copper [m]

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
A constant flicker of light slapping one in the face as it prepares to turn on is one of many omens one can perceive as bad. As the constant flickering of the apartment light would come on and off as the three people stood in the middle of the room, it was then that Kurai knew that there was going to be trouble tonight. The apartment was decently sized for Kumogakurel. As the three stood in the largest room, the living room, there was a narrow hallway which led to two different bedrooms and then a kitchen in the farthest room. The apartment was tidy, much like the rest of the apartment building, looking as though the landlord kept control of their building effectively. A decently sized television, a book stand, a couch and a few chairs, this living room would assure that there was nothing off about this family. They were typical to say the least. As Kurai would stand amongst them, he would look down at the wife as she would address him in a way that almost all mothers address children.

"Now remember, we're going to be at a friends until about 2:00am, so Hiro should be asleep by the time we get back. His bedtime is pretty soon," She would pull up her trench coat sleeve to get a glance at a watch that she hadn't worn in ages. It was too nice to wear when taking care of children. "Yes, he should be in bed by at least seven, so you'll only have thirty minutes or so to get acquainted."

"He's already eaten, so you just need to make sure he takes a bath and put him to bed. It's really a peace of cake," The father would announce, slapping his hand onto the back of Kurai's shoulder while offering a similar chuckle to his wife. "It's really amazing to think that we could hire NINJA to babysit for us! At least we don't have to worry about his safety!" He would chuckle some more, instead this time instead of a playful slap, he would get more comfortable with Kurai, shaking the young man back and forth as he would continue to bellow out his obnoxious chuckle.

"Yes..." Kurai would respond, his massive black collar leaving no imagination for any sort of well received hospitality.

"Well, I guess we better get going." The wife would say once more, tucking her trench coat over the long satin dress that she had dusted off in order to wear tonight.

She would take her husband's arm from Kurai's shoulder, probably noticing the young man's discomfort. She would take his hand within hers, her opposite hand wrapping around his arm as she began to tug him out of the door. The two would wave goodbye, both smiling as if to show the young man the full extent of their dental capability. They would close the apartment door, and with that, they were gone. The shinobi would a massive sigh, as he would begin to engage himself as to how it was that he arrived here.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
That's right, he was a shinobi, a low ranking shinobi at that. He was paid to do missions such as these, and he was paid to do them well. It would take a while before he actually got to do anything exciting, but until then, he would just have to bide his time. Kurai's massive black gloves would shove themselves into his jumpsuit pockets as he would make his way down the hallway to see if he could find the 'target.' The report was bare, and there was almost no briefing on what it was that he was supposed to do. From what the parents had told him, the only thing left to do was give him a bath and put him to sleep, but as to how old this kid was, or even if he was allergic to anything, or even who to call if something goes wrong were all complete enigmas. As he made his way across the wooden floor, his bare pressing against the cold aged oak, he could feel the presence of danger approaching. He would stop directly in front of the room on the right side of the hallway, the room designated 'Hiro' with what appeared to be a hand painted plaque, probably created by the 'target.'

"Hiro!" Kurai would shout, making sure not to step too far into the lion's den.

The sudden sound of feet banging against the ground would ring into the Gennin's ears as the child would come running. The door would swing open and before the tall, dark ninja would stand a rather miniature, rather adorable little boy. His hair was short, but messy, and he appeared to be wearing some sort of denim overalls with teddy bears all over them. He was old enough to run, but the question remained, was he old enough to understand? Kurai would look down at him with a blank face, his oddly hued eyes working as spotlights, exposing every flaw that the boy had. He would slowly crouch down, his long knees protruding out, and to either side of the boy.

"How old are you Hiro." Kurai would begin.

"Almost six," The boy would respond, not even bothering to ask who Kurai was, and why it was that he was in his house. The life of a non-ninja. "How about you?"

"Are you ready for your bath?" Kurai would inquire, ignoring the boy's question, and no doubt his method of getting to know the person he was dealing with.

"Yes..." The boy would answer simply, no doubt intimidated by the odd treatment he was receiving at the hands of a complete stranger.

"Okay, well I'm going to get the water ready. I'll call you when it's time to come in." Kurai would say to the boy, retreating back into the air as he would stand up straight, towering over the little boy, who would retreat as well, back into his bedroom, where he was no doubt playing with some sort of toy.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
That bath would take almost no time. Hiro knew how to do most of the necessary things by himself, though when needing a slight bit of assistance after getting shampoo in his eye, he simply had to call 'help' to get Kurai's attention who stood directly outside of the door. Now that Hiro was in bed, it made the rest of this mission incredibly boring, if not impossible. As the lanky shinobi would make his way into the living room, he would plant himself down onto the couch, his long, exposed legs folding underneath of him as he would keep them warm between his butt and the couch. However, almost as soon as he would relax, a sudden surprise would shock him back out of it. There was a rather powerful knock at the door, the kind that would be delivered by some sort of police force, though considering that nothing had happened, it was rather questionable as to why the police, or anyone else for that matter, would be here. Kurai would extend his legs out from underneath his body, planting his feet back onto the cold oak floors before pushing himself off of the couch. His creepy slither of a walk would slowly allow him to arrive at the door, where the knock would be reiterated. He would quickly take the handle, twisting it and yanking the door open, for fear that another knock might wake the young Hiro up, and he would have to go through all the trouble of putting him back to sleep.

However, what he found on the opposite side of the door was not something he was readily expecting.

"It's time to pay up- wait, where did the married couple go?"

