Ghost of the Forest: C rank Mission

[B0ukun]

Ghost in the Forest

C rank

Setbu
Uneki Ho

$200

[B0ukun]

Chapter 1: The pairing

The clearing at the rear of the village was once 25 acre's of pure grass, a grazing land for passerby animals. Recently, the young Hokage Naruto had leased the land to a band of traveling farmers in exchange for a third of their crops. This had actually pulled a good deal of Konoha's financial dependancy away from shinobi activities.

Ho entered this farming area accompanied by her often melancholy teacher, Anko. the two of them entered the clearing, Ho wearing her hair combed down over her forehead and covering the majority of her eyes. Anko stops and grabs Ho by the shoulder to stop her movment. the young shinobi stumbles backward into her sensi.

Ho: Hey,

Anko: we're here. And I sugest you start doing that thing you do or you teammate will probably kill you.

Ho: Ya know; you're rather pre-occupied with my death.

Anko: Thats because the moment you die I get off this baby sitting duty. Now pay attention and do your part.

Ho breaths a deep sigh of resignation as she plops down in the dirt by the side of the road waiting for her teammate.

fritch

Ho: Hear that?

[RevKev]

<<Setbu sighed as he entered the clearing. His Konoha-formal gear looked odd and uncomfortable, and the back pack he carried looked oddly wieghted. He scanned the two women carefully noticing that the younger of the two seemed to have the blankest of expressions on her face. Praying the older one, whose name he was completely unaware of, was his partned Setbu motioned.

He took no hurry in walking to the pair, and when he did he stood perfectly still. It wasn't unusual for a Suna-native to carry himself with some arrogance, but even Setbu knew he was taking it a little bit far. He'd be injured on an A-rank mission and made it home safely, being assigned gennin rank tasks was nothing but pure insult.

Sure his injuries took away most of his abilities, and sure he wasn't completely physically rehabilitied....this was still too much. So as he looked to the girls again it was something near contempt, and with a nod Setbu gave all the greeting he cared too>>

[B0ukun]

Anko stands paying no attention to Ho's mindless chatter. Instead she stared off into the distance. The clouds parted slowly allowing the sun to shine down upon them. A breaze parted Anko's long trench coat gently.

Fricth

Ho: ...Hear that?

Anko turned her head to see Setbu approaching them slowly. She raised her eyebrow slowly as she looked at the look of utter disdaine on his face. She waas greated by the harsh presence of the monster known as indignance as she felt she was the only person who had the right to be pissed about being here. She...A senior jounin babysitting a cripple ninja, disgusting. Tsunade would have never allowed this.

Anko approached Setbu, anger quietly rolling down her back and diffusing through the ground almost unseen; Her heavy footsteps the only sign.

Anko: Come here child.

Ho: Did anyone ever tell you; you walk like a rhinocerous.

Anko ignored the comment and hands Setbu the scroll.




Recently there have been strange guttural noises from the outskirts of the village. I ask that one if not two shinobi can come and investigate this strange phenomena as my children will not go out and play anymore. I don’t have much but I am willing to pay 200 yen as well as feed the survivor of this mission. Anyone will do Hokage-sama.

Meanwhile Ho rests her back against the first tree she nearly bumps into.

Anko: Setbu, I'd like to introduce you to you teammate; Uneki Ho of the Uneki clan. She'll be your teammate on this mission. Your point of contact is about six miles to the west of here. That would be Morimoko Tatsuki.

Anko walks toward Ho and reaches back in her trench coat removing a folded cane for her to walk with.

Anko: I'm leaving you with him.

[RevKev]

<<Setbu's eyes widened, his posture lost all composure as he saw the folded stick, and he realized what Anko meant by "with him". The girl was physically disabled, blind, and he was being assigned a C-rank mission with her. Not a typical D-rank, where they might be expected to baby sit or help out with menial tasks. No, this was a genuine combat possible mission, and judgeing from the scroll there was no telling who it might be.

Suddenly Setbu's mind went to Kodon, his younger brother and his village of Ejjigakure. He still didn't know if his brother was alive or dead, and either way meant nothing for that village. They might easily be the culprits behind these noices, and if so this little blind girl stood no chance. He stood no chance. There was so much that could go wrong.

