Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Sat Dec 01, 2018 12:14 am

"R-run! If you don't hurry it'll get you!" Yamamoto shouted behind him, running as fast his legs could carry him. His youthful face was twisted in an expression of panic and fear but the authority in his voice could not be mistaken; whatever it was that he'd been running from had been dangerous enough that even as he spoke the young man hadn't turned to look back even once as his feet beat against the grass and dry dirt. Behind Yamamoto the sound of more rapid foot falls could be heard along with exasperated pants and heavy sighs, a clear indication that things were about to go very very wrong. "Ack! MY foot! Another voice called out preceded by the distinctive sound of cracking and then a heavy fall. Yamamoto stopped in his tracks, spun around and against his better judgement doubled back to help the fallen man to his feet. Only by then the thing that the two had been running, a tree that seemed to continue growing and lashing out violently, had been hot on their heels. Neither man knew what it was that had incited such vengeful wrath of mother nature for they'd come and gone to check up on the collection system in place near Haru falls countless times before in the past, but today seemed to be one big melting pot for bad luck; Yamamoto who was the first born son to the Elder of Mizuno village had always joked about the existence of spirits and ghost but now he'd wished that he hadn't.

Dragging the fallen man along with one arm wrapped around his back and the other placed firmly on the man's front side Yamamoto's fear turned to frustration and that frustration fueled his desire to escape. By the Gods you fool we'll never escape if you don't start pulling your own weight!" Yamamoto spoke harshly, though he knew that the man could not walk let alone run in his condition. He'd heard the man's ankle crack when he went back to pick him up but hardly had the time to assess the damage. If the man were lucky then it would just be a sprain that at best might take a few days to completely heal but... if it were a serious fracture then he would just have to hope for the best. Running as fast as his legs would take him with the added weight Yamamoto blitzed through any opening that he could find taking every conceivable shortcut shy of sprouting wings and flying away that would lead him back to the village proper. It'd been a struggle but a necessary struggle and so he hardly complained. Since the man could not walk on his own Yamamoto made him carry the large bucket of water that he'd collected before chaos erupted though now, with all the moving and shuffling about nearly half of the bucket's contents had spilled out along the way.

"Come on, come on damn it!" Yamamoto shouted, feeling his legs start to weaken underneath him. Ordinarily he would have been able to run the trail back home in his sleep but with the added weight of a full grown person in addition to the weight of the water offsetting his balance keeping pace had been no easy task. When Yamamoto had finally worked up the courage to look back he realized that they were no longer being chased by the demon tree and slowed himself to a walking pace, frowning now as he realized just how much water had been lost along the way. "Well...the good news is we don't have to run for our lives anymore. But the bad news is that now we don't have nearly enough water to even last through the week...just what in the hell was that anyway?" He asked, to which the man shrugged still far too out of breath to talk. Neither man was sure of what they'd experienced and neither had been quite sure how to explain it but both knew that they HAD to explain it. After all, one didn't just go out to stock up on resources and come back with nothing - especially not the son of the villager elder. Yamamoto knew that he would be getting an earful for this mistake and it was indeed a mistake; had he not decided to bring the older man along with him then he was sure that he could have gotten away with the water in toe. But...that was another matter.

When the two finally returned to the village and worked up the courage to go and talk to Mifune, the village Elder and Yamamoto's father the story told sounded just as strange then as it did when they'd experienced it. "Yamamoto what is this?! You expect me to believe that you were attacked by a tree? Trees don't move nor do they hold any animosity toward humankind. Were you two out goofing off instead of handling your responsibilities? I'll have you know that you aren't too old for punishment." Yamamoto frowned and then scoffed. "I'm telling you the truth! Besides, if it weren't for this clumsy idiot tripping over his own feet I'd have brought back enough water for the entire week!" At the mention of his folly the older man looked ashamed but conceded to the point. "...Oh, it's true. Your son could have left me in the dust with the supplies but when I fell he came back to help me and it was a good thing too otherwise I might not be here talking to you right now. I'm not sure how or where to begin explaining it but it was almost as if mother nature was angry with us for something...what I'm not sure. Either way, he's telling the truth Lord Elder." The man's testimony gave Mifune pause, he truly did not know what to make of this situation. His son had alway bore a knack for getting into mischief and while he'd proven himself capable as of late old habits died hard and he wasn't so easily convinced that this wasn't just another prank pulled to get a reaction. On the other hand the look in both Yamamoto's and the other man's eyes did not betray the urgency of the situation and so after some time Mifune finally relented.

"Hmm very well. Go, tend to this man's injuries and ensure that what you did manage to bring is rationed properly. I'll send word to have this demon tree you speak of thoroughly checked after." Both man gave each other a confused and curious look but none dared say a word as the Elder arose and began shuffling about as if preparing for something. As both departed Mifune had sent word for another to be summoned to him giving this individual a message to be delivered.

Later on that night a messenger would arrive to Konoha and in the following morning two Shinobi were summoned to the Hokage's office.




"A Demon tree huh? Well I can't say that's the strangest thing I've heard about," Gene remarked after being briefed on the situation. He always needed to remind himself that outside of Konoha the knowledge of chakra and its many useful applications were kept a tightly wrapped secret but that didn't mean the novelty of this particular assignment was lost on him. Minato's caveat on the importance of completing the mission at this point sounded like pep talk but the young Specialist listened anyway, he always listened - sort of. Actually it wasn't until Minato introduced the person who he was supposed to be working with did Gene tune back into the conversation. "You'll be teaming up with Saburo here for this mission and the rest of the details about your task can be found in this scroll," Minato handed Gene a wrapped up Yellow scroll. "That's all there is to it, now get going." It wasn't the full briefing that Gene would have liked but the scroll made up for it and besides, he was tired of standing in parade rest anyway.

Glancing over to Saburo Gene motioned with his head toward the door then proceeded to walk toward it. "You heard the man; let's get out of here. " Only when the duo had been out of the office and well down the hallway would Gene speak again. "So do you believe this crap about a demon tree?"
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sun Dec 02, 2018 12:50 am

Admittedly, it was a strange case that Saburo had been called in on. A tree of some unknown origin preventing villagers from getting their water? It was an unusual occurrence that he couldn't really find an easy explanation for. But he still listened as well as he could; it was the least he could do for his mission out into the Country. Sure it wasn't something high profile, but what was more important was that people needed their water. So he stood patiently and he listened. Even with the morning still young and wishing he could have even the slightest bit more sleep Saburo ensured he was on his best behavior. Besides, he was assigned to work with another of his rank, but clearly one more experienced than him. To a point he was sure he had met this man once before. He just couldn't place it at the moment.

At the end of the cursory briefing he shared a glance with Gene, who nodded toward the door. He gave a last polite bow to their briefer before shuffling out the door and into stride with his partner. They weaved around passersby in silence for a few moments and Ro kept a hand on his staff's sling to keep it clear. Then Gene broke the silence; it was a question that gave him a moment of pause. This sort of thing wasn't his strong suit. His brother would be more knowledgeable, but with him being as busy as he is that really wouldn't be an option. That aside Saburo wanted to handle this without his brothers'... brother's help for once.

To start, he gave a bit of a shrug. "I kind of do. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but those people are definitely afraid of, well, something." He looked out a window as they walked and just watched the trees- and the birds- for a moment. It brought a thought to mind, of something he figured it could be. But he wanted to wait to think on it more before saying anything. He knew of another possiblity; and if it could be one the two things he thought of, he hoped it was the latter. "Do you think it might a spirit on a rampage? Maybe the tree itself is a spirit?"
Last edited by Bolin! on Sun Dec 02, 2018 10:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Sun Dec 02, 2018 2:18 am

"I hope not," Gene replied, briefly slouching his shoulders. From what he knew about spirits which...wasn't very much, they were a troublesome bunch to deal with and often came in strange shapes and sizes. If not for the joint operation to deal with a recent spirit outbreak along the Fire - Wind country border Gene might have dismissed the possibility outright but he had to agree with Saburo. There definitely were a lot of unanswered questions surrounding this mission and unfortunately, it fell on their shoulders to figure out just what those answers were. "I don't know much about other worldly beings or their origin but...if that does turn out to be what we're dealing with it'd make sense for the village elder to contact the Leaf. I guess we'll just have to find out when we get there." Gene conceded.

