Page name:
Villageofmerchants7 [Logged in view]
[RSS] 2013-05-26 18:35:17
|
# of watchers: 1
|
Fans: 0
| D20: 11 |
The caravan began moving again once everyone had eaten and stowed aboard. The two jonins were quietly resting in the back of one wagon. Everyone deserved a little rest, even Vannor had to admit to that. They were traveling hard and if they continued to push the beasts so much, they wouldn't be going anywhere. The Head Merchant decreed a slower more leisurely pace be set before they would stop for the night.
Before calling it a night, the caravan managed a few more miles. They reigned in the wagons and set the camp up in the center of a the circle. Merchant sentries were set to give the ninjas a little longer to rest up. If Vannor had had his way, there wouldn't have been any sentries posted. He had paid for the ninjas' protection, not for his own people to stand watch. It was the merchants themselves that took up the positions. They could all tell how tired their protectors were, and sympathized.
The first few hours of the night passed without incident. The time had quickly come for the change of the guards. It was up to Squad Beta to take the next shift. Nobody had wanted to disturb Ishiaki's, nor Akane's, rest just yet. The two of them were in far greater need of it, after all. The sentries sought out the genin first. They had seen the Lady Tsu settle in with Ishiaki, let them awaken their own master, they'd figured.
Akane's night was anything but peaceful. She had sworn to not fall asleep, too scared of the darkness to close her eye. However, after the events of today, sleep eventually would take her, but only for a short while before she would wake up gasping. Although sleep was welcoming, Akane's body kept on deflecting it, finding it far too risky for her life.
El, being a member of squad Beta had to go on watch. He didn't want to leave Akane, but he took out the pill Kami had given him. "Akane..." He whispered softly. "Please, you need to sleep and I can't stay. Take this, rest. You'll feel better if you rest."
Kami still blind and rested told Kano as Beta Squad prepared to go on watch, "I'll come with you. Most of my chakra is restored."
Hinji took his watch from near the prisoner's wagon, just in case one of the merchants got any ideas. His wisps were yet again patrolling the woods to keep an eye out for irregularities
.
Kano shook his head and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Just rest some more Kami. I'm sure it'll be your turn to watch soon enough." He didn't want to bring up her blindness again. But if she couldn't see, what good was having her chakra back?
Akane looked at El, then to the little capsule in his palm. She was...scared and didn't want to admit it. She cast her gaze away from both of them and wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against some pillows. "Who knows how long that will make me sleep...how will I know I will wake up again?"
El couldn't argue with her. Instead he broke the little pill in half and offered it to her. "Has Kami's medicines ever failed before?" Apart from that time Akane ate a hand full of food pills and blasted over a city wall without so much as a stitch of chakra to guide her wind. That hadn't been Kami's fault any way. "We trust you to heal our wounds, trust her medicines..."
Kami frowned. "It's because I'm blind..." She said. "I still have ears Kano, I can listen for danger and if something happens I can call Master Risu to be my eyes."
Akane trusted her friends and took the half capsule from him. She put it in her mouth, chewed a moment and gulped it back. Akane didn't want to sleep, but the medic inside of her knew it was for the best. "Thanks El."
El smiled tiredly and guided her back to the pillows. "Just rest. You'll be safe." He peeked to make sure no one was watching and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I won't let anything happen to you..." He was so tired and she could see it. He'd stayed up, watching over her instead of sleeping. He still had chakra, but he'd been running on Kami's energy pills for hours now and maybe when beta squad's watch was over, he could get some real sleep.
Oita was still asleep, a soft groan escaping him as he rolled over and hugged his backpack tight against him, using it for what little warmth there was inside. He yawned softly, eyes closed, glasses removed, just snoozing away, waiting for someone to wake him up. Things could be worse.
Kano frowned, he hadn't meant for it to sound so harsh. "Just rest, Kami. Please? The rest of your squad is doing just that. You guys are supposed to take over when the sun rises so that we can get some sleep."
"Thanks. I'll try to rest. ...Take care." Akane told him and laid down on the pillows, trying to get comfy. If she had to protect and heal the others, she would need some rest at least.
Hinji continued to keep watch as he wondered where his teammates were at. Right now he was the only person doing their job.
"Fine..." Kami told Kano. "But be careful."
"I will." El told Akane and tucked his poncho in around her. He looked up to find Kano.
Kano nodded and gently squeezed her hand. "As careful as always." He assured her, which truthfully wasn't all that much... He was a very reckless ninja. He headed out and grinned when he saw El. "So who's going to wake Tsu?"
"Let her sleep." El told him as he stepped down from the wagon where Akane was. "Hinji can manifest constructs to help keep watch and I would not take her from Ishiaki Sensei for the world. Leave them be. We can watch on our own."
Kano shook his head. "We might need her though..." He said, not liking to admit it. "You go and join Hinji. I guess I'll wake her up..." The color drained from his face as he said that. He didn't like the idea of waking her...something about letting sleeping lions lie.
El relented. "Alright. If we must..." He turned, looking for Hinji, which was always a little interesting in the darkness.
Tsu was actually still asleep, and cuddled up to Ishiaki like a Koala. She was looking peaceful, but would probably react badly if woken. It might be a dangerous mission to wake her up, rather than taking watch one person less.
Kano had seen her and Ishiaki head off for the same wagon. With the wagons circled, it was easier to find the one they'd headed to. He took a deep breath as he pulled himself up onto the back rung. He peeked his head inside, his eyes closed, not wanting to see anything inappropriate... He didn't know if they were doing anything, but they had gone off together...one's mind tended to wander. "Sensei?"
"Who is it?" Tsu said sleepily, even though she already knew who it was, because she'd answered. Her mind wasn't working properly right now, she was going a little mental from stress and need for sleep. She also asked, because if it was their employer, she just might murder him in the end.
Hinji saw El moving through the camp like he was looking for someone, he figured it was him he was looking for and gave out a quick whistle to signal his location to El.
"Kano. We were supposed to wake you for sentry duty." He explained, opening his eyes to see her curled up on Ishiaki. His cheeks flushed and he felt as though he'd intruded.
Tsu groaned, standing up slowly, still fully dressed and exhausted. "Alright... alright, I'm coming." she sighed. She turned to move to the door, then leaned down low and kissed Ishiaki's forehead gently before making her gradual way to the door. "Come on." she half yawned as she stood in the doorway "Let's get to our posts."
"Sorry for disturbing you, sensei." Kano said sheepishly as he stepped back so she could come down from the wagon.
El, looking tired, joined Hinji.
Ishiaki grew colder when she left and pulled himself in close. He felt her go, but he was far too exhausted to wake and tell her...
""First watch is always the worst." Hinji said as El joined him, "Don't get as much sleep as the others."
"I didn't sleep at all..." El confessed. "Akane wouldn't sleep for more than a few minutes at a time..."
"That's not good El." Tsu sighed as she popped out of seemingly nowhere "You should have tried... Now, how are my boys doing, other than tired?"
Kano stood at attention for her. "Not fully rested, but close enough, sensei." He put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest proudly.
"A little tired, but my sentries are making up for my lacking." Hinji said.
"It's good we have your sentries out here." Tsu said with a little nod to Hinji "Kami's summon would be useful as well."
El had really tried to sleep, but he didn't bother arguing.
