The Beginning of the End? [P]

Posts : 150

Don't wake me up when it ends...

Cold. It was so cold today. He felt the damp chill of it cling to his skin as he slid through shadow after shadow of tangled woods and dying shrubbery. This neck of the forest was slowly decaying for some odd reason, probably some plant based disease that had been brewed up in the swamp that was slowly swallowing the landscape in this area. It was obviously not the first time he had been here, in fact he had come to these parts many times for many different reasons, and every time he could see clear signs of the battle between woodlands and swamplands. In the dark it was rather dangerous to be traversing it but this close to dawn he was sure the creepy crawlies were slithering back in to their daylight homes. That was just as good. He had no time to waste splashing around in the stinking waters and dodging massive alligators.

Today was the day he had been preparing for for weeks that seemed like years. The day he assassinated the Daimyo. All of his blood, sweat, and pain had been for this day, and the actions of himself and the hand of fate of the next few hours would decide whether he would live to see tomorrow's sunrise. The thought that he could die by the hand of a stranger or, worse, a friend of sorts should have scared him shitless. Yet, he was accepting of it. If he were to fail and die it would have been at his own fault, no one else's, that caused it to happen. His own weakness and not wanting to live enough to fight beyond his own limits to make it happen no matter what. He had a reason to live, and he intended to see his long term intentions through this ordeal. There was no giving up, no backing down. The same words he repeated to himself before accepting that slender hand in acceptance came to him then. As if I could say no.

Before he had realized it he had cleared the small branch of the swamp he had to traverse to reach his destination, and found himself back in the spaciously wooded forests. Hot morning light burned through small remnants of mist that branched out even this far from Kirigakure. It felt good to have the sun shining down on his skin as it peeked through the canopy. The speed with which is was rising seemed to be unnatural, but maybe that was just because he was so lost in thought over the events to come. A snap of a branch as he stepped wrongly, the frantic flutter of a bird and it's startled cry as it flew off. This was reality. Not that incessant chattering in his brain that border lined pessimism over his performance. He had to stay optimistic. Golden eyes glanced over the trees as their appearances changed. Thicker, rounder, with greyer trunks and taller canopies. They were much more spread out here connected only by their massive branches where peat moss hung in tangled clumps and occasionally reached lines all the way down to the ground.

One particular tree stuck out from all the others, and when he stopped next to it he could see from a small distance the beginnings of another village. Signs of 'Danger! Wild animals at large!' and 'Travel off road at your own risk!' dotted trunks here and there. He knew it was just a ploy to keep the natives from sniffing around too much. The worst traffic around here was possibly the brave yet stupid kids who were dared to run in and run back without getting eaten. Obviously they did, but the fear kept them stupid and they never looked closely at this certain tree. An obscured symbol was drawn in to the base, and his fingers pressed around it. Searching, groping, until finally he found the opening he was looking for. A quick jerk and the handle popped out with a whine from it's metal workings. He twisted it three times, pushing it hard back in the trunk so that it sunk in deeper and looked like an indention. With a rumble an inner part of the tree seemed to collapse down like a giant beast opening it's maw, revealing a staircase as dim lights flickered to life. He quietly slipped down the staircase carefully as a series of clicks counted down. The door closed behind him just as he reached the end, and pulled open a metal door quickly and groped for a switch on the wall on the opposite side.

Bright florescent lights flickered to life and shown harsh light on an almost surgically clean room. Only a slight layer of dust settled on surfaces as he walked through the room, but how dirty could a place under the ground get with no windows or unsealed doors? He ignored most of the furniture, moving around a black leather couch, and flicked on lights as he moved to a hallway. A series of doors greeted him, and he knew exactly which one held the room he sought. A bathroom. On his way he stopped at a little box connected to a series of pipes in the wall. Tapping it, he flicked a series of switches and heard the rattle of the machine coming to life. He wondered briefly how much it had cost to build this place, and how long and hard it was putting it all under oak trees. God. He felt terrible for those workers. Longer fingers clamped on the door knob, and he went in with a very final click.

