Mission: Ruffian II (C)

[Akikou]

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Ruffian!
Rank: C
Ninja needed: 1-3
Mission info: The ringleader and four of the group in the Western Zone escaped the foolishly destructive shinobi who was enlisted to find and kill him. Find this, 'Higuchi' and his men and kill them for inadvertently causing so much damage to the village.

I was still in shock at how the man had handled himself so well, although I found myself nervous at the thought of spending more time with him. He was an ANBU alright, as he had proven with how mercilessly he had killed the enemies of our nation, as well as with the talent and precision he had handled himself in combat. He was very much unlike myself, and that is probably why I found it strange that I was accompanying him once more for the second part of the mission, to find and handle the leader of the group that we had dispatched earlier.

I was now simply following the ANBU's orders. After all, he was the one who had the information that we needed to find, capture, or kill the leader of the ruffian group. And this time, I was resolved to ensure that I would follow his orders exactly. Even though I had played into his hands the way that he had wanted me to before, I didn't want to risk my life so foolishly this time. This wasn't some sort of video game; if I died, it was game over, for real.

During our walk, though, I found myself beginning to wonder more about this ANBU. I had no information on him; that, however, was to be expected. The identity of a village's ANBU members was strictly guarded, and I, who had proven ineffective at everything with the exception of the most mundane tasks wouldn't be granted that kind of knowledge. It would be too easy for me to be taken captive and for the enemy to torture that out of me.

Still, though... I wondered.

"Um... ANBU-san? Could I ask you... I mean, um... uh, what is it that I should call you by? Can I call you by anything...?" I stuttered like an idiot, and I found myself blushing. How pathetic of me. I couldn't even speak correctly...

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[King]

Kouketsu cut the young woman a curt glance from behind his mask. Didn't she know that ANBU weren't the socializing type? Yet, like some bad movie or the unfolding plot of a ninja manga ( ), Kouketsu replied to her. "Aka Mu-n will do fine."

Of course, that wasn't his real name. But any alias would be better than nothing. His true identity was, as an elite operative, highly classified. He was silent for several long moments after that, his mind focused on the task ahead of them. However, figurin' she'd tell him anyways, he decided to initiate the next piece of their conversation.

"And how about yourself? What might I call you, little one?" Thought she wasn't much younger than he was, it was befitting considering the years of difference in their abilities as a ninja.

[Akikou]

Aka Mu-n. That was such a peculiar name. I knew immediately that it was obviously not his true name, but it was nice to just have something to call him by. After all, simply calling the man "ANBU-san" would have gotten very old, very quickly. Smiling to myself for a bit, I would continue to walk behind the shinobi master that was my mission partner until I accidentally walked into him. His pace had slowed, and he turned to me and asked me a question of my own.

My first reaction was to be insulted - little one?! But after that action, I knew inside of my heart that he didn't speak it to be insulting. I was little, in comparison to his tall stature, and I knew that our ages were likely to be different as well. The fact that I was 18 and still a Gennin also showed my lack of skill, where his predominate masculine strength had been on full display on our previous mission together. Indeed, it was clear from almost every angle that I was, in fact, a 'little one', and so I simply dismissed the last part of the comment and responded.

"My name is Hisanna - of the Hanakora Clan. My parents moved to Mizu no Kuni when I was young, and though I learned quite a few of the Hana Ninpou of the clan, I'm not really much of a figher... as I think you saw." Although he had only asked for my name, now that he had spoken to me I found that the floodgates of my emotional state had been withdrawn, and I'd begin to shower him with information, no matter the fact that he probably didn't want to know about it.

"I can make beautiful things, though."

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[King]

Kouketsu barely noticed the bump as she walked into him, far too focused on the mission. But of course, certain bits of her statement did pull him back to their conversation.

Interesting. Kouketsu hadn't seen a Hanakora since the Second War, and at that time they were his enemies. Their techniques, in the proper environment, were absolutely devastating. He'd once seen a man kill thirty ninjas with poisonous spores from flowers in a field. Only Kouketsu had survived that encounter, thankfully due to having found a medic shortly after killing the man.

Strangely, he found himself interested in this woman. "If you aren't a fighter, or simply lack the capability to be a skilled one, why are you a ninja?" It was a rather bold question, but asked out of sincere interest. "You need not play the part of a destroyer if you are, in fact, a creator."

The last bit of his statement was directed at her mentioning of making beautiful things. The conversation hadn't been as bothersome as he figured it would have been, but they would need to wrap things up in the coming moments. The house described to him by the man was coming up soon, and then their business would continue. Hopefully, this time she'd not get herself captured.

[Akikou]

"Honestly, I'm unsure as to why I'm even a Shinobi. I was raised to be one, taught how to fight and kill by my parents... but its never seemed the right way to me. I like helping people and I relish the idea of protecting the people of the village that means so much to me, but the idea of killing another person is almost too much for me to bear. I think it's because of that that I am weak. I don't truly train to kill - only to protect myself from harm, and to create beauty where I find none."

