Filling In The Gaps (Mission)

Age : 32 Posts : 787

Approved Mission:

There was always a point at which you knew the next big step was being taken. This realization often comes accompanied by the elated feelings of pride in ones self and the fear of twisting your metaphorical ankle and falling flat on your face. The pivoting points in life were rife with mixed emotions, warring entanglements of opposing mental forces, and a pressure to perform. It is key, that in these moments, to step up the challenge, put aside those personal quandaries, and simply do what had to be done. Achieving such a conviction during this inner turmoil was in fact the answer to those doubts. Putting them aside is the only way to put them at ease. Otherwise they had a nasty habit of influencing action in a negative way, sometimes even being a root cause of inaction.

Ni knew that for this particular challenge, he needed to arm himself fully. This task was not one to be solved with the sharp edge of a kunai or through fiery heat of his katon based ninjutsu. This was a matter of social interaction and diplomacy, this was a battle of the mind. Unfortunately such an armory of knowledge that would be required could not be found at the public library. No, he had need for records that were kept under lock and key, only to be revealed to light at an appropriate time. This was such a time.

Procuring the documents had been much easier than anticipated. While Paganini had the strategic advantage here, being a genin had worried him as a potential hindrance to this very important mission. While he had not been able to contact the Raikage directly, a few written requests followed by anticipated explanation had been the beginning and end for permission concerning his conquest. Mana had been right, this was not an issue that Kumo itself seemed overall concerned with, yet still recognized a need to act. Furthermore, Mana's reputation preceded her. The drop of her name, and he was sure this was verified by officials, had vastly improved the rate of speed of communications. Her word was to be trusted and their needs to be met.

Based on Mana's reflections on the overall reaction she had received from individual village shinobi, Paganini had anticipated what the office ordered of him. He was going to have to search for aide from outside their walls. This course of action was not out of the realm of plausibility considering the Daimyo was an important figure to all of Lightning country and not just Kumo itself. The village had a funny way of making you feel separated from the rest of your nation at times. Along with the file on Niku, he received two more as well.

The packets of information had lead him to this dwelling literally cut into one of the nearby mountains. It had been less than an hour journey using his top speed. There was a ceiling overhead made from the same earthen material as the roadway below which he followed into the tiny-by-comparison collection of built-from-rock housings. It all seemed rather primitive when you compared it to Kumo which was vastly wealthy and did not snuff its nose at any expense. For Paganini, though, there was a certain allure about it. The difference, rather, peaked his full interest and he splashed in the bath of this new experience. A little more dirt would be wiped off the window pane from which he viewed the world, expanding his perspectives.

Before Paganini could even venture into the outskirts themselves and begin his search, a strong hand clamped down on his left shoulder, halting his venture. Obeying the implied command to turn, interpreted from the slight tug that was presented after the initial contact, Ni faced the instigator of this interaction. No shirt displayed a well sculpted body, built for vigorous physical feats that almost anyone else would find impossible. The sides of the mans head were shaven, leaving only the top to be covered by hair that was just slightly shorter and duller than his own scarlet mop. The final clincher was the assortment of teal markings inked into his flesh.

The man opened his mouth as though about to speak, his demeanor actually pleasant for someone who clearly wondered what the young Nara's business was. This was not meant to be, as it was Ni who spoke first.

"Tsubasa!"

Age : 32 Posts : 787

The apartment was not as fitting for the hero of a village as one might first imagine in their mind. Even for a lesser village, the whole set up was rather modest for someone of such high prestige as Tsubasa. Even the two glasses freshly laid upon the table were of a plain jain variety as was the table upon which they rested. The amber liquid that was slowly being poured into them however, now that was a fine drink. Rum may have been cheap, but it was one of the most jubilant of liquids. Sweet to the taste and smooth upon the velvet lining of the throat down which it poured as far as alcoholic drinks went. Unlike Sake, it was not of this land, coming in from the sea traders and even pirates. Ni suspected that the vast quantities that were confiscated from the ship based bandits was the only reason it could be found for such a meager price. Not that he was complaining.

"Bless their souls."

"Excuse me?"

Ni picked up his glass and regarded the musicale manner in which the sunbeams floating in from the window next to the two seated ninja danced across the moist surface. Not removing his eyes from the serving sized container, he revealed to his host the musings of why Rum was such a low price for a foreign commodity. He was met with laughter. Tsubasa finished taking his own starter sip and set his cup back upon the table.

"You sure are an interesting one Paganini, I wish Ryu was as lighthearted as you. I love the guy but he's just so damned serious all the time."

"Me? Oh I just like to think about things in different ways. Really broadens the horizons."

"That it does, but I have my own doctrine. Don't think, drink!"

Tsubasa cordially took another sip of his intoxicant, this time neglecting to replace it back on the table.

