Isn't the breeze nice?

[Kumori]

Time seemed to slow down for a moment, seconds after the sudden stop; a lone spark fell from the boy’s hand to the ground. The red fiery star made its way to the bottom, like a gentle work of gravity; it ended its motion with soundless halt.

“Shit!”- you could hear the ANBU say, once not twice, and everyone had understood. Miko glanced at his companion, the sweaty boy who hadn’t changed the look in his face since his arrival. It seemed as if Kyo was actually looking forward to their participation in the occurrence at the forest. Their masked guide spoke again, this time with a daring command- “Boys, I need you to run. Go back the way we came, I’ll catch up.”

It was doubtlessly the best course of action for the situation at hand. The forest came to life in the darkness of night, as the cigarette spark exploded beneath. Miko, even in his state of mind, did not want to leave the man alone; partly for his own good, and partly as means of satisfying his sense of friendship. There was no choice anymore though; the robed stranger had leaped from the branch to encounter with the genin. Miko jumped backwards to the branch behind them, and quickly focused chakra all around his body in expectancy of whatever was out there.

There was movement all around them as several giant squirrel demons charged and dove in his direction. There was no time for hand seals, if he were to leave an opening even for a second; it would mean the rodents would land a hit. Quickly he reached for his side, and grabbed the single kunai he owned.

“Kyo!” – he said, warning his partner from the incoming threat. “Around us! There...”- he was cut short as he sliced and punched the first of his attackers, sending it flying towards the trunk of a neighbor tree. Barely a couple of seconds had passed as he became surrounded, there was no escape, and his taijutsu was not even close to good enough to deflect or even manage to stand against so many. He was doomed, or so he believed. Miko’s mind went blank as his body was pierced by claws and fangs. The devil-squirrels rendered his flesh piercing through clothes and armor, breaking bone in a beautiful display of scarlet-colored paper strips. It ignited in yellow flames, engulfing all the squirrels inside. Most of them jumped out to the nearby branches, covered in flames, and the remaining ones squealed in pain as the fiery flames burned them to ashes. Yet not a single one escaped, for the fake body not only burned, but it exploded in a beautiful display of red, yellow, and orange flames. The finishing act left Miko astound, as he watched from a nearby branch, still unnoticed by the remaining fiends.

 

[Hotaka Kyo]

As the forest around them changed Kyo had actually closed his eyes, he listened to Doku speak, telling them to flee and that he would catch up, but most of his focus was on the vibrations he could feel through the trees, he knew they were coming, as Doku yelled for them to go now and leaped down he could feel the mass of the approaching monsters, there was many of them, and they where all heading towards him and the others. Kyo finally opened his eyes as Miko leaped from the branch to the previous one, he released the weights that where on his arms and legs, dropping them to the branch he was standing on before exhaling slowly, he was centered and ready as he watched the approaching red eyes of the monsters and the gleam of their teeth, he had been preparing to run, instead he would have to fight, there was no way he would be able to outrun these vermin while worrying about Miko, though he was sure that Doku even burdened with the body of the Genin would be able to fight these things off as he moved easily. Kyo could feel them and their clicking around him and he knew he would have to use the training his father had taught him over the years, he would have to let go of his control and allow the changes to take over for now. His arms and legs began to darken slightly and minor cracks appeared in his skin almost as if it were made of stone.

As Miko called his name and tried to warn him he was cut off as he was attacked by those that had bypassed Kyo intent on getting the prey they felt was fleeing, Kyo for his part was ready to defend himself, already knowing what he was going to attempt, it was something that would normally require a specific weapon, but with his training he was able to perform it with his own body. Drawing in a breath as he ignored Miko and his fight and concentrating on his own he began to strike about him, hitting each of the creatures that came at him twice each before they could even react to him, his fists and legs were a blur as he attacked, several of the blows that landed caused the creatures to fall from their perches on the tree down to the ground below where they would no longer be a threat to him or Miko. There were several of the beasts thought that hadn't fallen and it was these that made Kyo glad for the harsh training and the lack of feeling and sensitivity that was part of his family's gift. They struck, one latching on to his arm, another was knocked away by his attempt to block before a third latched on to his leg, there would have been more of them except for the explosion that occurred from Miko's position, something that knocked many of them from the branch and tree as their companions squealed and burned. Taking the distraction Kyo gouged the eyes out of the one that was on his arm, causing it to squeal and let go of his arm, falling to the ground below. He then turned his attention to the one on his leg as he quickly struck it four times in rapid succession in and about it's head causing it to loose it's grip, a swift kick set it over the side towards the ground once more.

