Histories Mark [Dual Contract Search]

[Morishige]

My soles clapped against the hard stone of the road as I approached the town before me, my eyes watching the ground in front of me in a somewhat distant fashion. My thoughts were preoccupied with the past few weeks events along with how things had changed so fast. "Captain of the Deathwatch. Responsibility. Ambition." I spoke softly as I realized I had been kicking a rock along for some twenty yards now. I smiled softly at my inanimate friend before booting hom to the edge of the road and continuing forward in thought. "Ambition." I repeated with a frown. "Was he trying to tell me something?" I questioned aloud. Turning my eyes skyward, I watched the slow moving clouds as a travelling merchant passed me by. "Am I to seek even more than I have gained? Am I to be unsatisfied with the position I have been granted? Must I work even harder to surpass my position once again?" I spoke in a soft tone. "He said he was looking for someone to replace him after all..." I finished, trailing off into thought.

Out of the four of us, that one female was out of the question. Unless she matured years in weeks, there was no way someone that rambunctious would be granted a pivotal position as sennin. That left three of us: Hikari, Donut, and myself. Now unless my knowledge of Kumogakurian general traditions was unsatisfactory, Hikari was a moot choice due to the fact she would be outside of the village for most of her career. "Donut." I said while pressing my lips firmly together. He was probably the best choice. His advanced years on me gave him experience and wisdom I did not have. And there wasn't a doubt in my mind that his skills bettered mine in combat. This thought only made me doubt my own skill coupled with confusing me more. So the question still lie before me. "Why bring up ambition?" I thought, and then repeated a couple times. Did he really want me to surpass Natsu?

But before I could answer for myself, I nearly ran into a large, burly man in who was stopped in front of me. In my thought, I did not realize that I had arrived at my destination. The town was bigger than it seemed from a distance, but this only made me happier. A larger town usually meant better ingredients for food, and sustenance was the best way to get my mind off these troubling matters. So, I quickly found myself a kind looking couple, whom were probably newly weds based on their age, to inquire for a good place to eat, and with their knowledge, set off on a quest for good eats.

My mind dulled on the activities it previously trifled with as I ate a hearty plate of chicken and rice. A goofy smile spread on my face as I grinned in satisfaction of a warm meal in my belly. After a night alone out in the wilderness of lightning country, this dish felt like a five star plate of food, when it was more realistically a two star one at best. Nevertheless, I wolfed it down until my hands lay on my protruding belly, proceeding to emote a hefty belch afterwords. "Now that's some good stuff..." I groaned before closing my eyes so that I could enjoy the feeling of fullness. But it was in this time of simplicity that I noticed his voice. "Speak of the devil..." I said with a grin. Opening my eyes, I quickly surveyed my area before spotting him. "Donut!" I called out loud, raising my hand in the air to get his attention.

I was not quite sure what he was doing there, but a familiar face was always better than being alone in a unfamiliar place like this. I made my way through the crowd of diners to reach up and clap him on the shoulder. "What are you doing out here? Care to sit and chat?" I suggested. Of course, the man would oblige and join me! So we would return to my table, get him some food, and inform each other of our respective missions.

As it would turn out, both he and I were on missions that were taking us around the countryside. While his were of the more important nature, I felt like it would be a much more entertaining trip should we team up in a sense. While we would each do our assigned tasks, we would keep each other company and provide assistance if the other needed it. And of course, speak on the matters pertaining to the main branches new sennin and his choices for the direction he chose to take us in. This plan would take us to several places, but the one we were currently at was far more unique than most. They were rare, but the Solum de Asphodelus had intricate ruins and other archaeological wonders scattered throughout it's vast reaches.

It was fortunate that we were in such a place when I grew hungry once again. My stomach growled intensely as I walked along the road with Donut, enjoying the weather which lightning country rarely had: partly cloudy with a large dose of sunshine. The aforementioned ruins had were on our right just as my belly called for attention. I turned my head to admire them when I got the idea to propose to my travelling companion. "Hey Donut, why don't we stop here and grab something to eat? Maybe head into the ruins to find a nice shady spot to eat?" I inquired before moving closer to the ruins themselves.