Things were going quite smoothly. Despite the intimidating image the larger and older man had both on paper and in person, he was as chummy as they came. Upon their meeting outside the......well they weren't really gates, but......an invitation to return to the militants quarters for food and tea. Jokingly, Ni had replied by advocating for something a little more stiff to relax from his journey. Even his Nara born brain hadn't foreseen the suggestion being met with a hearty chuckle and total agreeance. So they had returned, and now they drank. Ni's age hadn't seemed to bother Tsubasa in the slightest.

As if reading his mind, "Some people might look down on allowing someone of your inexperience to partake in these sorts of things, but I say if your old enough to have your throat slit in the name of your village, why the hell shouldn't you be blessed with beverages?"

These two were similar in so many ways, despite their differing approaches to battle and by proxy their job. Then again, who knew? After all, Tsubasa was right, he was inexperienced. Who was to say that in a few years, after gaining some more scars on the battlefield that he wouldn't have a completely different method when it came to combat? Only time would tell. It would take much less time to determine if this was to be a fruitless venture or not.

"The local bars in Kumo don't seem to mind so much. Then again I also perform music at most of them frequently too. I think it just kind of comes with the territory."

"Oh? You play? Don't see a warrior artist every day. Is that part of your arsenal, your secret weapon?"

The first loaded question had been dropped. Although they were hardly enemies, and hopefully would soon be working together, it was still a habitual thing to pry into others technique and stylistic choices. Ni's eyes smiled over the top of his drink as he finished taking a larger gulp, the effects of the drink itself already dulling it's own burn.

"Not yet, but I have a few ideas." This seemed to further engage Tsubasa's interest as he leaned forward, clearly becoming engaged in the conversation. That hadn't taken long. It was almost time to strike.

"You don't say. What's come to that mind of yours?" It seemed that he was also already picking up on the fact that NI had a different sort of thinking than most his age.

"I'd actually be more interested in what you thought of my idea's on another matter." Now he had him.

"To what concern?" The question was not just a passing continuation for conversation's sake. The curiosity was genuine.

"Concerning the elimination of an S rank criminal that plans to assassinate the daimyo of our country."

"DO WHAT!?!?!"

The shirtless ninja looked at the drink his hand, lifting it up to eye level as if to examine it closer. Without lowering it, his eyes shifted to Ni, back to his drink, then back to Ni. His thoughts were clear. 'Surely I haven't had that much to dirnk already.' Out loud he said, "What rank are you again kid?"

"I'm a genin," came the curt response lacking the sheepish tone that it should have been laced with. Tsubasa sat his drink back down on the table finally and slid it away from himself.

"Look man, I don't know your story, but you are out of your mind if you think you have what it takes to take on an S rank ninja no matter where they're from."

"Clearly, that's why I need you Tsubasa-san."

"I think you just best put that drink down and tell me what this visits really all about."

Tsubasa leaned back in his chair, but he was no less invigorated by what Ni was saying. If anything, his sense of awareness had just spiked toa new height. His reaction clearly showed he had been thrown for a loop. This was not what he had been expecting today at all. Especially not from the great village of the country itself.

"Well, back in Kumo we had a visitor named Mana from Konoha show up with the news I just gave you. Obviously the Raikage is pretty concerned about it. Unfortunately, the flip side is that we're pretty short on people right now, there's like a million other things going on at once that can't be ignored either. I don't know the full story myself, but I guess we just lost one of our best ninja too. A jounin Uchiha if I remember right."

"Ya, that'd be Hiruzen, and I know Mana. Alright, I'm sure you've got plenty of more information, otherwise they wouldn't have sent you. I'm still not clear as to why a genin is being trusted with all of this, but right now that's not important. Before anything else, I've got to go get Ryu."

Ni was cut off by the raising of a hand from his listener.

"Good idea, that'll save me from having to explain this twice."

Tsubasa just looked at Ni, unsure of just how much this entry level ninja actually knew. The prospect bothered him, even though he saw no threat here. It still unnerved him to have a genin, a kid, handling something of this magnitude with such a calm and collected demeanor.

Age : 32 Posts : 787

With all three of them now seated by that same window at the same table, the air was much different. Perhaps it was the lack of Rum filled glasses upon the mahogany finish. Ni had already lost the very light buzz from earlier, even though it had not taken that long for Tsubasa to fetch his prodigal student. It seemed more likely, though, that it was with the addition of Ryu that the mood had shifted slightly. It went beyond just what Ni had revealed. The dark haired taijutsu master had a very serious look on his face, just as Tsubasa had alluded to. He was a no nonsense actor.