It was time to go, he could feel more of them coming, and those that had fallen to the ground could very easily come back to attack him. He looked about, for Miko before leaping to another branch and called out, "Let's go, we have to move." Where his arm and leg had been latched on to was bites deep enough that they should be blood seeping out, though none appeared to be draining out of Kyo.

 

[Fuu]

In an instant Fuu could tell he had made the wrong decision. He could hear the creatures above, surging after what could only be the three boys. Straightening up with the body securely placed on his shoulders, he rose his eyes back up to the branches above. At most he could see their shapes, the masses of squirrel-beasts plowing through the brush in pursuit of young prey. Whatever they were, natural or unnatural, they were savage and a threat to his mission, which now consisted of getting one corpse and three students out of the forest.

Wasting no more time, the ANBU exploded forward with sudden force. He bounded with massive strides in the direction of the boys, covering ground swiftly considering the added burden of the young genin. Regardless of his typical protocol, it seemed Fuu was going to have drop all his usual secrecy to ensure the student’s safety.Within seconds he could hear them above, the screeches of the strange beasts mixing in with the sounds of heavy blows being landed. ‘Hold on kids.’ Fuu thought, leaping upwards and connecting sticking to a tree with his second set of arms. ‘Just stay ali-’

KABOOM!

The world lit up as an explosion rocked the branches above, showering the stunned ANBU in tree fragments and squirrel-bits. The sudden shock triggered something deep in the already adrenaline addled man, his mind racing through images without command. He could see himself, covered from head to toe in black circles, all in orbit around the seal on his midsection. He could feel the familiar surge of speed and power, see the dire boar he had slain fly past him in slow motion as he dodged it’s death blow. Instantly, it all became clear to him. Like a muscle waiting to be flexed, he ordered the seal on his stomach to spread and to his surprise it did, bringing with it all the benefits. Within a moment he no longer felt so weighed down, his hands gaining ground easily as he continued his ascent.

"Let's go, we have to move." Kyo said, just as Fuu pulled himself onto a nearby branch. “Damn right kid!” He shouted, his voice thick and alive in contrast to his usual dry tone. His tops arms still occupied, the ANBU used his second set of arms to preform a few quick handseals before releasing the corpse backwards and into the waiting hands of his freshly summoned Shadow Servant. Instantly the clone took off, bounding away with all six of it’s shadowy arms wrapped around the genin. His arms free, Fuu rushed into a second set of seals before leaping into action, his body a blur with the newfound speed of his Astral seal. In the blink of an eye he had a hold of Miko and Kyo, the third student seemingly disappearing into the darkness as the ANBU bounded away. Wherever that kid was, the man hoped he was far away from what was about to happen behind them.

Miko and Kyo, tucked safely away in Fuu’s bottom set of muscular arms, would have a lot to take in as they flew through the trees at an alarming pace. Behind the world began to brighten again, the sky above glowing like fire through the thick foliage as the ANBU’s ninjutsu began to take effect. At first it was almost peaceful, the uproar of chattering falling away behind them to be replaced by a calm, almost eerie silence. The forest around them continued to brighten until it was almost as if they were in full sunlight, sprinting frantically away from massive ball of gas and fire that was now hurtling towards the clearing behind them. The mass of heat exploded as it made contact with the upper branches of the forest, splintering and splitting into a shower of hot fire into the forest below.

In under a minute they broke out of the inner Forest, the behemoth branches giving way to the denser, smaller trees that marked their arrival to safety. Satisfied with the distance he had laid between him and the torrent of fire behind him, Fuu descended towards the forest floor, slowing his pace with each step until he skidded to stop below. Releasing the two boys from his vice grip, the ANBU shook his head, fighting a wave of nausea as his seal retracted, leaving his already pale skin with a tint of grey. Moments later the Shadow Servant appeared, toting it’s burden in it’s six shadow arms and loosing the ANBU’s clenched jaw somewhat.