It wouldn't take long before Gene & Saburo had cleared the long hallway along with the two wide flights of stairs leading down and out of the building. Sometimes Gene felt like the architects of the administrative quarters just threw the blueprint to the wind due to how many loops, twists and turns that one needed to go through in order to navigate the building. Upon taking his first step beyond the administrative building threshold Gene raised both of his arms as high as he could until an audible pop sounded off from either shoulder; "Ahh, now that's much better." Apparently, at some point while standing in parade rest Gene's shoulders had gone stiff which proved to be more of a nuisance than he could stand which would have explained his slouching earlier. Now that he'd freed himself of the bothersome quirk his posture had returned to normal. Much to Gene's disdain however, he was still noticeably much shorter than Saburo; so much so in fact that once the two had exited the building and walked along the roads of the village, he'd intentionally kept a few paces away from the man so as to not draw attention to their height difference.

...Why is it that everyone I know is noticeably much taller than I am? I've been the same height since graduation...so not fair. While Gene had been busy sulking it hadn't occurred to him until they'd almost reached the village gate that they'd never stopped for extra supplies. "Oh! I almost forgot, do you have everything you need? Rations and so forth? I probably should have asked sooner but it slipped my mind - sorry. Once we set foot outside those gates we'll really be on our own so we may as well stock up on essentials now." Gene paused and considered for a moment how great their chances would be to find game now that the height of winter was here. Could they really afford to risk not stocking up?
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sun Dec 02, 2018 11:37 pm

Saburo nodded along with his companion's words. If he was honest, the answer wasn't at all what he had hoped it would be. He had hoped that Gene would be the font of knowledge he needed to put his concerns to rest. But that was something that couldn't be helped. There was still a chance that this strange... thing could be a spirit out of control. Otherwise, there really wasn't much to go on here. So he fell silent as they passed from the hall into the stairs, where he listened- somewhat passively- to the slight echoing of their footfalls as they descended and exited back into the streets of the Village.

The sun was really the most welcome part of returning to the outside world. He had been told before that light was usually specifically maintained within offices for this-or-that reason, but he much preferred a day out under a clear sky. It felt more alive. He could already feel himself waking up more fully now, in fact. Only a built-up yawn had to be rattled out, which he released with a clumsy "Uh-huh" in response to Gene. Otherwise, he kept pace with the other shinobi on the way out of the Village. At least until Gene mentioned their supply situation.

Saburo stopped in response and gave it thought as he looked beyond the gates. It wasn't really a day trip to get out to Mizuno Village, so there was a point to be had in securing a few more supplies. He adjusted his headband and nodded as he turned back toward Gene.

"Wouldn't hurt take a few more ready-meals for the road. Just in case we can't outrun the snows. If you know a good place, I can buy."
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:18 am

Much to his delight and surprise, Saburo both agreed with him and extended an offer to pay for what they might have needed. A kind gesture if nothing else and one that wouldn't be lost on the young man; for money in their age and profession was a commodity not so easily gained and by way of virtue, not so easily spent. To Gene, the fact that this individual who he'd never once met or even heard of up until this day was willing to spend his hard earned savings spoke volumes about his character. Sure it might have been a small matter but Gene was a man of principle and the thought alone was good enough in his mind. "We're close to the Mitsuwa market district. We can stock up on essentials there."

And so without another moment to spare Gene led the way through Konoha's less traveled roads, opting to avoid as much traffic as possible for the sake of saving time and not having to brush past folks as they carried out the task at hand. Frankly, he didn't want to spend any more time than necessary stocking up even though there would still be plenty of day light out well after they embarked on their journey. Suddenly, a thought hit him. "Uh hey, you go on ahead and gather what you need I'll be waiting for you at the front gate." Seemingly in a hurry, Gene didn't wait for an answer before making use of his speed to quickly and near silently depart from the area. At their level it wouldn't have taken much to make one giant leap here or a hard step there to clear grand distances but for Gene it almost seemed as though he were some kind of apparition. In his departure, only the faintest flicker of an outline remained though there were scarce if any traces of the direction that he'd actually gone.

Some time later when Saburo finally made his way back to the village gate he would find a masked Gene waiting for him just outside the gate sitting on top of a White Horse with the reigns of a Black Stallion held firmly, waiting for Saburo to take it. Both horses were fitted with saddles and what appeared to be an extra pouch for the transport of any travel essentials that the two may have carried with them. How he'd managed to procure two Horses in the time that he was apart from Saburo was a mystery but the smile expressed through his eye positioning suggested that he'd done something he probably wasn't supposed to. "Yo! Ready to set out?!" He called out to his teammate. I really should ask him what his name is, it'll be weird to just start up in the middle of a conversation from this point forward huh?
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Mon Dec 03, 2018 1:39 am

Not looking to waste much time, Saburo bee-lined right into the thick of the markets. He held no qualms with Gene's departure; this was a job only one of them really needed to do and he knew the way back to the gate besides. The stores were plenty in Mitsuwa, but in the interest of time the first grocer he saw was well enough for his needs. Giving a thankful smile to the proprietor as he entered he went straight to where the food was arranged. But what to take? Dried fruits and meats were for the best, really. The packets he found were affordable enough; filling enough to cover tight meals if nothing else.

The wait in line was the killer of time, though. Even if it was only three people, they weren't rushing to prepare for any trips. But even then he couldn't bring himself to make any demands. When it was his turn, he would still courteously pay and proceed to hurry back to the gate. Where he would find Gene waiting with a pair of horses. He held up a few of the packets as he approached, seeming to showcase his accomplishment in response to his companion's call.

"Enough to extend the trip a few days if we need," he said as he took the reins of his horse. It snorted at him, causing him to look it in the eye for a moment before running a hand along its neck. "Sorry?" He then placed the spoils of his shopping trip into the saddlebag and hoisted himself up onto the horse's back.

"Okay, I think I'm ready." He adjusted his headband as he settled into the saddle. This was the moment of truth as it was; out the gate and down the path. It was as easy as that. After letting a breath out he squeezed his legs at the horse's sides, prompting it forward into a brisk walk.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:31 am

With a bit of urging on his part Gene was finally able to get his horse moving and eventually up to the speed of Saburo's own mount. Admittedly, he'd never actually rode a horse before but the thought of walking all the way to Mizuno village wasn't something that he wanted to entertain. Besides, once he'd settled in and stopped worrying so much about slipping on the snow the ride wasn't all that bad. "Thank you for grabbing extra supplies, when we get back I'll be sure to treat you to a round at the Konoholic. " Gene paused as if in thought and then said "you can handle your drink can't you uh....right, I never got your name." In all reality, the man's name had been mentioned a few times during the briefing about the mission but in his dream like state Gene hadn't caught it or remembered it being brought up for that matter.

The sound of beating hooves and slushing snow in addition to the cool winter air filled the young Specialist with a renewed vigor and while he might have held a certain level of disdain for the task itself, he didn't mind getting out of the village and experiencing a taste of freedom. Now that winter was in full swing the tree dense lands took on a whole new air of beauty, orange and green leaves mixed with traces of snow made for quite the serene picture that worked wonders for Gene's mood. In all honesty he never imagined that he would come to love this land as much as he did but didn't question his fondness for the region. On the other hand, he wasn't so lost in wonderland that he'd forgotten about the bandit troupe that were snuffed out and jailed recently; memories of his time out in the field with Tenzin and his team served as a constant reminder to Gene not to drop his guard, even for a moment.

It wouldn't be long before the duo came up on the first twist in their path, a long stretch of snow covered dirt that rounded about and declined at a slanted angle. From the elevation he could see well beyond their travel path to an open road which would have been a Green utopia of grass had it not been for the snowfall. Beyond that and they'd reach one of many Konoha regulated check points in this region of the country; since they were on official business there would be no need to stop and chit-chat with the post guards. Instead, when the time came Gene would simply show his Mamorinuku badge for uninterrupted passage. Sure, they weren't on any official Mamorinuku business but Gene figured there was no harm done either way; after all, part of his job did consist of maintaining vigil in areas like where they were going.