I myself had never done any kind of studying into these types of things, so I wasn't quite sure of the ruins structure or if it was even safe or permitted to enter. Plants and vegetation were winning the war against man made objects after such a time. Vines with budding flowers were hanging all over the place accompanied by the scent of salty air, and numerous weeds were growing up from between the cracks in the floors. Openings in the ceilings let in the sunlights rays of warmth, giving the necessary capabilities for plant life to grow. Despite the cheerful flora, there was a sense of sadness I could feel due to the fact that this had once been a place where people thrived, and now stood empty of people... But regardless, it was a nice day, and the scenery couldn't have been better for a quick lunch by the coast.

wc: 1099

 

[Hameru Ren]

Re: Incomplete

”No ser, may me nan fall dead if I speak falsely! The niece of the barber of the personal maid General Sumihara said she’s found true love in an ambassador from the Bear Country!” The puffy innkeeper assured Natsu. The Chunin found it hard to resist the urge of walking away right then and there. The odds of the sister of PRMC’s leader having the hots for an ambassador of their country’s biggest rival is about as likely as Chunin being appointed division leader of the Main Branch. Oh wait… Natsu thought sarcastically Even so, the blonde found he could see it as no more than yet another overblown rumor, and wondered just how many more of these he’d have to hear before his trip would come to an end. He had lost the count at around twenty in just this town, yet feared he'd hear at least as many yet again before it he could leave the hamlet behind him.

He had been pretty excited when he had received approval for his request from the Legation. Seeing he had been out of town thanks to the mission involving the massive blacksmith, he had planned a route along Kumogakure's countryside. Having been promoted to Spymaster just a few weeks ago, he had found the reports from undercover agents often supplied him with only limited information. Some digging had revealed the previous Spymaster had managed a most impressive network of informers and spies, many of which had been simple civilians. Few enough remained still available for contact, most of them having died since. It had been about thirty years since the Spymaster function had been dissolved after all. So, Natsu had set out to set up new information points, which had proven painful enough.

Not wanting to reveal himself as a Shinobi to regular civilian.s as tensions had been rising lately, he had posed as a travelling merchant, much like his mission in Raiden no Me. A donut and a coin often loosened lips easily enough, and so he had heard more rumors than he had imagined could exist. Those few who had given him reliable information he had asked to keep in touch, promising them monetary rewards for their information. That had convinced near all of them. Yet the innkeeper here would turn out to be yet another disappointment it seemed. Natsu was just about ready to ask the man for a simple meal to finish the gossiping as by miracle a fellow Shinobi helped him out. "Donut!"

If there was anything that could get Do Natsu's attention it was that word. Not only because his name sounded so much alike, but because it was his favorite pastry. Some would call it an addiction, the Chunin having at least one daily. It baffled some of Kumogakure's finest Med-Nins that the overdose of sugar had so little effect on Natsu. The young Spymaster himself preferred to think of it as destiny, though his rigorous Shinobi training was more likely to be the saving grace. Back to the Shinobi however, Natsu quickly identified the boy as Ishikawa Zaku. Much like himself, the boy had just recently been elevated to rank of Death Watch Captain despite his age and relatively small amount of experience. Natsu still had to figure out whether the new Sennin was crazy or had some sort of genius reasoning for these upsetting promotions- most likely both.

Following the boy to his table, Natsu was glad to see the familiar face. He ordered a plate of trout and rice. If there was one thing the countryside in Solum de Asphodelus it was that the rivers along the Rolling Hills held some of the best fish around. The conversation at the table, set apart to prevent prying ears from listen in on their conversation, was simple but interesting. Zaku informed him about his mission to scout out Kumogakure's surroundings as new Gate Captain and vice versa Natsu the boy about his intentions of setting up new information posts. The Spymaster found himself agreeing to travel along. Their destinations were much alike after all, and the young man made for a surprisingly interesting conversation partner. At least Zaku hadn't brought up the awkward first encounter at the Academy yet. At the first mention of the word 'Pedophile' or Natsu'd be gone quicker than one could say 'Pedobear'.

They set out swiftly enough, Natsu slipping his contact information to the innkeeper as he bought fresh rations. It was unlikely the man would ever turn in a useful report, but better safe than sorry. Perhaps the meal had helped his mood more than expected. If so, the innkeeper had Zaku to thank for the opportunity at some extra coin. The town was behind them quick enough, the two Shinobi making their way along the few ruins of Solum. As Zaku brought up food, the Spymaster found his own stomach growling in affirmation.

