New Allies? [P/Rookie]

Posts : 757

Spoiler:

This mission would be remembered forever, all through time. It would be the first act of pace between both Cloud and Mist countries, and the Alled Ninja himself. Essentially, Shinjin had been sent as an diplomatic agent from Kirigakure, acting on her behalf to deal with a common issue with the Allied Shinobi force. They would be working on a developing case that both of them could handle quite easily. This case however, would grow into something much greater. Maybe down the road it would prompt more than just two ninja, but the force of the entire country.

Shinjin could only hope that this mission would bring about something more than a paycheck at the end of the week. Kirigakure, while under Hiroshi's guidance needed more than just allies. The nation needed to know it was safe from outsiders claiming to have powers larger than what they should rightfully have. Hiroshi's agenda had been to show his people that they were in safe hands, and so far they were. This mission, though C rank had a top secret agenda, one that would hopefully work in both parties favors..

He wondered would this ninja have the time in his schedule to meet up at the location Shinjin had set. It took him hours and a bunch of disguised black ops to spread through the entire Water Country, leaving trails of crumbs only a shinobi of his caliber would see. They were simple notes, detailing in vague description the time, place and whereabouts where the mission would be held. Since Shinjin wanted to get the mission done as soon as possible, he had waited for hours on his arrival. His patience was far from wearing thin, but he was beginning to wonder when he'd show up.

Shinjin thought about the true purpose of the mission, while sitting in a cluster of trees over looking a small swamp beneath his feet. Wildlife lived in freedom and in harmony with nature, bugs and animals all clustered around food or in pursuit of a morning meal. Shinjin swung his feet from the branch, dressed clad in his custom black ops gear, blending as some sort of humanoid king of the jungle. He'd kept his eyes peeled for any movement that was outside of nature ambiance, eagerly listening and watching. A Black Ops ninja emerged from the shrubbery.

“Everything's prepared, we've resurveyed location of their hideout and we'll wait on your command to go.”

Shinjin wanted to make sure there would be no mistakes in this mission. He wanted to show the Allied Ninja a plethora of decency.

“You're dismissed,” and the Oinin Butai agent disappeared.

He'd sent shinobi to scout around, checking for anything that might have caused any problems down the road. Though the place they were meeting in was dank and warm with vegetation and humidity, it was an open area that would hide them well from the scouts in the encampment beyond. Even though the thugs were low-ranking and would easily be defeated in a couple of jutsu, Shinjin wanted to learn more about the ninja that had saved his friends life. He'd prepared to be faced with someone that was more experienced than him, probably a lot older and maybe smarter in some cases. But Shinjin just had to know, outside of the mission, what exactly happened that day. He had to know from the Allied Ninja's own mouth.

Shinjin would feel a bit inadequate, a bit shamed, a bit weak... But deep down this ninja only tried to do good for the village of Kirigakure and only tried to help where help was needed. Still though, Shinjin couldn’t be so sure as trust him entirely. Though they would essentially be forming a new alliance between their countries, he needed to be able to trust this fellow. And doing a mission together would show him how much he could trust him, as trust in the ninja world was everything.

Spoiler:

Posts : 677

A simple task for Shikari and his partner but this would soon become a landmark mission. The Allied Shinobi organization has been sweeping across the lands of shinobi like a perpetual fire burning itself within a forest. It didn’t take a genius to understand the significance to this mission, it is very critical that all shinobi participating are at their top level in every way. Mentally, physically, emotionally. Shikari strives for excellence so he won’t be able to consider this mission a success unless all of the shinobi are able to return home within reasonable trauma. The Nara was a demanding shinobi but for all those who followed him came great success and honor. The motivation that he is able to produce for his comrades is one benefactor that only few shinobi have. He demands ambition in which he will mold into excellence.

Shikari had a constant radar of his surroundings, especially since he is an Allied Shinobi. There have been recent announcements that the Allied Shinobi in particular have been ambushed due to their actions against the nefarious population. He also is in another country, one in which he hasn’t been to in a while and has not have gotten the opportunity to formally express his reappearance. This Nara was also one of the few shinobi who didn’t have a team consisting of other shinobi. Only a small bird by the name of Soge has been by his side over the few years, even she is often gone delivering messages. She was usually the one who would deliver messages of news and missions to him but this time it would be the genius to pick up his own tab. Small bits of information and intelligence was placed all around the country as a hint for him to pick up. ‘Why couldn’t they just tell me?’ He thought wondering who else picked up these little notes. It was an odd way for someone to ask for assistance during a mission but he did know that sometimes he was difficult to locate. Maybe the village even knew that he was preparing to leave so they wanted to be absolutely certain that the Kumogakure shinobi was aware of their situation.

