Extracurricular Studies: Part II {Solo E-Rank Mission}

[Tsuyoshi Takeo]

”ACHOOOOO!!!” The sound of Jo’s sneeze racked the still, silent air of the massive library of Kumogakure. The assistant librarian to whom he had been assigned to help reshelf the massive mountain of recently returned volumes and tomes shushed him violently for the umpteenth time that day. ”Sorry…” Jo whispered hoarsely, just as he’d done every time before. It wasn’t his fault! Even with his handkerchief dampened and tied around his nose and mouth, the dust seemed to sneak into and irritate his sinuses. There wasn’t even anyone in that wing of the library to disturb; yet the prissy young-miss always felt it was a personal affront on the building itself whenever anyone made an unnecessary sound above a whisper.

”Whatever, we’re finished anyway. Here…” She signed the Mission Completion Form his academic advisor gave him when he was given the assignment, thrusting the piece of paper into his hands. ”I trust you can find your own way out?” She said snidely before turning and walking away without waiting for a reply.

”Wait; when does the library close? I’d like to find a book or two on chakr-“

”Ten minutes, you should just leave.” She sniped, disappearing around a row of books. Quickly making sure no one was around to see, Jo flipped the bird to the empty air where the snippy bitch had been moments before. It didn’t matter what you thought of the client, just that the job got done and done well.

Jo cursed quietly under his breath. Rei had said something about there being an oral report on chakra due the next day. Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Jo quickly decided to take a stupid risk. If it worked, he’d be able to give his report tomorrow. If he failed, he’d have more to worry about than missing a report.

{To be continued upon approval.}

WC: 310

{MFT}

 

[Tsuyoshi Takeo]

One-by-one, the lights in the library shut down sector by sector as the head librarian flipped switches on the fuse box. After she finished, she exited through the main door, the large wood and steel stricter booming closed with an echo that resounded through the entire building, followed by a similarly loud clip of the ancient lock. For five minutes, the building lay in complete and utter silence. In the farthest recesses of the library, tucked deep in the section devoted to tax law, a book return car sat pressed against the wall. After five minutes, it quietly moved away, and Jo climbed out from behind it.

Trespassing was a criminal offence, especially in a government building; but Jo wasn’t about to let fear of the consequences control his actions. He needed access to the information to improve himself as a shinobi. He made a mental note to drop a note in the suggestion box to have the library open 24 hours to shinobi and academy students as he snuck through the darkness towards the section on shinobi arts.

Spending that much time in the dark gave him decent enough low light vision to navigate between the shadowy towers of shelved books. Besides, the slivers of moonlight coming through the windows (the which he avoided allowing himself to walk too near) gave him plenty of light to see by. He quickly made his way through the aisles to the shinobi-arts section, pulling all the titles he thought would be helpful off the shelves, loading down his arms in no time. After he had gathered all he needed, he made his way to one of the older wings of the building, where torches and candles in wall sconces were still the main source of light.

Setting the load of books down on a table away from any windows, Jo gathered a few loose candles and set them about the table, lighting them with a deft flick of his lighter before diving into his studies with a vengeance…

The night flew by faster than Jo expected, leaving him stunned when the sky outside started to turn from darkest ebony to steel grey, betraying the coming dawn. Quickly blowing out and disposing of the remaining stubs of the candles and returning books to shelves before hiding back behind the return cart in the Tax Law aisle. Just after dawn, he heard the lock turn and the door creek open, followed by the clicking of the fuse box as the lights flashed into life. He sat quietly for the first hour of the library being open before emerging from his hiding place and calmly heading towards the checkout counter with one of the books he hadn’t quite gotten to finishing. ”Hey there, I’d like to check out this book, please.”

The head librarian did a double-take. ”Where did you come from? I didn’t see you come in.” She took the book and stamped it, eying him suspiciously.

”I came in just a minute ago, you even directed me to the section where the books on chakra were.” He said, his eyes wide and innocent.

”Oh… Well, this is due back in two weeks. Don’t eat or drink while reading, m’kay dear?””

”Of course not, ma’am! I wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled, taking the book and walking out the door. His innocent smile turned into an accomplished grin as he made his way to the academy, stopping for a cup of coffee on the way. He’d pass any test Rei could throw at him now.

WC: 592