Discovery? (Private)

[Morishige]

It was a calm night like most in Kumogakure. The regular hustle and bustle of the village resounded in all near enough to hear it. But somewhere in the dark alleys, there was a rapid approaching of steps...

I turned the corner, breathing hard, looking over my back shoulder. My chest hurt from how hard my heart was pumping. I clutched it in an attempt to ease my suffering, but it just wouldn't go away. I turned another dark corner and to my dismay, hit a dead end. I skid to a stop and sucked at the air, trying to bring some relief to my burning muscles. There it was again, a deep laughter that echoed all around me; it was getting closer now. I looked around with a panicked expression. Trying to focus, I pushed chakra to my feet and did some acrobatics to flip climb over the wall that stood in my way. I quickly fell into a pile of trash bags and was off once again...

The cold air turned to steam as it came into contact with my exposed skin; sweat soaked my clothes and slowed me down. "Come on Zaku you can make it..." I told myself. The worst part was, I had no idea where I was. I mean I had seen this place once before, but it was like a never ending maze of back alleys and side streets. It was almost like I was being toyed with... "Your fate is inevitable." the deep voiced called to me, once against sounding closer than before. "How is he keeping up!?" I questioned. No normal person would be able to scale a wall like I did. Perhaps it wasn't a person at all. What if it was that thing Hikari and Kahako fought... "Oh shit!" I cursed as my knees began to fail and I leaned forward to catch myself. No... "No giving up." I grunted and forced myself forward. Whoever this was had ill intention towards me. I just had to find a shinobi...

Looking over my shoulder again as I moved out of side street, my eyes witnessed a silhouette. It didn't really look human though, well, at least not an average sized human. I sucked more air as I saw a door with a light on. Rushing over to it, I banged on the door with my fist; but, to my dismay, the light went out. That was precious time wasted... "They are coming for you..." it said. Who... Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a massive shadow with... white teeth? What was this thing... Turning my head, I slowly looked at what was next to me. Only, there was nothing there. Wait, yes there was. Three shinobi with headbands of the hidden cloud landed before me weapons drawn. "Ishikawa Zaku?" the one in the middle inquired. My lips moved, but nothing came out. I simply nodded my head after realizing that I couldn't speak. "You'll have to come with us." he ordered, moving forward with what seemed to be specialized hand cuffs.

The voice... are they who are after me? I frowned and shook my head, turning once again to start to run. A Kunai with some string attached to it whizzed past my face and hit the door. My adrenaline kicked in promptly and I was off at speeds I had never reached before. Whoever they were... they weren't going to catch me. At least, that's what it seemed like they wanted to do. But why?

I turned back into the maze of darkness and ran for what seemed like hours. Only, it was a couple minutes. Eventually I came across a door with a faint glow within. I tried to steady my breathing as I turned to see if they were still behind me. They were shinobi, but who knew how strong. They could be anywhere. I suppose the glance was to put my mind at ease. I made my way inside and closed the door. It wouldn't stop them if they were on my tail, but may just buy me an extra second. I silently gained control of my heaving as I moved down the stairs to the room where the glow emanated from. As I turned the corner, the light from a furnace adorned my visage and I immediately grew displeased with the setting.

I was already burning from the chase, and now I would have no relief at all. Nevertheless, I looked at my surroundings, thinking of possible escapes if they were to find me. I noted a small window, hardly big enough for me to fit through. "Guess that's it..." I said with a smirk and looked around. What else could I do? Focusing what little chakra I had left, I morphed into what I thought would be a good representation of a furnace mechanic: Jumpsuit, slight burns and soot all over the suit, and a face that looked nothing like mine. I grabbed the only chair in the room and sat down and closed my eyes. I needed to calm down... Grabbing some chakra and health pills, I chewed them up and swallowed before leaning back to look at the glowing light. I soon began drifting off...

I awoke with a start to a hand on my shoulder. "Natsu?" I questioned. It was the leader of the last mission, and probably who would be my team leader for my days as a shinobi. "I mean, what do you want, you aren't allowed in here!" I said, playing the part of furnace mechanic.

He shook his head and smiled. "I should be telling you that Zaku, come on let's get out of here." he said with a smile. I smirked at my cover being blown and stood, releasing the jutsu. Looking into his eyes, I had a question that needed answering...

"How did you find-" but I froze. His eyes, they weren't the right color. Pushing off him, I landed in front of the furnace. My hand had already grasped Ol' Reliable as naturally as one would breath.

