--- exploring kaminari no kuni (mission)

[★]

     Kimiko wasn’t very happy. Today, she was going to do a mission, which usually – in any other circumstances – she would have been find with. She enjoyed missions, they earned her cash and made her feel important, plus it gave her something meaningful to do, yet somehow she had gotten herself into an uncomfortable situation. Today, nothing was normal. One, she wasn’t doing this mission alone – she had an unknown teammate to work with, and she wasn’t one for working well with others. Two, it wasn’t a wimpy “C” ranked mission, it was “B” ranked, which usually only Chuunin could go on, and even though she was confident in her abilities she was nowhere confident enough to willingly go on one of these – except of course, if the reward was big, which it was.

     So, Kimiko sat on the back of her best friend as they stalked down the path to their meeting place, scolding herself for taking this in the first place. She was almost certain it wouldn’t end well. When they were a good ways down the path, a rocky cliff to her right and a drop to her death to her left, she ordered Kin to stop and slid off effortlessly, landing slightly and spreading her arms to stretch them. “So are you going to behave, or am I going to have to constantly stop you from ruining this mission?” Kin’s deep, husky voice sounded from where he stood next to her, and she turned to him and grimaced, his scowling eyes pointed right back. “Kin, we don’t know who we’re dealing with. He, she. . they could be a complete idiot, or maybe someone actually helpful. Even so, I’m not gonna’ suck up just cus’ we’re in this together.” She shrugged, and Kin rolled his eyes. He was always the clam-headed respectful one, and often stopped Kimiko from getting into trouble. She sighed frustrated, wondering how she got here before her teammate, she just barely made the time listed on the note, which was early morning. The sun was still rising and the sky was rather dark, it was most definitely the time they set to meet.

SPOILER: Click to show

name; exploring kaminari no kuni
rank; b
description; Kumogakure no Sato is tasked with keeping Kaminari no Kuni safe for the travelers. Whether it is bandits or shinobi from another village. Additionally the Raikage hates not knowing things. Knowledge is power and without knowledge, you lack power. Without power you lack the ability to grow, and expand. So you’re tasked with exploring our lands. If you spot a shinobi from another village don’t hesitate to quickly return and inform the Raikage. Do not hastily rush into battle if the numbers are against you. However if everything is peaceful then enjoy your away time. Note this mission will give you two days of leave from Kumogakure no Sato. If you do not return to Kumogakure no Sato you will be sought after.
reward; 100 experience, 2,500 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

[vegapunk]

Flicker..

A shadowy figure would instantly appear only 10 meters ahead of the girl who was riding upon the back of her companion. Crouched firmly to the girls right, on the rocky cliff, Eiichiro was stationed. He could hear her muttering to herself, or was it to her wolfy companion - he did not know. Slightly obscured by the hues of the morning, he would look into the distance past her, viewing the direction of the sun just shining its warm golden light over the mountain. As the sun continued to rise its glory would slowly cast a glorious hue over the surroundings - while still the air was cold, captured by the night that still wished to reign. She must be the one? Eiichiro thought to himself as he watched her continue forward to his location.

It had been a while since he had done a patrol mission, the early mornings, landscape, and general familiarity transporting him to times past. But, today he would enjoy this B-ranked mission. Not a man who embraced the early morning rush, he took the opportunity today to become familiar with the shinobi in his village. Shifting his attention off of the girl for a moment, reflecting, he delve into his mind thinking about the notes he had read on his partner this morning. Kimiko was her name if he remembered rightly - and she was a member of the Inuzuka clan. Instant intrigue would be the case, and just like Eiichiro was he enjoyed new and interesting ways to get to know the talented shinobi in his village. Lets see what she is made of, this B-rank mission should tell me a few things about her his wandering mind told him.

Snapping back into reality he would see that she had made further ground to where he was positioned. To her left was a considerable drop, one that would lead many to their deaths, and has on this treacherous terrain. It was instrumental for a Kumo shinobi to know the terrain of the beautiful mountains which surrounded it. In their homeland, they would need the advantage - and this terrain was a perfect way to gain the upper-hand in any combat situation. Twisting paths with shear drops, rocky outcrops, highland cliffs, and mysterious tunnels. All were a part of this section of mountain alone and Eiichiro knew were they all were. For a patrol mission, the usual danger is the landscape itself. But, if anything were to happen, little did she know, she had the Sandaime Raikage with her...or did she know? As she approached closer Eiichiro would call out to her in a youthful light tone. Let's see if she does recognize my face at least..

Ahoi wolf-girl, over here."

