Return to Duty

[Trusted Grader]

Two months had passed since Iji had convinced Kurai to follow him towards the abyss, for two months he had grilled him, trained him, and taught him the ways of being a criminal, he had connected him with minor people to set him up on his ways as the criminal mastermind had saw something in the boy's eyes. Kurai had been a good student and been able to take in everything, though Iji suspected that part of him wanted back to the village that raised him, it was a fight he was willing to take up if it meant that the boy's mind would forever be corrupted, see, Iji believed ninjas was created not only to protect Iwagakure but to spread their influence one way or another, whether it was by assassinating people that stood in their way or paying mass some of the taxes, the perfect loophole.

Iji laughed to himself as he overlooked the canyon, the orange drab stretched as far as the eye could see and if not for the platform they stood on the duo would find themselves at the bottom of the ravine. "You see young one, one day you will take my place and stand next to another kid that will one day want to replace you. It's the circle of life, it's the same that the ninjas in Iwagakure no Sato are doing, racing to become the Tsuchikage. All we are doing is cutting out the middleman and creating our criminal haven...

As long as we pay our taxes and make sure we don't harm our citizens we get to roam scot-free, well, as long as we stay under the radar that is. Kurai, I believe we met for a reason, I believe that you have a great story in front of you, as long as you don't let yourself get leashed by the head plate they present to you. Don't be a fool, follow their orders when given but choose to be more than a ninja, find what is yours and take it before someone smarter comes along." Iji spread his palms as he spoke, trying to be theatrical while his words rang true, he did not want Kurai to be a slave like Amaya had been ever since she had been forced back to Iwagakure.

---

Dressed in all black, the shining mirror of the Shoshiki clan, stood somberly over the grave of Wana, her pet hyena who had been slayed by the hands of her enemy. She had been too focused on making sure the towering defender was preoccupied that she had forgotten to back up her comrades, so in one fell swoop she had lost both her Jounin Commander and her favorite friend, words couldn't explain how sorrowful she felt, her grief had over the years turned into her friend as she danced between joy and sadness every year.

Though this time would be different, she knew in her heart that she couldn't take any more sorrow, that her glass had been filled to the top, a deep seethed anger was brewing and she knew exactly who would have to bear it. The enemies of Iwagakure, she could no longer tolerate any transgressions and if it required her to be in tip-top shape then so be it, for even if it wasn't her job, she would make sure that no one had to feel the pain she felt.

Her eyes snapped from the gravestone up to whoever was coming towards her, the rain-drenched her hair as she had forgone an umbrella, it caused her blonde hair to droop down over her face, hiding the fact that she had been crying and instead made her appear out of her mind.

[hobnob]

Kurai stood beside Iji looking down at the ravine. The words Iji spoke may be true, he however did not know this yet. There was still a lot he had to learn, there was still a lot he had to experience before he knew exactly which path he wanted, and needed to go down. The clan life he knew, the village life he knew. But the life of a free-roaming ninja was something he had yet to experience. And over these past two months, he had a little taste of it. Although it was filled with brutal training, his body battered and cut, he had enjoyed it. It made him realise there was more to life than just the walls surrounding himself, surrounding the clan, the village. The open world had much more to it than just the ninja. There was so much more he could, so many possibilities. This is what he liked, in the village and clan, shinobi followed a set path like Iji said, but here where there were no rules, he could do whatever, be whatever.

Kurai smiled with a wry smile, 'I agree. I want to know this world better. I want to see it the way you do. Please show it to me.' His hands were tucked into his pockets, shoulders and body relaxed. The youth had never felt so at peace as he did right now.

[Valkier]

At five minutes past the hour, Kotori began to fidget in her seat. At ten, she was up and pacing, cracking open doors to peer in at the empty rooms of the offices of the Hagane No Kokoro. Where the hell was everyone? Fifteen. Amaya being a little late was one thing, and likely not too surprising, but Ran had always been here before. And what of Hiroko? Kotori's fellow Jinchuuriki had all but vanished lately, it seemed. At twenty-two minutes past their scheduled meeting time, Kotori gave up and left, leaving the door swinging behind her as she returned to the bustling streets outside.

She let herself be swept along in the crowds of passers-by for a while, enjoying the energy of the townsfolk after the sombre quiet of the organisation's headquarters. It was too quiet there, now, without the soft patter of Wana's paws to greet her, without the chuckle of its blonde-haired leader. Both may be gone forever. And suddenly Kotori knew where she'd find Amaya.