Out of the shadows nearby, two of the shinobi from before appeared. The one who was in the form of Natsu shifted with a smile. "You aren't as subtle as you think. But thanks for bringing us here, should be a good place right guys." he commented, brandishing his jagged blade. They both silently agreed. I held up my kunai in defiance with one question. "Why?"

One of the lackies on the side shrugged. "We were ordered to." he smirked. As they approached in unison, I closed my eyes and tried to find some reserve of chakra. "I will bring honor to my family." I grunted, a single tear dropping to the sandy ground. But as I was about to lunge forward, something held me back.

"I like you kid. So I'm gonna help you out."

The voice!? Why hadn't I noticed it earlier. A quick rush of relief poured into my body as I felt energy return to my muscles. But it wasn't just that. Something else. I could feel the ground shift under my feet, ever so slightly. As the three approached, I clutched my kunai, and swung at them. Instead of the pain I expected, there was… something else. It was almost like and after effect. In the place of where I slashed, was a rope of compact sand. It simply levitated on it's own. "Wha..." I said. But the men before me seemed to be fearful, as if what they were trying to avoid had just become reality.

"Take him now!" One of the men shouted. The three seemed to get serious and each went a different direction. I froze in shock of what was happening...

"Don't worry, I won't be dying anytime soon." said the voice. At a moment's notice, sand clung to my skin thickly, putting cracks into the swords of my assailants when they slammed against me.

It was this moment of realization that I found the voice helping me. "Right..." I grunted, and took firm grip on my Kunai. You picked the wrong guy to mess with..." I said with force, but half belief on my part. Throwing my Kunai out at one of them, spears of sand followed in suit and impaled the man to a wall. I rolled away from the two on my sides and looked to my hands. "Let's do that again." I said with focus, throwing both my hands out, fingers spread, sand removed itself from my skin and formed the massive projectiles I needed. In such close quarters, the men had no chance! Two of them were left dead, bleeding slowly onto the brick floor. I looked at what I had done and clenched my teeth... "What... How?" Just what had happened.

"See you around." The voice chuckled.

"Wait!" I shouted. But the sand on my body was already falling to the floor. What was that... How did I do that... I had many questions. But right now, I had to deal with just what had occurred. Looking at the man to my left, my eyes fell to his headband. Did I...just murder Kumo shinobi? "Why me..." I questioned. Looking down at my hands. "How did I do this, why were they here..."

I looked at the small piles of sand on the ground for a long while. Reaching out with a hand, I focused like I had before. For a moment, one of the piles seemed to tremble, but then just flattened to the ground. My eyes shut hard and I took a deep breath. Turning, I leaned against the wall. I needed to rest.

[If you haven't been informed about this RP, I recommend staying out.]

 

[Yukari]

It was weird. She didn't really remember anything. "Where am I?" She asked, looking around. She was standing in the middle of the city, presumably Kumo... but nothing looked familiar. She didn't know what compelled her to take her first step down the dark alleyway, but when she did, she started running. This was strange because Hikari hadn't walked down an alleyway in the three years since she became a ninja, especially not suspicious alleyways. Her hand went to her hammer, to reassure herself, but she found it missing. That made her stop and look around. She saw a room, and within that room a body. A corpse. Then at the edge of the doorway, a hand. Multiple unmoving bodies and the sense of dread which accompanied lives lost. She tried to make out the features of the visible victim- she hoped she wouldn't recognize him, but she had to know- but she was unable to focus the figure’s features.

She edged forward, trying to recall the signs she'd been practicing, the ones for her ninjutsu. She'd recently come to the conclusion that she was pretty good with lightning. Not surprising, considering her linage. Energy crackled within her, and around her hands. She knelt down at the doorway, heart racing, as she tried to listen to whatever might be happening within the room. She heard breathing. Then a deep inhale. She leaned slightly into the room. Counting on her low position and the relative darkness to obscure her, as she looked in. There were three dead, and one living. Unfortunately for her, it was the living one she couldn't see. She shot a thin bolt into the room. It sparked, throwing light at odd angles. She saw a strange shadow by one of the walls, but with the bolt, the shadow faded.

She took a quiet breath, "You! Identify yourself!" She cried, "I see three dead shinobi, and I know you're in there. Come out with your hands where I can see them!" She ordered. This was not the first time, unfortunately, that she had needed to command such a thing. She remembered clearly, the night that Keiji’s family home burned down. “I will hurt you if I have to.” She sent another, more powerful warning bolt into the room, and readied her kunai. “Come out!”