Behind the front door would stand three men, all rather large, and all donning what appeared to be leather jackets with metal studs in various places on the jacket. They did not appear to be the police, or shinobi, but instead... thugs. What made their appearance that much more interesting was that each one of them would don a porcelain mask, all appearing to have purchased the 'well maiden' version, a pale white face with incredibly narrow eyes, and thick red lips. They were no there for friendship, and from what one of them had slipped, they were there to take something.

"Oh I see," One of the men would say to the others, resting his forearm on another's shoulder. "They hired a ninja so we could leave them alone." He would say, letting out a rather air-headed laugh, which was not participated in by the rest of his gang.

Kurai's eyes would narrow. It was true. From what one of them had said, this had to be a routine thing. Additionally, why hire a ninja instead of some neighbor? Things were fishy, but considering that he had time to kill, and a little boy to protect, Kurai couldn't let his loyalties persuade. If anything, he could get some fun in the fight against the three men, and then demand a little more money once the couple arrived home.

"Probably," Kurai would say bluntly, interrupting in the man's laughter. "Regardless, you're making too much noise. Now I'm going to have to shut you up." He would say, taking a step out of the apartment, and closing the door behind him.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
The three men would chuckle as they would spread out. While they all appeared to be wearing the same thing, there were subtle differences in the three. One wore a black hoodie underneath his jacket. It would be this one that would stand against the railing that would make the hallway decently safe. One wore a red t-shirt, and it was that one who would take the right flank against the ninja. Finally, there was the one who had delivered the obnoxious laugh, who was wearing long shorts as opposed to the baggy black pants that tucked into the tall black boots that all three of the men would wear. The man in front of Kurai, wearing black fingerless gloves would begin to punch his palm in an attempt intimidate the skinny young man who stood in front of him. To the right, the thug would pull out a small butterfly knife, while the man to the left would raise his fists; a generic boxing stance.

"You all are lucky. I didn't bring any weapons," Kurai would say shallowly, his head turning to his right to look at the butterfly knife in the hands of his opponent. "So I'll just have to take yours."

It was that last sentence that would act as though the ignition code. As soon as the words slipped out of the young man's lips, the man directly in front of Kurai would commence the impending brawl. However, the Genin would not be left wanting for an opportunity to attack. Instantly, his leg would lift into the air, stomping against the man's chest, causing him to fly backwards, his lower back smashing against the railing, his arms flailing into the air as he would topple over the top of the railing. Both of his friends would observe this, no doubt a surprise-ridden face hiding behind their massive white masks. However, before they could snap out of it, the shinobi was already taking advantage of the 'shock and awe.' Kurai's fist would soar through the night sky, finding a sudden and abrupt stop as it would challenge the durability of the white mask covering the red hooded hooligan's face. The fist would crash into the man's face, the mask, being made of some sort of porcelain, would shatter instantly. The foundation of the man would crumble just as easily. His head would fling backwards, his legs flinging into the air as his back would crash into the floor. Acting out of a pure malice for his enemy, within an instant, Kurai's right knee would bend as his foot would raise into the air. Almost instantly, the foot would come smashing down into the downed man's face, the sound of cracking echoing against the apartment building. As to what that noise could be was far from the shinobi's interest. Kurai's head would turn quickly as his golden eyes would observe the figure of the final masked man. His legs spread, and his palms shown, he would slowly back away from the barefoot shinobi.

"I guess that leaves you, huh Chuckles?" Kurai would spit viciously at the final man. He would take another step towards the final man, who would take an equal step backwards. "Don't come back to this building. If I ever see you in this village again, expect the same thing to happen." He would end, opening the door and walking back inside, leaving the man to help his friends.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
"We're back~." The sound of a woman would whisper into the living room as she made her way into the apartment, her husband directly behind her.

Kurai would rise from the couch, letting out a massive sigh once more as he would make his way directly for the door, almost as if ignoring the presence of the two parents. The couple would look at each other, an awkward smile covering their face as they would address the ninja who appeared to be making sure that he could leave as soon as humanely possible.

"So how'd it go?" The wife would ask him nonchalantly.

"Fine." Kurai would respond, tugging on his footwear, his eyes fixated on his feet as opposed to the two adults who would slowly creep into the house.

"Well... Thank You for your help... I-I'll be sure to recommend you to the Raikage!" She would say hesitantly, her husband making his way further into the apartment.

Kurai wouldn't respond. Instead, he would pull on his opposite sandal, and grasping the doorknob before making his way inside of the doorway. He would look at the couple from the doorway, the chill of the night brushing against his exposed arms, making him all the more unsavory. He would scoff at the two, slowly closing the door, and making his way passed the fragments of porcelain strewn across the terrace as he would make his way back home.

SPOILER: Click to show

name; babysitting~
rank; d
description; It’s tough to find a babysitter in Kumogakure no Sato. The offices of Kumogakure no Sato has gotten that complaint several times. Sadly, we can’t encourage our non shinobi Kumogakure young adults to take up babysitting as a part time job. Which means there is really only one solution on getting more babysitters within’ Kumogakure no Sato. We give the task to our ever endearing shinobi. That’s right; we’re asking our newly appointed Genin to take up this task. Watch a Kumogakure adult’s baby while that adult or couple go out enjoying their time once in a blue moon. Have fun changing diapers.
reward; 20 experience, 100 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
Two dark feet would land hastily slide across a gravel-filled rooftop. The bright metallic banner of Kumogakure reflecting the sun's overbearing light. As Kurai would adjust the hachigane strapped to his forehead, he could feel that this mission was going to be far too simple for his taste. However, he did understand that this was the responsibilities of not only a Genin, but of a Hikyaku-nin as well. These were the types of missions he had to get used to, and eventually they would be much more intensified. While today he would have a massive black box full of dead fish on his back, in due time, he would be delivering important scrolls, or perhaps even people to places that they would need to be. Much like that tiring babysitting mission, it was a necessary step that needed to be taken in order to have the right to be a Chuunin... and do surpass Ura. As for now, it would be the transportation of smelly Walleye that would get him the money, and experience he needed. His skinny frame would fight against the weight of the massive black box that would act as a cooler as well. While he was unsure as to who he was supposed to hand these fish to, he did have an address that he was familiar with. The massive conclave of buildings which would be combined in the army of mountains that made up the village would indeed make it difficult for civilians to traverse the town rapidly. Considering that this package needed to be dropped off before the fish could rot, and that they were opposite sides of the village, it would make sense that a ninja would be hired for the job. True, this was a mission for someone agile, but considering that he was completely alone during the mission meant that it might be a bit more difficult. All the could do was hope that nothing happened that would make his job even more difficult than it already was.