After a few minutes he emerged, having stripped out his black cargo pants, black shirt, and furred black jacket to wash himself and wrap a towel around his waist. A wash cloth, still steaming, was pressed in to one hand as his other held the white towel to his body and he moved across the hall and back in to the initial living room type area. A huff of escaping air accompanied him as he sat himself on the black leather couch still wet from the bath he had taken. Inoshi would kill him for dripping all over the leather, but he didn't honestly think about it at that moment. Akahari laid back against the cushion, pressing the smaller cloth in his hair against his closed eyes and pushing his clingy red hair from his face. Awaiting the Mizukage's arrival and taking advantage of his last chance at relaxation.

Age : 30 Posts : 1688

The Beginning of the End? [P] A6e20fd9-153a-4257-8808-296425679791

It felt like nothing more than a couple of minutes before the tall trees stopped flying by, casting their huge shadows along the forest floor and offering their long branches as footing for Inoshi's aerial pursuit of the Kirigakure jounin he was to meet, soon. Blonde hair flew past him, cracking in the wind, held back and constricted by his up-do. He looked different today, much more official, and on business. Blue eyes, as observant as always, were covered by the flat mask of the Kirigakure Oinin Butai, the Hunter class shinobi of Kirigakure's ANBU division. While he had never served as a member of the Oinin Butai directly, he had, and still did, lead the ANBU divisions in full. The oval mask held very little marking on it, aside from a dark purple streak across it, from the top, sliding towards the bottom. It was Inoshi's mask; a mask through which he had seen a great many life events. The Kirigakure no Sato insignia was etched into the top of the mask neatly. Inoshi could not count the number of times he had needed to clean dried blood from the symbol's valleys and rifts, blood that he had called onto the battlefield. Blood that did not belong to him, but his many victims.

His chest was covered in the grey armor of the Oinin Butai, leaving his arms covered by a black, skin tight, almost spandex material. It was meant to fit extremely close to the skin, leaving room for the natural tone in the Mizukage's arm to be expressed, exposing the muscles hidden behind the cloth. Grey gloves, which matched the color of the armor, covered the bottom portion of the his arms, starting at the elbow. They were half fingered gloves, leaving a bit of skin visible, while covering up most of it. Black pants, fitted, covered his lower half, with the traditional shinobi shoes, open toed and open heeled. Black. High tops, left slightly unzipped. Despite the fact that he was not going with Akahari, this was official business, and would be addressed as such. He had made sure that he was not being followed, and knew that, if he had been, Akahari would be able to trace the pursuers location. But he was clear in that he was alone. Many years of ANBU experience had earned him the ability to check such things.

Upon seeing the huge oak tree, Inoshi dropped from the trees, stopping his fast movement and hitting the ground with grace. He did not stop and wait. As soon as he fell to the ground, he continued walking, as if he had fallen into the speedy walking gate with such a natural flare. His body moved through the routine, finding the entrance lever, pulling it as it needed to be pulled, and waiting for the tree to reveal its secret. As the handle regressed back into hiding, the front of the tree literally broke apart from the rest, rather quietly. The broken section of the tree dropped, as if consumed by the ground, allowing a flickering light lit ramp to appear, extending down into the slowly lit darkness of what was underneath. Inoshi stepped forward, having familiarized himself with the hidden location numerous times in the past, and actually over seeing its creation as the head of ANBU in his younger years. Inoshi, blank faced, walked down until he met the face of the first door. The small package that he had been carrying on his back started to annoy the blonde leader.

Pushing the door open, Inoshi's hands moved to remove the mask, covering his vision as he entered the room. However, as the mask dropped, and Inoshi's sea colored eyes took in everything about the room, he froze for a second. There, before him, lazily stretched out against the couch was Akahari, the jounin assigned to do one of the more dangerous things in the shinobi world, in nothing more than a towel. Inoshi's lips curved upward, basking in the irony of the situation. Not irony. Bravery? Was that word he was looking for? The red headed man before him was covered by almost nothing, exposing his body completely before the Mizukage. On their first meeting, Inoshi had become acquainted with the man's half hearted attempt at the respect most gave Inoshi. At least in the way they gave it. He was much different. Inoshi stepped closer, studying the anatomy which he had only seen through the boy's own eyes, looking down upon himself. Long legs, toned torso, powerful arms, and a face which was covered by the steaming remnants of a cloth.

