Looking around Kamaru found he was running out of options, carrying a man on his shoulder didn’t help him focus and since it wasn’t really a speciality or something he practiced for long distances Kamaru felt pretty out of shape.
”How’s your chest?” Kamaru asked and waited as he looked around hearing an explosion and smoke in the distance. The tracker following him was getting closer it seemed since one of the trap Kamaru had set up went off.
”Oy!” Kamaru said jumping up slightly jossling the man on his shoulder.
Getting at most a groan and sob Kamaru shook his own head since he was running out of time, he needed to get back into the village and to the academy. Things were a lot more chaotic than he preferred on a mission but as he looked at the shallow breathing of the man on his shoulder he figured the other option was just letting him die.
[Flashback]
Getting a letter thanking Kamaru as he began to read it took him a minute to realize who it was, he rarely got any thanks for his work, mostly just payments. But when the person mentioned complications while they were hiding out in a small farming community Kamaru researched a bit into the matter before taking off. Something in the process of making a puppet into a transformed copy of a person was still mucking about with the homeless drifter turned familyman again once he was reunited with loved ones. Finding someone you specialized in sealing and unsealing information in scrolls and living things fortunately worked at the Academy. Unfortunately the old curmudgeon was having no part of deviating from his schedule besides allotting some time that would have been a coffee break to help out. He wouldn’t budge on the issue and threats to fire him got only a laugh out of him. Due to old age, being retired from active duty in the field, and tenure there seemed to be little Kamaru could do to motivate the man. His options were to go out to the small farming village and bring the man he gave his life back to here or let him die where he was it seemed.
Making preparations Kamaru made his way after reviewing a map of the area he was going to and reports.
Moving into the small community with purpose looking around got Kamaru a young boy running up. His eyes looked a bit red and Kamaru sidestepped him looking around. Kamaru stopped when the kid latched onto his hand and started moving, ”Taking you to papa.” he declared matter of factly after a few seconds. Kamaru opted to check out that this was about.
Kamaru had seen the man looking scruffy last time and his doppleganger’s clean cut look, the look Kamaru saw as he entered the room was that of a younger set of eyes staring at him and a glance from a young woman wiping a man’s head that looked up at him. Kamaru looked at a man that seemed more than on his deathbed than someone who’s letter explained ‘something odd or a complication’. Kamaru watched the man feebly unbutton his shirt to show an odd wound on his chest. At least it looked like a wound. Upon closer inspection Kamaru wasn’t sure what he was looking at. He thought it was a wound although he didn’t mention it in front of the woman or younger ones it looked like he had been impaled by something and it was just under the skin, although there wasn’t something on the man’s back.
The man was trying to say something as his eyes rolled back in his head and Kamaru watched as his back arched oddly. Veins became visible on his chest showing black under his skin around the wound. As a pained long grunting wail escaped him Kamaru’s mind raced. This wasn’t even a normal medical situation for him to deal with and he did what came to mind as his best option.
”I need to move him now. Kamaru stated grabbing the man wrapping him in the bedding before putting him on his shoulder and moving out of the area.
His wife started to protest, Kamaru could hear the children crying in the background. ”I didn’t know it was this bad from the letter, this won’t be a casual walk and you have kids, I need to get him back to the village and to someone to help now. My apologizies to the both of you… I don’t have time to be fully delicate about this…” Kamaru explained.
From a medical standpoint moving the guy wasn’t the best of options but considering he didn’t see able to walk, the room and town they were in was only accessible it seemed on the way by foot it was his only option out. Kamaru was glad the wife had stayed behind with the kids as he looked at the steep drop over versus the winding safe path down. He didn’t have time as a luxury he thought to himself jumping over the side with his charge in tow.
Kamaru had already planned how to land so he was aware of the projectile coming towards him. Moving to dodge had him hesitate since he was carrying someone now. Quick hand seals and a kick had the side of the drop off exploding in a dispersion of sand and rock. Kamaru pulled the man close pushing a hand skyward when a gust of wind exploded out of his hand pushing him and his package downward into the cloud of earth and rubble.