Natsu had never cared much for old buildings, then again, they always held the possibility of hiding old books containing long forgotten knowledge. The odds of finding any such treasures by simply eating a meal in the outskirts of a ruinous city were very small, but it'd keep the two of them out of the wind and rain. Natsu had lived long enough in the Santaru filled Kumo to know clouds could drop rain all too quickly, even if they were accompanied by a shining sun. Leading Zaku into one of the buildings, they found a patio with its stone benches and table still mostly intact. The duo could even enjoy the sight of the sea from here. Natsu figured it must've been a wonderful city to spend a vacation. Perhaps one day, if the whole village won a global lottery they could start reconstruction works here. It was an entertaining thought, one he offered Zaku as discussion topic while they ate.

[Word Count: 980]
[Total Word Count: 2.079]
[Marked for Training]

[OoC: Some things may come across as confusing due to being tied in with Kumo plot. If need be, feel free to PM for clarification!]

 

[Junan]

This is a successful venture.

You have found the Youkai contract.

yay or nay?

 

[Morishige]

I can speak for both Donut and myself when I say, Yes! Very much Yes! Beyond Yes Yes!​

 

[Hameru Ren]

[OoC: .. So many 'Yay's. ALL OF THE YAYS IN FACT! Thanks for the quick, and amazing, response!]

 

[Junan]

Chance. What a glorious notion that mortals believed so heavily in. People bumped into friends and family, the line 'it's a small world' uttered and somewhere someone not of this world smiles. Sometimes it was those who bathed themselves in light, calling themselves Kami. They thought of themselves so superior. When they manipulated these situations the smiles that were formed on their immortal faces were smiles of contentment, happiness, weakness.

No, this day a pair of mortals were joined and in the shadows a smile formed.

They walked off together, like lovers they laughed and talked about life. The gentle caress of one man on another as he pulled his friend into a ruined building, leading him up the stairs with a gentle look back over his shoulder. A smile with slightly parted lips with a hint of heat in his breath as he led his partner to the balcony which still stood.

They ate together in this place, enjoying the view and talking of fantasies. Those casual "what if's" as though perhaps if they wished it aloud it might come true. Perhaps there were more desires which went unspoken.

And the shadows smiled.

It was when their meal finished that the noise of struggling occurred.

Two, men were dragging a woman along the broken pavements. The third had a grin on his face from ear to ear. Nothing was said, nothing needed to be said. Their intentions were as clear as the torn garments the woman wore and the direction that the men took towards a small broken down building nearby.

The three had been too busy with their prize to notice the two shinobi on the balcony.

Could this all simply be chance?

 

[Morishige]

The matter on which we conversed were probably just hopeless imaginings and dreams. Donut proposed that it might be possible to renovate these ruins if there had been enough money floating around. I took a looking around my surroundings and tried to think on just what life was like those hundreds of years ago when people live in this very place. The architecture was still a marvel to see, and it had always fascinated me how plants had this amazing will to survive; and to see them overtaking these structures was amazing. With the way things were now, it was hard to imagine how life truly was in the past. Did we really want to bring life back to such a memory, anyways? It might only be destroyed by our enemies and then lost forever. No, I would argue that it was best to let past remain past and focus on preserving our future so we do not end up dead with Kumogakure in ruins.

Though this was not the only subject, but it was the one I most enjoyed. Natsu and myself weren't all that close really. While we had been through missions and other small encounters together, it was probably our first meeting that kept the rift between friend and acquaintance wider that usual. While I personally would have like to get past that rift, it was an awkward topic to even think about. I had no idea how to even approach it in attempt for closure without making myself sound like a fool. I sighed slightly and finished my food before standing to look out to sea. The sun glinted off the ocean and made my eyes sting a bit. Turning back around I thought I should try. "Hey Donut--" I began, but was cut off.

The sounds were hard to interpret at first. It sounded like a pair of animals fighting over a piece of food. But as that strange image came to mind, I had to refuse to believe it. We had hardly seen any animals on the way here, and two just show up fighting? No, it couldn't be. So I listening more intently. "You hear that?" I questioned with concern in my voice. Moving toward the noises, my eyes soon held the horror that was going to occur within yards of where we had been eating. Instinctively, I reached into my pouch to retrieve Ol' Reliable and readied it in my hand. "Follow, make it quiet, we don't need a hostage." I said softly, and my nature to first diffuse the situation took hold and I was in pursuit within moments.