Starting another step, Inoshi carried himself to the table that lay in front of Akahari, his legs spread wide however completely covered due to the towel's slack. Removing the bag from his back, and placing both the bag and mask on the table, Inoshi looked up at Akahari, his voice sliding from those ripe lips. "So this is your method of gathering yourself before such a task, is it?" Biting the edge of a casual humor. He left no time for a response, and his voice seemingly became slightly more serious. "I brought what you'll need for the mission. You don't have much time, Akki-san." A nickname. One that Inoshi had hardly meant to say before it had slipped from his lips. It was followed by a genuine smile as he realized his own slip up. Instantly, Inoshi's hand grabbed at one of the shinobi carrying pouches, full of small weapons, and lightly tossed it at Akahari's abdomen, knowing that it would roll down with some momentum into his 'lap' and would certainly earn a reaction. His voice echoed one last time, speaking clearly in a tone of humor filled sarcasm, despite its obvious truth.

"Come on stud, we have work to do."

Posts : 150

Does it even matter...

Before he could see Inoshi, he could clearly feel him. Not like how he felt the cooling droplets of water as they slid down his slightly pale skin, or how he felt the rough texture of the towel against his forehead as his fingers readjusted their hold. No, he felt the rainbow of his aura before the faintest outline appeared on the back of his eyelids. A melancholy beacon of dark colors that used to nauseate him every time he so much as glanced out the corner of his metaphysical vision towards the other man. Over time he had gotten used to it to an extent, but he didn't want to risk getting sick now while he was ironing his will for the immediate future events. Like closing a fist down, he took one last look as the colors flickered and he heard the muffled foot steps and then the click of the door opening quietly. The lights disappeared, leaving him to his thoughts in the absolute darkness. That was how he liked it anyway.

There was a pause in the movement, no doubt Inoshi was noticing the laid out position of the read head on the black couch. Would he be mad about the leather? Maybe eventually, but he was sure he would be more amused at the present moment. The sounds started up again; The gentle brushing slide of something heavy causing fabric to graze fabric, followed by the thunk of that heavy thing landing on the table just beyond the bend of his knees. He could almost feel the other man's gaze on him as the words broke the hushed volume levels of the room. So this is your method of gathering yourself... A low and vibrating sound came from his throat, a hmm as if he were thinking about answering the rhetorical question with the twist of an amused purr. Before he could have had a chance to speak, even if he had wanted to in the first place, more words met his ears. You don't have much time, Akki-san. Heh. Akki. The slip of the nickname brought a smile to his damp lips, knowing that Inoshi was trying to keep it serious. It was hard to do lately for both of them, not for lack of reason but due to the natural good natured jibes and the level of confidence in each other. It was common knowledge between them that if 20 ninjas burst through that door right now, Akahari would place himself between them and the blond haired man without a second thought. Certain death was not enough to deter him.

That was partially why he was in this situation, even knowing he would not get the same level of devotion. It was okay, somehow. Right, he didn't have much time before he was seriously tested on his resolve to do what the Mizukage had set upon him that day. A sound of a zipper brought him back from his thoughts, the clinking of metal on metal seconds before the rough fabric of the carrying pouch hit his abdomen and bounced down in to his lap. He made a soft oof sound, instinctively reaching down to stop the descent of the bag from hitting anything sensitive as he leaned forward suddenly to give the appearance that it had hurt. It hadn't honestly, but the movement made the already loose towel around his waist slip at the edge to expose an unbroken line from hip to thigh. His hand on the bag pressed it in enough to keep the important parts covered. He dragged the rag from his face, letting it plop to the couch at his side as his fingers returned to brush through his hair idly. It uselessly fell back in to his face, straight and clinging to his cheeks, the longer parts of his bangs even caressing the corners of his lips as he smiled at the other man. "Not even dressed yet and the merchandise is already getting damaged. It's going to be a rough day."