"She'd suggested that." Kano admitted, looking down at his feet. "But I told her it'd be better if she slept for now. If she used her chakra to summon them now, what good would she be when it came time for us to sleep?"
"Exactly, which is a shame." Tsu said with a nod, starting to scan the area already "Lets just do our best, and if anyone really needs to sleep, just say and I could try to cover your post."
El crunched into one of Kami's energy pills. He'd taken a few from Akane's pack, intending to not need any sleep.
"Cardinal locations?" Kano suggested, thinking it would be the best way to keep watch. The caravan was large, but there were four of them, they could easily cover the entire circle.
"North, south, east and west is my suggestion." Hinji said. It sounded the most reasonable to him.
"Right." Tsu said, nodding to the both of them and not wanting to embarrass Hinji "I'll take this direction." She nodded in the way the caravan was facing, the way that all the enemies had come from. Might as well put her up there.
"I'll call south." El said. "Those are the wagons that are at the back of the caravan. I've spoken with a few of the merchants. They know me."
"That leaves east and west for us, Hinji. Any preference?" Kano asked him. It sure didn't matter to him, he had a feeling Hinji felt the same way.
"I shall take west." Hinji said to Kano, "This will remove any chance of me being blinded my the rising sun at dawn."
Tsu let out a small sigh, then carefully clapped her hands "Alright. Lets head off. Time to do some watching." She moved off, going to settle at the front of the caravans.
Kano nodded and headed for the eastern side of the caravan. He wasn't really comfortable with the four of them splitting off like this, but it was the only way they could cover the entire area by themselves.
El left the company of the others and moved to the south. Once he reached his new position, he preformed a simple hand sign that allowed him to hear anything from outside the camp in any direction. If someone approached Kano at a distance too great for him to hear, El would detect it... if he could stay awake.
Hinji took up his position in silence, watching the dark figures of their surroundings move and twist in the darkness. His raven landed near him and hopped onto his shoulder and greeted him with a single caw.
"Wish Ishiaki was here..." Tsu grumbled from her position at the lead of the caravan. He was so warm...
A man, shrouded by his cloak, approached the camp slowly from the south. He walked with a staggering gait, as though his leg were injured. He leaned heavily on a make-shift crutch, dragging the leg behind him. He kept his hood pulled over his face as he approached. The man glanced over his shoulder continually, as though someone, or thing, were chasing after him.
Tsu Sensei, Hinji and Kano heard a bird-like call El had learned from Akane. He often used it to alert his teammates that something was up. He stood from his location and squared his guitar in front of him, prepared to defend the caravan despite the man's apparent injuries.
Tsu was up in a moment, casually drawing a kunai from her belt and making a careful way towards El. She didn't want to dart in and draw attention to where he was, in case whatever he saw wasn't aware of El's presence.
Kano smiled when he'd heard the call. He rushed to the south, eager to take up arms with his friends again. Whatever the threat was, they'd squash it down quickly, he was certain of it.
Hinji was a bit more hesitant in abandoning his post. He looked to his raven who nodded and took a short hop from his shoulder to the nearest wagon, this way Hinji could join his teammates while still keeping an eye on his post.
When the man saw the circle of wagons, his pace quickened. He was mumbling as he moved, something about 'Monsters...horrible monsters...' His cloak was torn and tattered, his clothing ragged. There were claw marks along the front of his shirt and a great gash along his leg became visible as he got closer.
"Stay where you are!" El told him, his fingers prepped on a cord that would knock the man off his feet without really hurting him. He wasn't taking any chances. After only one day on this mission most of Alpha squad was already nursing wounds and exhaustion. He would be lying if he said he were stopping this man to protect the merchants. He was protecting the girls, Kami and Akane who couldn't defend themselves.
"What kind of monsters?" Tsu called out from her place, a little way away from the others. She didn't want to gather up too close, in case of an attack.
Kano landed beside El and squinted towards the man. "He looks hurt." He pointed out, noticing the limp.
The man stopped in his tracks and held up a hand shakily. "Puh..please...You've got to help me...The Tetsu..." He muttered incoherently and fell to his knees, crying out as he smashed his knee on a rock.
"He come up behind me with hardly a sound." El told Kano. "We both know that doesn't happen. As wounded as he is I should have heard him coming from a mile away."
"You did say you were tired..." Kano said with a grimace. He did not doubt his friend's ability, but surely this man could not have snuck up on them.
Tetsu sounded vaguely familiar to Hinji as he stood in the back of the group. He thought back to try and remember where he might have heard of that name. "Should we, perhaps, go and fetch Akane? He may need medical attention?" He asked the group as he thought.
"I'm not that tired." El told Kano, but in response to Hinji he said, "I gave her half of one of Kami's sleeping pills. She was nearly gone by the time we set on watch. She'll be useless right now. Kami has the medicine and skill to at least treat his wounds and diminish his pain." he looked at Kano. "You know her condition better than I." Blind wasn't exactly helpful, but El still didn't want to let this man enter camp.
"She would need assistance herself..." Kano replied with a slight grimace. "She's still blind."
"I'm going to patch his wounds." Tsu said firmly, taking out another pack of medical supplies. She'd packed a lot extra for this trip, but they still might go through them all. "You boys look out on watch while I heal him. Hinji, try and make your summons cover as much ground as possible." She made her way towards the man, carefully making a hand signal and spawning a clone of herself as she walked. Two pair of hands were better than one.
"I will spread them the best I can." Hinji said, with a quick mental command, he ordered his sentries to spread out a bit more. He didnt want them too far apart or they could create gaps in their field of vision.
"I still don't think we should let him into the circle." El said warily to Tsu Sensei.
"Which is why I'm going out there." Tsu said with a sigh, already part way towards the man and taking her time. The clone went first of course. She was taking a moment to look at his wounds before she acted.
Kano hopped down from the top of the wagon and followed after his sensei. He didn't feel comfortable letting her go out alone. She was certainly his superior as far as anyone was concerned, but that didn't mean she couldn't get hurt.
The man groaned and tried to rise from the ground, only to find his arms too shaky to support his weight. He collapsed again, the dust rising up around him in a light puff as he met the earth once more. Aside from his crutch, he didn't appear to have anything other than the clothes on his back, and they were in pretty rough shape.
"Alright alright." Tsu groaned, her clone kneeling down first and starting to strip away at the man's jacket and shirt so they could bandage him up. This was going to take up the last of her bandages.
"Need some help, sensei?" Kano asked her as he knelt down beside the man. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy. He looked in awful shape...
"Kano. Get back." Tsu said firmly, sounding more like an order than what she usually said "You're meant to be keeping watch. We don't need you getting hurt."
El, still feeling uneasy preformed a quick little hand sign and closed his eyes, using his ears to penetrate deeper into the forest around them. He drowned out Tsu and Kano's dialog as well as the snores and voices of the merchants around them. He pushed away the tree frogs crying for water, the crickets looking for mates and the other sounds of the night, listening for either the monsters this man had spoken of or his accomplices if there were any.
El's search was rewarded. A soft metallic roar echoed through the trees, silencing the frogs and crickets, startling them. It almost sounded like the howl a wolf makes when they find the trail of their prey, signalling the others of the pack. But something was off about it, it was certainly a roar, not a howl, for starters; and it definitely had a metallic resonance to it as well.