"Nazo~," The sound of a female voice would ring into the back of Kurai's ears. His head would turn, his golden eyes falling upon the image of what appeared to be someone who he thought he could forget.

A young girl stood out in the open, probably around his age. A bold and bright Kumogakure hachigane would surround her waist, while her long, tossed blonde hair would roam around her face. How she appeared behind Kurai so suddenly was inded, confusing, though considering that she was a fellow Genin, in fact, in the same class as the young shinobi, it would make all the sense that she was somewhat capable of sneaking up on him. However, what would baffle Kurai that much was why it is that this woman would be here.

"What're you doin' up here... and what is that smell?" She would say with a devilish grin, her balance slowly careening backwards as she would use the weight of her arms to keep herself upright.

Her lazy stance would remind him of their time together in the academy, but more so of how reckless she was. We outfit was all white, and her blonde hair would only make her approach towards him all the more surreal. He didn't have time to deal with her. He had to deliver this package, that was the whole reason that he was assigned the mission, because he could do it hastily. He couldn't let her get in the way.

"I can't deal with you right now Warui." He would say bluntly, turning around and making his way towards the edge of the building rooftop.

"Wait!" She would holler at him helplessly, her hand launching into the air as she would run after him.

It wasn't a plea he would heed, his body thrusting into the air as his feet would hid the border of the railing. Without a second thought, he would launch himself off of the rooftop, his arms and legs spreading out as he would descend towards the next circular rooftop that would wait for his landing. However, as his body would soar through the air, there was something eerie about his launch. As he fell, it would be the inclusion of another, alien shadow that would tip him off. He was being followed, no doubt by Warui. His body would straight out, Karui's legs stretching towards the ground, allowing him to land once more on the sturdy rooftop, the momentum of the fall leading him to barrel roll to his front, only inches from where his pursuer would land roughly. The crash into the rooftop was sturdy, her palm smashing into the ground as her knees would spread out with her coiled landing. She would stand up immediately, her hair in almost every direction conceivable. His eyes would narrow as she would turn around, her white gloved index finger pointing at him vicariously.

"I said wait, dammit!" She would shout terrible, her drained blue eyes camouflaged perfectly behind her thick wild hair.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
"What!?" He would verbally counter-attack.

It would take a few seconds for her to say anything, instead, staring at the angered young man with a blank, dead stare that amounted to literally nothing. The connection of the two would seem like a lifetime, except far from romantic. Instead, it felt like she was purposefully wasting Kurai's time. So as he would stand up straight, his fists slowly balling, he would open his mouth to speak, only to be cut off abruptly.

"What's in your box!?" She would shout back at him, her brows furiously narrow as she would continue to point her index finger at him, however, this time much more menacingly.

"That's none of your business!" The Genin would shout back, his anger getting the best of him as we would begin to participate in what he knew would become nothing but a fruitless shouting contest.

He would begin to walk passed her, his gaze raising towards the Kage tower as he would realize that he was nearly halfway there. The restaurant in which the fish belonged was just a few buildings away from the Kage tower. It would be the trip from the nearest fisherman's import shop that would make the trip so difficult. However, now that he was being needlessly tagged by this crazy blonde genin, he was sure to go through much more trouble than the mission initially called for.

"I know you have fish in there!" She would continue to scream at him, as though the two were engaged in some sort of lover's quarrel.

"What's your point Warui..." He would viciously utter, his head turning to look at her out of the side of his vision. That's when things grew a bit more intense.

It was as though the sun would vanish as the young lady would tighten her gloves, reaching around her back to grasp her hachigane, and tugging on the ends to make it squeeze that much more against her waist. Her fists would curl, before her right hand would reach behind her back, the metal baseball bat that had been barely visible before now making itself that much more distinguishable. Her head would sway swiftly to the side as to reveal her massive blue eyes. She looked as though he hadn't slept in weeks. Massive black bags rest comfortably underneath the pale blue hue of her optics. So as her cherry lips parted and her rose tongue danced to form the most horrifying sentence she could say at the moment, a slight chill would travel down Kurai's neck.

"I'm hungry." She would almost whisper, the crack of lightning in the distance working to make the oncoming storm allow the effect of her sentence to intensify tenfold.