With a depressed sigh, he scooted towards the edge of the edge to peer over in to the bag. Various clothing items, more small pouches, and other assorted items that he both recognized and didn't. He made a displeased face and shook his head, raising his free hand again to brush over his face as if wiping away his relaxed expression. "Looks like it can't be helped." And then he stood, making the couch give a protesting squeak as his skin brushed over it. The towel, held only in that one place between his hips, fell from his back side to pool in the front. It would be a shame to possibly run head first in to his death without first getting to have a little fun, or pass up the chance to fulfill one of his fanciful wishes. Doubtless that even faced with his doom that he would not have the courage to go far beyond shameless teasing and flirting. "Shall we get started, then?"

Age : 30 Posts : 1688

Clunk. Plop.

The bag flew through the air, unguarded by the man in hardly any clothing, slamming against his quickly condensing abdomen, the warm muscles sliding together and raising in order to take shape, only to fall on a much more fragile piece of the man's body. As if reacting in real time, eyes closed as he lurched forward, going through the natural response of a man threatened in that way; one that resembled pain despite not actually being painful in every circumstance. He had gotten the point of the message, and that was what mattered. Inoshi smiled a bit, watching over the man and studying his reactions as they occurred. The pouch was one that carried nothing more than the basic shinobi tools, as most of the others were as well, but it still posed possible damage to those less innocent areas. He understood that. "Not even dressed yet and the merchandise is already getting damaged. It's going to be a rough day." His attitude seemed untouched. Unshaped by his mission and its possible outcome, so it would seem, he spoke as if speaking to a friend on a day off work. Casual. Almost too casual.

But Inoshi could call the bluff. He could see right through it. There was just a cover being placed over the way he really felt. It was almost obvious to someone like Inoshi, looking through him as if he were glass. The man did not remove the bag from its place. Instead, he pressed it against himself, leaning forward and continuing his movement in order to lean into a standing position. Inoshi's hands clenched as he did so, his head tilting to the side as he watched. Knees bending, Akki rose, the tools pouch holding the towel against his low waist, just covering what he wanted to cover. An almost flirtatious glance skimmed across his face. Inoshi's own reflected a psuedo confusion, as if trying to egg the man on, and come out on top.

"Looks like it can't be helped." Inoshi replied with a small tilt of his head, and a slight narrowing of his eyes, not making a move of his own, but not yet stopping the red haired man opposite him. Instead, he offered a small grunt which stated he agreed, though his head was much more analytically active than that. The man's stance changed, his whole emotional database, the position he held the towel in as it revealing much more than what was visible only seconds ago. "Shall we get started, then?" Inoshi's face bent into a smile, obviously reading the situation as what it was with a graceful ease. However, his actions were hardly expected. Taking a step forward, and thus closing a lot of the space between Akahari and himself, Inoshi reached down, grabbing the main section of clothing to the ANBU uniform - a black, tight almost spandex like material that hugged the body, getting a bit looser around the legs. It was sleeveless, but encompassed the entire body. A grey flack jacket was placed over this, hiding the zipper at the back of the unitard - and holding it up to the red headed man, the smile becoming more and more evident on his face.

With a single motion, he shoved the piece of clothing against Akahari, pinning it to his chest, leaving nothing more than two feet between the two men. The black, tight suit covered Akahari's body, laying over top of the towel. Inoshi's fingers pressed against the red head's chest, landing against the valley between his pectoral muscles. "Sure, Akki-san. Put this on. I have good news for you." Inoshi paused for a second, making direct eye contact with the man who was so close to him. "The mission details have changed. Your goal has been altered." Giving Akahari a look as if to suggest that he take hold of the black body suit, and waiting for him to do so, Inoshi turned around, letting go of it as he turned around, walking a few steps back to lean on the wall opposite the jounin. "Kirigakure intelligence have intercepted numerous rumors and response plans formulated by none other than the Daimyo himself. While some of the information is classified, what you need to know is this." Inoshi paused, his voice dropping a single level of volume. "The Daimyo is the enemy. You're to intercept his transport, as we had planned, and wipe him out. When the guards resist you, which of course they will, you're to wipe them out as well. You can do so in whatever manner you wish, I do not care how flashy you get. Wearing the ANBU uniform may buy you enough time to get close, but the guards have been ordered to kill on site, regardless of the incoming target. I assume they'd even try and strike at me, should I appear on the scene."