Kano backed away, as she instructed. "El and Hinji have got the area covered, sensei. I thought maybe you might need a hand." He didn't want to say she'd looked weak when he woke her, but he was worried more that she'd need help and be too stubborn to ask for it. He was like that, he hated to ask for help when he needed it.
"Kano, now isn't the right time to be disobeying me." Tsu pointed out "I'm your sensei, not your sister. Get back to the caravan and keep watch alright?" They needed to respect her more, do what she told them. Yes, having your own mind was important, but respecting your sensei was important too.
"Something is coming." El announced, eyes still closed. His imagination made a mental picture of the thing he couldn't see and he really hoped that wasn't what was coming. "Something big and metal... a machine maybe..." He opened his eyes finally. "It'll be here soon..."
Kano hadn't ever thought of Tsu as a sister. He was well aware that despite how she looked, she was definitely older than he was. He was reluctant to leave her, regardless of her orders. Nobody else seemed to trust this guy's appearance, why should he leave her alone with him? He grimaced, but bowed to her. "Yes, Sensei..." He said and ninja hopped backwards to the caravan again. He landed beside El and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What did you hear?"
"What direction?" Hinji asked as two of his sentries materialized next to him. "I can get us a visual before it arrives."
El pointed to the south, the direction they were facing.
"Something really is chasing him..." Kano said softly, it made him feel better about leaving Tsu down there with the guy.
Tsu had bandaged him up, a lot, but the man was still pretty messed up. With him relatively safe, her clone picked him up and carried him a bit closer to the caravans. She would not let him too near, but she set him down close enough that they could get him out of there in a hurry if something bad happened.
The second El pointed out the direction, Hinji's scouts were off. He closed his eyes and tapped into their sight so he could give them the details of anything they saw.
The metallic roar sounded as though it echoed from the west, though it was certainly too long after the first one to be an echo... A moment later, there came another, this one sounding far closer than either of the previous two. Whatever was making those sounds, was getting closer.
"Well... oh dear." Tsu grumbled, starting to pat herself down, looking for some kind of weapon to prepare herself with. That didn't sound like it was going to be a very nice experience. This was getting much too dangerous, wearing everyone down like this. At least they hadn't experienced any losses to the ninja teams.
"It is a large, metallic beast." Hinji reported as soon as his scouts spotted one, "Possibly more than one, and gaining ground quickly." He opened his eyes and looked at the team, "Perhaps we should sound the alarm."
"They..." El corrected. "There are at least four and they move on four legs... One, as far as I can tell, from each direction."
"That means one for each of us." Tsu said, carefully fingering a kunai as she pulled it out. It had already been used once, and was looking a bit dull, but it would do. "Though, if I know the others, they'll be up any moment." she admitted with a little chuckle.
Kano couldn't help but grin a little. Large metallic beasts, one for each of them. He rolled his shoulders and popped his neck. He felt tingly all over, super excited at the chance for a one-on-one fight. "Wonder if they're intelligent..."
Hinji had his sentries stay on the one they had spotted so he could know when it was about to pop out at them. He also kept the other sentries in place, just in case they tried to sneak around back and flank them. "Does their intelligence really matter?" He asked Kano, "They are going to try to kill us all regardless."
"An intelligent opponent makes for a better fight." Kano explained with a wide grin. It was a very simple answer. He wasn't much for deep thinking, if he asked a weird question, half the time it had a very simple answer.
"We don't want a better fight," Tsu pointed out, carefully scanning the area for the first sign of the enemy "We want a quick fight with no complications. But... best not underestimate them." She took in a small breath, rubbing her nose. She's already almost exhausted herself earlier.
El, having killed two people since becoming a ninja hoped to God that these beings weren't intelligent. Killing a beast was one thing, like Viktor, but a shudder ran down El's spine at the memory of killing Naomi... He'd liked it too much.
Hinji simply shook his head at Kano's response. Honestly he always hoped for the same thing, good fights bring more recognition and notoriety. Fighting beasts is the job of guards and hunters. "Why are these beasts hunting you?" He asked the man who had run into their camp.
"I escaped..." The man admitted quietly. It was the only reason they were after him. He'd escaped from the Tetsu during the man's last assault. He'd set the machines after him, knowing full well that they would catch him. They never failed to capture their prey.
"From where, who?" Hinji pressed, maybe if they knew who was "pulling the strings" they could use it to their advantage.
"From the Tetsu..." The man replied, shuddering at the very mention of the name.
"Tetsu...that's the name from the briefing, isn't it? The leader of the Masters?" Kano asked the others, he thought for sure that's what it said in the packet.
"Yes." Tsu said with a nod "Congratulations sir, you've just stumbled across a bunch of people he's trying to kill as well. Don't worry, we'll protect you when they come."
Despite the fact that he hadn't truly escaped from the hunters, the man appeared to relax physically. He leaned against his crutch and looked at them solemnly. While Tsu had bandaged him, his hood had fallen away. He already wore bandages upon his face, leaving only his eyes and a small gap for his mouth. "Would...would it be much of a bother to ask for something to eat? I have been running for a very long while...the hunters...they enjoy the chase..."
"How did you manage to escape such a powerful individual and a well trained hunting pack?" Hinji asked, taking a step forward.
"Hinji." Tsu said firmly "Now isn't the time. Go get in position. I'll get our friend here some food." She nodded to the man, giving a trusting smile "Don't worry. But... don't move too far alright?" She darted away. Think quickly.
Hinji's question was a good one, Kano thought. If they were to believe in the information held within the mission briefing, this Tetsu guy was way too powerful for someone to just run away from...
Hinji did not move from where he stood. His sensei may be blinded by the man's injuries, but he was not. Something was odd about this man and his situation. "I apologize good sir, but I am afraid I must press you for an answer to my question. The way you escaped may have some affect on how these beasts are tracking you so well."
Tsu skidded into existence a few feet away from the others, coughing slightly. Keeping up that kind of speed wouldn't do her any good. "And why..." she said gently "may I ask, have you two boys not started moving to your places already? The food will be brought out soon."
"I apologize Tsu sensei, I was merely prying for more information." Hinji explained, "I was hoping to get a bit more information about our enemies. He took a few steps away before stopping and facing Tsu again, "The bandages on his face appear to be dirty, I suggest you change them." With that he vanished.
"I didn't think it wise to leave him unattended?" Kano offered with a grimace. It was a pretty poor excuse...
"Don't pry our new friend." Tsu said, waving them away and trying not to roll her eyes. She hoped that the man was as clueless to her plan as they were. "And alright, yes, alright, good excuses all round, I'll give you a cookie later or something."
El wasn't paying attention to anyone. "Whatever we're going to do we'd better do it soon. They'll be here soon."
Kano couldn't help but feel the excitement surge along his every nerve. Something was coming, the heat of battle was slowly building in him. When these machines, that scared this man so very much, finally showed up, he was going to get to cut loose. He took a chakra pellet from his pouch. He hadn't had very many of them, but he made sure to gather a few of different sorts from Kami before they left. He had one more for chakra replenishment after this, he hoped he wouldn't have to use the other. She'd warned him of what too many of her pellets would result in... He couldn't bear that embarrassment.
While Hinji had vanished, he was still very near. He had put himself directly in the path of the beast his sentries were tracking.
"They sure are taking their time..." Tsu said gently, purposefully not looking at the man who had been hunted. She hoped someone got here with drugged food soon.