 

[Morishige]

I was too caught up in my thoughts to even think of listening for more footsteps. Not quite in the fore front of my mind anyways, since I had only seen three in my run through the alleys. So when my team mate made her way through the haze of a realm unclear, her approaching steps did not enter my mind. Of course, she was being careful they weren't loud at all, and no one could blame me for not hearing them after such a traumatic experience. After all, I had never experienced killing anyone before, despite being a ninja.

Anyways, while I was busy freaking out over what I had done, Hikari was peering into the room to get a read on the situation. The person that had been the source of most of my recent mental stress was no doubt going to stay out of such a vivid dream. As she used her gifts, there was a slightly crackling of lightning that got my attention. Not only that but the small burst of light was enough for my stressed senses to react, albeit slowly. I turned slowly as she began to speak, my Kunai coming out in front of me. "I know that voice...oh no...what are you doing here." I thought, taking another sweep of my surroundings. Of all the things for Hikari to walk in upon; this was probably the worst. My mind was ablaze with words that I could say to ease her defensive nature. No doubt she had realized their were allied shinobi and was ready to take down the murderer she believed to be inside.

Suddenly a bolt of lightning surged into the room, successfully making me jump back. I hit the furnace with a grunt as she shouted for me to come out. I sighed heavily. There was no words that would stop this from looking bad. "Look, Hikari... there is no good way to put this..." I began and slowly moved into the middle of the room where she could get a good look at me. I slipped my Kunai into it's pouch on my leg. "I don't know how or why, but these guys were after me and trapped me here and they were gonna kill me and I don't know how but I just reacted and something happened. This voice started talking to me and some weird shit happened and they all died and-- I just don't know!" I said, my voice grew louder and louder as I approached the end. I breathed heavily. "I-I didn't do anything wrong..."

 

[Yukari]

As the lightning bolt illuminated the room, I heard a grunt, and a thud. "I hear you-" She began, her normally high, congenial voice growing harsh. Just as she began to speak again, there was a heavy sigh, and someone slowly moved into view.

Hikari clenched her teeth as she realized who it was. She had known him for years; Zaku certainly had the skill to do it. "Look, Hikari... there is no good way to put this..." He put away his weapon, that old kunai he was always playing with, into a pouch on his leg. "I don't know how or why, but these guys were after me and trapped me here and they were gonna kill me and I don't know how but I just reacted and something happened. This voice started talking to me and some weird shit happened and they all died and-- I just don't know!" His voice went all high pitched, as he frantically tried to convince her that he wasn't to blame. Then, breathing heavily, he told her "I-I didn't do anything wrong..."

She closed her eyes, almost winced at his words. She didn't know what she was supposed to say, but she had to say something. She had to. "Zaku. Wh-" She sighed, "A voice?" She shook her head, "Hearing voices isn't good, Zaku. What happened?" She wanted to step forward to comfort him, but for all she knew, she was being fooled. Maybe it wasn't Zaku. It could have been a ninja from outside lightning country, they could have seen that the two were friends, and known she would want to trust him. That thought put her off center. She didn't like it, but it was a possibility. "Zaku... prove you're you." She said, "Then... maybe... I don't know." She snapped, "Damnit, Zaku! What the hell?" She entered the room and closed the door. She looked back to him, "Someone else might not... believe you." She said by way of explanation. That was when it kind of clicked that he was probably horribly freaked out. There were three kumo ninja dead possibly because he went crazy. Besides that, he'd been chased and attacked. She felt a little chagrin at the realization that it took her so long to think to ask her friend, "Hey... Are you Ok?"

 

[Morishige]

She sighed and relayed information that I had already dictated to myself subconsciously. "You don't say. But it's hard to explain... At first I was running and thought that it was the voice of my pursuer." I began, but her words interrupted. "Prove you're you..." My eyes grew distant as she kept speaking. How could I respond to what the hell? I didn't know why they were chasing me. "I- I just reacted okay! They were gonna kill me! I think..." I responded. Though I didn't think it, I couldn't blame her. Though her skepticism brought a kernel of thought to the forefront of my mind. What if these weren't shinobi of the hidden cloud. It's possible that they were just posing as them to get my to follow them. And with that thought, I couldn't blame Hikari for her thoughts and actions. There I was standing before the bodies of three shinobi wearing the forehead protector of Kumogakure.