Stepping beside Anko quickly, Setbu motioned her over to the side, adjusting the should straps of his pack. Hopeing they where out of earshot for Ho, he spoke very softly, very quietly, but also very intently>>

Setbu: "It's entirely possible this could end with combat of some form...is she capable?"

Anko: "She passed the academy, didn't she? Besides, there's been no reports of ninja movements anywhere in that area. No one is worried you'll even see a human to fight..."

Setbu: "Even so, taking care of a blind person is usually assigned as a mission itself.."

<<Anko's look of anger was apparent, even to Setbu as she ground her teeth softly.>>

Anko: "I've read your file...demoted twice, so now you think you're just wasting time before you're re-promoted again, huh? Well, let me inform you that you're not exactly cream of the crop at this exact moment. Two months of physical rehabilitation, and your file says you're STILL not up to the same level of prowess you where before your failure. So listen up buddy, you're on then ice. She may be blind, but you're not even seeing the thin ice you're on. Complete this mission, or consider using those puppets to be a stage performer..."

<<With that Anko turned and stormed off, leaving a stunned Setbu in her wake. He turned to Ho and sighed, debating on what exactly should be his next move.>>

[B0ukun]

Chapter 2, Arrival

The leaves of the tree's where a brilliant green the day as Ho walked through the rural road, half a step faster than SetBu. She swings the cane quickly tapping rocks and roots adjusting to them instantly. The grass grew to their legs as the area was unkempt. It could be said that the farmers cared little about konoha, and that for the most part konoha cared even less about them. Birds tweeted sweetly and fluttered around them in an almost disgustingly disney fashion. The slithering of insects in tree's and leaping from flower to leaf echoed with vicious clarity for the young girl.

Ho had paid little attention to the shinobi accompanying her. Her ears had pricked up the moment she meet him. he hadn't spoken to her but she over heard his conversation with Anko-sensi. Disabled, Ha! Ho liked to think of herself as enabled. Enabled to view the world through touch and sound. Smell and taste. She was privledged to become truly intimate with the world. Her experiences were limited only by her imagination and fear. Fear is something she had little of for fear was created through visions of creatures and situations. She hadn't the ability to invision anything. If it wasn't physical she had no need for it.

The smell of fresh flower mixed with the pungant oder of cow dung met her nose a few miles out. She made a slight adjustment and began to walk with an eastern slant in her direction. Following her nose and ears isn't her second nature but her only nature.

The farm began to grow into the horizon and walked ever closer to the pair. If she had eyes that provided vision Ho would have been able to see the cows huddled in large packs as the bulls circled them. The chickens were silent in their coups. There were very few people outside tilling the land. Some places had been left to grow wild and unkempt. Ho stopped short at an apple tree. She sniffed.

sniiiifff

Ho: Cider!

SHWACK!!!

She struck the tree with her cane, several apples fell upon her head and shoulders pelting her. The young girl shrugged it off and picked up one that had rolled back to her feet, cleaned it on her top and took a big bite.

Ho: I think we're here.

GROOOOWL

She heard this noise to her left.

Ho: Is that what we're looking for?

[RevKev]

<<Setbu made no noise as he reach behind him unzipping his backpack, and closed the distance between himself and Ho. From seemingly nowhere a kunai was in his free hand as he scanned the forest. The entire place was alive; breathing at its own steady pace. Time seemed to slow as the shinobi weighed his options.

Birds moved in a nearby bush rustling the leaves. A snake slithered nearby, stalking its feathered prey with the utmost care and grace. The light from the sun broke through only in certain places, giving the forest an almost eerie glow. He wasn’t sure how deep the girl’s disabilities ran, but he wasn’t risking it.

Turning on the pivot of his foot he looked to Ho.>>

Setbu: Please, please, please tell me you have some way to compensate for the lack of light in the form of a super power….or at least you can fight with the stick?

<<His mind spun quickly as he tried to calm himself down. It wasn’t an enemy ambush, or else they’d already. Whatever this was, he needed to calm down, and he needed to do it now.>>

[B0ukun]

BRACHIS

The leaves shot open like a door as a group of children came bursting out of the bushes in the direction of the sound. They were screaming, sweating and Ho could smell the distinct odor of urine on one of them.

Child: It's gonna eat meeeeeeeeeeeee!

THOOOM

Ho: You should watch for rock when you run.