An elderly man with a knotted and gnarled cane shuffled out from the circle of wagons. With a shaky and gravely voice, he proclaimed his intentions. "I heard someone say there was a hungry man? I've brought a rice ball my grandson made. Will that help?"
Nice disguise Ishiaki. "One of the shop keepers seems to have gotten you some food. Not much, but they make us pay for everything around here." Tsu said, nodding towards Ishiaki's disguise before calling out "Over here."
Ishiaki hobbled over to Tsu and held up the rice ball. "I know it isn't much... How about 10 ryu?" It was a rather high price for a rice ball...
"I..I haven't got any money..." The injured man stuttered, looking at the rice ball intently. His stomach growled loudly, it had been a long time since he'd eaten.
"It's on me..." Tsu grumbled, sticking her hand into her pocket and pulling out 10 ryu with a very convincing air of aggravation.
Ishiaki nodded happily as he took Tsu's ryu and handed her the rice ball. "Oh thank you very much!" He tucked the ryu into his shirt pocket. She'd get it back later, he wasn't a thief after all.
El stood by, listening still to the things surrounding them.
Tsu didn't mind him taking it, so long as he earned it back later. She tried not to smile at Ishiaki as she offered the rice ball to the hunted man "Here."
"I thank you." The man replied, nodding first to her, and then to the elderly man who'd brought it by. He wasted no time in deliberating whether their intentions were pure. He pulled his bandages down to allow his mouth more room to open. He hungrily bit into the rice ball and couldn't help but moan softly. It was incredibly sweet, but not overpoweringly so.
Tsu nodded, letting him eat and not looking at it. If he was innocent, he was going to get a good sleep tonight. Though she wondered where these creatures could be...
When the man had finished the rice ball, he started to sway back and forth as he licked his fingers. There was a loud howl as the the hunters closed in around the caravan circle. One from each direction. The howl was taken up by one, then the others, until all four howled in unison.
"I told you..." El grumbled, turning on his amplifier.
Hinji stayed silent as the beasts announced their approach again. He knew this is where he needed to be and did not plan on moving yet.
The man froze when he heard how close they were. He turned around slowly and nearly collapsed in fright. He reached for Tsu drastically. "You...you've got to get me out of here...." He pleaded, grasping at her arm in terror.
The hunters stood surrounding the circle of wagons. They were vaguely humanoid in shape, standing at roughly 7' tall. They had great shaggy manes of fiery red hair, black metallic armor covered ev
erything except for their impossibly long red arms. Each arm ended in a set of horrifically long and sharp black talons. Their faces were shaped like that of a wolf. They snarled, their voices echoing with a slight machine-like quality as they focused in on their prey.
"Sir, let go of me." Tsu said, a kunai spinning in the hand that wasn't grasped by the man "You'll be fine. We're protecting these caravans from these things anyway, so there's no reason to fear." She tossed the kunai at the creature in front of her, wondering what their reaction times were like.
His hand grew slack as the drug in the rice ball took effect. The man collapsed ungracefully into a heap upon the ground.
The hunter before Tsu snatched the kunai from the air and snarled at her. Its metal jaws opened and it howled, sending a wave of sound at the little woman and the fallen man.
El plucked one single string on his guitar and it pushed the roar back against the metal beast with several hundred pounds of pressure.
The beast jumped back several feet and swiped its claw, cutting a slash in the wave from El. The sound parted and smashed into the earth to either side of it. It howled again, calling the others to it. The sound was followed by the rustling of leaves as the other three hunters moved in response.
Tsu let out a small humming noise, barely paying attention to the man as he fell asleep on the floor. She made a few cautious steps towards one, crouching low, wondering how they would react to a frontal assault. Probably not the best idea really, but they could throw things all night and not get anywhere.
El frowned ans turned the dial up on his amplifier a little. "Hinji... it might be a good idea for one of your constructs to evacuate the gentlemen from the area..."
"Quite." Came Hinji's disembodied voice. There was a slight sound of an item passing through the air before the man on the ground was enveloped in a shadowy cage which was then pushed off by an unseen force. His order was to keep the man imprisoned until Hinji himself ordered his release...for the man's own safety of course.
Kano jumped along from roof to roof of the wagons as the hunters formed up on one another. He landed beside his sensei and grinned. "Looks like they're wanting a four on four battle, sensei."
The elderly man that was Ishiaki fell back amongst the wagons when the wolves started closing in. Tsu's team was to be the first line of defense this time. He would not interfere with them.
The hunter-wolves formed up and snarled, butting shoulders with one another as they stared down their prey. Each one picking out one of the small ninjas for themselves. They flexed their claws and rolled their shoulders, preparing for the coming battle.
"Well, I suppose it's faster for them to all die at once." Tsu said with a little huff "Do you boys remember some of those classes I gave you on working together as a group?" She sure hoped so.
Hinji remained silent. If these things were emulating predatory animals, then it s most likely that they had excellent hearing. If this was true then they probably already heard him, but he didn't want to risk that and blow his cover. Instead he waited for the beast in front of him to move, then he would act.
Ishiaki fell back to his own team, to brief them on the current situation.
Kano grinned and looked at the other members of his squad. Team work wasn't exactly their specialty, and Tsu-sensei had been trying to drill them in how to better utilize each others strengths. He knew well enough to stay out of their way while they attacked, it was common sense for that. What she'd been teaching them is how to lead the enemies to each other.
"Yes Sensei." El said. "Does everyone have ear plugs?"
"Hang on." Tsu said, taking a ball of wax from her pockets and stuffing a little into her ears to help block it up. "Kano, can you keep a fire behind us for a bit?" she asked. If Kano could get their shadows to beneath the creatures, Hinji would be able to launch an attack from directly under their feet.
Kano nodded enthusiastically as he put the ear plugs in place. "Me? Make a fire? Do you really have to ask, sensei?" He grinned from ear to ear and quickly made the hand signs. Without further instruction, he brought his fingers to his mouth and called forth his jutsu. "Fire style - Flame Wall Jutsu!" The flames roared from his lips, licking up the earth and sprouting upwards until it roared over six feet high, stretching down along the line of wagons.
"Perfect." Hinji said before moving invisibly to the center of the enemy group. He placed a card down on the ground before moving back to the group. "Duck." He said as he snapped his finger and detonated the card trap. Hundreds of shadow kunai exploded from the card in all directions.
Tsu hit the deck, groaning as Hinji sent a shower of shadow kunai out. Not everyone could duck though, since they needed shadows out there for these enemies. Hopefully they'd be able to get back up quickly.
Kano hardly had enough time to duck before Hinji's kunai rained every which way. He'd just put up that flame wall and now he had to hit the dirt. He shielded his face, preferring greatly not to take a blade to the eye.
El tilted his head and lowered to one knee, using the cover of his sombrero to protect him.
The hunters howled in pain as they were struck with kunai. They simply were not capable of dodging or blocking all of the blades. As a group, the four surged forward, into the storm of shadow blades. Two of their prey were laying down, perfect for taking the kill.
Tsu would have to make sure Hinji knew not to do that in the future. She grumbled and swept to her feet in a moment after the kunai emerged and scattered at the enemy. She was not going to be caught on her back, but the hunters had gotten closer.