My eyes returned to hers as she asked if I was okay. Was I okay? I shrugged and exhaled. "Define 'okay'." I muttered and just shook my head. "I just don't know what to do. I killed them Hikari, three of them! I shouldn't be able to do that... Whatever that thing is-- It said it wouldn't be dying when they attacked. I froze up, but they still died. What does that mean? You are always the smart one. What should I do? Turn myself in? What can I do..." I said. And when I say said, I mean fire off word after word, speeding up as I neared my conclusion. Anyone could see that I was freaking out over what had happened.

 

[Yukari]

Hikari watched him as she spoke. He seemed to drift off. She didn’t see that as a good sign, but by the time she’d finished speaking. He shrugged, and exhaled. “Define ‘okay’. He said. She took that as a good sign, but before she could respond, he continued, his voice growing higher in pitch as his words came at her, rapid fire.

Hkari moved forward and put her hand on his shoulder, “Zaku. I… I don’t know what you should do. But whatever it is, we’re friends. I’m with you. I won’t abandon you to this.” She gestured at the dead nin. “Besides, you’re clever. I’m smart, and good at figuring things out, but you’ve got good instincts. What do they tell you to do next?” She gestured at the bodies, after allowing him a moment to think. “My instincts say we should figure out who they are, and why they came after you.” She patted his arm, then without further hesitation, knelt down at the nearest body, to begin analyzing it. “Do you recognize any of them?” She didn’t. “Did they say anything, and if they did, how were their accents? Did they sound like they were from here?” She didn’t mention the voice again. They could deal with that later. “I wonder… if they’re foreign, you may have just saved many lives, Zaku-kun.” She tried to smile, but she had just begun to look at the wounds of his assailants. They looked as though they’d been impailed with mud or something of the sort. If she’d not seen so many dead things before, she might have been sick at the sight. Whatever he’d done, it had not been done with a kunai. “Zaku, what is this?”

 

[Morishige]

“Zaku. I… I don’t know what you should do. But whatever it is, we’re friends. I’m with you. I won’t abandon you to this.”

Her hand on my shoulder, and for a moment I held my breath, unsure if that voice would return to attack her. I smiled when nothing occurred and nodded my head. It was good to have a friend, one who you know would be there for you. Despite the fact she was my rival, she was a friend, and not one of those stupid boy crazy girls. There was value there and I wouldn't be throwing it away soon.

“Besides, you’re clever. I’m smart, and good at figuring things out, but you’ve got good instincts. What do they tell you to do next?”
“My instincts say we should figure out who they are, and why they came after you.”

"Instincts..." I mumbled and placed a finger on my chin in thought. They were telling me to report these deaths at the current time, but Hikari's plan sounded much better. Why were they after me... Well if only they were alive for me to ask. How on earth would I go about finding that out. I frowned. "How on earth would we go about finding that answer?" I questioned as she knelt down to the body.

“Do you recognize any of them?”
“Did they say anything, and if they did, how were their accents? Did they sound like they were from here?”
“I wonder… if they’re foreign, you may have just saved many lives, Zaku-kun.”

I looked at their faces and shook my head. None seemed to be familiar in the slightest. "As far as I can tell, no. They didn't say anything that gives a clue, but now that you mention it, they did sound a bit foreign. But there are a bunch of foreigners in Kumo. We are a shinobi village after all." I replied with a smirk. Though she made a good point. If they were enemies of Kumo, then I could have very well stopped a possible assassination attempt somewhere. Or it could be worse, what if they were ambassadors and I had just executed government officials. I ran a tense hand through my hair and pulled on it slightly before taking a deep breath. I had to keep the worrying to a minimum.

“Zaku, what is this?”

I looked up to her as she inquired about the blood soaked sand which now resembled mud. I clenched my teeth and tried hard to think of a way I could put this without seeming totally off my rocker. I looked at a small pile of the stuff and kicked it softly toward her. "I believe that it's sand. It's what it, or I guess, I killed them with. It just started moving. I threw my Kunai and the material just followed in suit. It did whatever I told it to do. But I can't do it now, I don't know how to explain it. I guess it's like your lightning." I concluded, though it wasn't much like it. I had no real skill in ninjutsu, and yet, I successfully killed three men with the manipulation of sand. I frowned once again and made my way to another body to search it.