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[★]

     Kimiko barely had time recently to do anything – her siblings were all difficult to adjust, and she had been running around making arrangements for work and school, as well for her father. He was getting older, and was nearly incapable of caring for himself, so she had to find someone to hire to take care of him – which took a day or two considering he lived far into the mountains. Plus, this person she’d be paying monthly, was just another expense on top of taking care of three people, not including herself. Therefore, when her partner hollered up from above her, she didn’t recognize who he was at all. She hadn’t kept up with her village’s administration, hadn’t had nearly any time to deal with anything of the sorts. If she knew who he was, and how important he was to her career and money intake, she would have taken a different approach. Only thing was, she didn’t know.

     “Wolf-girl?” She would respond, not really putting much thought into how nicknames usually bothered her. Instead, she raised her eye brows, and altered her gaze to the man crouched on the ledge above her. He looked about her age, maybe even younger, and held a sort of thoughtful demeanor. She let a small smile slide across her face, thinking that perhaps he was a mature man and wouldn't be so difficult to get along with. Before she could say anything else though, Kin came up behind her, whispering in her ear. “He looks familiar.” Familiar? Of course he was familiar, they had probablly passed by each other in their village, so instead of thinking about it at all Kimiko just turned behind her to meet Kin’s gaze. “Of course he looks familiar, he’s from our village, Kin.” She gave a “duh” smirk and turned back. “I take it you’re my partner?”

[vegapunk]

Phew..

She had been truly talking to her dog companion after all. A sigh of relief would filter through his body - thank god he wasn't working with a crazy person! But it was to be expected, she was from the Inuzuka clan. There prowess with their canine companions is known throughout the world, a truly skilled and dedicated clan, and a powerful ally. Peering down at the his partner he would plant both his hands of the rough rock and propel himself down, before coming to a crashing halt onto the dusty path below. Brimming with a smile from ear to ear he would greet the wolf-girl as they suddenly came face-to-face. It was unusual for him to feel this cheerful in the morning, but something had come over him, and out of no where.

In the hue of the contrasting darkness from the night and bright light from the rising sun, this ambiance of morning delight would fall across his back as he positioned himself on the path. His golden-hair would would become radiant in this light, as the perfect strands would fall neatly down the back of his head. Signature sunglasses on, even the morning would not deter him from his usual attire. However this time, he wore a traditional Kumo white, one-strapped flak jacket over a time grey top which hung low underneath. However, he wore his conventional floral trousers as well, something which he found always gave him good luck. Looking over his partner he would notice her beautiful jet-black hair first, until his attention was quickly alerted to her large bust. A pretty girl, but obviously quite tomboyish, he would put his hand out in front of her as he introduced himself. A calm and soothing voice would exit his mouth as he continued to smile towards the girl.

"Hello, my name is Eiichiro Munashi. You'll be following me on today's mission. And, what is your name there?"

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[★]

     From where her partner sat above her, Kimiko was probably easily seen – her clothes, face, hair, everything. But from where Kimiko stood, staring up at him, was a different story. She could see his face, his pink tinted sunglasses and his fair blonde hair, but the rest of his body was blocked out by sunlight. That might have been why when he launched himself off the cliff, slowly descending to the area in front of her, she was rather amused by his choice of clothing.

     While Kimiko was definitely not one for fashion, his floral pants and simple top made her smile. She had never met a guy to wear such bold clothing types, and although flowers most likely weren’t the manliest choice, he didn’t seem feminine at all. Really, the pants made him even more likeable, and Kimiko usually didn’t like anyone.

     “Hello,” He started, raising his eyes to make contact with Kimiko’s. His voice was clam, comforting really, and the words seem to slide off his tongue in a harmonic way. He was so calm and collected, so not loud or obnoxious, not like everyone else Kimiko had met so far. “My name is Eiichiro Munashi. You'll be following me on today's mission.”Tch. Following him, she may have gotten good vibes from the guy, but she hated having to take others’ orders and work as a team. Yet somehow, she knew she had to listen to him, he seemed mature – even more mature than Kimiko herself and she was more than certain that he was more skilled than her. He was the reason she could go on this mission in the first place. Kin seemed to notice Kimiko’s stance alter slightly, for her stepped a little closer to her and nudged her subtly. If this man, whom she now knew was named Eiichiro, was better than her she would push her suborn, reckless self to the back of her mind and fulfill this mission and get the cash, she decided that long before she made the remark about sucking up with Kin, because even if she pretended she’d be rude, she wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