As I gave pursuit, I had two options really. Either take them out as them moved along, or wait for them to stop and actually start to rape the girl before intervening to take all three out at once. While the former option left them time to become aware and potentially use the girl as a hostage, the latter pretty much let them violate the girl longer than I would have liked. But the more I thought about, the more time passed. A decision needed to be made soon. When Donut had caught up, I relayed my two plans to him with a frown. "It's up to you what actions we take, I will play along either way. So let's get it done; I'll follow your lead." I said shortly, my eyes catching on the girls torn clothes and body. I kicked myself and steeled my will. This was a terrible time to be punched in the gut by hormones.

 

[Hameru Ren]

Let past remain past.. Natsu mulled over the thought. Could he agree with that? After all the time he had spent in ancient books and studying even older scrolls. He had spent several years of his life learning a language which had lost its popularity ages ago, and had recently taken it upon himself to further advance his knowledge of it. No, Natsu could not let the past remain just that. There was too much they still could learn from it. Of course, ensuring Kumogakure did not end up as dead as these ruins was their main goal. They were its Shinobi after all. While now mostly seen as mutant humans with a particular niche for killing, their primary purpose still was the protection of Kumogakure. The Spymaster's philosophical thinking was interrupted by Zaku however. "Hey Donut--"

Natsu attached but little faith to chance. The Chunin placed his faith in Raiden, like many of the Lightning Country, and had often enjoyed reading the deity's legends. But the power, or the want, to guide each and every encounter or event people liked calling 'Chance' he did not have. At least, Natsu did not believe so. After all, he had chosen to visit the inn back when he had decided on his route, not because of a godly vision appearing in front of him. It had been the man himself who had agreed to go along with Zaku on their path, not because his God had told him to do so. While Natsu did believe in destinies, he had decided for himself that the route to that eventual destiny could be changed by man's own willpower. Unfortunately for some thugs, it seemed their destiny was about to meet up with them a lot sooner than they might've anticipated.

Quickly speeding after Zaku, they stumbled upon the foursome. No, not like that, you pervert! Though by the looks of the girl's clothing, it wouldn't be too far off. The one who seemed to be their leader, Natsu decided by the size of his grin and lack of physical labor, looked as if he had won the lottery. Giving the girl another look, Natsu would say that wasn't too far off either. A prize like that was no doubt rare for such thugs. Thinking of a plan, Zaku beat him to it. Where the boy had taken the lead in moving towards the struggle, he now left it up to Natsu. Either sounded reasonable, and for a moment the Chunin considered letting the thugs have their way before sneaking up on them. It'd be less troublesome for certain, yet the Natsu found he could not just abandon the girl to that fate. They were Shinobi, tools of war, but not entirely inhuman either. "Take out the two carrying the girl. Feel free to use lethal force, but avoid harming the girl." He instructed, before sprinting off.

---

Ishikawa Zaku​

I nodded my head in response to his decision and pulled out a second kunai. This was only going to take two, as my practice with these flying knives were really a step above all my other training. I took my time to decide when it was right to throw, as wind and other factors played a part in the trajectory and potency of attack. I watched what direction they were travelling and decided to move to the roof top of a nearby building, stealthily of course, and waited for Donut to make his move.

At a moment’s notice, I used my chakra to enhance the kunai’s power and let both projectiles fly. Quick Shot was one of the first taijutsu I had ever learned, and it never ran out of situation where it was handy. The two flying knives followed their paths towards the necks of the men dragging the girl, and, if all went without a hitch, would either severely cut and cause them to bleed out, or at least debilitate long enough for me to intervene and take the girl away from them.

Donut would be handling the third, happy looking man on his own. I was unsure of how he might do it, but there was no doubt that I might be in danger was I to go for the girl. As my kunai struck their targets, my body blurred in speed as I moved in to save the girl from the chaos. Lifting her with adrenaline-filled muscles; I very quickly took her to a nearby balcony, quite like the one I just had lunch in, where she would be safe from the thugs. Turning back around, I looked to survey the situation and what needed to be done next.

---

Do Natsu​

The Kunai flew past Natsu's head as he almost danced his way through the shadows to his target. Chakra fuelling his legs it happened in a matter of seconds, before he appeared behind the man. Grabbing an arm, he yanked it behind the criminal's back. His other hand flew in front and upwards. Manipulating his ulna, he made it shoot out much like a dagger and held it against the soft flesh of the man's throat. "Don't make a move. I could kill you as easily as I could break your arm from this position." He warned, before surveying the battlefield. The two other thugs lay unmoving on the ground, a kunai planted firmly into the back of each. Zaku's ranged skills hadn't dulled since the mission in Raiden no Me it seemed. The boy himself was standing up a nearby balcony, the girl cradled into his arms. Not bad.