The revealing of her bat would show she was now his enemy. The impending storm would show that she was a force to be reckoned with. The utterance of her intentions would show that she would do whatever it took to achieve her goal. It would be these signs that Kurai would take heed to, and influence what it is that he did next. Without a second thought, he would make a dead sprint for the walls of the nearest mountain peak. The restaurant was inside one of the mountains, and considering that it was on a higher level, it would mean that he would need to gain a few more levels before he could get there. Warui was on his toes however, for as soon as he would sprint, as would his enemy; only faster. She didn't have to worry about what felt like a literal ton of fish on her back. He had to think fast. As he would take another leap off of this rooftop, and his feet would touch the side of this mountain, he could continue to run up the side of the mountain before making his way to the inside of this peak. He could see the upside down dome staring him in the face, and as he would leap upward, his body would slightly somersault as he would land perfectly onto the smooth surface of the building terrace. She however, being lighter, would land a bit further, just further to land directly in front of him. Her bat was ready, and cocked back, and as her legs spread to increase her momentum, Kurai knew the only course of action left to him. Instead of stopping his retreat, he would instead transform it into a ramming charge. His arm would tuck into his torso as his shoulder would raise, his bony arm shoving into her chest. As soon as he would make contact, Kurai's arm would fling outward, shoving her to the side as he would continue to make his way up the bottom of the terrace. Warui's hair would flail everywhere as she would fall down, having been flung from the bottom of the sphere, she would plummet back to the very location that she had confronted him. While it wasn't very high up, it would be enough to gain a few seconds of distance. He would watch as her back would smash against the top of the building, a slight chuckle haunting her pain as he would make his way to the railing, his arms launching out to take hold of the railing, and thrusting himself over. As his feet would land firmly on the terrace, he would feel the faint taps of rain hitting his shoulders. Kurai's chin would raise, his eyes squinting towards the sky. The storm was here.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
The run through the well lit tunnels of Kumogakure were aesthetic and beautiful. The battalion of raindrops attacking the side of the mountains would leave any increase in noise minimal to non-existent. However, it would be this constant issue of rain that would make these tunnels so crowded during times such as these. The common people were constantly moving, constant doing what they needed to do, which would make the constant need to brush passed them difficult to say the least. With a violent tail on his heels, Kurai had to make sure that he could complete this mission in a decently timely manner. The troubles of the crazy kunoichi were troubles he didn't want to see any longer. However, if she was serious about pursuing him, then it was evident that he would need to take precautionary measures to make sure that she didn't achieve her goal. His hands would raise to his chest, and mid run, he would commit to creating a number of hand seals. These hand seals would form the necessary combination for one of his favorite ninjutsu. Within an instant there would be two young men wearing identical clothes, carrying identical packages. The likeness of the Denkou Bunshin was remarkable, but considering that there would only be one person that he would need to fool, it would be the perfect distraction, as well as intelligence.

Warui would slowly walk in through the tunnel entrance, her once wild blonde hair now clinging tightly to her face, her right eye peeking through it ominously. On her face, she would reveal a horrid smile, the kind that one would see on the face of a killer. Her right hand would grip the handle of her metallic bat impossibly hard, and as she would cut through the crowd in pursuit of her fish, she would simply follow the scent. Her speed was not too much faster than Kurai, if he didn't have to carry something so heavy. However, the wall of people would help to ensure that she could not use the full extent of her speed. Her white sandals would slide across the concrete flooring, and as the fluorescent lights of various shops and restaurants would illuminate the tunnel, as it would her crazed blue eyes. Her tongue would slide out of her mouth as she would grow closer to the scent of dead fish. While this was a smell that would not often appeal to people, it was the smell of fish that would remind Warui of her childhood. The smell of fish was something that her father was permanently perfumed in. While Kurai would never discover this, nor want to discover this, it was something that the seemingly intoxicated girl would find motivating. It was because of that motivation that it would be only a few seconds after her entrance into the tunnel that she would lock eyes onto her target. Through the crowd, the image of a small black hood, with a disproportionately large black box would cut through the crowd. Her shoulder would do most of the crowd work, shoving people to the side as she would prep her bat to swing open the mother load.

"Nazo!" She would shout loudly, causing Kurai's attention to lose focus on escaping, and instead on the woman who was now upon him.

His eyes would widen, and his hand would raise as the kunoichi's bat would swing, the tip slamming against the face of an innocent bystander would be knocked to the ground. The crowd would gasp, space instantly being made between the two after seeing the chance happening. The man would stumble to the side, both of his hands shoved against the side of his face as he would attempt to gain some sort of composure. Warui however would fail to notice her doing, instead cocking back once more, this time to seal the deal on the fish box.

"Wait!" Kurai would shout, his hands extending as he would step back a step. "I'll just give you the fish! Just leave me alone!" He would say tirelessly.

The massive black box would swing around his back, 'plopping' on the floor as he would slowly reach over it to open it. The massive black gloves covering his hands would do what it could to fumble with the lock, putting in a simple combination as he would slowly open it. Sure enough, revealed would be what appeared to be a private ocean of fish, all caught, all dead, and all ready to be cooked. Warui's eyes would light up as she would begin to hover over to the box, the bat dropping to the ground as she would ignore all the senses that did not involve her consumption of the fish now at her fingertips. However, as Kurai would watch her wander over to the box, closer and closer, he would realize that his opportunity, had arisen. Within a flash the tail of one fish was in his grasp, and within another, the head of the fish was slamming itself against the side of the girl's head. A slight scream would escape her lips as she would stumble slightly backwards, the crowd once more releasing a relative gasp as she would approach them backwards. From the crowd, a thin figure would appear, wrapping his arms around the waist of the kunoichi, his cheek pressed against her back, as he would slowly drag her backwards. Without a second guess, Kurai would throw the fish back into the box, slam the top, and lock it. Taking one of the straps in his hand, he would begin to make his way through the crowd, their final audible gasp flooding the tunnel as he would cut through them for his sweet escape.

"NAZO~!" The screams of the hungry ninja would ring into the ears of the fleeing Ogon. "Let go of me!" She would continue to shout, her elbow tucking rapidly behind her back as she would impale the figure in the gut. He would stagger backwards, holding his side as he did so.