Meanwhile, the villagers and village elder of Mizuno village patiently waited for the arrival of the ninja they'd paid for.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Tue Dec 04, 2018 2:02 am

Under the rising sun and the brisk wind at their backs, the two Specialists rode out into the forests. The crunch of the snow beneath hooves created a rhythm to their ride as they trotted between the trees. It was a beautiful sight. Until they made it to a more well-traveled path, though, Saburo kept himself focused on controlling his horse. But he was soon comfortable enough that he saw no issue in responding to Gene.

"It was no trouble. Really." What gave him more pause was the invitation. It reminded him of a souvenir bottle he had yet to open and the trouble he went through getting his hands on it. But he saw no reason to pass. "Sure, that could be nice. And it's Saburo." He nodded to the ninja and went back to guiding his steed along.

Once out of the brush, though, their way was made at a quicker pace. They crested hills and passed streams along their way. Even the occasional farm could be seen far in the distance. These sights were what gave Saburo his sense of just how large the world outside the Village was. It made the checkpoints they crossed on the way all the more impressive to him. These were the agents of the Village who watched for incoming dangers. If he understood correctly, they had assigned out here barely a few years ago to provide better warning systems against outside attack. Something like this could have prevented the Enma-Yaku Incident; or at least, he hoped it could have. These shinobi were of course performing a great service, but if they had been out here sooner, maybe his sister wouldn't have be burned.

All things considered, this trip was going smoothly. No real hold-ups, no problems on the road at all really. Not until they made their way through another turn in another forest path. As they turned back into a straight stretch of path, Saburo was sure he saw something ahead. Something was definitely standing out among the snow. He stood in his saddle to get the best view he could. Was that...?

"Look alive," he called to Gene, "We've got someone ahead." He urged his horse ahead to see that the figure ahead was a man; one who couldn't be more than just a simple villager. His pace was uneven, as if he were to give out at any moment. "Hey! What are you doing out here?" The man didn't respond at first until he slowly turned, his shivering becoming more clear.

"I h-have to get-get back to Mizuno," he stammered out. "I must t-tell the elder I-I've delivered his mess-message." The ground must have been uneven as the villager stumbled, which prompted Saburo to slide from his horse to steady the man. "Gene!" he called out, "I think it's the messenger from Mizuno. He's not looking so good." Grabbing the reins of his horse as best he could, the Specialist tried to lead both man and horse to a nearby tree. This man needed to rest. It made no sense to Ro, but for some reason this man must have seen reason to return to his village immediately. But at this time of year, that was no good. If the two hadn't come down this path, who knew what could have happened to him.

"He needs rest," Saburo said once he managed to get the villager to sit, "but we can't just leave him here. What should we do?" Taking a blanket from the horse's pack, he draped it over the man. He also offered a packet of dried fruit, which was accepted with a shaky hand. This wasn't good; maybe it would be best stop for the day. He was in no condition to be moved, it seemed.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:43 am

phpBB [video] After their forward and brief exchange Gene allowed himself to drift inside his own head, a place often filled to the brim with budding concerns large or small, scenarios and other such musings relating to either distant tasks or immediate issues of which he'd likely put off until the last minute. One thought in particular; surrounding spirits, Genma, and their origins seemed to stick to the young man like Gum at the bottom of his boot. Only in a not so recent encounter with the Nanadaime Hokage, did Gene learn about the existence of spirit beasts for the first time as it pertained to his true mission as well as the bigger picture within the frame. Gene came to understand very quickly that there were forces at work well beyond the scope of anything he could have imagined on his own and that in order to combat these abstract anomalies, he'd need to improve his abilities a hundred times over. And so in the silence of his mind echoed very simple yet perplexing question, how best to accomplish this feat?

In the past he'd fought and got the better of many opponents, some more so than others but those were never truly life and death scenarios. Gene had never once in any aspect of his career truly registered the thought or possibility of death from failure. When he'd fought against Kazuo, a fierce Inuzuka lad who undoubtedly was a capable Shinobi, it had not been for the reward of his life. There was always the unambiguous truth that neither man had actually been fighting to murder the other. This pattern would persist through his fights with Fanho, Tenzin and even Takeo himself despite the seasoned warrior's attempts to provide as realistic an experience as possible. Takeo never needed to admit it but from their training sessions even Gene could see that the man was holding back, restraining himself as though he were just a child....the damned fool.

Of all his time dedicated to serving Konohagakure Gene could count for only two times where he believed that his life might have truly been in real jeopardy; the first instance being when he, as a Genin, came face to face with Yaku Fushinkou when hell broke loose in the village and he'd been forced to watch as the man fell from the heavens and literally into an unsuspecting villager, killing the poor man near instantaneously but far from painlessly by tearing into his throat. And again, years later when as a means to test her emotional stability, Gene feigned being kidnapped in order to draw Masami Inuzuka out into the forest. Back then, her killing intent had been so overwhelmingly powerful that Gene had been forced to barricade her in a thick house of flames just to keep her from bearing down on him and even then that jutsu barely did much to keep her in line. In the end he'd been forced literally to flee, abandoning the test in order to preserve his own well-being; A fact that to this day, remains his closest and best kept secret as well as his greatest shame.

Drifting further into the abyss Gene began thinking about Zakuro and how if he were stronger, he might have actually been able to help the lad back when the two had faced off against some larger than like Dragon beast. Or had that actually been a dream? Gene wasn't sure but before he could completely lose himself to his thoughts Saburo's voice snatched him out of his head and back to reality. "Look alive," a stern welcoming to the current situation that caused Gene to drink in each detail of their surroundings as though to be a bottomless well, treating everything relevant to their task as water. "We've got someone ahead," said Saburo though Gene had spotted the man on his own. From what he could tell the nameless wanderer seemed quite determined to get where they were going as temperatures on this side of the continent while not inherently damning were punishing to those foolhardy enough to risk a days journey or more without proper preparation. Still, Gene wasn't so willing to toss aside their current agenda and rush to the mans aid; for all they knew, he could have been a thief waiting on an easy mark to pounce on and they certainly couldn't afford any avoidable setbacks so late in their journey.

As they galloped Gene worked to assess the situation but quickly noticed that Saburo had started pulling ahead. No...don't tell me, Gene's eyes went from the wanderer ahead to Saburo then back to the man and with a furrow of his brows he'd put two and two together. "Saburo!" But it was too late, Saburo had already gone and sped his stead along leaving Gene no choice but to follow after him albeit a safe enough distance behind. It may have been cruel of him but Gene reasoned that if the man did turn out to be a thief and happened to catch Saburo off guard then there was no need for both of them to die. Instead, he would tail close enough to where he could offer assistance if necessary or promptly adjust and adapt to the situation as required. One thing was for sure, his focus was their mission.

By the time Gene and his horse had caught up Saburo had already dismounted his stead and carried the wanderer who Gene now identified as a relatively older man over to a nearby tree. "So help me Saburo if this is how I go out I'm going to wring your neck," Gene griped as he dismounted and walked over toward the two men. He was far enough away that it wasn't likely that he'd be heard but even if he had been, he wouldn't have changed his stance. What his colleague didn't seem to realize was that because of the headbands they flew proudly across their foreheads as a symbol of their village that there stood a high chance that someone from a minor settlement or outlier village might have viewed them as targets. It wouldn't be the first time that a Konoha ninja was robbed blind for being naive and he damned sure didn't feel like being made an example out of. Still, judging by how worn the elder man was Gene reasoned that there wouldn't have been much that he could have done to hurt either of them - even if he wanted to. Of course, that didn't stop the Specialist from popping the latch on his right thigh holster just in case.