Just as serious as before, Inoshi's eyes diverted to other parts of Akahari's anatomy, scanning him for his muscle system, checking him like a computer would check something, looking for any possible flaws, but finding few. He was in working order. "While you're doing this, understand that I will be in constant contact, and not far away. However, I may or may not be able to easily accompany you, should you need it. I am going to be keeping myself... busy. I have my own business to attend to; business which is just as classified as what you are doing." Inoshi offered a friendly smile towards Akahari, his eyes obviously moving back into place with the other man's in order to study the piece of art that stood before him, relaxed and without cover. Leaning back, he let a sigh of partial relief wash through his lips. "The most important part is that you stay safe, Akki-san. I do not want to lose someone close to me through this ordeal. Do you understand?" Inoshi looked earnest. He knew that his feelings had evolved. This man was not just a mere specimen. He was an honest friend. Someone that Inoshi could rely on. A teammate. A companion. "Are you ready?"

ANBU Suit:

Posts : 150

Lost in my respite...

The red haired man watched curiously as the Mizukage took that large step in his direction, cutting out a lot of the distance that separated them and allowed the man to think coherently. He had gotten better at it the more he had seen the other man, but that odd fascination was the least of his worries. There were no barriers up to stall the swell of infatuation that sent needles in to his extremities, and set his gaze across the sculpted planes of the other man's face. The curve of his full lips in to that familiar smile, the memory of his chiseled body sculpted surely by the hand of God himself, that sensation of being burned from the inside out the closer he came to that golden skin. Originally, he had thought that his unique sensing abilities had intensified the reaction he naturally gave to Inoshi's toxic aura, but that wasn't entirely it, was it? No, it was much more dangerous then that. He had been spared the worst of it the first two times he had met the man before him, but the third time nearly broke his soul in half with the intensity of the reaction. Only sheer will to not be torn apart had brought him back to the surface of his sanity and broken the near enthrallment. The combination of factors made the blond man his kryptonite, and his sun so to speak. Killing him while he makes him stronger.

He watched the flash of fingers as they slid in to the bag, retrieving a black piece of clothing that took him a few moments to recognize. The fact he hadn't instantly realized what it was said how distracted the other man had made him by just the simple action of moving closer. Distance and ample distractions were the only things that kept Akahari safe from him these days. The smile became more pronounced, and suddenly he felt a pressure against his chest that broke him from his tidal waving thoughts. Instinctively, he had started to raised his hand to grab at whatever had hit him, but his hand stopped mid motion when he realized it was living contact. Inoshi's hand was pressed in to his chest, the suit's fabric curled between his fingers. Thunk. The weapon bag he had been holding was now on the floor, a small tinkling sound of the metallic objects within resettling as the white towel fell on top of it silently. Of course, he was naturally right handed, and although he had mastered the use of both hands most of his reflexes still corresponded to this natural rule. And, of course, his right hand had been holding the weapon pouch and the towel in place. Luckily for him the suit was long enough to cover up what the towel no longer was, but he was facing other problems not so easily obscured as before.