Hinji was prepared for the sudden rush. He pulled the card that was his first plan and tossed it. There was a pitiful Pff sound right before millions of tiny, foul smelling, things burst forth from the card. They were about the size of gnats and they clung to the creatures like static. "Just a minor distraction. Get up quick." He said as the gnats' number had already started to dwindle.
The creatures thrashed wildly as the gnats assaulted them. The plan to distract them was clearly working.
Kano rolled to his feet and looked at the others briefly, He rushed forward, towards the hunters, and plowed directly into one of them. He knocked the creature to the ground and ricocheted off, bouncing backwards and weaving handsigns. "Fire style - Dragon Breath Jutsu!" Bringing his fingers to his mouth, fire erupted forth, engulfing the downed creature.
Tsu looked around, checking on the man they'd... 'rescued' from these hunters. She wanted to see if there was any sign of him being up and about. Even if they'd drugged him, there were ways around that, and she was looking for any sign. She was really an up close and personal kind of girl, and her kunais were running short, so she was waiting until the enemy was a bit closer before attacking.
The hunter roared and wreathed in agony as the searing flames ate through its metal armor. The other three batted off the swarm of gnats and surged forward into the fray. Their long arms provided them with incredible reach. They slashed at the ninjas and pushed them back towards their defensive fire wall.
El had been waiting for an opportunity to disable some part of the beasts. He struck a series of cords on his guitar and slashed at the outstretched arms of the beasts, attempting to render them limbless.
The burning hunter exploded in a cloud of smoke and flame as its summons was destroyed.
Kano jumped out of the way as the others surged forward. He glanced back in time to see El doing his thing and dodged the sound wave. Tsu-sensei wanted a closer match, she was gonna get it now. He couldn't believe he'd managed to take one down so quick...
As the sound wave connected with the first hunter, its left arm was sliced clean off. It landed on the ground beside it, flopping dramatically. The creature howled mechanically in pain. Rage filled its eyes and it leaped up, slashing forward with its remaining claw towards El.
The other two split away from the sound wave and circled back around, heading for the littlest member of the squad.
El let the beast get close and jumped at the last second, smashing down at him with another, heavier wave of music.
The two attacking wolf creatures would be surprised when the littlest moment of the group was suddenly up close and personal with them. Tsu was suddenly inside the reach of one, slashing hard and fast at its chest, ripping at the body with vicious claws as she tried to disembowel it in a few violent seconds.
El's blast sent ripples down through the hunter's armor. It splintered and burst, falling all around it. As the sound wave continued to push down on the creature, its knees gave out and it folded with a sickening crunch beneath the weight. With a poof of smoke, it vanished, just as its brother had.
The hunters weren't designed for up close and personal combat. As Tsu took its chest apart with her claws, that became painfully obvious. These creatures were made to instill terror and track their prey from afar. It growled and tried to slash at the tiny woman as she scored hit after hit against its vulnerable underbelly.
While its brother was occupying the girl, the final hunter broke free. They had intended to entrap the little one and use the strength of their numbers to overwhelm her. It had not anticipated that she would move so quickly, nor attack so viciously.
Seeing the fight coming to a close quickly, Hinji didn't waste any time when he saw the one break free of the melee. He tossed a card that burst mid air into two condor sized birds with vicious looking, oversized talons and sharp beaks, who then set themselves upon the lone hunter.
Tsu was, without a shadow of a doubt, burrowing her way through the chest of the creature she was fighting. The claw raked her, but a shallow cut was all it achieved as Tsu finally managed to see moonlight through the other side of the creature's body.
When Tsu's claw emerged on the opposite side of the hunter's body, it exploded in a poof of smoke. The final hunter shrieked as it was set upon the massive birds. It backed upward, batting at the birds as it backpedaled away from the group.
"Is everyone ok?" El asked once the last one was gone.
"I am fine." Hinji answered, "I do not believe those were meant to be of any challenge. More of a diversion or a way for someone to gauge our abilities."
"Yeah... I don't like it." Tsu said, looking towards the person they'd kept caged up.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this was too easy..." Kano said and followed his sensei's gaze towards the supposedly injured man.
"He's their leader." Hinji said, "He wears the dirty bandages to hide his face. Simple method of staying anonymous."
The man in question lay slumbering within the confines of Hinji's cage. He was curled in a ball upon the floor, snoring rather loudly.
"That is the leader?" Kano asked, finding it rather hard to believe. Everything they'd read on the guy made him sound larger than life. He knew it was a simple thing really to change one's appearance, but he'd been knocked out by a rice ball...
"Well, we don't know that." Tsu said with a little smile and a shrug "He could jut be a guy who was chased. Either way, he's getting a good night sleep tonight."
"You don't know that, sensei." Hinji said, "It is too much of a convenience for him to accidentally stumble onto this group. A traveling caravan loaded up with combat trained ninja. Too much of a coincidence for me to ignore."
"With Kami's drugs in him, we hardly have to worry about it just yet." El said. He stifled a yawn behind his fist. Watching over Akane he'd gotten no sleep. "Unless he knows some way to burn it out of his system with chakra. But my music would have stirred him if that were the case."
"Unless he's a good actor." Kano pointed out, again looking down at the man. "Or deaf..." He said thoughtfully. If the man were deaf, it wouldn't matter how loud El got.
"Either way, we should keep guard over him tonight." Tsu said with a little sigh and a shake of her head "He could be anyone. And unless someone's willing to stab him to see if he's awake, I suggest we get busy."
Hinji was more then willing to stab him to find out of he was in fact asleep, but he didn't voice his willingness. Instead, he pulled out a scroll from his pack and wound it once around the shadow cage the man slept in. Once this was done, he found a spot on a nearby wagon to keep watch from.
It was loud enough to wake Akane from her slumber. "Wha-?! What what?!" she gasped from being startled. She looked left and right, then saw Kami asleep a few feet away, "Kami! Kami get up! Something is happening."
Kami was reluctant to wake but she opened her eyes, seeing nothing but darkness. "Akane?" She asked, looking around still blind. She hadn't heard the sound, or at least her mind hadn't registered it as a real thing, she'd been dreaming. "Akane, where are you?" She knew Akane was in a wagon, but to her right was the best she could tell as far as direction. She got up, hands out and took a couple steps, completely falling over Oita.
There was a silence after the thud, then a soft "Ow." from Oita. He sat up slowly, scrabbling for his glasses and putting them on carefully. "What was that?" he muttered, wondering what the hell had dropped on him.
"Oita?" It was Kami. "Sorry, I forgot you where there." She pulled herself off of him.
"So did I..." Oita said with a gently groan "Where am I?" He didn't have amnesia or anything silly like that, he was just really rather tired.
"Still with the caravan." Kami told him. "Something is going on. Can you get me to Akane? I still can't see."
Ishiaki groaned and began to sit up. How long had he managed to sleep? He hardly felt rested at all...
The rest, although short, had really helped Akane. Her body was full of fresh blood now and she still had all of her chakra. Aside from simple tiredness and shock from dying, she would be okay. Sitting up now, the front of her clothing split from where El's attack had cut through. She quickly closed it and looked around for something to assist. Taking the poncho that he had left behind, Akane slid it over her head and stood up to meet her team mates.
"Yeah... I'll try..." Oita said, carefully standing up, letting out a deep groan and holding his stomach "Feels like I haven't eaten in a week." He gently placed himself underneath Kami's arm, trying to guide her towards Akane's direction.