Now standing near Saburo but far enough both to give the old man some room and for his own general safety, Gene assessed the situation. One thing was painstakingly clear, if they'd left the man to fend for himself against the elements he wouldn't make it to his destination. Either the cold would do him in or the Coyote's, Wolves and other natural predators this time of year would make a meal out of him. But Gene wasn't willing to just willy-nilly play the hero in this tale either...so, what was the play? On the off chance that he is the messenger then surely leaving him out to fend for himself now would give Konoha a bad rap. But...if he's playing us then we'd have put ourselves in danger unnecessarily. Damn it Saburo, you really fucked us this time. After some time thinking Gene finally came up with an answer. "One thing's for sure, he ain't making it back to Mizuno in the state he's in. If we're gonna help him may as well hop to it; the horses could use a break anyway and if this guy is who you think he is then, we'll be better off in the long run. Good thing you went and got those rations cause it looks like we'll be camping out for the time being till this guy's ready to move." Looking over to the downed man Gene reined in his horse,clicked his teeth and said "you're one fortunate old man." After that, he was off to find a good spot to tie his horse for the evening and take a nice long piss while he was at it.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Tue Dec 04, 2018 10:21 pm

The man muttered a weak "Thank you" as he slumped against the tree, giving himself over to rest. To be sure, Saburo leaned in to check the man's breathing and nodded when he saw that he was at least still alive. Quietly sighing he stood and looked back to the road; it seemed they were the only ones traveling this way for the time being. After hitching his horse onto the same tree as Gene's he shrugged the staff off his back and leaned it onto a nearby tree of its own. For several hours they had been riding through the country and he honestly desired to get a good stretch back into his legs for once today.

Sure it was only a few sets of lunges for now, but it did wonders to limber up after a ride. It especially helped to warm the muscles. With a stretch of the arms over his head, he realized that they need kindling for a fire; both for tonight and to warm up their new friend. Clicking his tongue idly he looked into the woods and scanned his eyes as far as he could. It wouldn't be too much to ask to make a quick pass through before the sun got low.

"Hey," he said passing by Gene, "I'm going to collect some wood for a fire tonight. I'll try not to take long." Then began what turned out to be more of a monotonous task than he had thought. There were plenty of fallen branches and saplings that didn't make it past the first frost, but picking up sticks and snapping twigs was a simple rhythm to follow. None of these were going to be as impressive as a log, but enough of these could get them through the night. Soon enough- though he wasn't sure how long he had taken- he had at least a respectable bundle under his arm and was on his way back into their impromptu campsite.

With a somewhat triumphant feeling, he placed the bundle near the horses on the way through. "That might be enough to do it." He was beginning to feel a bit peckish though so he next went directly to his saddlebags to find some jerky that was in a more carefully guarded packet. Chewing through the first bite, he busied himself with running a hand along his horse's neck. He felt they had bonded a bit over the last few hours; but to be fair, a riding horse like this was almost built to be agreeable after a point. But it felt nice all the same.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Wed Dec 05, 2018 12:35 am

Gene had heard Saburo as the man passed him but made no attempt to respond. At least, not right away. There were certain...unspoken codes that he abided by and not engaging in any length of conversation while holding his cock was one of them. When he did finally finish his business and re situate himself Gene's first order of business was to sterilize his hands using a basic but rather handy Iijutsu trick he'd picked up at some point in his career. "Hey, it ain't conventional but sure as hell gets the job done." Gene remarked as he turned back and headed for where the group would be making camp for the evening; all the while, his hands radiated a vibrant greenish tint that despite baring a similar feel to standard chakra appeared to be nothing of the sort. By the time he'd returned back to where the group settled, his hands were completely sterile but more than that, so were his gloves. Much to his surprise, the man had fallen sound asleep and in a rather awkward position no less. Gene wondered if it would have been wise to wait before performing a thorough medical diagnostic to confirm the extent of the man's ailments, it would have been troublesome to have gone through the trouble of rescuing the guy only to have him die somewhere along the journey.

From that perspective, the choice was easy. While the man slept soundly Gene took up position to his right and after partitioning off the exact amount of Chakra that he'd require for two separate techniques, began working through his analysis diligently. For the most part, the man remained unresponsive while Gene worked which was good because he didn't want to have to keep telling the man to not move or to be quiet while he concentrated but as the Iijutsu chakra flooded his old brain, he shifted in his sleep a bit. ...I'd heard of people being tenacious but this is just pushing it. Not only are his muscles and bones under too much stress but his temperature is through the roof! If Saburo hadn't found this man when he did, then... Gene shook his head denouncing the thought. There'd been no room in this situation for such negativity and he'd be damned if he allowed himself to succumb to it when someone needed his help.

Harnessing the chakra that already flowed through the man in lieu of his medical Diagnostic technique, Gene immediately shifted gears from an analysis to full on treatment and care using the Mystical palm technique. Green chakra emanated from Gene's hands and gradually enveloped the man in his entirety, mending any external superficial wounds in the process. However, Gene's primary concern were the muscles and ligaments, bones and joints, organs and just about everything internal for these were the key components to ensuring the man could return to stellar health for the coming ride. Granted, the task had not been easy by any means but Gene was determined and perhaps one of the most thorough when it came down to any essential task. He'd convinced himself that the man was vital to the mission and therefore, would do all that he could to aid him. If nothing else, the man would make it back to his homeland safely under the young Specialist's care.
UsedShow
*[Iijutsu • Sterilization Technique]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
As sanitation cannot always be guaranteed in field operations, this technique provides a quick substitute to traditional sterilization methods. After focusing chakra into his/her hands, the user will channel the chakra throughout his/her upper body (torso, arms, hands, face). This chakra will chew away at harmful bacteria and other foreign bodies on the skin, cleansing it until it is thoroughly sterile, and can be spread to objects, most commonly surgical tools. Of course, this takes both concentration and time, and in order to sterilize the entire upper body, it will take a duration of one (1) post. Users of this technique can also choose to sterilize certain parts of their upper body or the wounds of another person instead for a lesser concentration period. Once they are sanitized, they remain this way until coming in contact with more bacteria.


*[Iijutsu • Medical Diagnosis Technique]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 5 Iijutsu
Perhaps one of the most important Iijutsu techniques to date, the *[Iijutsu • Medical Diagnosis Technique] allows its users to probe another's body in search for medical answers. After focusing chakra into his/her hands, the user will begin to channel it into the patient's body. Using this chakra as an internal extension of his/her hand to feel for abnormalities and other issues, the user is often able to determine the problem after some time and concentration. In order for a thorough examination to provide sufficient answers, the user will focus for up to one (1) post, seeking signs of internal and external damage, organ malfunction and disease among other ailments. Although skilled medical-nin have the possibility to work faster, skill cannot be substituted in for thoroughness.


*[Iijutsu • Mystical Palm]
A-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 20 Iijutsu
One of the almighty and most highly coveted abilities of medical-nin, the *[Iijutsu • Mystical Palm] technique allows its users to heal wounds quickly and efficiently. After focusing chakra into his/her hands, the user will place them over the wound in question and begin to channel chakra through it. As the chakra interacts with the cells and tissues in the area, the wound will begin to regenerate and heal over until there's no remnant of it ever being there. Of course, this is not done in the blink of an eye. To heal small-to-moderate wounds, it takes very little time, while large wounds take one (1) post of concentration to mend, and mortal wounds take a total of two (2) posts to fully mend. This technique lasts for four (4) posts, but due to its chakra-extensive nature, users are not advised to treat multiple large wounds in a single use.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:48 am

Finishing the last of his jerky, Ro looked over to see that Gene had gone to tend to the villager. He was really hoping for the best. Dying far from home was no way to go; especially for civilians. With a last thoughtful chew on his snack, he reached down and gathered a hefty handful of sticks and began trudging over to the tree. The first thing to remember, he reminded himself, was that when building a fire in snow you had to pack the snow down. Right in front would be the best place, he figured.

Thankfully, that was a step they could skip. The perks of having trampled through on the way to the tree of course. Squatting a generous few feet away, he set aside the branches aside from one; the one that had clumps of bark left to spare. One kunai later, he started carving the bark from the branch. The resulting pile would serve as the initial kindling for the fire with the sticks added later. But since the carving was a task in itself, so he found himself glancing every so often in Gene's direction. Watching him work, as one does. Whatever he was doing, at least he seemed pretty knowledgeable about it.