He knew he was in the correct location as he could sense charka, however he was very impressed because these charka deposits were very well suppressed. It was only thanks to his own perceptions and knowledge to the art of stealth that he would have been able to pick up such hidden charka. This only fell within his expectations. Kirigakure shinobi have always been known for their stealth and he would have been disappointed if their stealth capabilities dwindled. His own charka was being sensed by the friendlies in his surrounding area. A simple brisk through the humid air would grant him access into the impromptu headquarters. “What intelligence do we have on these scoundrels?” He spoke loud enough for the entire command post to hear him but he was primarily speaking to the leader. “ I am Nara, Shikari of the Allied Shinobi.” He said as his Allied Shinobi sparkled in the misty lands. His right hand went into his inner trench coat pocket and pulled out a small bag. The bag was filled of clues and notes that were left for him. “How many did I miss?” There was a mutual respect in the air and he could feel the eyes of Kirigakure examining him. These gazes weren't an examination of strength but more of virtue and identity. The young genius has never transitioned into a group as well as this. It certainly was an honor to work with the finest ninja that Kirigakure has to offer and he was sure the honor was mutual coming the other way.

Posts : 757

Shinjin stood on his branch, sizing up the Allied Shinobi as he took in every bit of information he could. One fact was prominent through everything: Shinjin was shorter than him, just like he'd always been in comparison to everyone else. It was something that pegged him, but was really trivial. What he liked most about the shinobi however was his demeanor and attitude, it was strong, outspoken and brimming with confidence like the light of the morning horizon. It would be an excellent honor to serve the village (and the world really) along side such a man. Shinjin knew for a fact that this mission would be easier than most, but now he could see that within Nara Shikari, he may have someone to confide in.

“You didn't miss any of course..” he said, spooling his body up to try to appear tall.

“As far as intelligence, we know they're located at a stronghold about a mile from this swamp, so it won't take us long to get there on foot. We can do this a couple of ways, go in loud and take out everything and everyone, or try to avoid their scouts and use a stealthly approach. Being from Kirigakure you might assume I'd choose the latter, but honestly...” Shinjin sighed.

“I'd rather just go in the easy way. The thugs aren't powerful by any means. The real bread and butter of this mission is finding out their command structure and formulating another mission on how to squelch the operation entirely. This is why we've allowed you to lead us on this mission. Kirigakure wants to show respect to the Allied Shinobi and their group, so we allow you to lead us, since the thugs in question are apart of an organization specifically seeking to harm the name of the Allied Shinobi. So if you will... I will take your rear and watch your flanks.”

Shinjin wanted him in control of the mission, simply because it was a direct order. Though Shinjin fought up close and personal, he was extremely skilled at creating openings and assisting in combat. His ability to pick and choose his fights coupled with the flexibility of ninjutsu, taijutsu and the wind element afforded him the constant element of surprise. Shinjin knew that for each move he made, he could create three more or ten more moves, leaving himself open to any number of possibilities. Also, since he had zero knowledge on the Allied Shinobi's abilities outside of him being Nara, sitting back would allow him to decipher his style and work within his ranges to create powerful combination attacks.

Even though Shinjin had on his mask, he was still very clear and transparent about how he wanted the mission to go. He wanted to maintain a sense of decency for this new fellow and show him open trust. He wanted to show that Kirigakure as a nation was not scared to look outside of her walls for help, or were too proud of a nation to bend their knees when it called for it. Also, this fellow would have a ton more experience in missions anyways, and since Shinjin was relatively new to his Jounin position inside the Oinin Butai (and in general) it would be a learning experience for him to pick up tipsand tricks along the way.

Shinjin moved to the right side of the shinobi, standing a distance off as to not invade his personal space. With a single hand raised to his shoulder in a fist, every Black Ops member that kept watch over their safety left, leaving them completely alone in the swamp. Now, there was only a single direction they could go. Forward. Shinjin opened the way, putting his hand forth like a waiter showing a guest to table.