She turned in the direction of the screaming child and began to poke him with her stick about the head and neck.

Child: Ow, quit it.

She poked him again for good measure.

Ho: Oh, I though you were a patch of mud or something.

[RevKev]

<<Blinking, Setbu sighed, and shrugged his shoulders indigiantly. The children look terrified, and he keenly saw the dampness too much fear triggered in the pants of some. Sheathing his kunai, he waited until the children where squarely watching the seemingly awkward blind girl before moving closer to the bushes. Second by second this mission was looking easier and easier.

Finally he reached the destination, the low rumble and movement inside incentive enough to watch his step. He braced against the outside of it, removing his headband and using it for a mirror, his face going blank as he looked inside. Second later he replaced his hand band, whistling lightly, but with clear signals to Ho.

This was going to be more interesting than he thought>>

[B0ukun]

Setbu noticed a brief glimmer of movement in his headband and took off after it. He paid no attention to his disabled comrade and even less for the pissy child on the floor.

[B0ukun]

Ho sniffed the air harshly and felt a rush of cold air mixed with the pugent odor of animal crap. The faint flavor of metal tickled her tounge, there was blood in the air. She followed her nose and ears moving in the direction of the growls and howling. Quickly disappeared into the brush leaving Setbu and the pissy kid to their own devices.

The forest cleared a little as she stepped away from her previous area. Again she checked a tree for the mossy side. once determining her position in the world and where she was headed she set off.

(North)

The chirping of birds quieted down slowly as the area changed in mood. There was a definate change in the feeling about her.

Remember that feeling you got as a child when you were in trouble and headed home? Thats what hit her. Ho had no idea what she was stepping into but it didn't feel good.

Though the chirping had stopped, the buzzing of insects had increased. The buzzing was so loud that other sounds were drowned out, including the shrieks of vultures flying above her head in circles. Cautious, Ho stooped down and began to run her hands across the ground in broad strokes feeling out the land. The ground was patchy with grass going to great extreme's. Some places the grass was six inches, in others it was gone. The smell of death filled her nostrils like snot during a rather terrible cold. The girl began to shiver.

After surveying the ground very closely she stood and on shakey legs began to walk closer to that smell, that sweetness that only death could bring. The place stunk of it. Ho had never encountered this smell before and it was frightening. Nothing smelled this bad or carried this strong a bad aura.

As she got closer to the smell she heard a snap.

CRACK!

*Choose her fate, Ho has fallen into one of nine holes. Choose a number and decide what she finds in the hole...1-9*

[RevKev]

((OOC: 7, always worked well for me in the past))

<<Setbu continued his brisk pace through the forest. He admired the stronger nin who could move through the branches so easily, and even before when he could pass through solid stone. But now was no time to reminisce, he was already falling behind his prey. Whatever had scared the children was faster than he was and after only a few minutes he found himself standing on the edge of the forest again, panting with a light sweat. But no target in sight

Cursing, Setbu adjusted his should strap and moved forward into the village. Reaching behind him he produced his orders’ scroll, and decided to look for his contact in the village. Ho would be fine with the children; she’d passed the ninja academy. He had to put more faith in other people, or else how could he ask them to put faith in him? Nodding, and setting his mind against the strange urge to run back and check for the younger kunochi, Setbu entered the village at last.

He moved from small hut to market vendor, startup business to tradesman until at least he reached a building near the outskirts of town, only opposite where he’d entered, a man around the age of his own father sat. The work looked tedious, and Setbu stood for several minutes, waiting for the man to acknowledge him.>>

Setbu: “I’m here on behalf of Konohagakure, I believe you requested some ninja support?

Man: “Only one? I thought they’d send more…”

Setbu: “No worries, there are three of us here, to be sure, a full cell at your disposal. My partner is in the forest talking to the children, the others are in support as we speak.”

<<Setbu smiled through his lie, knowing full and well he and Ho had no backup, but he wasn’t going to be THAT trusting. Besides, if the man believed he was getting his money’s worth, who was Setbu to let him down?>>

[B0ukun]

((7 was an empty hole))

Blades of grass part quickly with a swift sharp rush. Not having much time she attempts to wedge her cane into the sides of the hole which slows her fall greatly.

SNAP!