Within an instant her fist would transform into a battering ram. Her fist would curl around, delivering a devastating punch into the face of the man who had grabbed her, or at least, that's what she would have hoped to have happen. Her fist however would pass through the face of the man with ease. Her eyes would grow wide with the revelation of what had just occurred. As she could see the figure of the man she would call 'Nazo,' and the lack of resistance that would come with a punch, she realized that she had been played for the fool. The soundless electrocution would not reach the real Nazo's ears however, having escaped some time earlier.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
"There he is! Just in time!" The sushi chef would shout out, his arms thrusting into the air as he would get a whiff of the hordes of dead fish brought to him.

Kurai would fling the massive box over his shoulder after entering the small, empty restaurant. Placing the box on the table, he would open it, revealing the lot of Walleye. The chef would reveal a massive array of teeth with an even larger smile.

"This is going to help us out so much!" He would exclaim to the delivery boy, while walking towards the the back of the restaurant.

"So, why do you need so many fish anyway? Isn't this a bit much for one restaurant?" Kurai would ask, picking off a few blonde hairs off of one of the fish while the chef was out of sight.

"They didn't tell you?" The chef would ask while coming out of the back with a massive, folded sign. "It's a free fish giveaway! The first five hundred people get free sushi!"

SPOILER: Click to show

name; delivery boy
rank; d
description; It’s no secret Kumogakure no Sato is monumental. The travel from one end to another for a mere citizen takes hours. Because of the prolonged trip in traveling from one point towards another for a citizen. The Kumogakure no Sato inhabitants require the aid of the Kumogakure shinobi to quickly deliver objects with hastened speed. Usually what takes hours for the residents is cut in half for a Kumogakure shinobi. So go out and deliver whatever it is our natives need delivered.
reward; 20 experience, 100 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
Despite having just completing a mission that dealt with the transportation of fish, Kurai would find himself once more dealing with the task of fish capture and transportation. This time, however, he would not be alone. Instead of dealing with the issue purely solitary, he would have a companion to accompany him. As the simple steps of the shinobi would mesh with the concrete piers that would allow them to make their way towards the water without wasting chakra, the silky blonde hair of the youth would be accompanied, and contrasted by the mass of tumbled hair of the woman that had pursued him just a few days previous. The night sky would add a blueish tint to the landscape, and as the leggy blonde would brush bare shoulders with her male companion, there would be an obvious rapport between the two. She had unmanaged it a bit today as opposed to the other day. A bit of it would be pinned back at the rear of her head, allowing her long thin neck to be exposed to the moon. A baggy, destroyed white long sleeve top would cover most of the woman's torso, while a short pair of black bike shorts would cover whatever needed to be below her waist. Her white gloves would graze passed her ears, knocking away some of the excess hair that had gathered around her face. She would wearily gaze around, noticing the plethora of other Genin who had gathered at the pier, no doubt all on the same mission. Where some of them were garnishing professional fishing rods, others would resort to using jutsu, and the few and far between would even resort to using various types of weaponry.

"How the hell are we supposed to catch fish? I've never even been down here before." She would complain to her partner, her shoulders falling backwards as she would give away a defeated demeanor.

"Don't complain. It's easy money. I'll just go into the water, perform my technique, and then you- you're a weapon's specialist right? Just stab eight of them, and let's get the hell out of here." Kurai would retort, his left hand slowly raising to his shoulder as he would stretch it a bit, having grown tired from what seemed like non-stop action over the passed few days.

Warui wouldn't respond. Instead, her eyes would scan the scene, making sure that this plan was going to work. He had a point, it was only four fish. They couldn't stick around for too long, just long enough to do a couple of techniques. They would definitely need to eat afterwards. Before either of them realized it, they had reached the end of the pier. The sound of crashing waves would ring into the ears of the ready ninja. The constant ebb and flow of the ocean making them realize just how vast this area would be. Kurai would take the lead, leaping off of the pier and onto the surface of the water with ease. While the water would constant crash against the side of the pier, he would leap a distance far enough were the drag of the water would no become too brutal for him to handle. Warui would stay atop the pier. As should would slowly pull her baseball bat from her back, she would prep it for impaling with a simple 'click' of an unseen button on the bat's surface. Within an instant the bat would birth a number of small spikes, no doubt useful when catching smaller things in it's arch... such as fish. She would not venture into the water, the thread of electrocution stopping her dead in her tracks. Kurai on the other hand would make his way out a decent length before finding the appropriate spot to commit to the plan. It was near perfect, even allowing Kurai to get a part of the fish stabbing action if need be with his blunt tip ninjato.

The constant protrusion of water would splash against the shinobi's bare toes, though the chilling water would not prevent the casting of this technique. He had bigger things to get started. The young man's hands would rise to his chest, forming a few hand seals before he would have officially called upon the power of lightning to do his bidding. The power of his Mekurumeku would extend into the water, setting off a minor beacon that the fish would be sure to be attracted to. There was a lot of speculation about this mission, considering the plethora of genin having been assigned it. Because of that, there was a number of information stating the best ways to catch fish. Sure enough, as the technique would slowly intensify, and as Kurai would hold hold, it the more he could see a number of fish approach him, from underneath the water. His partner would cover her face with her forearm to prevent herself from being blinded by the technique. Her bat in hand, she leaps atop the water, much like her partner had done just a few minutes before. This time however, the goal was not to perform ninjutsu, or create bait. Instead, it was her mission to wring these schools of fish up. Raising her heavy metal bat over her head, she would continue to swing into the water as though swinging a hammer into the nail. Every time her bat would come up, a different fish would be attached to one of the many spikes protruding from the side of the long metal instrument.

"See? Easy Money." Kurai would say simply, his ninjato impaling another easy target as he said so.