“Please, if you will... Mr. Nara. Let us purge these fools who seek to harm the Allied Shinobi and seek to harm Kirigakure and her people. Any information that you need that I have, I am openly willing to share.” Shinjin said, waiting for the incursion to begin.

Posts : 677

The Allied Shinobi caught his eye to Kirigakure ninja standing on a branch in a tree. Kirigakure had this odd thing that he noticed, many of their ninja looked like something coming off of a propaganda poster. The ninja easily had an intimidating factor that could strike fear in his enemies. Of course, one might assume that he may be a cold and heartless ninja upon first glance. His charka was similar to his in quantity which surprising due to how young this ninja looked. This young man must have been one of the few child prodigies that the shinobi world has to offer. Oddly enough, he has been seeing this much more often. Maybe jonin standards are lowering...or childhood training has massively intensified. The core of this mission will determine the answer to this question. Like in any squadron, Shikari wanted to know who here was medically trained. Maybe the Oinin Butai was different since he couldn't see any medical badges nor equipment.

I will take your rear and watch your flanks.” A smile appeared on the face of the Nara as he heard the final words. This required such trust...a certain type of trust that is difficult to bond with a stranger. His ears and eyes would not let him be deceived, he could hear the truth in his voice and read his face. This Kiri ninja was already resembling a fine comrade. One of the many dangers of being an Allied Shinobi is having to deal with unfamiliar ninja, sometimes the missions seem dubious and may be a ploy. Being as cautious as he is, he won’t let his guard down from his comrade but he also isn’t expecting a blow from him either. There is a certain bond that teammates will develop over time. He has bonds connected all around the world, hopefully these bonds won't be severed anytime soon. Shikari couldn't refuse his plan because then he'd create tension within the squadron and the bond would be damaged. He felt like the duo wouldn't be able to participate at their fullest extent and create the flow needed for this mission.

The intelligence given to him wasn't as much as he desired. Numbers were a main thing in battle and he'd have to set his strategy to satisfy the difference between how many men he had and how many thugs were presumed to be within the confined compound. He looked at the man who gave him this intelligence and stuck out his hand for a formal handshake. “Nara, Shikari.” He said with a smile. “It is a pleasure to work with you…?” The latter part of his introduction turned more into a question since he had no idea what to call this young man. He didn’t want to mistake him for anyone else because the notes he was given had names on them but he didn’t know whom they belonged to.

The Nara watched as his teammate called off his subordinates. The Oinin Butai were clearly no force to be reckoned with. Their discipline is admirable and their techniques are noxious. Shikari has heard many tales of this group, hopefully the tales are accurate to their actual strength and skill. “You may call me Shikari. How many medical trained ninja do we have in this squadron? What do the numbers look like? How many of us and how many of them? I would rather get this rid of these hooligans with one swift thrust of justice. If these numbers are unknown then we may need to capture several scouts to interrogate them and confirm numbers. Our plan will be determined by the intelligence we can gather. If we just want their command structure then we can extract that intelligence from the scouts as well. But, if that is all we need...why am I here?” He said almost motivating his comrade for a full on raid of the compound. There won’t need to be a follow-up mission with Shikari around. If his allied had anything else to say, now would be the time. The leader of this mission was already preparing an assault mentality for things would soon to get interesting.

Posts : 757

Shinjin returned his hand shake, feeling as if he'd just shook hands with justice in the flesh. But now was the time to not be caught up in admiration. The enemy needed to be squandered and they didn't have time to waste. But since Shinjin was being so hospitable, he might as well just give the Allied Shinobi what he needed so they could set off and start the mission.

“This mission mainly focuses on information gathering. We won't know our enemy until we get there. As far as medical shinobi we have none with us at the moment, but I doubt such an easy mission will put us in harms way. You're here because this, according to what intel we do have, is only the beginning. This strong hold is not the entire command structure, though clues may lead us to them in the future.”

Shinjin got to the meat of his conversation.

“Since we wanted the Allied Shinobi with us 100% of the way on this mission, I've not been worrying about this particular one, but past missions I've done for the Black Ops organization within Kirigakure. There was a time when I was tasked on a recon detail to find out how ninja were being abducted.”

Slowly but surely, everything would began to make sense to Mr. Shikari.