With that she goes barreling down the long dark hole and bumps her head on a rock at the bottom.


cut-to

BRIIDING

he jumped from his chair so quickly that he almost fell over. Shinjo was an older gentlemen, 50 years of age or more. He hopped to his crutch on the remaining leg he had. His stump was wrapped in a bandage and red with dried blood. After placing the make shift crutch under his arm he began to hobble his way out of his door. His squinted his eyes as the bright light of the early afternoon kissed his face harshly. Sweat began to grow on his brow and slobber stained his rugged bettle black, tangled beard. He growled lowly in his throat and began his journey. The road from his door to the brush at the foot of the forest was worn dirt with a few jagged pebbles to the left and right of the path. He grumbled the entire way to his mail box. Upon reaching the mail box, he reached down and took a small blade out from a hollow in the post...He grumbled again, began speaking in a jumble of phrases and profanity strewn together with no fore thought of grammer or punctuation. A few feet from the mailbox was long staff. He picked it up. with a piece of string he fixed the blade to the pole shouldered it with his free hand and hobbled into the forest.


In the scared clearing Ho lay in her earthly prison asleep, or out cold pending on how she got out. Outside however there was something huge stalking the hole. The creature blended in with it's environment in a way as to break up it's shape, giving the appearance of hunks of animal meat floating against the backdrop of the forest. Drool dripped from it's jowls as with teeth bared, it contemplated diving in after Ho. The beast circled the hold twice, then stopped. It looked down, slobber running from it's teeth, to it's mouth, to it's jaw and finally diving from the beasts chin and landing on Ho's forhead. The beast clawed at the ground several times before turning and walking away.


The old man carried his make shift spear on his shoulder while hobbling slowly grumbling and spitting. He forced his way through the brush with his face and walked into the clearing of scared earth. The bugs buzzing around were relentless, taking bites and nibbles out of his skin. He paid no attention. The old man just walked toward the holes he had dug in the ground. They were all covered in grass and twigs giving the appearance of simple ground. He knew better however. The old man kept a good distance from the spots as he looked around...Bingo! he found what he was looking for. An uncovered hole, the man however was puzzled, he didn't hear anything that sounded remotely like what he was looking for. He approached the hole with caution leaning all his weight on the crutch and aiming the spear down the hole. once he peared over the hole he saw something all togehter unusual, a little girl. The man began to make preparations to get he out of the hole

[RevKev]

<<Setbu sat quietly through the tales of sounds and eerie noises coming from the woods. Many where brought forth by the children of the village, but thanks to the older wood gatherers there was no denying the authenticity. Some had even seen blurred images moving from a distance. So far only two people had disappeared, and there was rumor that they had simply run off together.

He almost wanted to slap the man for digression into the love story, but restrained until the point of the conversation came back into focus. Sighing, Setbu took every detail into account. Combined with what he had seen earlier that day he was sure he had a pretty good idea of what to do next.

Rising from the chair, Setbu said his goodbyes and then stepped from the small hut as he looked around. Closing his eyes he focused and got his bearings, moving his mind over the direction of where Ho had been. From what had been explained he knew there was a hut out that way. It made sense to him to check it out, so he hoped Ho had the same idea.

Focusing his chakra, Setbu quickly completed the hand seals for shunshin, but as he did his veins turned into molten fire. Melted lead pierced every inch of his internals and it was by sheer will he didn’t scream and collapse. Breathing heavily Setbu relaxed his mind, letting his chakra settle. It was a stupid mistake, and he knew it.

Adjusting his shoulder straps again he moved forward, slowly, letting the pain subside naturally. He’d had to relearn all of his jutsu, and sadly that one hadn’t been on the list. Cursing his own stupidity, he made his way slowly through the forest, carefully watching for any signs of the “ghosts” as he made his way to the hut, and he hoped Ho.>>

[B0ukun]

There was a strong musky smell of wood, mildew and frying pork in the air as Ho awakened. She lay on a table, the air around her damp, the goose bumps on her arms a dead giveaway. She sat up slowly, as the edge of her stomach tightened her stomach a pain shot through her right leg. She gasped, the huge intake of air caused her head to swim. Panting Ho reached down to her leg to feel two slats of wood bound to her leg tightly with twine. She reached for her cane.