"Zaku, keep her there, and make sure she doesn't do anything crazy." The Spymaster warned his fellow captain. He had little doubt the girl would be confused about what had just happened, her captors being traded for two others. While they would look a deal more innocent, they were much more dangerous as well. Such looks made for a nice surprise in combat, Natsu had found. Turning to his captive, he forced the thug to his knees by applying a bit more pressure on the arm, his bladed hand never moving far from the man's gullet. "Spill it. Just petty criminals having their fun with a woman, or is there more to this story?" He asked, the question directed at either thug or the girl. If it had turned out the duo had killed some innocents.. Well, they were Shinobi. They weren't forced to be the good guys. If their gut feeling had been correct, they had just saved a damsel in distress. Regardless of outcome, the chances were in their favor.

[OoC: Permission from Zaku to add his actions into my post. They were written by Zaku himself.]
[Abilities used: 'Quickshot' by Zaku and 'Shadow Dance' by Natsu]

 

[Junan]

Blood. Such a gorgeous colour. It sprayed forth from the necks of the two assailants who dragged the hapless girl. Calculating, helpful, shinobi. Two men fell, their breath got heavy, their hands put pressure on the wounds to try and stop the blood flow but they had been unaware of the two nearby. The third was paralyzed with fear, a wet patch at the front of his pants did form and made their way down his leg. The man was a coward, complete and utter. Tears formed and crying began, then came the begging. Please let me go, please don't kill me, please oh god please, the shadow imitated in its mind mockingly.

The girl simply lay in the dirt, she too was shocked, though her hands now free to move how they wished move to try and recover some dignity. Pulling on her torn garments she tried to cover up the pieces of flesh that were showing. Her voice stumbled, she didn't know what was to happen. She asked what was to happen to her.

The shadows watched.

The pair were in control now.

The pair had their opportunities.

A girl as pretty as any other laying at their feet, a man as pathetic as any other on his knees, and both had their clothes stained with blood.

 

[Morishige]

"Zaku, keep her there, and make sure she doesn't do anything crazy." Donut called to me.

"Not a problem." I said in an undertone and turned my attention back to the girl at my feet. She was quickly scrambling and grasping at the tattered clothes that hardly shielded her skin from my hazel eyes. Her voice was shaky, and she inquired as to what was going to happen to her. Now this, I found rather odd. Why would she ask this if she was the victim in this situation? Perhaps there was more to this story than we had previously assumed. I knelt close to her, getting on one knee with a unintentional look of serious determination. "Why don't you tell me what happened to you first?" I said with a small smile, placing a hand on her shoulder to make her feel more at ease. But there were times when my adolescant eyes could help but peek at her exposed body. A slight blush appearing every time I did so as well. However, my expression remained the same. I needed to learn what had happened here.

Meanwhile, Donut was working on what he was going to do with the groveling man...

 

[Hameru Ren]

Sniveling and groveling. Such a disappointing reaction. After their flashy entrance Natsu had secretly hoped for a more dynamic reaction. The remaining criminal on his knees had just started crying and had even soiled his breeches. Even despite standing behind the man it quickly became evidence from the terrible stink in such close proximity. Zaku certainly had gotten off better, the near naked girl lying in front of his feet. She too only managed a scared reaction, though her words were lost due to the thug's constant whining. At least she seemed capable of basic bladder control.

Natsu considered what to do with his captive. The two captains were responsible for two murders already, was he willing to add more to the count? Personally the Spymaster preferred diplomacy over violence, but these thugs were unlikely to listen to reason. The odds of the man bettering his life after a stern reprimand or corny speech was highly unlikely. Left alone, the man no doubt would find new companions and either start all over with their crimes, or foolishly try and seek revenge. The other option would be to drag him towards the nearest jailor. That would mean to adjust their pace to one the untrained thug was capable of following as well as sharing their rations. And the smell of pissed pants accompanying them for such a time did not appeal to Natsu either. Besides, they already had blood on their hands and witnesses could be a bothersome addition.