“I have this uncanny feeling that after we take out this group, we'll find some clues that will lead us to a woman I've met up with before. Her name is Shiva. Let me explain to you how Shiva poses a threat to not only your group as an Allied Shinobi, but the entire world.” Shinjin took a slight breath.

“Shiva had the know-how and resources to take any average ninja and turn them into her sleeper agents. Essentially, Shiva has been amassing an army by traveling the entire world, creating sleeper agents out of the world's shinobi. I fear that Shiva is involved with these group of thugs, as their organizational structure is too high level for any untrained fool. Though our opponents will be weak, it is the command structure that they have... Their leaders and their bosses' boss, these are the people who we will seek in the future. This cannot be over in just a single mission... no Mr. Shikari, we need you to see it all, offer us your strategic insight on why Shiva's amassing an army and why she wants you.”

Shinjin tried his best to explain it, carefully showing parallels between Shiva and the mission at hand. For some reason he felt that the Allied Shinibi didn't know what type of power he actually had, that his red hand band was greater than his group. There was no doubt that Shiva could be among the group of corrupted thugs and even ninja within Kirigakure. Shinjin already assumed that much. But for the world to be after the Allied Shinobi, and essentially Mr. Shikari, Shinjin would have to deal with it before it could fester into a larger problem. Global jurisdiction was no laughing matter.

Shinjin moved a bit, looking out to the horizon, carefully seeing something that didn't fit. A mile away from their position -where the stronghold would be- a yellow flare shot into the air and exploded into a bright cloud of dust. It dotted the sky in its bright color, marking something. Shinjin looked towards the ninja, and then back at the cloud. Both of them would begin to see the forest teeming with thugs. There was only one explanation.

Somehow, these thugs knew they were there. Had the Oinin Butai been compromised? Had someone leaked intelligence? Shinjin felt embarrassment.

“I think our location has been compromised. From now on we must fight!” Shinjin would move towards the oncoming battle, staying at pace with Mr. Shikari if he followed.

“Let us be quick with this, there are probably 200 or more of them.” Shinjin clasped his hands together, preparing a jutsu. “Remember, this mission is your lead! Take point and lets knock heads. Show the world how great the Allied Shinobi are!”

Posts : 677

Shikari listened intently as his crony spoke more about the mission itself. The young gentleman was very polite so he wouldn’t interrupt when he heard something he didn’t like. ‘No medical ninja? Assumptions are what kill shinobi!’ His face stood motionless as he continued to auscultate. ‘Ahh..this is only one ant of the hill. There must still be some form of communication between this installment and the proprietors. How could such a horde go unnoticed?’ His mind was starting to reach the early states of annoyance; his face showed a puzzled face.

Things started to get interesting as the conversation started to head off into an entirely new discussion of this Shiva lady. Shikari already knew that this Shiva lady was going to impose an amusing chapter in his life and for the Allied Shinobi. ‘Sleeping agents? She’d need to be able to activate the agents in a swift manner over long distances.’ His mind started to wander off into different approaches as to how and what Shiva could do with these ‘sleeper agents’. ‘Wants...me?’ He was always under a threat of death so this news wasn’t shocking to him; it was odd that Shikari had never heard of this Shiva and yet she might be associated with such a threat.

A yellow flare struck the sky and exploded. The sky was then covered in dust, this was all apart of attentions. Shikari looked over to his colleague who looked at him. The Nara thought that the flare might have been something to activate the sleeper agents and he didn’t know if the man standing next to him was a sleeper agent. A smiled appeared on his face, as he entered a defensive stance. A simple defensive precaution was to be implemented. During his times of protection, this would be considered a threat. His sensing abilities rushed into action to feel for any nearby charka that might cause him some harm. He could feel the forest canker out into thugs and bandits; the forest was being engulfed with goons.

“How?” His voice stated, breaking the silence. There was an irritation in his voice. It was clear that somebody messed up and Shikari wanted to know who; that was for later. There is always little hope for Shikari and for the sake of being stealthy, he would not bring out Warden. He may be for another time. “Well, we are going to have to kill every single one because their charges are punishable by death.” His voice was cold...he seemed heartless at the moment. A stern cold look over his shoulder towards his comrade, awaiting his approval. It may have been odd to see such a young cold individual, especially since when he was younger he was youthful and embedded with hope. However, he realized as he grew as a shinobi that hope is futile and worthless and yet knowing that, it is still hard to let go of hope.