"I can walk Oita..." Kami said, taking her arm back gently. "I just can't see still... I don't want to step in the middle of someone again"
"Guys-" Akane said, dropping down to where they were. "You heard that, right?"
Ishiaki climbed out of the wagon he'd been sleeping in and looked around, heading for his students. Whatever had made those sounds was getting closer...
"Well, there's Akane." Oita said as Akane dropped out of just about nowhere. Was everyone sleeping around him? He'd thought he'd had a nice secluded sleeping spot.
"What did you hear, Akane?" Kami asked. "I was dreaming. I heard something but I'm not certain."
"It was a roar of some kind. I caught the end of it." Akane said.
"Hunting pack." Ishiaki explained as he came upon them. "One from each direction, would be a pretty good assumption."
"So... four." Oita said gently "The others should be able to handle it right?"
Tsu slid into the room with ease. She was frowning. "Man appeared. Saying he is being hunted. Looks suspicious, just happens to be hunted by guy try to kill us. Bring some food out for him. Make sure it's drugged. If he's our enemy, he'll have drugged himself. If he's friendly, no harm done." She looked around, glad to see they were all up and with it, before darting out of there at top speed. She didn't want to leave her students outside with him for long, even if there were three of them.
"I'm not certain any of that was a complete, grammatically correct, sentence." Akane said with a shake of her head.
"That may be, but she did provide us with all the information we could need for the task at hand." Ishiaki explained, turning towards Kami. "I trust you have some form of subtle tranquilizer, Kaminari?"
"I have half a dozen." Kami said. "But I can't see any of them." She opened her medicine pack and felt inside. There were dozens of little compartments with vials of pills, liquids and leaves. "I have two that will work within seconds. One that can be made into a tea and another that are drops to be added to food or a kunai. Which do you prefer?"
"Those to be added to food would be preferable." Ishiaki explained with a polite nod.
"Oita?" Kami asked, turning to him. "It's a clear vial with about this much-" She held up her fingers to reveal an inch. "-blue liquid inside. The cork has a glass dropper in the center. It says Neru on the label. Can you find it please. It should be around here..." She pointed to a few other vials that had glass droppers.
"I'll give it a look." Oita said, peeking inside and giving a little smile. His fingers flickered through the items quickly, mumbling gently "No... no no... no... Ah." He pulled out the little vial "And this will put him right to sleep?"
"Three drops." Kami said. "Three only... much more than that can put him in a coma and five drops or more could kill him..." Kami always had the best drugs, be it medicine or poison.
"Three drops." Ishiaki reiterated with a nod. "I take it that this Neru is generally used for tranq darts? Anything that potent wouldn't be safe for other purposes."
Akane had been silent since Kami said she could not see. Since then, she had been looking hard at her. Before she could answer Ishiaki, Akane stepped forward and grabbed her chin and angled it up to her face. "What's the matter with you?" she asked, not knowing she had been blinded.
Kami's eyes were blue gray expanses without pupils. She jerked her head away from Akane's grip. "I'm blind Akane." She exasperated, closing up her pack, leaving the vial in Oita's care.
"What? How?!" Akane asked, gravely concerned that no one had told her.
"When I activated the Sword of Light for Ishiaki." Kami said. "Because it was my chakra and not his it took payment in the form of my sight. I should be fine... eventually."
"Let me heal you up. I'm feeling better now, I can handle it." Akane assured her.
"It's not a wound Akane." Kami told her, getting a little testy about it. "It's a price paid in chakra, one I'm glad to have paid. Stop. I'll be fine."
"She'll get better." Oita said, searching in his pack right now. He pulled out a little package of wrapped rice balls, putting three drops on one and taking the other out for himself. They were a little squashed, but still good. "Who's going to take it to this guy?" Oita asked, wondering if it was him.
Ishiaki stepped forward and held out his hand out for the rice ball. "I will. If he proves any trouble, it might be better that way."
"If you're sure." Oita said, carefully giving a little smile and handing the man the drugged rice ball "He should go down after a few bites."
"Have you recovered enough to go?" Kami asked Ishiaki.
"I could accompany you. I'm feeling up to it." Akane said.
Ishiaki shook his head, holding up his hand to protest Akane's company. "A show of force may not do to help our ploy. I am well enough to go." He assured Kami with that last bit. He thought for a moment and grinned. "Though a little change of appearance might help even more..." He made the hand signs, it was a little awkward while juggling the tainted rice ball. "Transform." He stated and in a Poof! his appearance changed. He hunched over on his sword, which had turned into a gnarled and knotted wood cane, his long blue hair had become straggly and white. His skin wrinkled and pulled tight in some places, and hung loose in others. He coughed a moment and then in a gravely voice said, "There we go! Not very assuming now, am I?"
"You looked like a great grandfather." Oita said gently, eyes scanning over Ishiaki "Lets just hope the person you're delivering to doesn't get suspicious about you delivering the food." Too much of a disguise could sometimes be worse than none at all.
"The whole concept of us drugging some old villager is pretty stupid in itself...this just adds to it." Akane sighed.
"As usual you've not been listening again." Kami grumbled at her. "Tsu thinks the old man might be Tetsu... the leader of the rogue ninjas we've been facing."
"Or you know... it could just be an old guy we're about to drug." Akane said.
"We're not killing him." Oita said flatly "If you believe that there is no merit in drugging this man you need to seriously reconsider your tactical thinking."
"Oita- does it look like I've spoken to the man directly?" Akane asked. If Oita was going to get sassy, she would too. "I'm just saying innocent until proven guilty is all. All Tsu said is that he 'looks suspicious'."
Ishiaki groaned and shook his head. "Enough bickering already. I would have thought you three would be passed all that by now. Try to keep quiet. If this gentleman is in fact the leader of the Masters, then we'll have him in custody early on. If he turns out to be a victim as he says, then no harm will come to him. He'll get a bite to eat and a good night's sleep, that is all." He sighed exasperatedly and headed off to deliver the rice ball.
"This is taking a while Ishiaki Sensei..." Kami said. "And she said there were creatures coming. Perhaps we should act first and argue later."
"What are you..?" oita said, before pinking a little and saying gently "He's left Kami. Sorry. I... forgot." She hadn't seen him leave after all.
"For the love of-" Akane shook her head, "Kami. Let me fix your eyes. If I can heal frostbite, I can heal temporary blindess easy."
"It's not frostbite." Kami told her. "The sword did it to me. It's not a wound or tissue damage. But if it'll make you shut up, fine."
"What if you make it worse?" Oita asked gently "You've no idea what kind of wound you're dealing with. Something caused by an initiation right of unsealing a sword. How will you even go about trying to heal that? I'm all for you healing her, but be absolutely certain you know what you're doing."
"Gee thanks for the confidence boost." Akane said. "Why don't you go untangle your dolls or something and let me try this."
Kami frowned. "He's just concerned Akane..."
Oita didn't say anything, he just left, going to sort out his stuff. They might have a fight on their hands outside after all.
"Alright. He's gone. Sit-" Akane said and took Kami's arm, leading her to a nice spot to sit down for a moment.
"Ah!" Kami hissed and stumbled for a second as her foot got caught on something sharp. "Easy, watch where I'm going."
"Sorry." Akane said honestly, "Here... right... here." she added and guided her more readily. "So.. what happened?"