His hand finished it's path and took hold of the fabric, his fingers brushing the hand of the other man as he withdrew. He had been talking, and Akki had been doing his best to focus on the words and focus on the situation. The mission had changed? The was almost a look of determination as he listened to the other man obediently, a red flush creeping over his nose and cheeks as he stood there. Now that Inoshi was moving away, it was easier to breath, but the effects of his actions stuck fast to the red head who cast his golden eyes to the floor and slightly turned his body in an attempt to conceal himself better. Why was he getting so uncomfortable now? It wasn't like him for nudity to be a problem. There was a pause in his speech, and the slightly shorter man raised his gaze back up to the other man as he started to speak again. I do not want to lose someone close to me through this ordeal. He shook his head lightly in answer to the question that followed shortly after despite it most likely having been rhetorical. Akki was still stuck on the words he had spoken prior. Someone close to me... His face was burning slightly more so now and he willed it to go away swiftly.

The mission was going to be a bit easier, he wouldn't have to hold back anything. That was good news, indeed, but that didn't erase the fact that he was liable to lose his life in the process. A weight he hadn't known had settled in his heart lightened slightly, but he knew it was still there. It wouldn't go away until this was all over. He blinked at the other man as he leaned back against the wall and his gaze roamed. The burning in his face increased to the point he decided it was time to turn around to avoid the embarrassment. Even with his back on the other shinobi, he could still feel the weight of his eyes. Are you ready? A light sigh escaped his lips as he lowered the suit from his chest and fiddled with the zipper, knowing that Inoshi would only see the unbroken line of his backside from this angle. "As ready as I'll ever be, Shishou." He chuckled lightly as he bent at the waist, lifting one foot and then the other in to the legs of the suit carefully. Falling while doing this would just be too undignified, so would making a wrong movement and flashing everything at once. He was grateful for mastering the art behind the use of his own body so well. The remnants of his play on the inside joke the two shared still on his lips as he slid the fabric up his body. "You may need to help me zip this, though. I'm not used to wearing these."

Age : 30 Posts : 1688

The time of the day was drawing to an end. The little bit of lasting peace between the two men was also starting to crumble under the pressure of what was to happen soon. It was a big deal. A huge deal. Something all to village altering, and revolutionary from within the shinobi world. Inoshi's lips curls into a demonic smile as he thought of all the freedom he would assume, as well as all of the power that he would gather from not only being free of the Daimyo's chains. Answering to anyone made Inoshi feel sick. He would not tolerate to be summoned and dismissed on a whim by a lesser individual. A rotting example of expired human. The radiance of Kirigakure's potential was being held back by the man's inept orders and rulings, stealing the most mighty shinobi for himself, fearing his own life out of the weakness he possessed. The inability to fend for himself. He was from the lesser bread of humans, even. The ones unable to mold their own chakra and produce incredible results. He was literally a nothing that wore nice clothes. Bathed in riches. Fell victim to the sin of greed and gluttony. Disgusting.

Inoshi's hand fell, releasing the fabric into Akahari's grasp, and causing him to lose hold of the other obstacle to his body. Of course, the black lining of the ANBU material covered him for the most part. It didn't matter. Inoshi's eyes never left the man's own, knowing full well what he would see should he decide to take a gander in the downward direction. Taking a step back, and thinking in silence, Inoshi started to review all of the information regarding the mission once more, debating what would and should remain as classified, and what should be considered information vital to Akahari's survival. However, it did not take long for the man to turn, exposing his back side, and enter the black and skin tight suit. His voice sounded almost timid when he asked from help, his energy having changed significantly from the Akahari he had originally gotten to know. He was much more reserved around the blonde man now. Most likely the lingering effects of Inoshi's jutsu, the chakra having permeated him and broken boundaries which, for all intents and purposes, may not have been ready to be broken. But that was half of the fun. Seeing just how strong the individual's mentality was. Were they able to understand the change, and adapt with it? Or would they be sucked into the infiniti of insanity like most of the rest. Thus far, Akahari had proven to be Inoshi's most promising experiment. Someone that was certainly no longer bound to that title. Friend. No more. Teammate. Comrade. Partner.