He leap up and charged through the trees, his footsteps were silent. It would be difficult for any bandit to even catch a glimpse of him since the underlying canopy of branches and leaves provided cover from below. It is going to be a nuisance to have to kill so many men, but somebody had to do it. In his mind, he hoped that he was already at the main command post so he can dispose most of them in a quick and efficient manner. Sitting on a tree branch hidden in the brush, he noticed a group of 4 bandits on the floor. The bandits were armed and looking around for shinobi. The Nara turned his head towards his comrade and nodded his head. Shikari wanted to what his teammate could do. Next time, it’ll be his turn.

Posts : 757

Why'd everything have to be so hard? It was difficult getting him out here, and now it was difficult doing things with this guy. Shinjin thought, maybe I've tried too hard. Maybe I've made it too obvious. But he's here and now he has no choice. It's the way it's gotta be.

The thugs would be a problem of course, because now he'd have those enemies and his own enemy, but Shinjin could handle it. He was limber enough and very elusive. Shinjin's body flowed like water. There was no real need for extraneous preparation, Shinjin learned that much from Kyu simply by watching him. It was as simple as throwing a fist right into their mouths. Sure, in action it wasn't that simple, but it was that mentality that Kyu was trying to teach him. That the goal isn't that difficult, but the path may be. If you focus on your goal, then the obstacles blocking the way will not stop you. Or maybe, Kyu really meant to punch people in the mouth. Maybe there was no hidden meaning and Kyu was just being an ass... again.

When he'd moved down from the initial onslaught, Shinjin thought that strange. They could easily killed two or three with some well placed shuriken, and then used some type of ninjutsu to gather them all in a single spot or wipe out a chunk with some ninjutsu. Was Hiroshi's clan this weak? No... it couldn’t be. He felt bad for Hiroshi knowing that he was distantly related to this fellow. Yet it was still kind of funny, thinking about Hiroshi being related to someone this clunky in combat. At least Hiroshi would've realized what was going on by now though, and not have been so gullible.

But now, here we have it! Here we have undeniable proof of the inferiority of the rest of the world. I have it in my hands right next to me and I'm not letting it go. Kyu, Hiroshi and even Kirima might be pleased to know that they were the strongest motherfuckers in existence. He was sure Hiroshi would get excited over this -did Hiroshi know what excitement was?- and praise him. Not for what he would do, but for simply turning over rocks and finding the truth. Yeah Hiroshi, the worlds shit and I got the papers to prove it. You're leading the strongest ninja force in the world to-fucking-date. Good job old man.

Shinjin kept pace with his 'partner' never moving too far away from him as they dropped down low, sharing a branch to spot four thugs that had not noticed their position yet. Shinjin kept his jutsu prepared on his perch, keeping two fingers pricked on his hand just in case. It became very clear that these were just obvious thugs. Shinjin, being as stealthy as ever thought they wouldn't notice if he farted, by the way they lumbered around the ground floor like gorillas. They slashed at weeds and high grass to clear their paths, sure of the notion that nature was just some basic bitch.

When they'd got enough of a look, Shinjin eyed his comrade as he nodded for him to attack first.

Welp, he said it. It wasn't me! He wants it!

Instead of attacking the thugs, Shinjin released his jutsu that would cause a shadow clone to instantly appear next to him. Since he was sitting on the tree branch -and Shinjin was perched on his toes- his only choice of movement was to jump down, or bring his feet up, or try to some how move with limited mobility by using his arms. Either way, that bunshin would attempt to grab his body by the arms and wrap around him. Being so close it was almost impossible for this grappling motion to fail, especially since Shinjin and his clone were skilled taijutsu users. Even if he tried jumped down to escape the grab, he would still have enough time to grab him by his hair and hold him by it.

Shinjin wanted to say 'sorry not sorry' but he had no time for words. This was the cruel world of shinobi. Where a bastard like me makes a mission to draw you in to your death. Makes it just so he can fail it. Makes one just to impress his boss. This guy shouldve noticed something was weird and acted on it. Kumo and Konoha were too damn trusting.

Ninja's had to learn one way or the other.

