By RequiemofDementia
Chapter Nine: Mission Time
By the time Airen had woken, she got the impression that she was not alone. Her eyes slowly opened, expecting to be able to catch Shinzui's waking kick for the first time. However, her eyes quickly widened, as she realized that it was not Shinzui in her room.
"Morning," Iruka said softly.
"What… what are you doing in my room!?" Not that Airen was unhappy at the occurrence. Quite the contrary, actually. But it was still a shock.
"As a part of Konoha village, you are expected to fulfill missions. Be at the front of the Hitomi estate in fifteen minutes." And then, Iruka slipped out the door, and was gone.
Normally, it did not take Airen fifteen minutes to prepare. A ninja knew how to be ready at a moments notice. But then again, there were occasional times when a ninja might just want to look her best. Not for any particular reason, of course. Just because.
By the time she arrived, looking her best, Chie and Riki were already there. Chie smiled a little, knowing why she had prettied herself up, but Riki simply raised that eyebrow once more.
Airen was pleasantly surprised to see that their new house guest, Yume, was present as well. Shinzui, however, was no where to be seen.
As Iruka stepped up to the four assembled ninja, Yume seemed excited. "The four of you are part of a team, dispatched to find an assassin. He has been in Konoha previously, and a respected sensei died. He has been spotted again on the road to Konoha. You are to intercept and stop him. The Chuunin Yume will be the leader in this operation."
Riki shook his head slowly, wondering if this man actually expected him to follow the orders of some girl he just met. But, if Iruka noticed, he did not pay any heed.
"The assassin is a consummate swordsman, and is skilled with poisons of all description. You best be wary." For a moment, it looked as if he were about to leave. But then a small smile crossed over his lips. "Good luck."
Airen smiled a little, and raised her hand just a little, in a faint, half wave to Iruka. She was pleasantly surprised when he returned the gesture. And then, he was walking away to whatever other business he had that day.
"Crazy talk," Riki said faintly, as he sat at the table in the dining room.
"Riki-kun," Chie said softly, in his little, timid voice. "This is a mission. An actual ninja mission."
Riki just shrugged once more.
"Surely you will not turn down a mission from the Hokage just because a stranger is in charge." Chie was desperate, trying to talk Riki into this mission. Airen was in the kitchen, cooking them all breakfast, while Yume watched on, slightly amused.
And once again, Riki's only reply was a shrug.
"Well, if you do not wish to face a trial that will test your strength, wit and skill…"
As Chie was still talking, Riki's hand came up, covering his mouth to stop the words. "When do we leave?"
"After breakfast," Airen said softly, as she set the food upon the table.
The four ninja's slipped through the woods along the road, carefully hidden within the shadow, each of them alert for signs of their target. The group kept in touch with each other through sign language, so that they made no noise at all. They had passed several people on the road already, but none of them were who they were looking for.
They were beginning to think about circling back, when Airen noticed something. Her hand raised, and the group stopped, as she sniffed the air again. Noticing this, everyone did the same. Airen signed slowly, letting them know there was smoke near by. Yume gestured into the woods, in the direction that the smoke must have traveled from upon the wind, and they moved off quickly once more, leaping from branch to branch through the trees.
Deep within the woods, a small campfire was set up. They knew that the person could not be far, the fire still burned, and many small plants were laid out before it, drying out. Airen and Chie looked towards Yume, who began flashing sign language. The three feminine ninja slowly began to circle the area in the trees, while Riki dropped to the ground.
He looked to his left, and then right, but there was no sign of anyone. He began to step closer slowly, eyes alert. His hand reached behind him, drawing the staff that had been at his back. And still, nothing. Boldly now, he strode into the middle of the camp.
The tiny wire gave a little ping, as it snapped under his weight. That was all the warning that Riki had, but it was enough. The staff whipped out, knocking aside the kunai that the trap had released. He looked around slowly once again. That was it?
The only thing breaking the silence in the campsite was the crackle of the fire. Airen, Chie and Yume remained hidden in the trees, as Riki, taking the role of the bait, walked up to the fire. He knelt down slowly, looking over the plants that were drying by the fireside.
And then, the cloth that they had been drying on exploded upwards, followed by a tall, slender man, sword already in his hands. Riki's staff deflected three rapid blows, and then he leapt back. The assassin's eyes met Riki's, and he smirked softly. "This is all they send for me? A young man with a stick?"