"Rath stabbed Ishiaki with a kunai during their dual." Kami said. "He won, which means he would have taken the Sword of Seven from Ishiaki, but it betrayed him because he won dishonorably. Ishiaki was going to die from his wound so I summoned the Sword of Light to heal him. It activated to save him, but because it does not belong to me, it took my sight."
"You said it would come back on it's own though?" Akane asked, hovering her hands over her eyes. It glowed softly against her face, but she knew no difference.
"Ishiaki seems to think so." Kami told her. "Though he could give me no indication of when that might happen."
"I hope it's soon." Akane said. "This makes you a bit of a liability you know."
"I know." Kami said, sounding disgruntled. "I have been considering summoning Master Risu to act as my eyes... I just... I don't wish to burden him..."
"No need for that. We'll keep an eye out for you." Akane assured her, seeming to have trouble healing her eyes.
"You're wasting chakra." Kami said, gently finding Akane's wrists. "Stop."
"I can do it if I tried... really." Akane said, trying to convince both of them, "If I just-"
"Stop!" Kami told her earnestly, pulling her hands away. "I appreciate it, but save your chakra for people who need it."
"Alright alright... Fine." Akane said and took her hands back. "I...suppose you should stay in here then."
"It would probably be better if I just stayed out of the way..." Kami agreed.
"You guys hear that?" Oita's voice called from the darkness, meaning the howls.
"That's it..." Kami said. "I'm summoning Master Risu." She sliced her thumb open with the blade El had returned to her and prepared by summoning her chakra.
"I'm going..." Akane said and readied herself, still wearing El's poncho. she hopped down from the caravan and headed toward the sound.
"Are you sure? Wouldn't it be best to settle back and try to reserve your chakra to heal others if they need it?" Oita asked, glancing over towards Akane.
"He has a point." Kami said. "The last thing we need is for you to get hurt." She didn't bother saying 'again'. She removed the scroll from her other earlobe and placed her bloody thumb against the symbol. She poured her chakra into the seal and a small puff of white smoke revealed Master Risu. Last time he had sent his daughter, but had chosen to arrive himself this time.
"Kaminari." He said, seeing not that she was blind, but sensing that something was amiss. "Whats wrong?"
"I won't get hit this time." Akane said over her shoulder. "I'm not sitting behind like Kami."
"I may not know what is going on-" Master Risu said, "But there is no way you can say you will not be struck. You are too valuable as a medical ninja to risk your body."
"She won't listen." Kami told him. "She's already died once today."
Not only that, but Akane was bull-headed and very determined. "I didn't sign up as a medical ninja to sit on the sidelines while my comrades fight."
"Do you want the others to die?" Oita said flatly, staring on at Akane from the shadowy end of the caravan.
"Fuck off Oita." Akane said simply and jumped down from the wagon. It's impossible to contain wind.
"I thought you told me she had changed?" Master Risu asked Kami.
"She had." Kami said. "But she still has her moments..."
"I think she wants to die." Oita said with a soft sigh, shaking his head and watching her.
That was a little harsh even for Kami who since going blind had gotten a little gruff. "Oita..." She said. "That was a little much..."
"Akane..." Master Risu said, leaving Kami and approaching the girl. He hopped as he moved, his gray body moving just like his unintelligent cousins. He was large for a squirrel, about a foot tall, but he looked more like a little old man who'd been turned into a squirrel. He was adorable. "You are extremely valuable as a medical ninja. There is no doubt you wish to help your friends, but sometimes the best way to help is to stay back a bit until you are needed."
Akane was down from the wagon, which put Master Risu at shoulder level. "I don't like being told what I can or can't do. I had to sit back on the Frost Village too and heal everyone. I want to fight." She would never be able to win her personal vendettas if she didn't know how to fight in real battles.
"Akane..." Kami said. "You nearly died earlier... You don't have to prove yourself..."
"I want to make sure they are okay." Akane said. "Even if I have to heal them, best I be there and ready."
Ishiaki's elderly man transformation evaporated with a poof as he walked back to his group. "The enemy has revealed itself." He held up his hand, showing four of his five fingers. "One came from each direction. They've grouped to fight the other squad. We will provide back up, if necessary." He looked directly at Akane as he said that last part. "If you want to be more involved, then we can all go and guard the wagons, so that the other squad will be able to focus on the enemy entirely."
"Ishiaki." Master Risu said, making his small form known to the blind man. "I would be happy to summon a few squads to assist."
Oita sighed as he watched Akane from a distance. Saying she wanted to die might have been harsh, but she needed to probe he was wrong first.
"Let's keep that on standby, Master Risu." Ishiaki told him with a nod. "We'll keep your ninja as our trump card."
"Very well." Master Risu said, deferring to the swordsman's.
"I'll need you for my eyes." Kami told him. "I might be of some use with a little help."
Akane crossed her arms and chose to wait for instruction. She could dick around here with the lollipop gang or guard the wagons. Both sounded very dull.
Ishiaki perked up and looked back towards where he'd left the others. "They've begun." He said simply as he saw the chakra flare from their location.
"So.. I guess we should all guard then." Akane said.
"If this Tetsu fellow is truly as devious as all the reports say, then these hunters would more than likely just be a distraction." Ishiaki reminded them.
Oita shrugged "And if he's not we have nothing to worry about."
"Depending on his metabolism my drug should keep him asleep for several hours." Kami told Ishiaki Sensei.
"That's if he was the man we gave it to." Ishiaki reminded her with a grimace. They still weren't one hundred percent sure that was the case.
"But of course we drugged him anyway." Akane muttered with a roll of her eye. "Shoot now, ask later."
"Better than to have two enemies to face." Master Risu told Akane.
"If we shot now, he'd be dead, not asleep." Oita pointed out with a glance over towards Akane.
"Or... we just drugged an innocent bystander." Akane argued back. "I get that it was a precaution, but let's not treat him like an enemy unless we know for certain."
Ishiaki sighed and pinched his nose. They were having the same argument all over again. "It doesn't matter. Hinji has the fellow, let's leave it at that. If it turns out he wasn't the enemy, no harm done. He got a decent day's rest."
"Can anyone tell what's happening with the others?" Kami asked, trying to change the subject.
"I can tell what the others are doing to them." Oita said, gazing over towards the light cast by Kano's fire.
"Come on- we should watch over the rest of the cargo while this is going on." Akane stated, wanting to make herself useful.
"I can't exactly watch anything." Kami said.
"We could go searching for the stuff we're meant to protect." Oita said with a little shrug "Just so we actually know where to guard."
Ishiaki looked at his students. "We've spent too long debating. The hunters have all dispersed." He shook his head and looked back towards the others again. It was strange how quickly the beasts were defeated, he had expected more.
"Can we check on them now that it's over? See if anyone is hurt?" asked Akane.
"Sure." Oita said with a sigh, motioning towards Akane.
"Don't you think that was awfully quick Ishiaki Sensei?" Kami asked.
"Yes, I do..." Ishiaki said softly, pondering the situation as well. It was far too quick. He didn't like it at all. "Let's go."
"You need help, Kami?" asked Akane, offering a hand that the girl couldn't see.
"Akane is offering you her hand." Master Risu told Kami since she didn't see it.
"Oh..." Kami's hand searched for Akane's and she took the offered help as she stood.