Spoiler:

Posts : 677

As the Nara nodded, he jumped out of the tree to attack the bandits. Perhaps, his fellow comrade did not fully understand him. A shinobi should never fight alone, when there is a pair. Teammate is essential to a complete mission. His body already left the tree as he noticed an immediate threat where he was. He could also, hear the footstep. Being the ever cautious shinobi he was, he knew that there must have been a mistake. He was not surprised but he knew he was in harm’s way. Whatever it was had a clear shot to do damage. Luckily for him, they weren’t quick enough to catch Shikari completely off guard. His right hand moved instantaneously, there couldn’t have been anything faster than his right hand. With all the practice and hours we put into perfecting his handseals, it would be a shame for him to see another hand quicker.

It felt like time had slowed down for him. He could tell that the teammate he was with was lying the entire time. Allied Shinobi were given their missions directly from the embassy and he was being way too respectful. With Shikaris sharp eye, he knew a lie as soon as he saw one. Also, to create Shiva? The Allied Shinobi have a very extensive bingo book and Shiva has never been on any grand importance. His own explanation of Shiva created more caution for the Allied Shinobi since he would not know if the man was a sleeper agent or not. This comrade of him didn’t even tell the Nara his own name. Shikari went on his own accord to see what the situation was here, it might have been a little more than he begged for. He thought that the Oinin Butai would be coming soon; this might not end soon. Also, what was that flare for?

His body was in the air with his legs perched up to his chest. His right hand performed a jutsu while seemingly not moving, it was truly a marvelous performance. The jaw of the shinobi dropped down within the second to allow him to spit out water. An explosion from the location he was at made it clear that someone was trying to kill him. His jutsu was far from over, the explosion came very quickly. Almost as quickly as his jutsu. He fought off the fiery explosion with his wall but could feel the heat. He knew that he wasn’t going to die here, he had the confidence of an Allied Shinobi. The force was pushing him back towards the other side of the road into the trees. He was lucky that his suiton element had an advantage over the fiery explosion, certainly saved his life. He was literally fighting off the fire from inches away. Yet he didn’t forget where he was. The sensory capabilities of his are remarkable. As he was performing this jutsu, he could sense everything going around him. He knew where the man who tried to take his life was going and what to expect from there. The explosion ceased and did no damage. Sweat from the heat dripped onto his arm as he quietly landed between the trees on the other side of the road. He got a quick glance at his surroundings as he landed, there was a kunai towards his left on his side of the road stuck in a tree and a shuriken stuck on a tree on his right side.

The thugs might be able to buy some time for Shikari because they felt the explosion but not the power of it. The 4 bandits charged towards the explosion looking for a shinobi to kill. This wasn’t good for Shikari, he was on the defensive and he thought Oinin Butai would be coming soon. He needs to get out of harms way. He jolted away from the scene as quick as he could. He was certain that he’d have a good start since no one would be able to track his location, due to his stealthiness. His alert was on full red and was prepared. There wasn’t going to be a way that he’d be able to defeat everyone. “Red Alert, Allied Shinobi Attacked.” Speaking to in his radio.

Spoiler:

[Exit]

Age : 31 Posts : 1637

MOD POST

First thing's first - Rookie, your SCs are outdated and until you get them updated, they will be invalid (it'll be as if you don't have them). Though that's an entirely different matter, it IS important and as such I wanted to address it while I'm already here. Since there was a site update post about it, even if you weren't there since then, it's your responsibility to stay up to date on these things. Not knowing is not a cop-out. But on to the more important matter at hand.

The order of events, as outlined in your and Izayah's posts, is as follows:

After the flare goes up, Shikari takes off - away from Shinjin, so is back is turned to him.
Shinjin follows Shikari, basically immediately behind him, and having already prepared his technique, immediately launches it when Shikari is stationary on the branch.

Consequently, you cannot have been out of range of the clone's grab, especially since Shinjin can move significantly faster than you (and his clone would have his abilities). Even if you had started to jump away as the clone spawned, the clone would be able to reach you before you managed to launch the technique.

Additionally, Shinjin didn't even set off the explosion yet, so unless you're implying that one of the bandits set off some sort of explosion, there's no explosion. Furthermore, Izayah has A-Rank stealth, and since you don't have some form of enhanced hearing, you wouldn't have heard the footsteps.

You'll need to edit your post accordingly.