Lifting his mask off of his face, he rubbed his eyes again, the stress becoming an almost visible weight on his shoulder. “Alright.” He said, to nobody in particular, his face in his hands. “Three corpses, a giant fucking pig, hell-squirrels and now, a missing student and a possible fire.” Just another fabulous day in the life of an ANBU. As if on que his ear piece crackled to life, forcing the ANBU to re-mask and respond.

“Affirmative.” He said coldly, his voice already shifting back to it’s usual dry, lifeless tone as he reached into his pouch, procuring a flaregun of sorts. Pausing for a moment to ensure his aim he fired up into the trees, the flare flying through the dense foliage above before hovering lifelessly over them. Combined with the soft glow of the distant fire, the flare illuminated the area around them slightly, giving Fuu the opportunity to access the situation. The boys seemed alright, though Kyo seemed to flaking and cracking slightly in places. Despite battling an onslaught of dire beasts and withstanding a close proximity explosion, the two seemed remarkably unharmed.

“You’re two tough kids.” The ANBU remarked lowly, reaching into his cloak and pulling out his special tin, procuring a fragrant cigarette from inside. Fuu couldn’t help but admire the two, only students but already showing so much promise. The village needed more young shinobi like them. Pulling his specially fashioned mouth slide he opened a slot in his mask, promptly plopping the cigarette into his freshly revealed mouth and sparking it with a snap of his fingers. “No surprise from a Tanaka, though I’m glad to see you lot have promising males too.” He commented dryly, flicking his ash nonchalantly in Miko’s direction. “And you... Hotaka was it?” Nodding wordlessly, he took a long pull from his cancer stick, exhaling slowly and savoring the pungent flavor.

Almost silently the other ANBU arrived, one wordlessly retrieving the corpse from it’s shadowy carrier and the other approaching Fuu. Stepping away from the boys for a minute, Fuu explained the situation briskly before handing the new arrival a cigarette and turning back to the students. As quietly as they appeared, the new arrivals were gone again, taking with them the haggard corpse of the genin. “Tanaka Miko, Hotaka Kyo, consider this a warning. Shinobi of your rank shouldn’t be anywhere near these woods, under any circumstances.” Glaring at the two, the ANBU found it hard to give them the full scale of his wrath, considering he was still impressed with the two. “However, I should say this much, I’ve never seen two quite like you before.” Gesturing for them to follow he began walking, leading them through the dense woods at a fairly brisk pace. Within minutes they would emerge from the cover of trees and into the early mountain air, just in time to catch the village waking up. It was Fuu’s favorite time of day, and after a hectic night like the last, he certainly needed it.

[MFT]

 

[Kumori]

It all happened in the blink of an eye. At one moment he had disassembled himself into strips of burning paper, then reassembling in another tree branch, and just a second later he was swiped from his position by the ANBU, just as Kyo said something that he couldn’t quite listen. Kyo was already being held in between the ANBU’s set of right arms when Miko felt the rushing force grab him and bind him on the other side. He felt nothing but confusion at the moment, partly because of his accidental explosion, and because of the unexpected turn of events. Finally, they reached what was deemed the outer layer of the forest. With a sudden stop, and the release of the two boys, the ANBU spoke:

“Three corpses, a giant fucking pig, hell-squirrels and now a missing student and a possible fire.”

Miko didn’t feel guilty at all for the explosion; instead, he felt it was just another stepping stone in his path to greatness. One day, he dreamed, he would stand above all, known by all, and defied by none. He didn’t want love in his life, it was not necessary, he needed not friendship, instead, what he really wanted and hoped that one day he would get, was recognition. The ANBU took off his white spider mask if only for a second, just enough for Miko to get a glimpse of blonde hair, since he wasn’t really paying much attention. His mind was active in a schizophrenic conversation with whoever was inside of him; a person, or thing, which not even he knew.

“You’re two tough kids.” – Miko smiled when targeted with the comment. “Guess something went right today.”

“No surprise from a Tanaka, though I’m glad to see you lot have promising males too.” – Again he was lost behind the shadow of his cousin. How could he possibly be recognized for his actions, how could he possibly stand above all if someone such as Hikari already stood on top? Miko stared at Fuu, in silence, as he continued to lecture the pair. As he spoke, two shadowy figures emerged from the thick woods in order to take away the bodies of the deceased genins. As they arrived, they departed, without making a sound, or even displaying any motion other than the carrying of their mission. “So these are ANBU?”