SPOILER: Click to show

name; fishing for food
rank; d
description; Kumogakure’s seldom food cache is making the Raikage look for other various resolutions on accumulating food for the hungry citizens of Kumogakure no Sato. One solution the Raikage has exposed is providing the shinobi with fun while being capable. The mission is simple, capture four fish for Kumogakure’s food supply.
reward; 20 experience, 100 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
"He wants us to find an entire crate of fish!? How the hell are we supposed to do that?! They could be anywhere!?" Warui would scream from the top of her lungs, her magnificently ferocious blond hair flailing about, much like her arms, as she would do so.

"Calm down. I talked to a few people from our class. They told me that these fish are pretty big, shark big." Kurai would assure her, a combination of his index and middle fingers stroking the top of his forehead as he would explain it.

The strange partnership of these two had begun just a few days earlier, when the kunoichi had attacked Kurai for a reason still unexplained other than her hunger. While the attack was unprecedented, it was also quickly overlooked when the two realized how much they could benefit from each other. Warui had guts, which was something that was highly valued for someone like Karui, who would need additional muscle if anything else. Also, considering the fact that the Chuunin Exams were on their way, the two were in a quick rush to complete as many missions as it would take for them to enter. The requirements were little to say the least, but time was running out, and they had to do whatever it took in order to make sure that they would at least get the chance to compete against other ninja across the continent. Warui was a woman of ruin. Her affliction for battle drove her to do the most insane things, while her partner was the exact opposite. While no coward, battle was not the first thing that he would want to engage in if not forced to. In fact, the thing that appealed to Kurai the most about this mission was the fact that the two would need to rent a boat in order to travel throughout the waterways, which would lead them down into the uninhabited sewers of Kumogakure. He would act as the guide, and the light, while Warui would handle the majority of the combat. Despite the fact that they were around the same age, and of opposite sex, there was no evident attraction of the two, considering their polar opposition. The majority of their chemistry coming from their ability to feed off of each other.

In fact, as the two would make their way towards the waterway that would line the very bottom of the village, each tall step would feel as though another step towards oblivion. This was going to be a rough mission, though considering that they already had fishing experience, this was going to be a piece of cake, just a bigger target to hit. The constant 'clack' of their feet hitting the concrete steps would make things intimidating, but the drab, dark area would bring it home. The stench of the sewers was unappealing as well, making this experience as a whole, 'lackluster.' The dim venture closer to the water would eventually lead the two man group to that very system, with the aforementioned boat tied to the last step leading into the water by what appeared to be nothing more than a massive rock. The boat, tied by rope was wooden, and appeared to be a thick canoe, though it's particular name was irrelevant to the couple. Karui's feet would grasp the top of the dead still water, making his way over to the canoe to begin to untie it. His companion however would continue to walk passed him, looking out into what appeared to be nothing but vast darkness. There was no telling how big this system was, or where they were going to have to go in order to find these fish.

"So how many do we have to catch?" She would ask, fatigued, her voice echoing through the shadows.

"They fit three into a single crate... we have to catch a crate." He would say, using what little light they had left to finish undoing the knotting of the boat.

"So three..." She would sigh, her baggy white top shuffling as she would play with her fingers, making a few fists before shaking her wrists loosely. "Then let's do it." She would finish, pumped.

Kurai would nod, his hand caressing his frame to reassure himself that all of his equipment, save his tracker, would be present. The two would hop into the boat, Warui picking up one of the two paddles found in the boat, stroking the tip into the water as they would slowly begin their descent into further darkness.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
Much like their previous mission, Kurai would begin by committing to his first raiton ability. As his body would begin to illuminate, he would make sure to restrain his chakra release as to not blind the woman moving them. As his body would illuminate, as would their surroundings. However, despite how bright and helpful this light was, it was no more useful than it would have been in broad daylight. As the two looked around them, they could see no walls, as though they had committed to a journey that took place in an ocean underneath the city. The endless black water would crash against the boat the more that Warui would slide the paddle against the water.

"Shit, this is hopeless. You see how much water there is?" She would inquire, frustrated more so at herself for accepting the mission than anything else.

Kurai would ignore her. She had a point, it would take forever for the two of them to look for these fish, which could be literally anywhere in this waterway. On top of that, their boat was tiny. If they hoped to find three of these fish, there would be no way that they could carry three of them all the way to the steps for shipment and pickup. The difficulty of this mission was slowly starting to present itself to the young man. As his body would illuminate the darkness, his frustration wold rise. His foot would slowly mow atop the edge of the boat, lifting himself up in order if he could get some sort of better look. That's when it happened. A sudden 'thump' would hit the bottom of their boat, knocking Kurai off balance, quickly throwing him into the water. Warui would leap to her feet, thrusting herself over the side of the boat to see where her partner might have gone. The light next to her had dissipated, but as Kurai would sink, his light would make his descent evident. The dark shinobi however would not allow himself to succumb to the torments of the water. While he was heavy due to his weapons, he was far from incapable of bringing himself back to the surface. However, he had to be cautious. There was nothing underneath the boat, but as he could see the schools of fish surrounding him, and their shadows dancing around him, he was sure that they had found at least one of the three targets they were looking for. What made things even more complicated, was that this technique was sure to attract even more of them, and if they would be aggressive enough to attack their boat, he was sure that it would attack him underwater. The shinobi's shoulders would curl as he would gaze underneath, the vision two massive beady eyes, and two massive lips coming towards him causing his heart to skip a beat.