Kamaru was surprised to feel a presence speeding toward his general direction considering the smoke screen of dust and rubble. Performing another jutsu he opened his mouth as a thick fog spewed out and around him. As he continued his descent he waited, hearing the sound of of something crashing into the rock outcropping he masked inside the pillar of fog he knew someone was definitely trying to kill him.
As Kamaru darted into the treeline with the man on his back a figure dashed after him whistling. A large wiry lizard of some sort came bounding up and they took off after Kamaru and company. The real Kamaru peered from behind the rock golem he was hiding behind that had latched onto the side of the cliff, with a pat on the shoulder the golem feel to the ground below with Kamaru on top. Looking around he pointed in a different direction than the other Kamaru had moved. He needed to get the man to the village and fast, he needed a cart he could take offroad. From Kamaru’s experience he never found a cart that didn’t get stuck when you didn’t need it though. He pressed off regardless.
Finding a cart was stroke of luck. Finding several but all in different stages of repair or being built showed what kind of luck Kamaru actually had though. Masutaro’s Fine Transports was labeled on a sign as he banged on the door to a small house. The man coming out introduced himself as the owner Masutaro Yoshimura, a tinkerer but carpenter by trade. Setting up a cart repair shop just off the main trade road paid the bills for his hobbies and lifestyle. Putting down the man and explaining the basics Kamaru reached into his jacket and pulled out a bill fold. Putting down the money Kamaru’s request got a whistle out of the man, mostly because of the money but also considering Yoshimura’s grin because of the challenge. As he slapped on goggles he mentioned to Kamaru if he wanted the man to be laying flat on his back it would be a lot more awkward on turns and to maneuver. Kamaru had the odd decision, put the man at what he thought you’d normally put an injured state to rest in or possibly position him in a fetal position. Granted the man seemed to be out of it besides moans and this wasn’t a normal medical situation. Opting for speed Kamaru gambled and bite the bullet, going with a smaller cart that was square gave them more mobility and would lessen the build time supposedly. Kamaru with his charge now wrapped in linen clothes and in a basket waited.
The cart was completed easily enough it seemed and Kamaru had to admit it looked odd. The man explained the hand holds in various areas in case it needed to be lifted with contents still in it, the wheels moved off something Kamaru didn’t totally get also. He stated as such and apologized, the man simplified it too he could move on rough terrain a lot better than with a normal hand cart.
Getting to the gates was pretty simple. Explaining the situation though was not, supposedly there had been a notice out of people possibly using human beings as explosives against their will for force suicide bombings. It was a little too convenient and Kamaru grumbled since they seemed to be questioning if he was really who he was asking one of them to unsheath their weapon got an odd look which escalated to a confrontation as kamaru grabbed the guard’s dagger and stabbed his own hand. As he bleed and reinforcements were called Kamaru requested the man grab his face and make sure it was real as well. He had a dying man with a wife and kids. The situation resolved with the Main Branch Sennin not having a mental breakdown but the feeling the report in place and an altercation happening felt too forced from Kamaru’s perspective. After finishing the paperwork he quickly moved out of the area moving to back streets that seemed deserted for the time of day. Finding an area in a remote part of the village Kamaru looked around. He would probably be found soon, after making a call he unfurled a scroll from inside his jacket and started to prep as soon as he summoned supplies. Pulling the cart off to a place mostly hidden Kamaru looked around. Things didn’t feel right but he needed to get moving.
[End Flashback]
Kamaru swore under his breath as a man in a cart pulled up.
”You’re cutting it way too close…” Kamaru explained as another explosion went off closer to his locaiton.