Old Man: It broke in the fall…Yer stick. I made you a crutch kinda like mine, see.

Ho: Well…Aren’t you the joker.

Old Man: Come again.

Ho: I’m blind. Honestly, from the smell of this place I don’t think I wanna see it anyway.

Old Man: Oh, well I’m Shinjo and you are?

Ho: In pain. Aloe, I need Aloe leaves.

Shinjo hobbles to a plant sitting in a corner. The plant was on a rickety table that had the look of something destined for the fire place. The plant held leaves that were about an eighth of an inch thick. They were deep green with yellow speckles and small yet equally thick green thorns adorning the sides of the leaf. Shinjo plucked off a couple of the leaves and brought them to the girl.

KA-CLOP. KA-CLOP

Ho: Where’s your other leg?

Shinjo: Thought you were blind?

Ho: There should be a third sound when you step, I hear a foot and a wooden stick. That means there’s a foot missing.

Shinjo: Lost it in the war.

Ho: What war?

Shinjo You’re two young to remember. What were you doing out there?

It wouldn't be bright to tell the man she was searching for something, he might have a hand in. From the silence outside Ho could tell they were a good distance from the village. He might verywell be the cause for those holes and they are quite certainly apart of whats going on in the village. She decided to wait until back-up arrived, if it did.

Ho took the leaves and snapped them in half one by one. Each leaf oozed a pale greenish white fluid. She rubbed the fluid on the area that bubbled. The spot of the break. The cool aloe helped ease some of the pain in her leg. The old man was kind enough to splint her leg but apparently not smart enough to reset the bone first. A chill ran up Ho’s spine at the thought of having it done now. She figured that the resetting of the bone would be much more painful than the break itself. With the aloe gently rubbed into the leg Ho swiveled around and let her legs gently fall from the table to a position suspended in air.

The leg would be tender until it was set and properly wrapped in a cast. Ho reached around for the Crutch the old man had made for her.

Shinjo: The crutch is a little bit farther to your left.

Ho: Thank you.

[RevKev]

<<Setbu moved with as much speed as he could muster, greatful the past few mintues had stripped the pain of his mistake. He was forced to take the ground route, dodigng stumps and small snake holes as he went. The sun was getting lower than he liked, and he still had heard nothing from Ho.

Stupid as it was, Setbu was angry with himself. Sure, the girl had passed ninja academy, but she was still blind. Why had he left her to any task solo, especially one with so many unknowns. Cursing, Setbu realised he might well be walking into a trap.

Steeling himself, he reached back and unzipped his backpack. He ran his fingers over the polished wood inside, until he was satisfied everything was ready. He snapped the quick release flaps into place then continued on. He knew he was getting close to the cottage, and he noticed small things.

Leaves displaced, small twigs snapped, whatever Ho had been after must've been here to. He was getting closer to her trail as well. Smiling, he sighed a little relief. Her thinking wasn't too far from his own then, which meant she might just be alright. But no sooner did he think the idea into existence than he found himself moving towards a wide collapsed hole. Forcing a shift to his momentum, Setbu flung himself to the right in avoidance.

Seconds later he heard the loud crack and snap, the leaves and branches he stood on giving way to the open pit below. Cursing, Setbu hoped Ho had had better luck>>

[B0ukun]

SNAP!!

Setbu had fallen in another pitfall. As the sound of the twigs giving way entered the forest there was a rustle that answered the call of the breakage. A tiger leapt out of the bushes heading toward the sound.

((You picked 4 sharpened sticks lay at the bottom of you hole. The tigress lurks around on the outside.))

[RevKev]

((OOC: Dude! Reply to pms, I was waiting on the post for days, lol!))

<<Setbu didn’t think. He didn’t pause, or even hesitate. In a single fluid motion He adjusted his body so that he faced downwards, outstretching his fingers. The invisible strings of chakra fluttered to life, flowing behind him and into his backpack. A fraction of a second later the quick release straps gave way, a shadowy form bursting to life.

Yomi’s bladed hands lashed out, its legs wrapping securely around Setbu. The trick arms opened up, on reaching forward and the other backwards. The fingers on each hand scraping dirt and rock from the edges, tumbling pieces down into the chasm below.

His speed was still too fast, and Setbu knew it, there was only one more trick he knew. Gulping he focused, drawing his chakra out, pushing the heat aside in his mind. He could do this…he had no choice. Suddenly smoke filled the area around him.