"How's he coming through?" Saburo asked. He made a few more decisive cuts then started gathering the fragments of bark into a singular pile. But he paused there, realizing he had missed something. Pivoting on spot, he turned to Gene and continued with, "Do you have a flint?"
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:08 am

Going through and healing the man's injuries had been tedious but not difficult. Most of Gene's gripes came from the fact that a lot of the man's biggest health problems seemed to stem from older injuries that weren't properly cared for and the fact that he'd pushed himself to travel well across the country while falling ill only seemed to worsen the matter. Fortunately with a little effort and determination Gene was able to fix all of the old man's problems---all except one. He certainly wasn't at risk of dying any time soon thanks to the care he'd received and there was a good chance that after a bit of rest the man would have woken up in much better shape than he'd probably been in his entire life...but that couldn't resolve his hunger issue. A major part of the problem was that the man was malnourished which acted as the perfect catalyst for all his other problems; that was something that even with his medical Ninjutsu expertise, Gene couldn't repair with chakra. He'd have to rely on the old fashioned way of stuffing the man full of nutrients in order for him to completely regain his strength and in his current condition, trying to feed him too much too soon would only result in him barfing it all up."Well, he's not going to die." Gene replied with a furrowed brow, still focused on completing the last stretch of nursing the man back to health with his jutsu.

When he'd finally finished Gene sighed heavily and walked over to where Saburo had been kneeling. Oddly enough, even though the temperature was well below 80F Gene was very noticeably sweating bullets to the point where he'd actually had to remove his Haori and hang it on a nearby tree branch before returning back to where Saburo was. "No," came his reply. "I don't think we'll need one either," he said with a smile noticeable due to the lines forming near the corners of his eyes and the raising of his cheeks beneath the black mask. "Would you mind standing over there with the old man?" Gene asked, surprisingly polite considering his knack for foul language.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:01 pm

With no reason to argue, Saburo complied and hoisted himself to his feet. He wasn't a fool; the hints of a smile made it clear what Gene probably meant. It was an efficient answer if maybe a little gross in its application. So it was better to be safe over by the tree. He leaned down and was relieved to hear that the man's breathing was more even. Sitting cross-legged, he returned his kunai to its pouch and took a deep, cleansing breath. He then closed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts. He hadn't put much thought into what they could be facing soon. There was the possibility that this tree could be something... aggressive in origin and he knew he had to be ready for that. In such a case, he had to be sure he wouldn't hesitate.

But the thought from earlier returned. Deep down, he knew it couldn't be as bad as he thought. They would have received better intel if that was the case. Maybe this was just a case of the jitters, he thought. His brother probably dealt with this all the time. Opening his eyes, he looked to the sleeping man and then to Gene. Maybe he just needed some reassurance.

"So what do you think it is?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. He felt that his companion was skeptical of the villagers' concerns, but wanted to know now what Gene actually thought. "In Mizuno? It must be something serious if this guy wanted to risk... this."
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Sat Dec 08, 2018 6:21 pm

Once Gene was assured that Saburo had cleared out of his way raised both his arms with a slow, calculated deliberation. With his mind free of concern or anxiety he brought both hands together at the point where his sternum graced his chest; whether or not the four inch gap between where his fingers lingered in air and his heaving chest had been intentional wasn't clear, nor did it matter. Focused only on the proper control and use of his Chakra for the small task that had been so conveniently laid out for him, Gene's fingers tutted through strange gestures and positions designed to harness his power and bring it to the forefront for all to see. When he'd concluded such motions and amassed the proper amount of energy in order to accomplish what he'd set out to do Gene then inhaled sharply before casting his gathered breath out toward the ground - expelling not air, but concentrated, controlled and refined flames. Strangely enough, the pyre seemed to instill no adverse effect upon his mask as the mythical fire born of spirit energy passed unbothered through it. Apparently, in his haste and forgetfulness Gene had stumbled upon something most intriguing...despite being somewhat of a prodigy in Chakra usage there were so blatantly things that he still did not know about the origins of his power. A topic he reassured, he would have to explore in much greater detail another time.

With the gathered wood and surrounding snow alike set ablaze, Gene's task was done and he could now afford to offer some kind of a response to what the man behind him had said. Gene had started to say that there likely wasn't any real problem at all and that this whole assignment was likely the result of some overzealous villagers dealing with Chakra for the first time but, when he'd turned to see Saburo's face Gene quickly realized that the subject might have been more troubling to him than he'd been letting on. Even if it were just a whimsical thought it'd been enough to give Gene pause and make him really consider what response might have best eased the young man's mind. "I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle. After all, if it were anything too severe then a larger unit would have been sent out." Gene replied reassuringly.
UsedShow
Katon • Fireball
D-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: 9 Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user draws in a deep breath before exhaling out a 1 foot diameter fireball at the opponent. It travels up to 10 meters away at a speed of 4 and a strength of 14.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sun Dec 09, 2018 7:49 pm

Even having expected it, the presentation of fiery jutsu prompted a surprised blink from Saburo. He could feel the briefest flash of heat from the fireball even from his spot beneath the tree; but it was a welcome heat. Especially once the flames had evened out and the soft crackling of the wood began to break the overall silence of the camp. Feeling more comfortable, he shrugged his coat from his shoulders and folded it simply, without any real need for fine work. With his own blanket being used to care for the villager, he kept his coat in his lap to serve as the next-best thing.

A soft smell of smoke also rose which invited a deeper sense of solace. But first Ro gave a reactionary sniff at the scent as it brought up old memories. Memories of the day the Academy had burned in the midst of an invasion and smoke he and a friend had to brave to evacuate the students; as well as other things he'd rather not thing of at this moment. But the man he saw that day still stood in his mind for a moment. Even with Gene's reassurance, he couldn't help but feel a little on edge. What if, after all, the cause of this state of affairs was a ninja gone rogue. He had met members of the Senju before- even if it was by proxy of his own sensei- and seen the aftereffects of their... strange techniques. A tree out of nowhere.

Surely not, though. As Gene had said, a larger team would have been sent if the Village possibly thought this could be the case. They might even have sent a team of more experienced ninja instead. At the least, he thought, he wouldn't be sent on a manhunt so soon. Especially if the target could be a possible runaway member of one of the Village's own founding clan. He subtly shook the thought from his head and settled his eyes on the fire. There was nothing to do now but rest; and maybe the dancing of flames could captivate him for the time.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:01 pm

Whether or not the comment that he'd made regarding what challenges awaited them had been successful in diverting his colleagues budding skepticism would remain a mystery to Gene; he knew not how to still the resolve of someone else and could only speak from a perspective that closely aligned with his own reasoning thus, opting a less than nurturing stance on the matter. If Saburo were looking for the light to guide him in the darkness then Gene's own dark musing certainly wouldn't have bode over well but at the very least, an honest effort had been put forth. More important to Gene - even more so than the actual mission, was confirming whether or not this mystery man who so haphazardly navigated the boundless forestlands was who he claimed to be; or rather, who Saburo claimed him to be. After all, the only reason why the troupe had stopped in the first place was because of the man's insistence that this stranger be rescued. Nevermind the task they'd been sent out to accomplish, nevermind the fact that as they sat there with their thumbs between their legs that the situation could have been growing into a far worse catastrophe, to Saburo - this one man was more important. Despite his strong urging to council the man on why his decision could have been wrong (and there were quite a few reasons) Gene had learned quite early on that those held prisoner by their emotions would seldom listen to rational - especially if the narrative swayed toward a direction that they couldn't justify as some act of righteousness. Therefore, while it pained him to do so Gene offered his assistance and spoke only words that wouldn't off put the man. At least, until he could get a true handle on just what kind of Shinobi, not person, that Saburo really was.

In Gene's world trust was a fickle thing born either out of necessity or alignment. He did not trust Saburo as the man was not an Anbu operative and he would not relinquish his own personal safety so readily for kinship. Up until even this point all of his words, actions and thoughts were of necessity; this world was a cruel and cold place for sure but there existed no colder a region than within the depths of the Snowy-haired Jounin's mind having been exposed early on, well before his time in the Academy, to the natures of Shinobi life. For now, the pair sat near the comforting embrace of flickering flames as colleagues in arms but should Gene get the slightest notion that the man who'd he'd been tasked of working with could or would jeopardize the task set before them then he had no qualms about slipping away in the dead of night and continuing the mission on his own. There was...a certain discriminatory eye that Gene now viewed all of the standard Konoha ninja with that had stemmed predominantly from his engagements with them in the past. Their allegiance, their ideals and beliefs were always so fickle; easily parted by even the slightest inkling of adversity as though it were somehow ingrained within them that the Will of Fire disqualified them from the horrors that beset other lands, small and large. He need only look to the memory of his former tutor, colleagues and lost friends for affirmation and frankly, the fact that he could recall each incident of discord so vividly and so readily, angered the Jounin. What difference did it make if the enemy were a bandit, charged with thievery and pillaging wherever they set foot or a Shinobi with knowledge to the most private of village secrets? Both were criminal only one stood a higher chance of killing their pursuer than the other.