"You may need to help me zip this, though. I'm not used to wearing these." Inoshi's eyes fell into a slightly unamused, joking expression as he shot a you would, wouldn't you glare at the red haired man. Making small tsk noises with his lips as he re-took the step forward, Inoshi's hands jutting forward, grabbing the zipper that started at the small of Akahari's muscular back, and pulling it upwards until it reached the end of the line and stopped zipping at his neck. When the zipper fell from Inoshi's grasp, his hand continued moving, veered to the right, and placed itself upon Akahari's shoulder, forcefully turning him clockwise in order to face Inoshi again, now only an arms length apart, Inoshi hand still making the contact with the black suited man. His eyes looked serious, almost deadly for a second before he broke his voice apart into a teasing comment. "You expect me to trust you with killing the most protected man in the Land of Water when you cannot even zip your own zipper. This is going to be a long night, isn't it..." Inoshi smiled, patting Akahari's shoulder once, and then dropping his hand back to his side.

Bending slightly over himself, Inoshi turned, picking up the next article of clothing - the grey flack jacket of the Kirigakure ANBU. Bringing it around and back to Akahari, Inoshi pushed it, too, against his chest, this time with a sarcastic, jokingly insulting look. "This, I hope you can manage on your own, yes?" It was the tone that was used between friends. Friends waiting before something big was to happen. Friends that may possibly be saying their last goodbye to each other. Worse, really. Inoshi knew that, by the end of the night, he very well may have to kill the red haired man standing in front of him in order to cut his losses and save the political sphere of his village. At least, that was the idea. Inoshi quickly banished the thought from his mind, knowing that there would always be another way around something so drastic, it was just a matter of finding out what. "Let's go."

Posts : 150

What do you want from me...

Akahari could feel the movement behind him as the other man took a step forward, smiling lightly as he felt the glare through his back like a heated arrow. As much as he had anticipated the light touch of the man as he pulled the zipper up his pale back, he hadn't expected the touch to feel so empty now. What was wrong? A coldness seemed to shiver at his finger tips, resonating up his hands and in to his arms as he frowned in confusion. Wait...he knew this sensation. He was...nervous? While he had been using the good humor to push it down to a place where he couldn't feel it, Inoshi's moody harshness and dodgy remarks to his jibes had been wearing him down. The red head wasn't used to working with others, let alone being cared about by anyone. A hard life surrounded by so many people, but yet being so alone and abused had caused the weakness he was feeling now. Inoshi wasn't just the means to his existence, so was he becoming the reason to fight for it? The hand on his shoulder forcefully turned him to the blond, but his expression was a gentle downward curve of his lips and a slight furrow in his brow. A strangely young expression, but then he had never had a true childhood or a true transition out of it. The words the man spoke made him shake his head lightly, averting his soft golden eyes to the floor as he said words filled with a hollow humor. "Everyone has their weaknesses. Mine just happens to be clothing and hot...bodies."

His gaze raised back up as he spoke, but it was his turn to retreat from the man watching him after gently taking the grey jacket from his outstretched hand. The slight tremble of his hand was the only real indication to his mixed emotions, but he figured he should ride out the nervousness before he was in real combat. Because then it might be a hindrance to his ability, and it would be too late to fix it. It was like the warmth of his aura receded with the solemness as he turned to the side and slid his arms in to the jacket. His eyes closed in the nearly silent action. He wasn't used to feeling so many emotions in one day. A long night, indeed. He almost looked forward to being surrounded by the inevitable violence and blood shed, because that would never change for him. The thrill of a fight, the rippling static of his body's potential like a live wire across his bones. The thought came to him, again, that he may not survive the fight. And if he did make it home again, would Inoshi be waiting to put a knife through his back? There was no doubt of his capability to do so. In fact, Akahari might even paint a target on himself to make it that much easier. Trying to fight your own drive for existence was a futile thing.

He reached for the weapons bag, strapping it to his leg before walking around the blond man and rummaging in the bag. The rest of the gear was small things; Fingerless gloves, another pouch, small weapons that fit in to the jacket's slots, and other assorted things. The last thing he pulled from the bag was a mask; He held it with both hands, examining the white, red, and black lines that depicted a cat that almost seemed to smile back at him. The barest touch of fangs showed from the thick, black line of it's mouth, giving it a slightly demented look. He dropped his hands, holding on to it with his left. "Yes, let's." The white static was creeping in to his mind, a natural defense to the annoying emotions that got in the way of his thoughts. His hands no longer trembled, but there was a tenseness to his shoulders that ran in a fine line down his back. He was now as ready as he was ever going to be, and moving past the other man and towards the door. Already locking his attention on his destination. It wouldn't be until they were outside that they parted ways, but he had to start his own process early of distance.