The kawarimi no jutsu went off perfectly, Setbu was now above Yomi, bracing his feet on the puppet’s back and ready

The air cracked with the dust and broken fragments of spike, the impact more than fatal for any who had slipped inside>>

[B0ukun]

((My fault. I think I forgot to come to this site on a thursday. That equals two days. Will post in a few.))

The sound cracked the silence in the damp mildew smelling room. The bell had rung.

BRIIIIING!!!

Ho's ears tingled with the newly introduced sound. Shinjo Looked to the wall. The 4th bell was ringing, Another trap had been sprung. Shinjo jerked his head around to look at Ho. Her body hadn't moved. With that He gathered up his tools and headed out of the door again. Ho slid off the table and walked behind him leaning on her crutch. He looked back to see the child following him without the aid of a guide.

Shinjo I thought you were blind.

Ho Whats that got to do with walking?

Ho followed the old man out the door.

The air was particularlly quiet. Not one bug, bird or rodent moving in the vicinity. They had all fled the area apparently. Ho thought to herself. Something dangerous was in the area.

The two of them moved purposely, Ho following the sound of Shinjo's crutch hitting the ground followed by a single foot. His step was weight down, there was something in his left hand she thought; The information was gathered by the difference in the sound of the step. The change in the distance of his gate was judge from the time span between foot plant and clopping of the crutch. She ducked as the smell of a blooming Sakura tree neared her nose. The branch swept across her head, It was mid march; the flowers would be dead soon.

They walked for what felt like hours though it was no more than 500 steps. Not a far distance for Ho or any shinobi for that matter.

A breeze swirled in a cirlce unempeeded, a clearing. Within that clearing was that particular smell Ho encountered earlier, the smell of death. The hairs on the back of her neck went rigid and she stopped short. The old man continued on his walk however.

KAAAAA, KUFF

Shinjo sounded as he stepped on dirt litterd with blades of brown, dead grass. He continued in a direct path until he came to a hole and stopped. Raising his spear high Shinjo peered over the hole. He stood 10 meters away from Ho.

Ho leaned her back against the first tree she came too, still afraid of the area, she did not want to venture to far into the clearing. He head hit a soft damp material...Moss. One of tow constant things in her life were darkness and moss. He father taught her about moss and the directions of the world.

"See sweetheart. Moss always grows on the northern side of a tree. If you get lost just find a tree and look for the moss. Now, the bar's in the southern section of the main village. Head down there and get me three bottles of Sake, some whiskey and a bottle of SoCo. I'll be in the house sleep, here's the money."

Shinjo stood attempting to look down the long deep hole. He still couldn't remember how he had dug holes so deep with but one leg. Must have been his hatred, or even more so...His desire, his lust, his need. As the old man stood over the hole spear raised high, there was a rustle in the bushes, Ho's ear twitched as it caught the sound. A huge tiger leaped out of the bushes claws extended teeth barred. The young kounoichi leapt south-east from her position, using all the strength she could muster in just her one usable leg. Unable to do anything more, she threw her crutch at Shinjo before she hit the ground and slid into a pile of dirt.

The crutch stayed low as it rotated through the air. Spinning horizontally as if throwing itself over and over again attempting to obey the wishes of the young girl who cast it out into the world. The crutch struck Shinjo in the calves knocking his feet out from under him.

((And I leave Shinjo frozen in Mid-air until you return.))

[RevKev]

<<Setbu panted as he stood atop Yomi, the spikes shattered beneath the chakra-hardened body. If he hadn't managed to slow the speed of his fall down even his beloved puppet would've been smashed beyond recognition. Sighing he stepped off, careful of the spikes, only to hear some of the commotion above.

Cursing, he recognized Ho's voice. There wasn't time to climb out of here properly, and he still didn't have enough chakra control to cimply walk of the walls. He had to be more creative. Again his chakra strings flicked out, returning life to Yomi.

Setbu leapt, digging the tip of his foot into the bottom-most groove he'd dug during the fall, and flung Yomi upwards. The claws of the puppet grabbed the nearest rock firmly, giving the nin more than enough leverage to swing himself upwards. Completely upside down, he twisted his palms upwards, gaining a firmer grip on the strings but sacrificing the more finite controls. Jerking harshly he pulled Yomi to himself, losing only inches of height.