Posts : 757

Shinjin's clone grabbed Mr. Nara by the arms and pulled upward, swinging his body around front. Shinjin instantly for the wrists after pulling two kunai from his belt in either hand, stabbing through the backside of Shikari's hands to the thighs. No jutsu, no movement. He wasn't going to have him conjuring up some one handed bullshit. There was no hesitation in his movement, he did not want him screaming or making any unnecessary noise. Once he'd crucified his hands in place, he placed his left hand over Shikari's mouth. There was some struggle, but Shinjin was physically superior and could easily hold him with the bunshin.

“The Allied Shinobi can't exist. I'm sorry it has to be this way. I would ask you if you had any last words, but I kinda have my hand over your mouth.” He shuffled his shoulders as if to show he didn't care and pulled out his ninjato. I'd be the first time he used it.

“Damnit man! Didn't you realize this is war? People are going to be dying soon, and you and Ms. Sorceress did not see anything. Completely blind. Did you think such a group like the 'Allied Shinobi' could exist?? It's bulls--”

“You're fucking talking to a dead man, shut up and kill him.”

Shinjin other self was right. There was no time for words or monologuing him to death. It bugged him, that thought flying around his head, but he was unable to swat it away. How had he not realized it? Maybe he didn't want to come to terms with the truth. A real ninja would listen to their intuition, the voice whispering in the corners of their mind. To heed it, embrace it and most importantly, trust it was key. And now Shikari had ignored the warnings and the shoutings and all of the noise his inner intuition. voice made. He'd plugged his ears and shunned it all in exchange for a smile.

Which was retarded because Shinjin had a mask on, like... How do you trust someone who hasn't even shared their name with you? The same person with a mask on. The same person being overly courteous while meeting you out in a forest completely alone. (You too Ms. Sorceress, he thought) Shinjin stopped worrying about it and started pushing the blade into his throat.

Stabbing him reminded him of pegging a tree for sap, except sap wasn't this watery and red. Sap was a lot slower, something that took weeks and months to see results. Killing him this way would take just a few minutes. His body could tell anyone that much. Shinjin watched his nose flair for air, trying to breath around the blade lodged in his throat, reaching for life as if his tiny little nostrils could capture it. Breathing so hard only made matters worse. Shinjin's face began to paint red, misting under the spray of blood when it leaked into his frantic trachea.

“Give up the ghost. Go peacefully.”

For the first time, Shikari defied him. He kept struggling for life, pleading for it and crying dishonorably. Shinjin didn't have time for tears. He pulled the blade around the right side of his neck, cutting his jugular and carotid. Shikari's vision would blur before he died, Shinjin left to assume the last thing on Shikari's mind was his own idiocy and Shinjin's lifeless imposing mask.

“So what now?” the clone asked.

“I gotta cut his head off for Hiroshi and Kyu. It's not like they asked for that, I just think it'll be cool. And easier to carry. I was gonna leave a note in his body for Kumogakure, but I think this'll be enough. Come on, lay him out on the branch, it's thick enough.”

Shinjin's clone backed up on the length of the thick branch, laying Shikari's pathetic body along the length of it. With his legs acting as anchors, he was secure from falling over to the ground below. Shinjin began to work up some hand seals.

“Yo, so you think Hiroshi will appreciate this?” the bunshin asked.

“He's got to. It's stupid to have them running around like this. I think he might even promote me. He has no clue we're doing this, but it'll be like a birthday present to him or some shit. I just hope Kyu doesn't flip out and think I went crazy.”

“Well, you are talking to yourself. Just like when Hiroshi was playing chess with himself. Ha! Look at you now! You're no different than Hiroshi! Ah-ha ha ha!!!”

“Shut the fuck up, faggot.”

“Ha, if I'm an faggot then you are!”

Shinjin ignored himself and focused Shikari's body. Shinjin's jutsu formed a blade of wind with the tips of his fingers, keeping it short so it wouldn't cut through the branch as well. With two clean swipes of his fingers across his neck, the head dislodged perfectly with the sound of wet flesh and Shinjin picked it up and held on to Shikari's once silky smooth hair.

“Take his body to the water and send him in the currents. He'll arrive on Lightning Country soil in about two days, if the sharks don't get to him first. Something will wash up. If you get attacked by thugs just detonate.”

Shinjin ignored the idiot thugs rummaging around the jungle. This mission was nothing but an attempt to get Shikari to come out of hiding. As his bunshin split ways, Shinjin tucked little Shikari under his arm, headed back to his bosses desk.

Spoiler:

[EXIT]