As he stared into the crackling fire and listened to the moan of drywood Gene found himself in a deep state of perplexion. Bothered perhaps too much by a theme that seemed only to repeat itself again and again despite the many urgings to flip the script. Before he'd even realized it the young man found himself asking questions that didn't seem to have an answer; What is the true meaning of a village? What is a Shinobi, really? What does it really mean? What is the point of it all? The questions continued, growing louder and louder in his head until the thoughts were so blaringly asphyxiating to his peace of mind that the Jounin forced himself up to a stand and trekked off deeper into the woods beyond the location of the secured horses. He needed free himself and there was but one way that he knew how: Training.

In order to regain the discipline that seemed to elude him, Gene set off to train in earnest on his own, taking Oath breaker and his Tanto dagger along with him into the cool crisp winter air and into the one place he knew where to thrive; Darkness.

Narrative:
Plagued by thoughts of unrest, Gene has set out into the night forest with nothing but his blades to protect him. Surrounded by darkness of which clings to him like his own shadow and a host of wild animals to boot, the young man strives to realign himself and in hopefully in the process gain clarity over that which he does not understand. Ultimately, this leaves Saburo alone to stand guard over the sleeping old traveler free to do as he pleases. Only when the sun reeled its face beyond the horizon would Gene return to the group, ready to continue the mission.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sun Dec 09, 2018 11:55 pm

The contemplative silence prevailed for quite a while into the evening before Saburo's attention was roused from the fire. Without a word, his companion had risen and began trudging towards the forest. At first, he had instinctively wanted to go after him for he saw how Gene held his blades. He could see the hint of intensity in the man's movements but his otherwise casual pace gave the ninja pause. Ro could see a man of purpose, but not one running against some perceived assault. He looked between Gene and the sleeping man as if weighing his options. But Gene was a trained- not to mention armed- ninja and this man was still weak. And now that they had made camp, an unconscious man next to a fire clearly visible was just as much at risk as if they had left him to freeze in the snow in the first place.

So, he resolved himself. He would stay at the man's side, even as Gene left his sight and the crunching snow beneath his footfalls faded. He had already asked so much for the mission to be put on hold for the sake of one villager. He was aware of that; that their arrival wouldn't be until the next day. But would getting there earlier be worth the live of one? Ro didn't think so. That was a question he couldn't have answered faster. To his mind, their timeline was already generous. This wasn't a stretching drought they were fighting, it was a sudden halt of water supply that was just as suddenly reported for the strange circumstances. The villagers weren't dying from weeks of dehydration, surely not. Of course, he was still concerned for the people who had to strictly ration their water for a few days in light of this. But he wasn't going to let a man die in the cold over half a day's travel. Bringing the man home safe and then solving the villagers' troubles made for a greater reward than solving the problem with a man never coming home in the midst of it. So he was willing to shoulder the responsibility of watching over the man's sleep. His brother would most certainly do the same.

As those last few thoughts circled in his head, the hum of a childhood song made among his siblings began to raise up his throat. A hum that slowly formed into its song as he looked back into the fire, quietly singing to himself.

"Chi, Mu, Ro, and Mi...
Little sister, brothers three..."


His pause lasted until he had realized he couldn't remember the lyrics anymore. He sighed- his breath making a small cloud- as he grabbed more sticks to place into the fire. It was almost like a part of the song had left with Daichi's death so long ago. A part when Osamu isolated himself into his work. A part when Akemi's face was burned in the Academy fire; the invasion. That was the price of being a shinobi. To face danger for the good of the Village. For the good of the people, Daichi had told him as kids. He paused on that thought momentarily. That's what they were out here for; to face a problem for the good of the people. And here he was worrying at what the cause was. That was partly why they were dispatched. To find the cause. Could it be a spirit of some sort? Probably. Could it be some rogue ninja? Less likely, despite his concerns. But his concerns shouldn't matter in that regard. They were assigned to the task and had to see it through now. Was he still concerned? Yes. But he took a breath and imagined that his brother wouldn't let it get to him, so he knew he had to try to do the same. As soon as they left in the morning, he told himself, he would see the mission through; no more worrying over something he couldn't change.

Starting to feel parched and in need of another stretch, Saburo placed a few more sticks into the fire and brought himself to his feet. He listened over the renewed crackling of the fire as he walked to the horses. Aside from noises he expected- his footfalls, the signs of horse life, and the fire- he heard nothing. Specifically, he noted that he heard only his own footfalls. While that meant no one was sneaking about the camp, it also meant that Gene had yet to return. He could only wonder at what the specialist could be doing out there in the dead of night. He almost felt that he had to wonder at a bit of his companion. Truthfully, they must have been mysteries to each other; acquainted only to the point of being able to cooperate on this mission. He wondered what Gene thought as he secured his coat onto the saddle and dug out a waterskin for drinking. For his part, Ro could tell that his companion was younger than himself, and as much as he thought of his own career's delays he also considered Gene to be quite skilled by comparison. But even then, what was he doing out there? Training? Patrolling? Saburo saw no trouble in it, but he would have at least liked being aware. Instead of sleep, then, he felt he had to play safe and keep watch all the night. At least, he would if Gene didn't show.

With a refreshed sigh, he placed the water back and checked to ensure he still had the spares. One of those, he noted to himself, would have to be saved for the villager. But now he was feeling antsy, with possibly the whole night to stay alert. His first recourse was to start pacing at the edge of the firelight. That would keep the body active, sure, but he also need something to focus on. So he began to recite the hand seals in his head and formed them as he walked.

"Saru, Tatsu, Saru, Ne. Tori, Ni, Tori, Ishi." He followed this pattern every way he could, to the point where he eventually sat back beside the villager, quietly whispering to himself throughout the night.
The sun began to peek over the trees after uncounted hours. Saburo felt tired, to be honest, but there was a certain vitality to be felt having the sun brightening the world again and knowing that he still had energy even after all those hours. Gene had not shown, but he was decided with himself to pack up camp and decide what to do from there. As he retrieved his coat and staff, he heard stirring from the sleeping man. Seeing that he was awakening, Ro grabbed a piece of jerky and spare waterskin. "Here," he offered, "Do you think you could ride with me the rest of the way?" The man nodded as he accepted the meal. "Thank you, master ninja," he returned. Satisfied at the state of things for now- the lack of sleep justified in his eyes- he gave the snow a swift kick to snuff out their fire and turned at the sound of crunching snow. Gene, it seemed, had returned.

"There you are!" he called out to the returning shinobi, "I was wondering if you'd ever show. He's awake, too, so we can leave as soon as you're ready." The recovered man shuffled his way out of the blanket and, after an amateur attempt at folding it, returned it to Ro with a deep bow that he maintained at Gene's approach.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Mon Dec 10, 2018 1:54 am

When Saburo had first called out to him Gene's initial reaction was to raise his brow in silent wonder. Gene never would have expected such an animated greeting considering how tame the man had been up until now, had something happened in his absence? Having spent the better part of his night going through stances and other mantras Gene never considered the fact that his leaving so abruptly might have unnerved his colleague but on the bright side, it seemed as though the old man had recovered quite nicely. "Sorry. We should get going as soon as possible, there's an outpost near the village that can be used to send word back to Konoha once we've arrived." Said Gene as he approached the two. When his gaze set upon the old man Gene could feel a surge of uneasiness wash over him; no one had ever bowed to him before and to have it done by someone several years his senior...well, it was a little uncomfortable. "Please mister you need not bow your head to me. Our task is to get you home safe and sound as soon as possible," Gene was smiling now but hadn't stopped being active. Even has he spoke the young man was lost between the motions of reining in his horse, finding the blue scroll that he'd left with the horse, unraveling it and finally placing Oath breaker over the sheet in order to seal the large weapon within before rolling it up again. All in all, the process took no more than a few seconds which spoke to Gene's efficiency if nothing else.