Flipping back over, Setbu braced himself on Yomi once more, leaping. Finally he broke into the light of day, landing only inches from the old man with a smirk as he looked at Ho>>

Setbu: "Miss me?"

[B0ukun]

Shinjo hit the ground with a thud. His head jerked upward immediately to see Setbu looking onward at the sightless shinobi. Shinjo was worried about the smirk on Setbu's face, for setbu hadn't yet noticed the tigeress stalking the three of them behind him. ho shook with fear as she stood to her feet.

Ho: Behind you, fur, it stinks, what is it?

[RevKev]

<<Setbu spun quickly, Yomi suddenly between himself and the oncoming beast. A twich of his finger, another relaxing and the puppet’s arms where around the creature. Two around the neck, bracing its shoulder beneath the animal’s jaw, two below the shoulders holding it upright. Yomi’s feet dug into the earth, firmly holding its ground against the onslaught.

Sighing, Setbu took and knee and focused, his voice soft but straining.>>

Setbu: Ho, as much as I would love to give you an ongoing commentary, I’ve got it restrained, now might be a good time to take it down.

<<He winced as the beats tried to break free, jerking this was and that, each time adjusting Yomi to maintain its grip, his fingers moving so slightly, so quickly, his eyes in deep concentration as he swallowed. This thing was strong, and technically speaking chakra and his fingers where all that’s holding it back.>>

[B0ukun]

Ho stood frozen. She knew she had passed the academy but she really couldn't complete any of the genin jutsu other than Kawarami, the most she could do with her bunshin was make a black figure shaped like her, Henge was completely useless since she couldn't see anything and therefore couldn't reproduce the look of anything relevant.

All these things ran through her head as she stood leaning to the left, her right leg splinted. She could hear the thing snarling, growling, breathing foul malice as it attempted to tear into the wood of Setbu's nin-puppet.

Her head jerked as she heard a change in the vocal reflection reaching her ears. It was echoing slightly on the left side. Ho knew there were two holes in the area. The one she fell in and the one Setbu came out of, there must be more. She did the only thing she really could do.

Ho: Push it to the left, there's a hole to the left.

The young girl just hoped she was right. If she wasn't and she survived, Anko would kill her.

((There's three holes to the left and two to the right. Believe the blind girl or make you're own choice. I'm going to see if I can get you a prize pending on the hole. Will have to be approved.))

[B0ukun]

((Sorry Kev, I gotta get some training in and you vanished.))

Unsure where to direct the tiger, setbu was eventually over powered by the beast. The tiger then lept over Setbu and the puppet lunging straight at Shinjo. The tiger wasted no time in tearing the old man apart. As Setbu sat up he could see the tiger running swiftly back into the brush dragging the lifeless body of Shinjo with it

A few hours later, Setbu and Ho sit in a room with the contact Taksuki.

SetBu: So what you're saying is that the tiger had been looking for it's lost cubs, right?

Ho: And it could smell the blood of it's cubs on Shinjo?

Taksuki: Aparently he ate the cubs that had fallen in his first trap hole.

Ho: So how did he lose his leg?

Taksuki: I'd sumise that the tiger attacked him before and shinjo somehow escaped. He was a primary guard for a fudeul lord in his home country. I suppose he could be resiliant and even crafty if need be.

Ho: He did have a bell rigged to tell him when a trap was set. He also splinted my leg when I fell in the hole and broke it.

Setbu: Well, I've heard enough. This mission was a complete failure. Ho, I think it's time we headed home and got reamed out by Anko.

With that the Setbu sets off out of the building. Ho shuffled herself into position and stood on her good leg. She hobbled out of the building on her crutch and followed the sent of wood and sawdust emenating from Setbu's puppet as he walked down the southern path back to Konoha.

[i_feel_tiredsleepy]

0
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
6/10

5XP
100 pay

It was all well written, but since this was aborted I penalized you on a few fronts. I figure this is fair since you guys wrote quite a bit despite the mission falling apart. Too much work was put into this to give you nothing. So, half pay for failing the mission.

IFTS friendly neighbourhood mission judge :p.

Normally I would give more detailed criticism, but I don't think you'd care lol.