The cart driver had been around a few times on Kamaru’s missions but considering he hadn’t had to deal with someone blowing up his cart he was happy to take an unconscious man with a letter to the Academy grounds. Watching him leave Kamaru formed seals as a copy of himself formed…
The man seemed to eventually come to looking around lazily, Kamaru was too busy to hear the warning. A man getting pulled by a wiry lizard came bounding down the street on a rolling board of wood before jumping off. It looked like he was just standing on one leg. Closer inspection showed he only had the one leg. His clothes looked a bit tatters and singed although his body didn’t affected by the explosions.
The warning of a gurgling breath wasn’t enough to save Kamaru as a hand embedded himself into Kamaru’s back causing him to arc the charge dropped out of the sudden pain. The look of shock as Kamaru slowly turned spread to the man’s face as he pulled his hand out. realization there was no blood only mud came out. As he turned towards the man that had been thrown he froze. Immobile he looked on in shock as the injured man who exploded in smoke revealing himself as Kamaru. With several more hand seals the ground opened up. The light of lava shining up. Kamaru calmly searched the man and grabbed the neck of the serpent as it darted at him to attack fangs bore. The sizzling of heated flesh as the beast writhed didn’t stop Kamaru as he continued to pick pocket the man looking for clues, satisfied he tossed the injured beast into the lava. Finding any clues he could on the man he pushed his petrified body in as well before he spewed forth several more gouts of lava. He didn’t know if the man was immune to fire, explosions, or any based off of fire but being encased in lava was either a death trap or a decent prison. He’d stomp his foot as rubble filled the top of the hole he had created and be burned a marker into a nearby wall.
Getting back to the Academy he meet a man leaving, in disguise Kamaru could tell who it was as he came up and shook his hand saying thanks and apologies before quickly leaving. Kamaru moved into the teacher’s lounge, after hours most teachers would have been gone, at dusk only one teacher remained sipping tea.
”Looks like it was removed without harming him… now what did you find out?” Kamaru asked seeing the man’s eyes move up to meet his own.
”Something… interesting...I might be inclined to heed your requests more now as well.” the man stated. Kamaru didn’t know if the offer for help was really a good thing. But he would take any help he could get.
”How’s your chest?” Kamaru asked and waited as he looked around hearing an explosion and smoke in the distance. The tracker following him was getting closer it seemed since one of the trap Kamaru had set up went off.
”Oy!” Kamaru said jumping up slightly jossling the man on his shoulder.
Getting at most a groan and sob Kamaru shook his own head since he was running out of time, he needed to get back into the village and to the academy. Things were a lot more chaotic than he preferred on a mission but as he looked at the shallow breathing of the man on his shoulder he figured the other option was just letting him die.
[Flashback]
Getting a letter thanking Kamaru as he began to read it took him a minute to realize who it was, he rarely got any thanks for his work, mostly just payments. But when the person mentioned complications while they were hiding out in a small farming community Kamaru researched a bit into the matter before taking off. Something in the process of making a puppet into a transformed copy of a person was still mucking about with the homeless drifter turned familyman again once he was reunited with loved ones. Finding someone you specialized in sealing and unsealing information in scrolls and living things fortunately worked at the Academy. Unfortunately the old curmudgeon was having no part of deviating from his schedule besides allotting some time that would have been a coffee break to help out. He wouldn’t budge on the issue and threats to fire him got only a laugh out of him. Due to old age, being retired from active duty in the field, and tenure there seemed to be little Kamaru could do to motivate the man. His options were to go out to the small farming village and bring the man he gave his life back to here or let him die where he was it seemed.
Making preparations Kamaru made his way after reviewing a map of the area he was going to and reports.
Moving into the small community with purpose looking around got Kamaru a young boy running up. His eyes looked a bit red and Kamaru sidestepped him looking around. Kamaru stopped when the kid latched onto his hand and started moving, ”Taking you to papa.” he declared matter of factly after a few seconds. Kamaru opted to check out that this was about.