[Exit]

Age : 30 Posts : 1688

Inoshi's bubbling and festering feelings held themselves down, strapping themselves to something stable. It was all too like what had happened years ago. A single bond that he had made. Another important person that he hardly understood to the fullest potential. Rather. Someone that he wanted to be surprised about. Wanted to be caught off guard with. Someone that he enjoyed being unable to predict to the fullest. Passion, ad a single fire that burned with Akahari was what made him harder to predict. Made him entertaining, even to the blonde man. His contact with the man's shoulder was broken as he bent over, strapping the other instruments onto his body, acquiring the full look of a Kirigakure no Sato ANBU black ops member. Of course, after this was all done, Inoshi had something in mind that would solidify that into a more permanent role. Inoshi simply watched over the man as his actions left him more and more covered with the fabrics of disguise. The tight black fabric hugged the toned muscles that built him, shaping the V like body type of the man, his broad shoulders and slender, flat stomach, covered by the more baggy, grey flack jacket. Inoshi's eyes approved - no one would be able to tell him apart from a normal Kirigakure no Sato black ops member.

As if giving an approving look to one's son before their first day of school, Inoshi smiled at Akahari's new appearance. "Everyone has their weaknesses. Mine just happens to be clothing and hot...bodies." Inoshi's smile only continued, hearing the submissive and almost shy words. Of course it was a joke, and Inoshi knew that. "Should that be the case, I have a tip for you." Inoshi spoke without looking at Akahari's face, as if studying the man's clothing, and making sure everything was in place, as well as offering glances over to the bag to make sure everything had been drained out of it and was not on the man's body. "I suggest avoiding mirrors when you can. Don't want you getting weak in the knees during any of this." He understood the man's feelings towards him. Inoshi knew that Akahari held a semblance of romanticism towards the Mizukage, and hew also knew that he could use those feelings to motivate him, and push him to the best of his performance. He had seen how the man prepped himself for such things, and it was relax and bathe in certain, lax, and humorous environments. That was what Inoshi could offer.

"Yes, let's." Inoshi's lips pursed for a second, allowing a small burst of air to release from them passively. And so it begun. He could feel the power coming so close to him, reaching out to him and groping at him, feeling him. He breathed it in, sucking it into his lungs. Nothing could stop him now. He was always ahead of the game, not even the Daimyo would be able to stop that much. No one. He was god among peasants here, in this world. Inoshi nodded at Akahari, both of the males dressed in the exact same ANBU clothing, looking to be the same member of the black ops, roughly. Inoshi's hands reached into the pouch at his back side, pulling out a mask that was the exact same mask Akahari also held. Both had microphones in them, allowing for long range communication. They were truly a team now.

Fastening the mask to his face easily, Inoshi looked at Akahari, waiting for him to do the same. Once it was done, he turned and quickly moved back up the stairs to the open air, allowing Akahari to follow him. He would not badger him about the information again. He as confident that Akahari knew and understood the briefings that Inoshi had given him over the past couple days of preparation for this one task. This was a huge deal for Kirigakure. This would make him king. No. Emperor. Turning, he looked back at Akahari, the both of them now out in the night air. In the open. "You're one of the only people I'd trust with this kind of mission, Akki-kun. I am glad that you're doing it with me. I'd have it no other way." A small pause. "I'll... I'll see you on the other side, with open arms. That's a promise. Do you best, Akki-kun, because that's more than enough for this. You're more than ready, otherwise you would not be here. Do you understand?" Another pause. "Thank you, Akki-kun." And with that, the blonde Mizukage vanished into the night. What happened next would become history.

[Exit]