Instantly, he would feel the cool wisp of air that he had been longing for, however not of his own volition. The force of the massive fish would thrust him out of the water, his ninjato lodged into the upper lip of the beast trapping it's mouth shut as it would fall back into the water. His illuminated fists would cling to his blade, however. Warui's massive blue eyes would only stare in complete shock as she would observe the size of this beast that had taken control of her partner. The force of the splash would thrust her back, the boat being tossed into the air with the weight of the fall, her thin pale frame accompanying it as they would both begin to sink. However, her eyes would stay peeled as Karui's opponent would drag him through the water, his legs sailing lifelessly through the water, while his upper body would cling on to the enemy for dear life. Their information was wrong, there could only be one of these that could fit into a crate. As her incredibly long hair would float through the water, she could hardly see herself, only the image of Kurai as he would struggle to hold on to the target that they needed so desperately. She had to help him.

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
This fish was a monster. It's speed was incredible. It's power was immaculate. This was no simple feat, especially considering that these two novice shinobi were playing on its court. Raiton would be useless considering that fact as well. The only option left to the shinobi was something that he thought that he would never use. An option that would be used in situations such as these. As Kurai's eyes would burrow shut, his true strength would be exerted as he would pull his legs up from the force of the water pushing them underneath the throat of the massive beast. Instead, his foot would crash into the side of the fish, causing minimal damage to say the least. That, however was all that would be necessary. The constant squirming of the incredibly powerful fish would not stop Kurai's technique. It would however, give him the time he needed in order to wrap his legs around the handle of the ninja-to, his ankles locking behind the blade's handle. His body would slide quickly against the slick scales. His chin would graze the rough scales of the monster, his eyes slamming shut once more as he would force his arms out in front of his body, the fish starting to pick up speed once more. Things were getting hectic, he would have to act fast. Instantly his fingers would converge to form the seal of the ram, followed by a seal that wouldn't have been taught in schools. This seal would require a bit more concentration to remember, however once recalled, it's practice would be flawless. The final seal, that of the bird, would finish the jutsu, his eyes opening as he would stare at the back of the fish, directly into his head.

The feeling of complete loss would come over Kurai. His body would go numb, leaving nothing but the feeling of complete comfort, immersed in a feeling of complete and utter disembodiment. The technique was a success. As his emotions would begin to fade, as would his control. Was this what it was like to die? The complete process of dehumanization was overwhelming to say the least. So as he could feel the power of muscle once more, the feeling of life would once more populate his consciousness. The strength of sensation would please him. The ability to see, despite it being minimal, the power of free movement, it was something that could never be overlooked. As his legs would be substituted by the tail of a fish, he could feel himself having won.

"What's happened?" He could hear the voice of a man, a very deep, and confused voice.

"I've taken over your body." He would reply to the voice, his figure starting to form around in this sea of complete darkness.

However, as he would look down at his fingers, looking up would reveal the image of the fish, appearing to hover directly in front of his face. No secrets were spared, and as the two would communicate with each other in this complete darkness, there was a sense of equality that would subdue him. They were inside the mind of the fish, and while it, being a fish, was far from impressive, it did its duty, serving its purpose.

"Why did you do that?" The fish would question his enemy, calm despite his prior violence.

"Because you're not supposed to be here. I'm moving you." Kurai would respond, his eyes narrowing as he would end the conversation abruptly, the motor controls of the fish falling under his command.

He could still feel his body on the top of the fish's head, making the trip to the surface that much more simple. The maneuverability of the fish was magnificent underwater. Everything was so simple, and the capability to breathing didn't hurt either. As Kurai would slowly make his way towards the surface, he would realize just how rapidly he was moving. He would also realize just how fast his partner was responding to rescue him. Of course she had no idea that he had taken control of the fish's body, so ensuring his safety would depend on him swimming faster than she. With only a few mighty swings of his tail, he would launch himself through the water, Kurai's real body above the water in the meantime. It would take him little to no time to reach the steps where he would launch himself out of the water directly behind the very rock that would once anchor the boat to the surface. However, that would instantly cut off his oxygen supply, the ability to hold his breath instantly impossible. The feeling of his lungs burning would course through his body, making him want to instantly eject himself from the body of the fish... but he knew he had to wait, he knew that he had to get Warui to hit the fish hard enough to knock it out. Indeed, it would only be a matter of time. Warui would emerge from the water, her all white top soaked with the water of the village, her tight black shorts clinging to her legs as though squeezing the life out of her. Of course, her massive mane of hair bunching up behind her head as her bat would hit each step as she would make her way up them.

"DIE~!" She would shout, launching into the air, her bat above her head.

It was then that Kurai would see his chance. Within an instant, human eyes would open, and fingers would curl to make sure that he was indeed in the correct form. The sound of the metal bat hitting the near unconscious flesh of the fish would hit his ears hard considering his vicinity, his body shooting up as he would back away from the tornado of a woman that was acting as his partner. No doubt she had succeeded in managing the fish, which would leave on his sword to keep it's massive mouth shut just in case.

"Jesus... that money wasn't so easy." He would mouth to himself, leaning backwards as he would crawl up the stairs, looking back at what they had accomplished.

SPOILER: Click to show

name; infestation removal
rank; d
description; Due to a recent accident on the part of local fishermen, a species of fish that is not native to the area has been released in the village's waterways. This needs to be addressed as the fish is known to devour the native species which are vital to the village as a source of food. A crate of these fish were released, they need to be tracked down and removed, preferably alive.
reward; 20 experience, 100 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable, credit vegapunk

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
As the shinobi would casually make his way into the front doors of the library, he could already tell that this task was going to be not only menial, but incredibly tiresome. The mounds of books on one side of the main hallway, and the mountains of scrolls on the other would relay that these librarians had bitten off way more than they could chew. Considering the turmoil going on throughout the village, it was evident that it could span even as far as the information center. His entrance would spark the attention of a random woman wearing what appeared to be a lab coat, however the small plastic badge covering the right side of her chest would reveal that she was in fact one of the women that Kurai had been hired to assist. She would shuffle her way over to him, her head craning down as she did so to get all the formalities out of the way initially. He would return the bow, ever so slightly, a bit taken back by the speed she had been approaching him. She was a rather round woman, with a mass of thick green hair that she would tame slightly with a thick ponytail. Her dark skin, accented by bright pink makeup would make her appear more of a woman chasing her youth than a librarian, but Kurai was not one to judge. Her heels would click against the ground as she finally made her way towards him.

