst of pain, the shinobi grasped the huge bark of a tree for support managing to stand on her two feet. She would not be able to move as swiftly with a broken arm, the girl took steps one at a time walking awkwardly retracing the path she had come."Must...report...tto...village..."Panting and breathing hard, the female willed herself to continue, with each step came a jolt of pain. This would continue for quite a while until the girl stopped for a quick rest. If this continued for much longer, she would not make it. The girl needed to quicken her pace but how? Her eyes scanned her area and suddenly her confidence took a morake boost The forest was beginning to come to a close and she knew very well when this armada of trees faded away, not far from it would be the village. She would have to make it first.

"Can not stop now..."A determined look and morale inspiring her, the young girl trekked on stumbling forward as her vison become blurry fading in and out due to the sheer amount of pain coursing through her. Finally, when it seemed like all was going to be all well, the ANBU blacked out unable to walk anymore and collasped into the grassy surface hitting the ground with a resounding thud, a mere few miles from the entrance of the village. Escape was so near yet so far. The distance seemed like a lot and her body had taken it's toll. Finally, at the last stretch, Soku was at her limit and she had overdone it losing conciousness. Now she lay upon the surface, not moving and a trickle of blood running diwn her face, a sign of the harsh impact. All she could do now was wait.. and pray for some kind soul to stop by.
WC:566
TWC:5866/6000

 

[Uchiha Takeshi]

It seemed that the mission had been completed from the sides of the Frost, they had got what they wanted, they ha came and taken what they needed and there was no remorse about what had been done here, the Sennin and Chief stood there silent listening and watching as groups of them moved around the area, they had let the prey slip away. But information had been given on both sides this was something that had to be done and even exchanging as little information as they had it seemed that the two had managed to get information out of those that had been sent this way than in return.

“It seems that the mission has been completed, we have managed to achieved information that the Kage will want to hear, you have once more proven yourself useful to me. It seems that your conversation would not have been a waste, so I see no reason to delay our departure of this area, after all she will be hurting for a while and will take a while to get back to Leaf this gives us time to prepare for our mission. Remember though we need those crates to make it back to the village.”

“I understand my Sennin, just know that I will never fail you, you are my everything and for you I will give everything. Therefore, I will always serve you as has been the duty expected of me. We have a name, we have a clan and know that Leaf has a few more people with Dojutsu I call this a win in our books, now I agree we need to return home and make sure that we update everyone on this finding. After all, not every day that you find the Uchiha’s have come back in strength”

It seems that there were a few options they had now as the group went back onto there travels, they marched with purpose allowing themselves to find a drive that the Sennin set. It seemed that they had managed to have a nice and progressing day after all as the group left the local area.

[Mission Completed]
[TWC: 6,009/6,000]
[I have requested rewards, please hit the word count to claim yours]