Kamaru had seen the man looking scruffy last time and his doppleganger’s clean cut look, the look Kamaru saw as he entered the room was that of a younger set of eyes staring at him and a glance from a young woman wiping a man’s head that looked up at him. Kamaru looked at a man that seemed more than on his deathbed than someone who’s letter explained ‘something odd or a complication’. Kamaru watched the man feebly unbutton his shirt to show an odd wound on his chest. At least it looked like a wound. Upon closer inspection Kamaru wasn’t sure what he was looking at. He thought it was a wound although he didn’t mention it in front of the woman or younger ones it looked like he had been impaled by something and it was just under the skin, although there wasn’t something on the man’s back.
The man was trying to say something as his eyes rolled back in his head and Kamaru watched as his back arched oddly. Veins became visible on his chest showing black under his skin around the wound. As a pained long grunting wail escaped him Kamaru’s mind raced. This wasn’t even a normal medical situation for him to deal with and he did what came to mind as his best option.
”I need to move him now. Kamaru stated grabbing the man wrapping him in the bedding before putting him on his shoulder and moving out of the area.
His wife started to protest, Kamaru could hear the children crying in the background. ”I didn’t know it was this bad from the letter, this won’t be a casual walk and you have kids, I need to get him back to the village and to someone to help now. My apologizies to the both of you… I don’t have time to be fully delicate about this…” Kamaru explained.
From a medical standpoint moving the guy wasn’t the best of options but considering he didn’t see able to walk, the room and town they were in was only accessible it seemed on the way by foot it was his only option out. Kamaru was glad the wife had stayed behind with the kids as he looked at the steep drop over versus the winding safe path down. He didn’t have time as a luxury he thought to himself jumping over the side with his charge in tow.
Kamaru had already planned how to land so he was aware of the projectile coming towards him. Moving to dodge had him hesitate since he was carrying someone now. Quick hand seals and a kick had the side of the drop off exploding in a dispersion of sand and rock. Kamaru pulled the man close pushing a hand skyward when a gust of wind exploded out of his hand pushing him and his package downward into the cloud of earth and rubble.
Kamaru was surprised to feel a presence speeding toward his general direction considering the smoke screen of dust and rubble. Performing another jutsu he opened his mouth as a thick fog spewed out and around him. As he continued his descent he waited, hearing the sound of of something crashing into the rock outcropping he masked inside the pillar of fog he knew someone was definitely trying to kill him.
As Kamaru darted into the treeline with the man on his back a figure dashed after him whistling. A large wiry lizard of some sort came bounding up and they took off after Kamaru and company. The real Kamaru peered from behind the rock golem he was hiding behind that had latched onto the side of the cliff, with a pat on the shoulder the golem feel to the ground below with Kamaru on top. Looking around he pointed in a different direction than the other Kamaru had moved. He needed to get the man to the village and fast, he needed a cart he could take offroad. From Kamaru’s experience he never found a cart that didn’t get stuck when you didn’t need it though. He pressed off regardless.
Finding a cart was stroke of luck. Finding several but all in different stages of repair or being built showed what kind of luck Kamaru actually had though. Masutaro’s Fine Transports was labeled on a sign as he banged on the door to a small house. The man coming out introduced himself as the owner Masutaro Yoshimura, a tinkerer but carpenter by trade. Setting up a cart repair shop just off the main trade road paid the bills for his hobbies and lifestyle. Putting down the man and explaining the basics Kamaru reached into his jacket and pulled out a bill fold. Putting down the money Kamaru’s request got a whistle out of the man, mostly because of the money but also considering Yoshimura’s grin because of the challenge. As he slapped on goggles he mentioned to Kamaru if he wanted the man to be laying flat on his back it would be a lot more awkward on turns and to maneuver. Kamaru had the odd decision, put the man at what he thought you’d normally put an injured state to rest in or possibly position him in a fetal position. Granted the man seemed to be out of it besides moans and this wasn’t a normal medical situation. Opting for speed Kamaru gambled and bite the bullet, going with a smaller cart that was square gave them more mobility and would lessen the build time supposedly. Kamaru with his charge now wrapped in linen clothes and in a basket waited.