Rain began to fall before the young genin reached the cemetary. By the time she found the black-clad woman, statuesque beside the grave of her cherished hyena companion, water was streaming from the polished marble headstones and mausoleums around them and running away in thick rivulets. Kotori, ashen white hair blending with the haze, met Amaya's gaze and stepped up beside her, then crouched down to place a hand on the marker of Wana's final resting place.

"How ya doin', girl?" she muttered quietly, letting her eyes rest on the marker. "Yeah, me too. Listen, I gotta borrow your master for a bit. I'll take her from here, alright? Rest easy." She patted the stone fondly, then finally rose and faced Amaya. She placed a steadying hand on the jounin's shoulder, and gave her a gentle smile.

"You called, Sensei, and it's time. Remember? Wana says it's time to get to work. She'll be waiting for you later." Kotori spoke as if the hyena were truly still there, communicating through her, and as if it were entirely normal. She hadn't been entirely ready to say goodbye to Amaya's companion herself, but after a short time in mourning, found it comforting to think of the animal as still being there in spirit. Still watching them, with them, and most of all, pushing them onward.

"Have you seen the others? Ran? Hiroko? I haven't heard from her in forever..." She tightened her grip ever so slightly on Amaya's shoulder, steering her gently but firmly around.

[Kaitos10]

Hiroko would be arriving after awhile, having returned from the clan compound saying “sorry for disappearing there has been some very unfortunate and complicated events happening in my clan some suspicious person who was invited into the clan by lord tsukikage has stolen the body of one of my clan members and was comforting the parents of the girl who’s body she stole.”

She then somberly walks up to the rest of the group. Saying in a casual tone “so what has everyone been up to and did I miss anything?”

[Trusted Grader]

Iji began to train Kurai in the art of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu as best that he could, hands were shaken and criminals had their meetings, slowly with time the boy would learn what it meant to be a true criminal until the very moment he was ordered to work for the gang, he was tasked with robbing a carriage that held untold luxuries. This mission for all intents and purposes were meant to test the kids resolve, they had been ordered to kill everyone and leave no witnesses behind as they couldn't afford to have anyone figure out that they were behind this.

Do not disappoint me kid, I don't want to bury out in the sand... He didn't even care if Kurai had special eyes that he could sell, he only cared about his loyalty and his drive to become better.

Flying above the carriage, the two of them would linger, hiding behind the clouds as they moved about. The controlled chalk cloud was the perfect platform for Iji to make sure that they could sneak up on the carriage, though he secretly wondered if Kurai was ready for this, for if he wasn't then the criminal would make short work of the Fukusha, even though he didn't want to. Truth be told, he was growing accostumed to the kid, but he knew that he had to take a life before he could prove himself, prove that he wasn't just another lapdog.

"Listen, I know it won't be easy my ninja, but trust me when I tell you, once this is over, nothing will be able to stop you from reaching whatever heights you dream of. We have to cast off your innocence." He gently patted the kid on the shoulder.

---

Amaya wiped the tears from her eyes as she heard Kotori, she watched how she touched the grave stone and was reminded that the life genma probably had a special bond with those that died, or at least that was her headcannon, which made the passing of her companion all the much easier to swallow. They had recently commemorated the loss of Ken and Hibeki, which she secretly took the time to pray for Wakana, but those days were now over.

She knew deep down that she couldn't continue to wallow in her own sadness, especially when one of her students was held captive, or so they thought. "Thank you, I don't know where they found you but I am glad that they did." Amaya lifted her head and took a deep breath, shook off the sadness then turned to face Hiroko as she appeared next to them. "Clan affairs are important, and I am sure that we can deal with that situation one of these days, especially if that suspicious person acts out of character."

Amaya didn't want to say anything out loud but she did not like the idea of a bodysnatcher creeping about in Iwagakure, she cared for the Enkouten clan but knew that it wasn't her place to question the Tsuchikage nor their clan, instead she focused on the mission at hand. "Ran said he would meet us by the gates of Iwagakure, he said that he had found some intel that could lead us to their location, or at least where they had last been spotted."

Amaya would try to answer any question they had as they began to move, Wana's spirit would make a final appearance as the hyena's soul laughed at the trio leaving the graveyard, the animal could rest knowing that Amaya's heart was left in good hands, that she was no longer needed in this realm and could finally move on. I'll see you on the otherside buddy, take care of Akane for me.[/i

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