Once all of his gear was secured Gene began walking the white stead over toward the path that he and Saburo had left to camp for the previous night, mounting the large Horse once he'd gotten close enough to it. "Hey Saburo! Got anything in that bag of yours I could eat?" He'd call out to Saburo, raising his right hand up as if to silently ask for a tossable item.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:17 am

With a smile and an understanding nod, Ro took his own horse's reins and brought it around to aid the elderly man onto the steed. He was definitely ready to get going. "Many thanks," the man said, seemingly to both of the shinobi as Saburo lifted him up to sit at the rump. "I would be lost without you two." The horse shifted somewhat uncomfortably at what was unexpected weight, but with some encouragement it settled well enough that Ro himself could get into the saddle as well.

"Just hold onto me, sir. We'll get you back home in no time." The man nodded and gripped at Saburo's coat. Bringing his horse around, he managed to catch sight of Gene's sealing of his blade. It wasn't anything unexpected to be fair, but he was nonetheless impressed- especially with how fluid the movements were- and couldn't help glancing at his tape-covered tattoo. He himself had some training in those arts but not to that degree just yet. Perhaps he could learn to do the same with his staff someday; it certainly would be more convenient than keeping it slung across his back at all times. It would seem to him that this young man was rather impressive indeed. A part of Ro was interested to see what other techniques his companion held in reserve. Maybe he could even endeavor to learn some new tricks from his companion. He heard Gene's question as they made their way down the path and rummaged in the saddlebag. Something in a single piece would be best for eating on the go, so a hefty piece of jerky seemed the best choice.

With an underhand toss, he sent the jerky on the way to Gene's waiting hand. Then, matching speed with the specialist's steed, he stifled a small yawn. "Alright, I'll follow your lead the rest of the way."
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:36 am

It took two passes for Gene to catch the small item. To his folly, he'd over guestimated the Jerky's trajectory and extended his arm when he should have retracted it. A small oversight that was easily corrected but Gene seemed to be flustered about the near miss, if only for a moment. When he'd turned his head opposite of the pair in order to drop his mask and take a bite out of the Beefy snack Gene was surprised at just how tough the damned thing was. It'd taken a chomp with most of the force he could muster out of his teeth followed by a tug that finally broke the Jerky in two. "This stuff ain't so bad once you get past how tough it is, Gene critiqued; more to himself than anything. He'd never actually had this form of Jerky or-- any jerky for that matter, so the textures and taste among other subtle nuances were either admired or severely scrutinized. All in all, he could see the appeal in having the item as a quick snack to munch on during travel but dared not go so far as to say it were anything hearty.

With a crack of the reins Gene had sent his stead off into full gallop right from the get go. If at all possible he wanted to try and make it to Mizuno village sooner rather than later in order to learn more about the situation at hand and then to report those findings via the outpost stationed nearby. An easy task for an easy day, really. Since the man they had saved claimed to be from Mizuno village Gene imagined that he wouldn't mind sharing about what he knew along the way, either. Any information they could get on what they were about to be dealing with would do miracles for Gene's moral and Saburo's comfort. At least...Gene hoped that it would.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sat Dec 15, 2018 2:25 am

Even if he had gone without sleep, the wind blowing through his hair as they rode filled Saburo with some odd sense of vitality. Keeping close behind his companion, they soon broke free of the large forests surrounding the heartland of their Village. With the paths opening up into the fields beyond and the snow thinning as they progressed, it was clear that their trip would pick up speed. Taking into account how far they had made it yesterday, Ro concluded that they may very well make it to Mizuno by midday.

Over the course of the journey, though, Ro felt that their pace could discomfort the old man sharing his horse. So he decided that conversation could keep the man's attention from it. And with nothing else on mind but the mission, the topic quickly turned to what information he could glean. While, to be fair, it was a great summary of information they had already known, that's all it ended up being: information already known. The dangers of speaking with a messenger, he supposed. But he was still happy to hear the man speak of it. It made what they we're doing even more real, to hear it from one of the affected themselves. There was no harm in it either; the village's elder would surely know more from speaking with his own people. He was curious about the tree's appearance, though. If he understood correctly it sounded as if it sprang up from nowhere. That gave him the thought that it may not be a spirit after all. He didn't know all that much about spirits, but he felt that it would have been... ambulatory? Would a spirit in the form of a tree be able to walk? If not why would it form in a river in the middle of nowhere? That didn't make sense. He wondered if he would have to stab a tree. Would a tree-spirit be able to fight back? Conservation slowly began to dwindle as these strange questions formed into his mind over the course of their journey. At least, until they crested the last hill that overlooked Mizuno Village.

It was a simple village overall, as expected. Little huts lay scattered in small clusters along dirt paths and common people milled about. To think that these people perhaps knew the name of everyone else here; Saburo easily knew that there were people he had no inkling of knowing back home. It made the whole affair feel all the more rustic. Ro was almost jealous; current concerns aside. In all, it brought a content sigh to his lips at the simplicity of it. Glancing to his passenger and then to Gene, he thought on what to do next.

"Gene," he said, bringing attention to himself, "I'll take our friend here home. If you're going to meet the elder, I'll meet you there." With a nod, he spurred his horse down the hill, now allowing it to simply trot down the hill and into the village. From behind the man directed him to a house to the far side of the village. There, he was told, this old man lived with his children. Among these people, Saburo almost felt as if he was a celebrity. Maybe these people were not accustomed to the appearance of a shinobi. Maybe they were much more aware of his presence given the circumstances. Once he finally approached the final hut on the furthest dirt road, he met with a short welcome by the man's children. For his part, Ro tried his best to be polite though he also stressed that he had work to be done. After maybe the fifth expression of gratitude he finally managed to break away; but not before he asked to know the name of the messenger as he went inside his hut to rest. It only felt right to him to ask.

"Botan," he responded with a final bow before he retired away from the world. Ro returned the bow as well as he could from his horse and then turned to the man's children to confirm the location of the elder's hut. Thanking them in turn for their assistance, he set back into the village- and directly to the biggest hut- in hopes he hadn't made Gene wait again on his account.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Mon Dec 17, 2018 8:07 pm

A silent nod marked Gene's reply to Saburo's words and within the hour he'd conversed with enough people to discover where he needed to go in order to meet with the head of Mizuno village. Already a day behind schedule, he didn't want to put things off anymore than what was necessary at this point which made some of the locals who'd insisted on giving him a tour of their village upset but many were happy that someone had finally come to put a stop to their poltergeist problem. Admittedly, Gene did not expect the elder to be so sharp for a man who looked well beyond his glory days but while listening to the man speak there was no denying the wisdom and vigor within the man that gave him a lively air. At Gene's request, the elderly man did not go into any detail about what was going on until Saburo had arrived and instead, stuck to details about the village and its history up until the other Specialist finally mozied his way on in.

I take it this is your colleague, then?" The elder questioned quizzically studying the pair. He noted that despite their headbands that both were rather young though dared not tread upon their pride or honor by mentioning the fact. In truth, the old man rationalized that the world that both had likely grew up in held more perils than he could have ever hoped to imagine; and in his tired mind cursed at the prospect of children being trained to face such arduous endeavors so early on but still, he respected them both as men of stature nonetheless. Once he could verify for himself that both Gene and Saburo were who they said they were the Elder would waste no time in letting both know exactly what his son and help had said to him upon the first time that the problem surfaced. He then would go on into great detail about his own eye witness accounts of the day before, sure to emphasize how this one tree seemed to stir the forest and act on its own preventing he or the villagers from getting to their longest standing water supply source. It was...a lengthy explanation for sure but--a necessary retelling for both Gene and Saburo's sake. Gene, who had up until then doubted that this could have been a serious problem now began to register the true severity of what they were dealing with and the potential implications if left unattended. With the winter soon to hit in full force the people would need access to fresh water among other things and this...abnormality, was getting in the way of that.