I was surprised at how in-depth the man seemed to be about this conversation. He sounded truly interested, the first person that had ever remotely appeared to desire to connect on this level with me, and I found myself relieved by the thought that, perhaps, this ANBU, Aka, was a good man deep inside of his core. He only acted the way that he did, with such ruthless efficiency, because it was the best way to protect the village.

This idyllic illusion fixed permanently into my mind, I would find myself coming to a halt when we reached the area that we were supposed to be heading to. Looking to the man, I would await to hear my instructions, and this time I would follow them to the letter. He was so strong, so sure of himself. I could almost feel myself beginning to idolize him...

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[King]

Kouketsu fell deathly silent as the girl explained her reasoning, remembering a speech that sounded almost so very similar. She reminded him of his dearest Hinagiku more than he cared to admit, and found himself reeling in the aftermath of the realization. Still, he played it off quite well. Unfortunately, before he could say anything else, the house came into view.

"From what I gathered, he's here alone." The emotionless mask tilted back as it surveyed the structure. It was a small building with only three rooms. Apparently, the thug wanted to lay low key until his escape had blown over. "He's in the last room on the left. Follow me, but be on your guard in case he has assistance."

Kouketsu swiftly made his way toward the front door, pausing only as he reached it. "This man has already escaped from one of our other ninja - though he was sloppy, it shows that this guy isn't an idiot. Stay silent."

It was his only warning before he peeled the rice paper door back, slipping into the shadows of the dimly lit building. You could hear the shuffling of the man throughout the otherwise silent structure, clearly pacing in frustration. Several of his men hadn't returned from their other head quarters, the location Kouketsu and Hisanna had just visited. He was becoming impatient - paranoid, even.

[Akikou]

I had received my instructions from Aka, and I nodded my head to show that I understood. If there was one thing that I was skilled at, it was remaining silent. It was through silence that I had endured almost all of my time within the Ninja World, only speaking when necessary because I felt as though I had nobody in the world to truly speak to. This idea, however, had so quickly evaporated from my mind upon meeting Aka, and I found myself wanting to please him in whatever way that I could.

We entered into the building with great stealth. Beyond the hushed tones of both my own and Aka's breath and footsteps, there was not a sound with the exception of the upset pacing of a frantic man. With the location of our target identified, it stood to reason that Aka and I would begin our movement towards that location. The house's layout was fairly simple. The two of them had entered through the front door, which was the entrance to the ground floor.

The staircase was almost immediately to our left, while a room with a sofa and other chairs lay empty and abandoned to our right. Once more, I knew that I should allow Aka to move forward first. Since he was the talented soldier, he would be best at dispatching the man once our target had been found. It was probably to end up being my job to watch and ensure that he didn't escape. I wouldn't let Aka down. No, this time, I was going to be capable of handling myself, not getting caught off-guard and used as bait.

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[King]

If only she knew.

With the shadows as his cover, Kouketsu had already preformed a single hand seal to eliminate the possibility of escape. The dimly lit surroundings provided excellent cover for his plan to unfold. Everything was going accordingly, so his pause might've come as a surprise.

"Okay," he spoke barely above a whisper, "here is what I need you to do."

Before she could've even responded, the young woman would've found a firm grip on her shoulder tugging her from her position, sending her crashing against the table. It wouldn't have been painful at all, considering she probably would've just nudged into it, but the force behind it would've been enough to rattle the chairs and cause all the disturbance the ANBU needed.

As expected, four men appeared seemingly out of thin air. They had surrounded the girl with their arrival, weapons poised to strike; however, that's as far as it went.

None of them even realized the four figures that descended upon them like a curtain of shadow, passing a length straight sword through the back of each of their throats. The assassins were all garbed in white, bearing identical masks; shadow clones. The gurgling that followed was the only sound aside from the bodies slouching to the floor beneath the pressure of their killers on top of them, and the blades were left to pin them against the ground. It was a silent kill.

"Higuchi-sama, the Mizukage has sent assassins!" a voice Hisanna would've recognized called out. "You must leave, now!"

The four Kouketsu clones turned to the girl immediately, and spoke in unison: "Hide."

[Akikou]

Since my purpose was to serve and protect Aka-sama from any incoming assaults, I found myself listening aptly when he spoke to me, giving me my command. However, what happened next was something that I had not been prepared for. To my surprise, I felt the man's firm grip around my shoulder as he threw me with intense physical strength towards one of the deserted tables in the front room. With a loud crash, I stumbled into the table and rolled over, gasping for breath and clutching my left elbow, which had sustained the most damage.

What in the world was Aka-sama doing? He was alerting the man upstairs to our presence! However, we were quickly rewarded when out of nowhere, four men sprang towards me, each armed heavily and poised to strike. I barely had time to register the presence of these men, though, before there would appear four more. However, I recognized these four... at least, I recognized what they couldn't be. Four replicas of Aka-sama stood behind the men who had been poised so instantly to kill me, and they were cut down quickly and without mercy.