After rummaging for a few moments, I found something interesting in a pocket. Pulling it out, a small smile appeared on my face. They weren't Kumo... "Hey look!" I said, tossing the headband toward Hikari. Hoshigakure, Village Hidden Among Stars. One of lightnings neighbors. "That explains the accent, but what would they want with me?" I asked allowed, unsure of any reason they would be interested in a genin.

 

[Yukari]

He didn’t recognize them. Neither did she. That decreased the probability that they were Kumo nin, but it didn’t preclude the possibility. She searched through the pockets of the ninja, finding the tools of trade only. Kunai, senbon, and shuriken, among other things. It didn’t appear that there was anything especially remarkable about them, except for their deaths. When she asked him about the blood soaked mud, he kicked a pile of sand softly in her direction, “I believe that it’s sand. It's what it, or I guess, I killed them with. It just started moving. I threw my Kunai and the material just followed in suit. It did whatever I told it to do. But I can't do it now, I don't know how to explain it. I guess it's like your lightning."

She touched it, with a grimace, blood soaked sand. “How…” She wondered. “I mean, I have the affinity because of my blood, and some training. Maybe you have a bloodline too.” She said aloud. “It’s possible.” Though there was a problem with that. He couldn’t control it now. “Zaku… Maybe when all this is over, we should ask someone about it.” She was referring to someone they would both trust, though she had little idea of who that might be at the moment. ‘All this’ being over seemed like a fantasy. As she thought about that, he went to look at the body behind her. She’d just finished up with the body she was looking at, when he tossed something at her.

“Hey look!”

Hikari obliged, looking at the forehead protector he’d found. She grinned. “What are Star ninja doing in Cloud?” She asked with a grin. “We find that out, and I suspect we’ll find out what they wanted with you, my friend.” She got up and went to the third body, “It’s unlikely they would be so careless as to bring a note with their orders on it, but maybe they have something that’ll give us a clue. Look for something anomalous.”

 

[Morishige]

“How…” She wondered. “I mean, I have the affinity because of my blood, and some training. Maybe you have a bloodline too.” She said aloud. “It’s possible.”

I sent her a glare and smirk combo that could only mean 'shut your pie hole or I'll shove some pie in it for you'. That was absurd. Let alone my own family have that secret hidden away somewhere in their lineage, but the Ishikawa was a clan made up nearly completely of ordinary business men and low level shinobi. No one spectacular; no one in a position of high rank aside from out clan leader Kioku. Apparently he had held a position on the village council before going out and making a name for himself in the mining corporations. Though it seemed like a simple story, I could tell there was much he left out of his journeys just by the look in his eyes. I would have to probe him later about it now that it got me thinking. However I couldn't let myself be so easily distracted.

“Zaku… Maybe when all this is over, we should ask someone about it.”

I smiled and nodded my head. Twas the simplest of things to inquire as to how one might obtain freakish powers. Course that was when I had tossed her the headband to take a examine. When she spoke her rhetorical question, I merely shrugged and went back to rummaging through the dead mans pockets. Hikari mentioned the fact they would have some kind of orders on them, and just at the right time too. My fingers fumbled with a piece of paper that was folded in the a pocket and pulled it out. "Speaking of..." I began and unfolded it to read. No real information was contained, but it did have an address and time to meet. The time, according to my assumption, was past due. So I assumed their contact was waiting as we searched these bodies for clues.

"Sweet! I got an address and it's nearby.. I think." I shrugged and offered a hand to help her up. "Follow me!" I commanded and quickly turned to leave the cellar. Looking over my back at the bodies, I sighed. I would need to tell someone about them when I finished with my current objective.

I lead Hikari down a couple streets then over two more before stopping in front of the ordinary looking house. There was just one light on and I had to check with Hikari. "Game Plan?" I questioned.

 

[Yukari]

She looked over at him as she mentioned the bloodline thing, expecting him to get all prickley at the thought. She was suppressing a grin, and hoping he’d take the comment for what it was- a little joke. The glare he shot her was a little less snarky than she thought it would be. For some reason- she wrote it off as pure and simple hunger- she found herself wanting pie…

Almost as soon as she said she didn't expect a note, he found one. No real information in it, aside from an address. “Seems like a rookie mistake.”. She grinned at him, "They’re gonna regret that…. Unless it’s a trap…” She looked at him meaningfully, “We should be careful. It’s unlikely, but whomever sent these guys might be waiting for us. I say… be careful. I doubt they’re anything we can’t handle, but still…”

He offered her a hand up, which she took gladly, and though she was unsure as to where he was leading, she followed him with the oddest feeling that something more was going on than what was apparent. “You ever feel like you’re being herded through a maze?” She usually felt something similar when walking through the footpaths of the average citizen, but this was worse. She felt certain something was going on… Not enough someone is trying to kill your friend and partner, Hikari, you also have to imagine some greater work of evil arcing over the two of you. She rolled her eyes at her anxiety and flushed it away from herself. Eventually, they stopped, and she looked the least imposing house she’d ever seen. It looked so very normal.