     “And, what is your name there?” He motioned to her, and she gave a slight smile and raise of her eyebrows. “You can call me Kimiko,” Then she turned slightly towards Kin, motioning her hand and thumb to him. “And this is Kin,” She then turned back to him and gave a subtle nod. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She grinned at that she could feel Kin roll his eyes, nevertheless she continued, speaking the next thing that was on her mind. “As for the mission,” She paused, her grin disappearing and a slightly worried look replacing it. She subconsciously sucked in a tiny part of her body lip, biting down and sending a small tingle of pain through her body. Nervous habit. And she was just now realizing that she might just possibly be nervous, but why? “What exactly is our mission?” Her paper didn’t give any details whatsoever, just a meeting place and time, and even though she most likely could handle it she still had a knot in the back of her stomach, hoping to god she wouldn’t have to do anything to advanced and totally embarrass herself in front of possibly the only other cool person in her village.

     Great. She sighed, realization kicking in, she cared too much about what other people thought. It might have been better if he wasn’t cool.

[vegapunk]

Just like that their mission had commenced. After he introduced himself he would wait for her reply, which came in a simple smile and raising of an eyebrow as she said her name. Kimiko.. Eiichiro thought to himself fleetingly as he remembered a girl from his past. He had known a Kimiko once, in a time which seemed so long ago. He had always liked the name and as he smiled back in her direction he would form a natural liking towards her. Then introducing her canine companion, Eiichiro would crouch down shifting his balance to his knees. Raising his hand out he would allow Kin to sniff his hand before he ran his strong hands through his fur underneath his neck. He had always liked animals, often times jealous of the K-9 units that Kumogakure possessed. Petting and rubbing his palm through the canines coat he had now introduced himself to Kin in a ordinarily fashion that only this eccentric man would.

Planting both hands on the ground below he would push himself back up again to meet Kimiko in the eyes. Through the lens of his sunglasses he would flash her a kind look before he progressed to tell her about the mission. In itself it would be simple, a atypical patrol mission where they would need to survey the landscape around them for anything suspicious. It would need to be ritual and second-nature for her to progress as a ninja. Unlikely to come into contact with any enemy, it was more importantly about understanding and remembering the landscape. That is the factor in combat that a ninja needs to know; their own landscape and terrain so they can ultimately have the advantage.

But, indeed, they would be looking for anything that seemed a threat to Kumo. This included traps or any foreign markings over the paths and peaks of the mountain tracks. His attention would briefly turn to Kin as he thought of the benefits that the canine held. His powerful sense of smell and animalistic connection with chakra would come in handy when sourcing hidden traps and ploys for deception. As a small gust of wind rose up underneath them it would signal Eiichiro to get the gears grinding into action. Now looking upon Kimiko he would speak to her explaining why she was here. Playful and light he would speak fluidly, his white teeth glowing in the light that streaked across from behind him.

"Ah it will be a typical patrol mission of a section around the village. It would find it strange if we ran into any true trouble, but you'll need to know these mountains like the back of your hand if you want to properly protect it. But first, you'll need to try to keep up - follow me Kimiko.

Giving her a competitive wink, he would turn and jump up into the air before floating down to the earth again, disappearing in a collection of flashing steps. Darting across the terrain like the rushing water of a river he would wait to feel her presence moving at his side. It would be then that the true lesson could begin. He hoped that she would live up to the expectations that he had of her. After all, it wasn't just any occasion that the Sandaime Raikage would participate in a mission with a genin. Unknowing to her he would jest her forward, seeing what she was truly made of.

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[★]

     Kimiko had to keep telling herself things would be alright. She was never – and I mean never nervous, but something about this guy made her uncomfortable. Earlier, she had thought he was rather decent, since his competition wasn’t very high. Most of the people she had encountered since returning to the village had been idiot kids or obnoxious shinobi, and it was really starting to seem like Kumo was full of nuisances – but then again, Kimiko didn’t like anyone. Until now that is.

     He seemed a lot more mature than the other’s she had met, and he was quite charming, his words flowing easily off his tongue. He even treated Kin well – most people (who weren’t children) seemed to disrespect the fact that Kimiko fought alongside a dog. It was stupid, since there were many others who did the same thing, yet still people looked down on her. I mean with her huge chest and pet dog she was probably some pushover kunoichi right? Wrong – and it was always fun for Kimiko to show them just how wrong they were. Yet this guy. . he reached over, big white smile planted on his face, and scratched Kin compassionately, seeming like he actually enjoyed doing it. This only increased Kimiko’s suspicions – she thought all men were sexist pigs, looking down on women and giving them trouble. Yet, this guy, seemed different – a trap perhaps? Was he planning on luring her in to trust him, then striking viciously?! Or was it perhaps his way of entertainment, sitting back and watching her trust him like they had known each other for years? Tch. Kimiko was getting ahead of herself.