"I will guide her." Master Risu told Akane. "Keep that eye of yours peeled for danger."
"If you say so." Akane said and let go of her hand.
Oita let out a little thoughtful noise and looked towards Ishiaki. "We shouldn't bring him into the inner circle, should we? But we don't want to have him without a guard of some kind."
"That would be like bringing the wolf inside the sheep's pen." Ishiaki said with a grimace. There was no way the man was coming inside the circle of wagons. Not until they could prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he wasn't the Tetsu. He started to head towards the other group, if they didn't get there soon, he had the feeling they might miss out again.
Akane followed, glad that El and Kami had forced her to nap for that hour or so. She was revitalized and felt ready to make up for the failure of earlier.
Ishiaki brought his squad to the others in time to see the last hunter disperse as Hinji's shadow birds tore through its flesh. "Have our suspicions been confirmed yet, Tsurigi?" He asked as he gazed over at the shadow cage. The man still slept rather soundly.
"Not yet." Tsu said with a shake of her head "The attacks have stopped. If the person was OUT there," she indicated the trees "then surely it would have attacked again. But he hasn't really DONE anything..." She nodded to the man on the floor.
El looked up and saw Akane awake. He slipped between everyone to go to her side. "Are you alright? Is it safe for you to be up and about?"
Akane was wearing El's poncho when she arrived. She looked a bit tired, but could still help if need be. "I'm fine... what happened? Is anyone hurt?"
"No." El said. "We're all fine. Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"How is anyone supposed to sleep with you playing that guitar of yours?" Akane asked, giving him a smirk. They had both been through a lot today and perhaps she was trying to mask it with a comment like that? "I'm okay for now... tired... but better than before."
"Kano?" Kami asked. She could hear El and Akane speaking, but couldn't hear Kano. "Is he here?" She asked the squirrel on her shoulder.
"Five paces to the left." Master Risu said helpfully.
Oita was over at the cage. As he had no loved one to greet after the battle, he stood there, staring down at the man. "If we put him too far out in the forest and he is innocent, he'd be good bait... but we might not get to him in time if there's an attack."
"No need." Hinji said to Oita, "This is Tetsu. Tsu sensei doesn't yet believe it so, but I know."
Kano held up his hand on impulse. "I'm here, Kami." He moved to her side and took her hand carefully. "Sorry...just thinking that all that was far too easy..."
Ishiaki rubbed his chin and looked down at the slumbering man. "And the tranquilizer is still working?" He asked curiously. If it had actually taken effect, the man would be out for quite a while.
"I'd be happier if you sat." El told Akane softly, not wanting to seem... fretful in front of the others, but still concerned for her.
Kami took Kano's hand, glad he was alright. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth boy." Master Risu said. "But I'd say you are right to be cautious."
"It's just that...each of these so called Masters took so much out of us. And now we come across this old guy." Kano said, gesturing towards the man in the cell. "And we all jump to the same conclusion that he must be Tetsu, the leader of the Masters. Then the wolf-bots show up to seemingly hunt him and we squash them like ants..."
"Join me then?" Akane asked, noticing the massive bags under El's dark eyes. He looked more tired than she did... and he hadn't even died.
It was more like El to argue but he nodded. "Yes." he said. "I'll join you."
"I believe so." Tsu said with a little nod to Ishiaki "He took a bite out of it, I didn't see him spit it out. Hopefully he'll be asleep the whole night." She sighed, then snapped her fingers towards Ishiaki, "Money."
"Money?" Ishiaki asked her curiously. Did he make a bet with her that he didn't remember?
"You made me pay for his food." Tsu reminded him "Gimme back."
"Oh that!" Ishiaki said with a laugh and pulled her money out from his tunic. "Given who we're escorting, it wasn't as if it would be believable to get something for free, would it?"
"You could have said I'd paid you inside." Tsu said with a slight huff, taking the money and stuffing it somewhere indecent on herself.
Ishiaki shrugged and held up his hands in defeat. "As if it truly mattered anyway."
Akane found a spot for her and El to sit. "So what happened?"
"We engaged the enemy and overcame." El said. "There is little more to say." He sat down heavily beside her. "I'm glad you're alright."
"You get get rid of me that easily." Akane said, making light of her recent death. It really was the only way she could deal with it right now. Depression would come soon after this mission without a doubt. "What do you think about the old man?"
"I think, at this moment in time, I'm going to let them decide..." El looked dead tired. His chakra levels were alright, but he'd not slept at all since they'd left the Inc.
Akane noticed his exhaustion and it made her sad. They weren't in the clear yet. Taking her pack, she dug inside for a moment and took out one of Kami's capsules. Without saying how much he needed it, she handed it to him.
"I don't need those to sleep..." El said. "I just need the opportunity..."
"These are different. This one can give you energy." Akane said.
"I've already eaten too many of Kami's energy pellets already." El said. "It's not safe to have any more." He closed her hand and pushed it back towards her. "Thank you. But at this point only real sleep will help."
"Well.. nothing seems to be happening right now and the old man is still out cold for a while...." Akane wondered aloud. Scooting back against the wheel of the wagon they were currently sitting near, she looked at El and patted her lap.
Under normal circumstances, El never would have taken the invitation. He did now and it seemed without hesitation. He leaned his guitar down in front of him and rested his head on her bare thigh with a sigh. He liked seeing her in his poncho. It stirred emotions no thirteen year old should feel, but he didn't have long to reflect upon them before he was fast asleep.
Akane hoped nothing would happen that would disturb them right now. El deserved some rest. When he was laying down, she carefully removed his hat and placed it beside her. His hair was damp and a bit messy in places from his sweaty sombrero pushing against it. The rest of the team seemed to be chatting among themselves so when no one was looking, Akane gently began combing through his hair with her fingers.
"I'm just teasing you." Tsu said with a little wink to Ishiaki "You know that." She sighed, turning slightly back towards the man in the cage "Should we move him?"
"I think it would be best if we kept him out here, as far from the caravan as possible really...Until we know for sure at least." Ishiaki said with a grimace as he looked over at the man again.
"It was too easy..." Kano told Kami. He was very proud of his abilities and often gloated, but he wasn't trying to show off this time. It truly worried him how easy it was.
"Maybe the man is who they think he is." Kami said. "And we simply outsmarted him."
"I could arrange some kind of... cage..." Oita said, looking around towards Ishiaki "So the summon does not have to be constantly present. We don't want Hinji to exhaust himself after all."
"I am fine." Hinji commented on Oita's suggestion, "I can keep this cage summons going for many hours yet. Also, my scroll will be useless should it be removed."
Away from the group, propped up against the wheel of one of the caravans, Akane gently stroked her fingers through El's hair. Her thoughts were of him and what they had gone through only a few hours ago. After his attack sliced open her torso, things got a bit hazy, but certain aspects, the important ones, were crystal clear. "I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner..." she whispered, finishing the sentence she had started moments before she had nearly died earlier.
Kano shook his head, he wanted to believe her. He really did, but it just ate at the back of his mind. This guy was supposed to be the leader of Masters...you just don't become leader by being outsmarted by a bunch of kids.
Kami could sense Kano's concerns, but she didn't say anything. "What are we doing just standing here?" Master Risu asked anyone who would listen.
"I guess we should sleep then." Oita said with a little sigh and a weak smile.
| Show these comments on your site |
Stumble!