Zaku looked to me then, and said, “Game Plan?”

She frowned at the house, then cast a glance at him, “Did you bring the headbands… from the Hoshis?” She asked, “We could transform and pretend to be them. Look things over… Or maybe we just say, ‘the hell with it!’ and walk in, crack some skulls and interrogate some invaders… we could also…” Her ideas became increasingly wild after that so she shook her head.

“First thing...” She patted her side, where her hammer usually was, but had been conspicuously absent since the outset of this odd day, “I need a weapon. Unless you’d like me to conjure a storm inside. I could probably do it, but it’d be dangerous for both of us too.” She said, assuming the worst, that they’d be fighting for their lives in there. She looked around hoping to suddenly and curiously conveniently find a beautiful mallet nearby. No such luck. She grabbed Zaku’s arm and stepped back into the shadow of the building they stood nearest. She spotted something in one of the yards. A rusty pipe sticking of the ground. “That’ll do nicely.” She said, extricating the piece of metal from the ground. It was around two feet in length and was tipped with a bit of black rock. “Feels hammery enough for me.” She said with a smirk. “Ready to kick ass…? Or whatever we’re doing?”

 

[Morishige]

"...I doubt they’re anything we can’t handle, but still…"

I nodded my head, already pushing it from my mind that they would even conceive that three shinobi couldn't handle one adolescent. Plus, with Hikari now at my side, I believed we did now have the superior skill. I didn't know how she trained in private, but I could only assume that her power with lightning was progressing with everything else. Were she to forsake her heritage would be a surprise. Basing this on our fight long ago, I had no doubt she would use her gift to her full potential to get as far as she could in life.

---


"A maze?" I questioned as we moved along. The thought must have come to her as we weaved in and out of alleys, to which I don't remember gaining the knowledge of in my lifetime. Just how did I come to know this path, I wondered. "I suppose so, but that's life ain't it?" I responded before we arrived.

"Game Plan?"

I thought for a moment, determining what path of action would be best to take. I did bring the headbands, but there were only two of us. Plus, I was confident in our skill now that numbers were equal. Though, I couldn't help but smile at her cracking skulls comment. Her and that hammer would make a good team, if she had brought it... That was strange indeed. I analyzed her belt only to find it missing. It wasn't like her to be prepared with everything but her primary weapon. "I would rather just bust our way in and use the element of surprise to corner them and keep them from any chance of running." I suggested, to which she relayed that she needed a weapon.

"No need for a storm within a house. Talk about chaos and losing control of a situation; we are trying to learn things here." I said as she began to analyze the surrounding area, looking for a weapon of some kind. I turned my head to look as well, but only felt the tug on my arm and was pulled into the shadows of the nearest building. "Hey!" I exclaimed, startled by her might and my unready stance. She let go to retrieve a weapon, and I shook my head with a laugh. "I don't know why you had to bring me along for a pipe." I said, not really caring that she had anyway.

“Feels hammery enough for me.” She said with a smirk. “Ready to kick ass…? Or whatever we’re doing?”

"Well good, and yes I am! Remember, we are looking for capture, so if you are going to hurt anyone, aim for their legs." I reminded with a firm nod. "Let's go."

With no more words, I used chakra in my legs to greatly enhance my speed and was at the door in less than seconds. Once Hikari was with me, I reached into my belt pouch and yanked a flash bomb from it. I gave a nod of my head to her and kicked the door open, tossing the bomb into the room where most of the light was emanating from. "BOMB!" Could be heard shouted right before the bright flash. I had closed my eyes before hand, and once the bang was heard, I dashed inside, Multiple wired kunai in hand to apprehend any individuals I were to find. As I I first saw the smoking remains of a used bomb and found one man in a corner, rubbing his eyes furiously. "Watch my back!" I ordered Hikari as I began to channel jutsu into the wires of two kunai. Tossing them forward, I use my chakra to force the wire to change direction, and began to wrap him in a cocoon of ninja twine.