     But something did feel off, and no matter how many times Kimiko tried to shake it off, his kind words and playful attitude making him seem like a trusting guy. Maybe it wasn’t that he was secretly manipulating her or something, just him simply not being who she thought he was. . It was killing her! Why did she feel like she was missing something so much! But there was no time for her to have this conversation in her head, for by the time she had checked back in Eiichiro was explaining the mission – his aura changing to something a little more devious. Well, he was a boy.

     “Ah it will be a typical patrol mission of a section around the village. It would find it strange if we ran into any true trouble, but you'll need to know these mountains like the back of your hand if you want to properly protect it.” Patrol mission ehh? Sounded rather easy, casual even, but she wasn’t about to tell him she already knew this place well. It was true that she knew how to maneuver in mountains and forest very easily since her family used to live very far off in the woods, but the mountains surrounding Kumogakure weren’t just mountains – the protected the village, making a difficult arena for any enemies. It was much more intense than the mountains near her home, the cliffs being steeper and the rocks being looser. She had been meaning to do some training maneuvering through this terrain but. . well she never got around to it. Which was why when Eiichiro started talking about knowing terrain. . well, lets just say she got a little excited to test herself.

     “But first,” His voice altered slightly and Kimiko recognized the glint he got in his eyes. Things were about to get serious. “ You'll need to try to keep up – follow me Kimiko.” And with that he winked, turned around and leapt up into the air, almost floating to the ground. Kimiko didn’t see he run off though, for she was already turning to Kin with a determined look. “Alright Kin, show time.” She grinned a boyish grin, and Kin shook his head. Kimiko didn’t notice his attitude though, for she was already pumped up and ready to go. “Let’s go!” She nearly shouted, jumping up onto Kin’s back. She could have ran herself but. . well, they were a team.

     Soon they were at his side, Kin mercilessly showing off his speed, and Kimiko tightly grabbing onto his fur and grinning – the wind in her hair, the adrenaline of a race – it was great, she was enjoying herself. She turned her head to meet his eyes, genuinely smiling for maybe the first time all week. It were the little things, that always got to her.

OOC: Egueueue, sorry for the late post and weird style! IDK I feel different, and I think I made Kimiko seem different = . = Maybe its my lack of sleep. . idk, but just so you know. . well, Kin is like, as tall as Eiichiro ^.^' So I don't think he'd be bending down to pet him ehehe. . XD No biggy, just letting you know for future ref. Again, sorry for the late/crap post! ~

[vegapunk]

SPOILER: Click to show

Sorry about the delay I forgot about this thread. Ah, lets get back onto it! Ah whoops, yeah Kin is about the same height as me. Also, would you want to have a random encounter in this thread?

It was no surprise to see the two-some of Kin and Kimiko at his side. Power and speed would be but second nature to the two, and that would be expressed as her canine companion instantly slotted in by Eiichiro's side. Moving at a fast travelling pace - he would notice Kimiko clutching on the back of Kin, her hands firmly gripping the canines fur. They would turn to each other both gifting one another a smile, Eiichiro's grin stretching from ear-to-ear. Its seems they would both have fun on this excursion.

Pushing his leg off of the loose rock that marked his feet below, he would glide into the air, floating for seconds, as he came plummeting back down to a new location. Initially, she had shown herself to handle herself when it came to keeping up, so Eiichiro would take her on a more difficult path across the terrain. Making their way to the first marked 'patrol' station - they would make their way across steep terrain. Channeling chakra to the feet he would climb the side of a vertical cliff as his partners soon followed. They would be aiming for the top plateau of this rise, a mere forty meters up above. His feet would stick like glue against the gritty-side of the cliff. Nearly half-way up (twenty meters), thick isolated branches and roots would pierce the side of the cliff as they basked in the morning sunlight.

Changing angle moving across the body of Kimiko and Kin, he would leap forward a few meters in the air as he grabbed for one of the branches. Swinging like a monkey, he would look down to see that the drop was more daunting that he thought. But, none-the-less, he would swing himself upward as he feet would now touch down upon the sturdy branch. Crouching, he would then instantly propel himself upward to the next branch, and then the root above that - summer-salting and pivoting with ease. Pausing, he would look down to see the closely approaching Kimiko as he rode Kin, who seemed to be enjoying the challenge of this patrol route. However, his attention was still focused on his surroundings. This patrol would be a great way to release steam but they were still looking out for danger.

"First location is just at the top of this cliff. Stay vigilant and alert for any danger in the region - but, I'll race you to the top?"

He would smile playfully after he forwarded his comments. Would she be able to keep up?

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