The window was now cracked open a tad, simply swiveled out at the most minuscule of angles. Just enoguh for a cigarette to pass through and birth an array of ashes to the breeze outside as it passed by the dwelling. The two had walked in moments after he had gotten bored of waiting and decided to light one up. Instead of the chastising he expected upon seeing Tsubasa return home, the senior of the triad had instead requested one. That only seemed fair enough. It was his house after all and Ni had lit up with out inquiring permission. It wasn't like he didn't have a couple dozen extra on him anyway. He could get into a full on fight, use all of his chakra on the techniques that required the cancer sticks and still have plenty left over for the return journey home. Not a beat had been missed in offering one to Ryu as well, but he had, in his own words "respectfully declined." Well at least he was polite, even if a little rugged.

"Alright Ni, tell us what you've got for us."

It was now more than ever that the red head wished that Mana had revealed more to him when he had requested it. Not having information was such a pain no matter what the issue. Trying to recruit other people to your side was even more so a pain. In this setting, it would make him seem more steadfast, more well versed, and more followable. Pining about it would just make it worse too. He just had to assert what he had and damn the rest of it. Being fully honest would help as well.

"In complete truth, we don't have nearly enough intelligence for what we're dealing with here. This organization is top notch and highly secretive. There are two key bits however that we do have. The first being what I told you already Tsubasa, they are going after the daimyo and our very own lightning lord is at the top of the list. The second," At this point, Ni took his unoccupied hand out of the pocket of his black jacket and reached inside towards the left. When it came back out, he was clasping a thin folder which he tossed on the table. The manner of his toss caused it to spin and open, splaying its contents for Ryu and his teacher. "....is that one of their members is Niku Kirikizu."

Ryu was the first to catch on to why this was especially important. It could have been his old ties to the village or just that he was more analytical. Either way, there was something about him that brought him conclusions quicker than Tsubasa.

"And you are pretty sure that she'll be one of the ones they send on this attack because she's from Kumo. She always was a bitch."

Ni only flicked his cigarette out the window again and took another drag. Ryu's secondary comment interested him more than the fact that he guessed why they would focus on this woman. It was a pretty elementary conclusion after all.

"Well Mana does and I'm inclined to agree. So you know her then?"

Ryu just shrugged, his bare shoulders moving up and down in as direct a manner as everything else about him.

"You could say that. We graduated from the same academy class, but outside that I don't have a clue. Never even sparred her. Like I said, she was a bitch, I didn't pay her any mind."

"Well at least that doesn't put us any worse off than what we were." That hadn't been what Ni was hoping for but it wasn't a set back either. Interesting all the same. "All we actually know is her abilities aside from her name. She seems to be able to create and freely manipulate items made of iron. Obviously, that can be extremely potent when you factor in the other small bits of information. An insane chakra reserve, the ability to take a hit quite well, and eyes like a hawk. It also makes note that she seemed to be able to evade almost any attack that was ever thrown at her. Never once came back from a mission with so much as a scratch. I'd say this bitch is creating one bitch of a problem."

Tsubasa chuckled at Ni's attempt to slide a small joke at the end of his brief......well.....brief. It wasn't so much that he found the wise crack to be all that funny. Rather, he appreciated the attempt to stay light hearted when everything was pretty heavy at the moment. In his mind he thought Ryu could certainly learn a thing or two here. It would still be best to get his take on it. He had a tendency to get moody otherwise.

"So what do you think of all this Ryu, think we're up for it?" The last note was a gentle ribbing. The duo was pretty confident in their ability to take on any enemy no matter who they were. Most ninja had a whole army of comrades to rely in times like these. They just had each other and that had always been enough, save for a few close calls.

"Well I can definitely see why they came to us for help if their low on qualified shinobi right now. If it wasn't the daimyo though, I'd honestly say it's not our problem. Being that IS who their target is, I'd say it is though. Ni, Tsubasa said you had an idea or ideas concerning this?"

Normally someone of Ryu's caliber wouldn't even ask someone like him for his opinion but Ni had had more time to process it and there was always a chance that his words weren't exactly his own. The kid also seemed to have a good head on his shoulders anyway. He was still maintaining eye contact with two men that could easily grind him into a pulp with out being intimidated by their status as bad asses.

"I hope you didn't take that to mean that I have a clean, full fledged strategy, because that's something else I don't have yet. There's just not enough information. Plus there's also a chance that whoever she brings along could augment her abilities or maybe she'll be the support side and propping up someone even stronger and scarier than she is. It's impossible to tell."

"Are you going to be going out on the battlefield too?"

"Yes I am."

At this point, Tsubasa's good humor returned in full force as he leaned his chair back on its hind two legs and roared the happiest sound Ni had ever heard.

"The balls on this kid! Wow. I think that settles it, we can't turn away while this guy goes charging in, now can we Ryu? We've got a reputation to uphold!"

"No I suppose not. Besides there's always a chance that by doing this, our village will be more apt to be left alone once word gets around."

Tsubasa shook his head. Maybe one day he'd be able to break through that off putting nature of his student's. For no all he could say was,

"God damn it Ryu."

~Topic Exit~