Ignoring the man's pleas, Natsu acted quickly and slit his throat. It was a bit messy, the blood splattering freely from the gash but the Chunin managed to avoid any of it dirtying his clothing. Separating the bloody bone from his body, he dropped it to the ground. His forearm looked a bit flabby and odd until his Kekai Genkei reformed it inside the skin. It was as odd a sensation as it looked though Natsu had grown used to it by now. Looking over the square, Natsu sighed. It certainly wasn't a pretty sight either. Three corpses and blood splatters all around. The blood he could do little about, but he figured he'd have to get the corpses out of the way. If these thugs had found this place it wasn't impossible it was visited more often than the duo had assumed.

Dragging one of the last remaining corpse by the arm towards the shoddy remains of something that once might've been a well, Natsu lifted the body and dumped it inside of the structure. A faint splash could be heard as it landed.. somewhere. The clothing he had managed to keep clean from the kill earlier had gotten dirty after all. Bodily fluids stained his shirt and smudges of dirt could be spotted as well. Figuring he'd worry about it later, the Spymaster made his way back to Zaku. Hopefully the girl had finished her story by now so his companion could judge what to do with her. After their display it'd be obvious the duo had no qualm with killing and Natsu's filthy shirt no doubt would accentuate that point. Joining the Deathwatch Captain, he spoke. "And, what do we with her?" A seemingly cold question, but perhaps they could spare this one. Perhaps.

 

[Junan]

Modesty. Her hands continuously moved to try and cover her body, nothing shameful was revealed but the girl was trying to hide any and all skin with not enough material or hands to manage the task. She was scared and the hand on the shoulder, the occasional looks from the boy at her body, she didn't know what fate had in store for her or what to do.

The boy asked her to tell him what had happened to her first, and so with a shiver and many stammering's later the message which could be derived from her was that she had been traveling along the nearby road with her father and most of their possessions, they had been ambushed by a dozen men three of which had decided to take her to a secluded area to take as their prize.

She did not know what else to say, and after the reaction to her last question was too afraid to ask another, instead of being let go she was instead being interrogated as though being dragged and almost raped could in any way be her fault.

It was a case of survival for the girl, and modesty.

 

[Morishige]

As soon as I realized that my hand was doing more harm than good, it was removed from her shoulder. Her fear was apparent to me and seemed true. Just her demeanor made me regret the simple thought I had that she could have been involved in any nefarious actions.

When she relayed her story, it was in shambles. It took some repetition and explanation to get the basic jist of it all, but something definitely stood out. Most importantly, there was another group of men nearby that could potentially come to cause problems if we weren't aware of our surroundings. Depending on how 'close' they were with their comrades, they would either be waiting for their return and come looking when they didn't, or have just moved on without them. Should it have been the former, I needed to let Donut know we might have company coming in looking for these guys. Unfortunately, the one thing that was hard to get rid of was the blood on the ground, thus I smirked. Looking beyond the balcony, I questioned if we could just move some dirt over it; possible, I suppose. But if our enemies had any brains at all it would be uncovered anyways.

With a sigh, I stood and crossed my arms against my chest as Natsu arrived on the scene. I looked at him with a frown. "It would seem, according to our friend here, that these three were just a piece of a bigger pie. I'm not sure if we should be worried about them seeking out their mates or not. I say we take her to the nearest town, both for her safety and for our own." I concluded before turning around to make this next part more private. "Counter argument?" I asked, seeing if he had any thoughts on the matter.

 

[Hameru Ren]

A bigger pie, Go figure. Of course there are more thugs. There always are. The fact that it were only three men having their fun with the girl instead of the whole group showed it wasn't all too tight-knit. The girl didn't show signs of already having been assaulted so Natsu could only assume the others were much more prudish than the lot Zaku and him had just killed. Or more respectful. Were the circumstances so dire around here that men were forced to robbery? The town where he'd met the Deatwatch Captain hadn’t shown signs of extreme poverty or recent raiding. Of course, not every robber necessarily is a rapist, but it struck Natsu as suspicious.

Was the girl part of the group and had it instead been a setup? It seemed like a ridiculous amount of work to rob two travelers. After all, they had shown little sign of being Shinobi save for their speed perhaps. No, that idea was highly unlikely. What to do with her though. His companion seemed eager to take her along, though Natsu couldn’t say how much of that idea came from the amount of nudity however. It'd slow them down, just like the criminal he'd killed would have done. However the girl didn't stink of piss and Zaku wasn't the only one affected by the visible patches of skin. Could they risk dragging her along though? They should have enough rations but would the next town be able to restock them if thugs were really raiding about?