Despite having some ideas of how to go about handling the situation in his head Gene wanted to consult with Saburo once before they set out again to get his take on what he'd heard. More importantly, there was something that he wanted to relay to the man that couldn't be done in front of the villagers less they be sent into a panic. The truth was...he wasn't exactly sure how to tackle the problem. If this were the work of someone manipulating their surroundings with chakra then finding the person should have been easy enough but from the description that he'd just listened to there were no strings being pulled and the environment genuinely was just rebelling against itself and those in close proximity. Moreover, Gene wasn't sure if this problem would spread beyond just the blocking one route or if it was a problem that hadn't been discovered in other regions of the forest. No matter how he looked at it, this was a tricky situation and the number of ways to deal with it were severely limited. Still, neither his face nor body language betrayed his concerns and Gene continued to listen with the discipline and poise of a well polished soldier. There was no point in stressing about it now...right?
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Thu Dec 27, 2018 5:47 pm

The third telling of the situation was something that Saburo couldn't really glean anything new from. The mention of the forest reacting in some way to the tree's presence was of interesting note, though, even if what that meant exactly wasn't as clear. It made sense if the tree itself was a spirit. But even then they were working on ultimately incomplete information. Not to belittle their perspective, but Ro was sure there were things that the villagers didn't know to look for; some small detail that only someone with proper understanding of chakra. In his mind, that meant the next step was probably a bit more clear than it seemed.

Once their meeting with the elder was complete and they were back under the sun, he rolled his shoulders back to relieve some of the stiffness still left from the ride into the village. Thinking more on the elder's words, he tried to plot a general idea of where the river was in relation to them. Chances were good that the tree was still there; though he still somewhat entertained the idea of the tree itself being ambulatory. A strange trait, but one he wouldn't put past what may ultimately be a spirit. Looking into the distance, he resolved that his idea might be a good choice for their next action.

"We should probably go take a look at that tree. We've got plenty of daylight left to do a bit of scouting, yeah?" Somewhat seeking his answer from the sky, he looked up to see that the sun was still high. A quick jaunt to the river couldn't be out of the question. It was probably only just far enough to be out of sight; not that long of a journey at all.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Fri Dec 28, 2018 7:38 am

"Might as well," Gene replied plainly. After a brief convene with his colleague after the initial discussion and then a brief follow up with the two people who'd encountered the problem first hand, Gene figured that it would have been for the best if they went and saw what all the fuss was about. Besides, neither of them would be allowed to go home until the matter was settled so it wasn't like there was much of a choice. "Leave the horses here. It'll be better if we can go in and get this done quietly," Gene assured. A smile graced the young man's masked features when he turned only to see that a group of kids were trying to climb up on the horses and pet them. Apparently the animals were a well received party in all of this and neither seemed to mind so long as none of the kids made a pass for a sensitive area. With the elders and others watching over them Gene figured that they'd be fine.

And with that, Gene began heading for ground zero.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sun Dec 30, 2018 3:50 pm

With a friendly wave to one of the watching children, Saburo followed Gene down the path towards the river. It was a simple path; a small strip of dirt weaving through an otherwise overgrown field. Much different from the paved streets of his own home, he thought to himself. Peering over what clusters of grass were tall enough to threaten his sight he could see a copse of trees. From what he understood, their path would take them around that and into the river. So, if they were to follow his companion's plan perhaps they could use that to better hide their approach.

"Do you see those trees ahead?" he asked, "We should be able to sneak up on the river through there."
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Sun Dec 30, 2018 4:37 pm

When Saburo spoke up about sneaking up on a river Gene couldn't help but chuckle. Just the notion of sneaking up on something that by all rights shouldn't have been living was absurd and while he wanted to uphold a professional hold on the matter Gene found himself bursting out in a fit of laughter that all but forced him to stop and recollect himself. "Oh for heaven's sake this has got to be without a doubt, the strangest mission I've ever gone on. Are we seriously going to creep around trees and foothills like frightened rats?!" Gene stepped further ahead of his comrade turning to face the man as he walked backwards. "I'm starting to think your balls are tucked off somewhere, guy. " Having strayed far from the prying ears of those from Mizuno and their homeland, Gene seemed to have no problem speaking his mind in regards to how he felt about Saburo thus far. Truth be told he still hadn't completely gotten over the fact that they'd delayed their trip to rescue a straggler and the man hardly seemed to have much personality about him so poking fun wasn't too difficult a task.

Besides, Gene believed that there'd been a reason why only he and this --this...character, had been sent out on to handle matters with Mizuno and he was determined to get down to the bottom of it. With no horses to tend after or a sickling elderly man for that matter, Gene spun on his heels and bent ever so slightly before launching himself forward with all the power his legs could muster. Beneath his feet the ground shook and quaked, air whipped all around kicking up a great cloud of dust, dirt and debris. Needless to say, Gene had grown tired of the dragging pace that the two were moving and decided to cut loose a bit. "Now this is more like it!" Gene exclaimed; embracing the air pushing up against his clothing and skin with an eager readiness, could Saburo keep up?
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Bolin! » Sun Dec 30, 2018 5:34 pm

Saburo was at a loss for words on this one. As he reasoned it, they had no idea what was ahead. For all they knew they were about to walk straight into the den of some itinerant tree spirit. But he did feel some sense of defensive pride at having his courage questioned. He wasn't a coward, he told himself; he was just wanting to be cautious. "Well, th-"

But his hesitance made him too slow to respond, as Gene had already made a bolt for the river. The sudden speed had left him slightly disoriented as to which way his companion had gone. A low groan rose in his throat as he soaked it in for a moment. Were they seriously about to just rush in like this? Do it quietly, he had said in one breath, and now he was running in headlong; what a frustrating turn. The last time Ro had even considered being this careless in his decisions, his old team had nearly gotten themselves killed. But Gene was nearly out of sight, and he couldn't just leave him to go alone; especially if what he feared at times was ahead was indeed the cause.

"Great choice for your first assignment, Ro," he cursed to himself before he opened into his own sprint down the path. He was already losing ground but still he pushed himself as best as he could to get to their destination as soon as possible. Still fearing the worst, though, he instinctively drew a kunai into his right hand. It was better to be prepared. He wanted to focus on his running now; there would be time to think about how dangerous this was when he could see what dangers there were. But he cursed to himself that if Gene was responsible for running them straight into a rogue Senju or anything of that sort there would have to be words if they survived.


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*Ochiba • Single Finger Draw
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Utilizing this maneuver, the user is able to quickly draw a kunai from its holster. This is done by placing their finger through the lip of the holder and into the ring of the pommel, flicking it up and out quickly, having the kunai in the user’s hand within an instant.
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Trouble near Mizuno village Part 1

Post by Legacy » Sun Dec 30, 2018 6:40 pm

Even at the speed that he'd been moving Gene still made it a point to keep his head on a swivel and examine the areas he passed as best he could for any signs of an abnormality. According to the village elder, the closer that got to Haru falls the more they would be able to feel like something were amiss. Frankly, Gene hadn't noticed anything too out of the ordinary save for a few animal tracks. It didn't make sense. Had the elder falsified his report? Coming to a halt high up on one of the thick tree branches with a clear view of the Waterfall out in the distance, Gene allowed himself to feel his environment; tapping into his mind's eye while the opportunity presented itself in order to see if he could notice any irregularities with his sixth sense which...was the least he could do while waiting for Saburo to catch up. Expecting to find nothing out of the ordinary Gene had been both surprised and deeply disturbed by what he saw; the feel of chakra off in the direction of Haru falls just some twenty five meters out was extremely concentrated, dense even.

More than that...the chakra bore a malicious feel like none that he'd felt in a very long time. It was almost as if the entire region were being overrun by an evil omen. "...So the old man wasn't lying after all. I'm almost certain that whatever's been causing all the ruckus is coming from that direction." Gene spoke softly to himself. When Saburo did finally catch up he would find Gene waiting for him crouched down and staring intently off into the distance from the tree. His expression stone frozen and demeanor that of a man faced with a tough decision.

On the inside however, Gene was concerned for the safety and well being of Saburo. Thus far, Gene had yet to have any casualties on a mission but each time he went out with someone new he always considered the idea heavily. In their line of work, death was something to be accustomed to though Gene had not quite hardened his heart so such a degree - not yet at least. Still, Gene had to admit he felt a lot less anxious when working alone than with others. Shrugging his own menial concerns aside, the young man motioned toward the source of his attention. Some few meters ahead, there was a section of Earth that for lack of a better description; seemed mad with frenzy, tree branches were lashing this way and that - curling so much that traversing through what surely had been a path some time before seemed unthinkable. "I guess the old man wasn't lying after all." Gene said with a heavy sigh.

How would they overcome this obstacle, he wondered with a new determination.


[Chapter end]
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