What I didn't see was the man coming up behind us from the nearby hallway he must of dived into. This one was for Hikari...

 

[Yukari]

"Yes, yes, capture, coercion, interrogation, et cetera. Let's go!" She said. At that, he charged the house (without so much as a ready set go, one might add!). "Every damn time." She muttered, chasing after him, "Every damn time there's a possibly dangerous situation, one of my friends charges right into the middle of it. "Show off." She joked as she got to him. He pulled out a flash bomb and kicked the door in with nod. Hikari smirked as the inhabitants of the house shouted bomb just before the Boom. She had chosen to look back over her shoulder, as the flash went off, then skip inside cautiously with her hammery thing in hand. She scanned the room.

"Watch my back!" Zaku ordered as he fell upon the group with wire and blade.

She acknowledged his lead with a simple, "Aye aye." The man sneaking up the hall to the rear almost caught her by surprise, but as he went to attack, he alerted her with a grunt. She ran a few steps forward, then turned about and using her momentum to levy force, she swung the hammer- mindful of Zaku's reminder- at the Hoshi's legs, with a harsh pound.

He backed away just enough to keep from having his legs swept from beneath him, but she still scored a glancing blow. She smirked, and dropped her hammer, he lifted his guard and moved toward her, his weapon- an unclear blade- darting toward her. Before he could hit home, Hikari shot a bolt of lightning from her fingertips, stunning him, and causing him to stumble back. She took the presented opportunity to take again in hand, her weapon, and with that, attacked him. This time he was unable to move away, and went down with a pained cry.

Hikari pulled some of her own wire from her belt pouch, and tied the man up- careful to avoid the hurty bits- "Need help, buddy?" She called to Zaku, avoiding saying his name, in case these people were unaware of his identity.

 

[Morishige]

As the sounds of scuffling ensued in the nearby hall, I finished up my cocoon and shoved the kunai in the walls to keep it taught. I quickly turned my attention to go help my comrade, only to see the bright flash of electricity along with the familiar sound of the human body taking damage. It was at this point I once again had to remind myself never to get on Hikari's bad side. Because no matter how tough you were, a hammer hurt immensely. As she begun on her own version of the ninja wire coccon, she called out to me. But I was already quite near with a smile on my face. "Nah we should be good. Come on, let's go ask this guy some questions." I said, referring to the one I tied up. Why this one over the other one? Hikari's target still cringed in pain from the debilitating blow to his body.

I stood in front of the man, arms across my chest as usual. I was unsure was tact to take. Pain was always a good motivator, but there were espionage shinobi from another village. They were probably trained to withstand it. I felt it was better to just ask, and I needed to do it in an intimidating way... "Look whoever you are, we've already taken out the jerks who were following me. So I suggest you cooperate or else you are going to end up like them. What happened to them? They are dead. Welcome to Kumo. Now what the hell did you want with me?" I asked, the man looked attentive, but uncooperative. I questioned what tactic Hikari would take...

 

[Yukari]

Zaku had finished just before her, he stood nearby with a smile. "Nah we should be good. Come on, let's go ask this guy some questions." He said

Hikari nodded and dragged her baddie toward the one Zaku had tied to the wall. Of course, for the sake of dramatics, she was rougher than she might normally have been.

Zaku had apparently decided to take the aggressive route. "Look whoever you are, we've already taken out the jerks who were following me. So I suggest you cooperate or else you are going to end up like them. What happened to them? They are dead. Welcome to Kumo. Now what the hell did you want with me?" The Hoshi seemed unmoved, and Zaku looked to her to see if she could change that.

Hikari sauntered over and in an offhanded way, while watching the shinobi's face, "Check him for poison, Zaku. He's a captured spy, he probably will try to commit suicide." She said with an eye on the captured shinobi. She caught the eye of the Hoshi then looked down to his similarly clad compatriot. "He's going to die, you know. Electric burns are... unpleasant, as your friend knows. Unfortunately for him, it will only get worse... unless he's treated." She smiled, "But that won't happen will it? You know this tactic. Sympathy for your comrade will not move you. Of course." She nodded, "I'd just like to... make you aware of some of the things he's feeling. The resolve, at first. Admirable, but short lived. Right about now, he’s wishing I’d kill him. He’s wishing you would kill him.’ She nudged him with her toe, “Right about now, he’d cursing me. This is a reemergence of the resolve.” All the while the shinobi’s face remained passive. “And all this, because you think the information we asked for… is too much to give for your friend’s life. Is it?” She asked, “Surely not. Why chase Zaku? That’s all we want to know. You tell us, and I’ll give your buddy here the treatment he needs, and you can return home.”