She'd still slow them down though, and if there indeed was a band of criminals waiting for the horny lot they'd just slain it'd be best to get away quick. Shinobi they might be, but a large group could still pose a threat. Civilians had been little more than annoyance in earlier times but as time had proceeded so had warfare technology. Handbolters and crossbolters had increased the lethality of the common man tremendously and while originally developed for the army there had been reports of thugs sporting similar weaponry. A whole barrage could kill a Shinobi as well as a stray arrow finding its way into his heart. They could try and use her to lure them inside and set up their own trap, but that too would take time and resources as well as put the girl in danger.

Escaping with her seemed like a dangerous plan, but staying inside the ruins would do them little good either. The easiest option would be to kill her and make their way out trying to stay out of sight. However, looking at the girl, he found himself hesitating for a moment. She wasn't too bad looking and if she'd undoubtedly grateful for having her life saved. He could make her an informer with that sort of debt without too much convincing necessary. She could still have her uses, right? Or was he simply getting soft due to his lower half getting hard? He shook his head firmly for a moment, telling himself that was nonsense before finally responding to Zaku's question. "Counter argument?" "Several actually, but I'll follow your lead in this. You're the one who knows her whole story after all."

Throwing another look at the girl, he lead them back towards the balcony where they had left their bags. Killing in style was hard to do with a heavy pack slung along your back, y'know? Rummaging through it, he grabbed a heavy coat meant for bad weather and a pair of slightly oversized trousers which he tossed to the girl. If she'd remain uncovered like this he thought he might find himself distracted too much. His body might not be a vat of hormones like Zaku's anymore, but he still had the urges of a teenager. And if he could believe Masao's rowdy, drunk talk he might never get rid of those. "Well then, let's not hang around longer than needed. We'll leave opposite of where you came in" he said, indicating the girl, "and make our way to the closest town. Try and keep up. If you can't, tell us and Zaku will carry you." It was him who had first suggested to take her along after all. Natsu thought before walking off as he had said.

 

[Junan]

And so they made their way to safety with the girl. All was happy in the land except for a group of criminals who'd wanted their turn with the pretty maiden and who now instead had to bury their friends. They went off and continued their brigand ways until eventually being caught and then hung by the Shogun's policing forces who then returned the treasure they found in the groups base to the Shogun's treasury.

The shadow moved on, it was bored with the pair it had brought together. They had shown their spirit, shown their intentions in life for the moment. Perhaps time would change them and time would have the shadow find them once more.

But that was unlikely.

- Contract Unsuccessful -

 

[Morishige]

And it was as the narrator said. The day was done, and the deed completed. The two shinobi would be on their way to complete whatever mission that needed doing. Together they would strengthen the whole of lightning country, as well as the village hidden in the cloud. Today, they had made a mark on this woman's history.

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[Hameru Ren]

Their escape had gone as planned, encountering no problems whatsoever. A passing patrol of the Shogun's forces was all they had seen until they had reached the village. Natsu had alerted them to the presence of the group, though if the soldiers would do anything with the information was another matter. Natsu didn't care too much personally. If those wouldn't do it, Zaku would no doubt take care of it with his Deathwatch division. After all, scouting the land for such groups of thugs had been the boy's original reason for being out here. Along the way, Natsu had considered once or twice more to kill the woman. Did she really serve a purpose? Were the Guard and Spymaster truly doing the best thing? Only when it felt as if all eyes had stopped watching them, Natsu found he could relax and make up his mind to see to her safety.

Nagumi, the crossroad town they arrived at, was a bustling place. It wasn't a trade center large enough to be of real note, but it had all necessary establishments. After a decent meal and rest in the local inn, something Natsu was grateful for, he had informed the woman, named Sakuri Mei it turned out, about his plans. She had no family anymore after her father's death, at least none that would take her in. The Spymaster assured her safe voyage to Port Cirrus via carriage, enough coin to start a life there from his own pocket. He also offered her the informer's job, with matching coin, an offer she gratefully accepted. Yet when the carriage driving her off disappeared from sight, Natsu once more felt doubt gnawing. He'd have a hearty talk with.. Someone, once he got back to the Village. Not Zaku, of whom he departed in Nagumi. He had his own mission to fulfill still after all.

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[Searching possible again Mon June 24]