Then, one of the clones called out in the same voice as Aka-sama, alerting the man upstairs that there were people here to kill him. I was completely lost and confused, unsure of what I could do at all, until one of Aka-sama's impossibilities spoke to me and gave me a command: hide. Knowing that my life depended on whatever the course of action was to be, I would roll off of the table and onto the ground before quickly crawling for cover behind one of the recliners that existed within the room.

What was going to happen...? I thought to myself as I, scared and confused, nursed my bruised left arm.

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[King]

The shuffling in the room hastened as the voice called out to him, and Higuchi almost lunged from within. However, as he bolted around the corner, he came across the four slain guards he'd stationed within the house. A horrid look of realization befell him, only seconds before a blade entered his back, the entire length effortlessly passing through his muscle and entrails.

Instinctively, the man lurched back and attempted to cry out in agony, but a gloved hand silenced him. He writhed against his masked assailant, screaming and groaning into the palm silencing him.

"The Mizukage sends her regards," the masked man spoke. "As do the families of all the people you and your organization have killed."

Slowly, the sword protruding from the man's stomach began to twist, turning the flesh and opening the wound further. It wasn't until the sharpened edge faced up that Kouketsu ripped it through his height, exiting out of the shoulder blade. Blood splattered across the ceiling and poured profusely from the massive gash, and Higuchi fell lifelessly before the ANBU's feet.

The four ANBU that had materialized out of thin air vanished thereafter, reduced to nothing more than thick plumes of smoke. Kouketsu made his way toward where Hisanna had hidden, crouching down to inspect her injured elbow. "I apologize for pushing you so roughly. Are you hurt?"

[Akikou]

"I-I'm okay. I was just caught off guard. Sorry for being a bother..." I spoke very quietly, utterly afraid to even look at him. I had been so determined this time to be of use, to be more than just a tool to throw around and to laugh at, but even to Aka-sama I was just a distraction. Something pretty to look at, like all of my flowers, but something fragile and expendable and easily replaced. That was the only way that I could fathom his actions, and I was stunned at how deeply I found myself hurt by it.

I had just begun to trust him. After all, he had saved my life. But here... here I had just been used, tossed aside, and then picked back up when it had been seen that I had survived. Was that always to be my lot in life? The thought was awful to me, and suddenly I found within myself the desire to grow stronger. In a world where I wasn't this pathetic creature, I would be able to fight at Aka-sama's level and wouldn't need to be thrown about like bait on a hook in order for Aka-sama to finish off everyone.

"I'm fine now, really, I mean it." I spoke more to assure myself and not necessarily him, and to prove to myself that I really was fine, I would attempt to stand up, using my good right arm to haul myself up from the ground. "Well, that's one more enemy of the Mizukage that's been handled, eh...?"

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[King]

Kouketsu wasn't going to press the issue. If she said that she was fine, then he'd take her word for it. However, she hadn't been a bother. Again, he obliviousness had proven to be a very useful tool in flushing the enemies out. "You were hardly a bother, Hisanna. Again, it was because of you that I was able to swiftly dispatch our enemies. Usually, the best strategy is to set a trap; you're a better bait than you know."

Such a pretty little girl made for an easy target. There weren't many that would stop to think about if she had a companion; however, that always worked out better for the ANBU.

"Without you, this mission would have been a lot more difficult for me. I'm truly grateful for your help." Despite his words, his tone was still cold and detached. Emotional attachment wasn't something that the ELITE of the village were known for. It got in the way during times when complicated decisions had to be made.

Once they were exiting the establishment, Kouketsu looked over his shoulder. Clearly, she needed a morale boost. "We make a good team, little one. Perhaps I'll keep you around."

[Akikou]

Well, that was something at least. As we exited the premises, I had my left arm cradled gently inside of my right. I decided not to wince, and kept a strong look on my face as I listened to the man. Even though I'd been 'useful', it had been in a way that took advantage of my own weakness and not any kind of personal strength. I found myself more determined than ever to be more than just a pretty face, the 'little one' that could be handled so easily. I would prove to him that I was capable of fighting on his level in the future.

With that steel flame now pitted directly in my heart, I found all of my depression fading away and I smiled towards Aka-sama. It was only then that he said that he would keep me around that I found myself a laughing inside of my mind a little bit. He would keep me around and I would be able to show him my growth. Nodding to myself, I would then respond.

"I'm glad, Aka-sama." Although the first time that I had responded to him with that specific honorific outloud, I had been unconsciously calling him that in my head. It made no difference now. I was attracted to him like a negatively charged ion to a positively charged one. The force of magnetism bound us together now, and I wouldn't let go until I had managed to prove myself to him, no matter how he said how 'useful' I had been.

"We better report back to Shimizu-san and inform her that we were successful in our endeavor."

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[exit]

[Anmida]

Hisana: +70
Noteman: +60