"I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully and follow along," She would say, starting to walk towards the massive pile of books, expecting Kurai to follow her. "These books have been set aside for you. They are all books regarding the history of the Kaminari no Kuni Daimyo Dynasty, as well as children's instruction manuals for learning basic and not-so-basic academy ninjutsu. Also, do not forget that as you place these books onto their shelves, they are to remain in order by the number at the bottom of the spine of the book! We've had a number of your fellow Genin forget this. I do not expect the same from you young man." She would look back at him with a large eye, then turning back towards the scrolls on the opposite side of the room. "These scrolls are all very recent, so do not worry as much about their condition. They are all instruction scrolls for various jutsu. Do not become distracted by reading them! There is plenty of time for that after your mission is over! Now, I'm needed on the other side of the library, if you need any help, you will have to come over there to reach me. Goodbye!" She would shout, and just as soon as she had come, she was gone.

Kurai would stand next to the heap of scrolls, baffled by the amount of tedious work that was reserved for shinobi his rank. His head would sink, and his shoulders would droop, but he knew that it had to be done. This was for the sake of the Chuunin Exams. He couldn't let himself down now, failure wasn't an option. As his head would turn to the right, he could see the towering amount of scrolls slowly growing larger and larger as they would continue to intimidate him. With a sigh, he would drop his weapons to the floor, and make his way towards the pile of books first, wanting to get the hardest part out of the way first, the numerical order no doubt being something that would drive him nuts. The books were to go on the shelves on the east wing of the library, he knew that before even coming today, as Warui had done the same mission just a day prior. It wasn't that difficult of a task, but considering that he was here alone, and with no way to tighten the work load... it was going to be a long day of walking back and forth from the main hall, to the east wing. However, as he did this trek, at least the view would assist him. The view of the window looking out onto the village would reveal the torrential storm that was on its way. He loved the sound of thunder, and rain hitting glass. It gave him a soothing sensation no matter the circumstance. This mission would be above all else... therapeutic.

As the night sky would reveal itself through the window, it's glass polka dotted with the drops of rain converging into it, the end of the mission would reveal itself as well. Kurai would place the last scroll in it's designated crutch, his chest rising heavily as he would release a magnificent sigh, his eyes closing with relief as he could finally retreat back to his home for a shower and rest.

SPOILER: Click to show

name; library duties
rank; d
description; There has been a new shipment of books and scroll to the Library. These books and scroll's have come from the far corners of the known world, offering villagers information to a new range things. But, it seems that there are far too many items for the old, library ladies to sort through and organise onto the shelves. Your mission is to help the lovely librarians in sorting the new material and putting them onto the shelves. This excerise is a great way to improve teamwork.
reward; 20 experience, 100 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable, credit vegapunk

islands and cities I have looked

[BLKND]

underneath and unexplored

ogonkurai
Kurai's index finger would tap against the small wooden handle of a thick haired paint brush. A blank stare would reveal his intention of getting the lifestyle of Kumogakure 'up and at em,' and how he was far from passionate about this mission. He didn't care much about the gloominess of the village, in fact, he preferred it. This was a village full of killers and soldiers. The main source of income that was brought to his village for years was off of the turmoil of an enemy, or from the intimidation of them. The sleek golden eyes of the young man would reveal his intention to desecrate this wall. The mission did not dictate what it was that had to be painted. Instead, it only dictated where. Considering that he had been designated to an area near the bottom of the village, where there was far from much activity, it would allow him the creative freedom that this mission was meant to bring out. He had been provided with a few buckets of paint, all having fairly bright colors, though the village's colors seemed to be the most abundant. The red, white, black and gold that would represent Kumogakure were encouraged to be used in such a 'down in the dumps' place like the bottom of the village. He would respect those wishes accordingly. Kurai was never much of an artist, though when presented with a task like this, he wasn't going to let that stop him. He knew how to paint certain things, one of them being clouds...

As his massive paintbrush would make the final stroke, the final stroke of his masterpiece would be completed. The billowing of a thundercloud would cover the entire side of a small building near the lower portion of the village, allowing everyone coming from the the bottom up to see the magnificence and harshness that came from a village where the thunder act as war drums. The power of a dark cloud being more than powerful enough to transfer the thoughts of any old person into understanding what this village meant. Especially considering it was a shinobi of that village who had created it. Kurai's wrist would flick as he would dump the paintbrush into one of the many buckets he was given, lifting the box of materials up, and making his way back towards the tower where he had received them in the first place.

SPOILER: Click to show

name; paint like crazy
rank; d
description; Some people have said that the gloomy feeling within’ Kumogakure no Sato hasn’t gone away. The people still look upon our grandiose village and still feel depressed. It really hurts hearing that so the Kumogakure no Sato shinobi have decided to do something about it. Various areas within’ Kumogakure no Sato are blank. Concrete walls, smooth mountainous areas, and various other areas. They have been pin pointed by Kumogakure as to where a shinobi may paint. Don’t go and paint where you’re not suppose to but have fun on the pin pointed locations!
reward; 20 experience, 100 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

islands and cities I have looked