Finally the ANBU stopped speaking, and with a relieving sigh, he leaded the team outside of the forest and into the village, just in time for Miko to experience a sunrise for the first time.

“Amazing…”

 

[Hotaka Kyo]

It had been quick, one moment Kyo had been standing on the branch preparing to move on his own with Miko as they had been instructed and then the next he had been plucked from the branch like a fruit by Doku who quickly stanched up Miko in his left arm before they speed through the forest. It didn't take the trio long to reach the outer limits, Kyo had taken a moment realize what it was Doku was doing and he didn't struggle against the man as the hurtled along, he took the time to watch how the man moved as he rested waiting for the release that only came when they were back amongst the smaller trees at the edge of the forest. Kyo caught himself as he was dropped by Doku who then shook his head and appeared to be pale, which Kyo noted as a possible side effect of the great speed he had just displayed. "Perhaps it's not skill alone that brought him that speed; it is something to look into in any case. I need to collect myself and return."

As Doku listed his problems Kyo watched as he immediately returned to his more professional demeanor and launched a flare into the air, he then complemented the two of them, which Kyo nodded at, he supposed they were tough for dealing with what had happened, but he was sure it was simply his training that had let him do it. He learned something he hadn't previously known about Miko, that he was a part of the Tanaka clan. The boy filled it away for later use as he nodded at the man directly at the mention of his own clan. It was then that the ANBU arrived silently, after a briefing by Doku they disappeared as quietly and quickly as they had come, leaving no real trace other than the missing body to show that they had been there.

Doku gave the two boys a warning about spending time in the Ancient forest, at least at their rank. Kyo Acknowledge the warning with a curt nod, "Understood." he followed along behind the man pondering what it was he meant by that last part and what his reaction would be if he had known what some of Kyo's earlier training had consisted of. Looking over to Miko as he uttered something due to the sunrise he kept quite himself, as he followed along wondering if perhaps the man needed them for a report, or if he simply wanted to ensure that they were not foolhardy enough to return whence they had just come.

 

[Fuu]

The walk was short and quiet, the ANBU and two student’s accompanied only by the sound of chirps and calls and the forest woke up around them. Fuu had to wonder if the boy’s would be in any trouble with their parents, staying out all night doing who knows what. It brought back memories from his childhood, sneaking out into the cold night air and roaming the streets quietly, dodging passing patrols and startling sleeping dogs. The thought made him smile from behind his mask, a rare sight these days.

Upon stepping back onto the streets the man stopped for a moment and turned back to face the boys. The two had worked well together, moving and fighting in unison while the third student had disappeared, presumably fleeing in terror.The young man recognized talent when he saw it, and the two students had plenty to see. Removing his mask entirely for the first time that night, he looked from Kyo to Miko, his cold blue eyes meeting theirs. “You two will be ready to advance soon. You both have the skill and the strength to survive in this life.” Allowing the slightest smile to grace his lips, the young man broke eye contact with the duo and looked over to the horizon, squinting as the sun rose from behind the mountains, his face still pale and haggard. It felt strange for him to speak so much, especially without his mask and with the secret of his arms as general knowledge, but something about the entire night had been strange anyway. “If either of you ever consider the ANBU, feel free to give them my name. Think about it carefully, but we could use more like you.” With a simple nod he strode off, sliding his mask back over his face and pulling his hood up as he walked.

The ANBU still had a distance to go before he could retire to his room in the Sileo, and he was eager to rest. Something was wrong with his body, and he craved the dark of his room.
[Topic Left]

 

[Kumori]

The ANBU removed his mask, if only for a second, he was stressed and it showed. Miko didn’t really expect much, probably a warning and a goodbye before each went his way.

“If either of you ever consider the ANBU, feel free to give them my name. Think about it carefully, but we could use more like you.” – The ANBU said before departing.

In all that time – Miko hadn’t asked for his name, and if he had said it at any time, Miko had forgotten under the stress of the event. ANBU… he hadn’t even considered it a possibility, he hadn’t thought of the branch he wanted to go after graduating from the academy, the only time it crossed his mind what during Masaru-sensei’s class. Back then he wanted to stay in the main branch and become a spy, but upon learning of his bloodline, stealth wasn’t viable. Perhaps he would show up at the ANBU headquarters, in time. He would ask Kyo what he planned to do… it wouldn’t hurt to have a partner.

[Topic Left]