The cart was completed easily enough it seemed and Kamaru had to admit it looked odd. The man explained the hand holds in various areas in case it needed to be lifted with contents still in it, the wheels moved off something Kamaru didn’t totally get also. He stated as such and apologized, the man simplified it too he could move on rough terrain a lot better than with a normal hand cart.
Getting to the gates was pretty simple. Explaining the situation though was not, supposedly there had been a notice out of people possibly using human beings as explosives against their will for force suicide bombings. It was a little too convenient and Kamaru grumbled since they seemed to be questioning if he was really who he was asking one of them to unsheath their weapon got an odd look which escalated to a confrontation as kamaru grabbed the guard’s dagger and stabbed his own hand. As he bleed and reinforcements were called Kamaru requested the man grab his face and make sure it was real as well. He had a dying man with a wife and kids. The situation resolved with the Main Branch Sennin not having a mental breakdown but the feeling the report in place and an altercation happening felt too forced from Kamaru’s perspective. After finishing the paperwork he quickly moved out of the area moving to back streets that seemed deserted for the time of day. Finding an area in a remote part of the village Kamaru looked around. He would probably be found soon, after making a call he unfurled a scroll from inside his jacket and started to prep as soon as he summoned supplies. Pulling the cart off to a place mostly hidden Kamaru looked around. Things didn’t feel right but he needed to get moving.
[End Flashback]
Kamaru swore under his breath as a man in a cart pulled up.
”You’re cutting it way too close…” Kamaru explained as another explosion went off closer to his locaiton.
The cart driver had been around a few times on Kamaru’s missions but considering he hadn’t had to deal with someone blowing up his cart he was happy to take an unconscious man with a letter to the Academy grounds. Watching him leave Kamaru formed seals as a copy of himself formed…
The man seemed to eventually come to looking around lazily, Kamaru was too busy to hear the warning. A man getting pulled by a wiry lizard came bounding down the street on a rolling board of wood before jumping off. It looked like he was just standing on one leg. Closer inspection showed he only had the one leg. His clothes looked a bit tatters and singed although his body didn’t affected by the explosions.
The warning of a gurgling breath wasn’t enough to save Kamaru as a hand embedded himself into Kamaru’s back causing him to arc the charge dropped out of the sudden pain. The look of shock as Kamaru slowly turned spread to the man’s face as he pulled his hand out. realization there was no blood only mud came out. As he turned towards the man that had been thrown he froze. Immobile he looked on in shock as the injured man who exploded in smoke revealing himself as Kamaru. With several more hand seals the ground opened up. The light of lava shining up. Kamaru calmly searched the man and grabbed the neck of the serpent as it darted at him to attack fangs bore. The sizzling of heated flesh as the beast writhed didn’t stop Kamaru as he continued to pick pocket the man looking for clues, satisfied he tossed the injured beast into the lava. Finding any clues he could on the man he pushed his petrified body in as well before he spewed forth several more gouts of lava. He didn’t know if the man was immune to fire, explosions, or any based off of fire but being encased in lava was either a death trap or a decent prison. He’d stomp his foot as rubble filled the top of the hole he had created and be burned a marker into a nearby wall.
Getting back to the Academy he meet a man leaving, in disguise Kamaru could tell who it was as he came up and shook his hand saying thanks and apologies before quickly leaving. Kamaru moved into the teacher’s lounge, after hours most teachers would have been gone, at dusk only one teacher remained sipping tea.
”Looks like it was removed without harming him… now what did you find out?” Kamaru asked seeing the man’s eyes move up to meet his own.
”Something… interesting...I might be inclined to heed your requests more now as well.” the man stated. Kamaru didn’t know if the offer for help was really a good thing. But he would take any help he could get.