“Or…” She said, “Like Zaku suggested, we can simply kill you both. Your choice.” She said with a shrug.

 

[Morishige]

I don't think either of us had tortured anyone before, and yet, I was still convinced that Hikari would do it no matter what. The way he voice flowed with her words; the determined look in her eye that meant business. Either she was a superb actor, or she really meant what she was saying. If the latter, it meant something quite significant. It meant I had a friend who was willing to do some pretty nasty thing for me. It only made me smile, which our captive noticed and was obviously frightened by. I could only assume that he thought he had run across two of the creepiest kids in kumogakure; he was probably regretting his decision at that very moment.

The man seemed to be in thought, deep thought, as Hikari finished her little speech. My arms crossed against my chest as I glanced toward her with a 'not bad' face. I looked back at him with a unmoving expression that he only needed to see once before making his decision. "Easier than I thought..." I thought.

"My side pocket, our orders are there. I am just doing my job, I don't know why they want you..." he said with a truthful tone behind his voice.

I glanced to my partner again before moving forward with caution. I braced myself for some kind of trap and slowly slipped my fingers into the man pocket before attempted to grasp as some paper inside. Once I had a sure grip, I yanked it out quickly just in case and back away to my previous position. "Let's see what I am needed for..."

I took the paper, and unfolded it slowly before frowning at what I saw.

"Wake up." I read aloud.

---

My eyes bolted open, the sound of a groaning man and tense situation was no more. The eerie silence of my room filled my ears as I now had to cope with what had just happened. I had never had such a dream in my entire life. All of it had felt so real, as if I had no control over it at all. Even Hikari's presence was far different than any other dream I had had with people in it. I didn't even know what to say, and there was no way I was going back to sleep. So, I turned, forcing my legs over the side of the bed. Dropping to the ground, I made my way to the bathroom to relieve my bladder before starting the new day at four in the morning.

[Topic Left]

 

[Yukari]

As she spoke, Hikari knew she was crossing a line. That weird place between 'get to the bottom of this' and 'accomplice had been crossed. She was talking about something which may well have been considered murder, even in the ninja world. But frankly, she didn't give a damn. As far as she was concerned, she thought the men deserved it. If she and Zaku were thought the creepiest kids in Kumogakure, so be it, but then again, they weren't normal kids. They hadn't been for years. If either of them lived- the prisoners, that is,- they'd learn a valuable lesson. No shinobi of cloud is an easy target. Not even one alone.

Hikari smiled her creepiest smile and let her hair fall where it willed as she spoke. "So?" She asked. "Ready to talk?" Zaku crossed his arms and gave her a look of approval. She inclined her head, then moved her eyes back to the prisoner, who seemed to be thinking nervously.

"My side pocket, our orders are there. I am just doing my job, I don't know why they want you..." he said with a truthful tone behind his voice. Hkiari caught Zaku's eye as he went for it. She looked back at the confessor, and stared hard. If this is a trick, She thought, I'll cross the line between passive and active torture, and make damn sure you never leave this place. Nonchalantly, she put her hand on the shaft of her substitute hammer.

"Let's see what I am needed for..." Zaku said as he withdrew the orders, unfolding them as he returned to his previous position.

"What's it say?" She asked curiously.

"'Wake up.'"

---

Hikari's eyes snapped open. "The hell?" Her heart was beating like she'd been running or fighting just now.. The fire in the hearth had burned to embers, but the room was still warm, but she shivered. There was some sort of memory buzzing at her thoughts, it was strange to her, as if it weren't her mind recalling the experience she'd never had. She looked around slowly, her hair fanned about her pillows, her body spread out over the blanket. She noted that she'd worn normal night clothes, but had no memory of changing for bed. The feeling began to fade a bit, almost like a dream, but more like a predator. She got up immediately and light her candles. There was something about firelight that put her at ease. "I have gate duty." She said as she looked at her hearth. Though it was still dark, she knew she'd have no more sleep that night, so she declared it morning, and went to get food. She had an early shift anyway.

[Topic left]