Riki smiled slowly, as his hands slowly ran the length of the staff. The two ends fell away, hollow, a blade concealed within each. Now, in his hands, Riki held a sword with a blade coming from either and of the hilt, a smile spreading over his lips. "They sent all they needed."
The assassin was fast, as he came in, steel blade flicking in, only to meet Riki's and be knocked aside. Riki swung with the momentum of the man's own attack, circling around, and the other blade coming in quickly. But the assassin was no longer there.
Riki looked around quickly, his eyes narrowing. Yume dropped down from her tree quickly, the ring of a sword sliding free of it's sheathe accompanying her motion. She raced towards a bush across from Riki, and it jerked away, quickly becoming the assassin once again.
"This is more like it," he said under his breath, as the three began to dance. As skilled as Riki and Yume were, their blade work swift and sure, the assassin was better. His short steel blade deflected their own time and time again, while his feet would slip in passed their guard, delivering stinging blows.
Yume staggered back, as the foot connected with her ribcage, the air forced from her lungs. Riki moved quickly, standing between the fallen girl and the assassin. His lips slowly spread into a smile, as he began to attack again, beginning a quick series of blows, high and low, making the man protect his head and legs. It was something that Airen knew well, and she leaned in, ready.
As the man's arms came up to block another of Riki's blows, the senbon flew through the air, sinking into the man's sword arm. His sword dropped from his numb fingers, and he leapt back quickly. Riki raced in, taking the advantage, twin bladed sword whirling above his head, and then coming down towards the assassin.
He ducked forward, too quickly for Riki to counter, the younger ninja's eyes widening in shock. And then the assassin's shoulder met Riki's chest, knocking him back. The assassin followed, scooping the sword up in his off hand in one smooth motion, raising it to strike.
And then Chie was there, his own short blade parrying the assassins. "How many of you people are there?" the assassin groaned in frustration, as he began to bring his blade in towards Chie.
The small boy parried the blow once again, taking a slight step back. The assassin followed after him, sword flicking now like a serpents tongue, forcing Chie onto the complete defensive.
But that was the plan all along. As Chie drew the man passed the tree Airen was concealed in, a hail of senbon rained down at him. He was quick, but he was not quick enough. With a blur, he was across the campsite, another two senbon in his arm. His eyes narrowed slowly, as Airen dropped down from the tree, smiling softly.
She bowed to him slowly, her voice soft. "Hello," she said faintly. The man looked startled, wondering what the hell she was doing. And that was why the blade that whistled towards his stomach was undetected until the last moment. Too occupied in watching Airen, the assassin had not noticed Riki coming up behind him. He leapt away, the blade tearing through clothing and skin, barely more then a scratch. But, Yume was already there, the man's quick blade work all that kept him from being skewered by her katana.
The two moved across the camp again, blade meeting blade rapidly. His body was lithe, as he twisted and turned, swift enough to be able to block attacks from Riki and Yume both. They continued, unrelenting in their attacks, Airen and Chie gone from sight.
The ring of steel on steel still filled the air, when Airen yelled out to them. "Now!"
Yume and Riki both leapt back, as two balls of fire scorched through the air, straight at the assassin. Chie and Airen had both launched the fireballs, from opposite sides of the camp site.
The man leapt away, quickly, but as he was in the air, his sword had to turn away the rapidly flying senbon, Airen walking across the clearing, advancing on the man, her hands in constant motion as she attacked.
The man came to a stop on one of the branched of a tree, his hands coming together quickly. His head ducked faintly, under another of Airen's senbon, and then his hands flew through the hand symbols of a jutsu.
The fire in the clearing exploded in a massive cloud of smoke, all four of the ninja's caught in the cloud.
Riki could hear Chie coughing, as well as Airen trying to hold her breath. No doubt, the assassin could hear that as well. He stood calmly, waiting for the sound. As he heard leaves rustling, he leapt in Chie's direction, swinging the sword powerfully.
With a loud clang, his weapon met that of the assassin once again. The two moved through the smoke, completely unable to see each other, relying only upon sound to keep the wicked steel from sinking into their flesh.
And then, a mighty gust of wind tore through the area. Airen gasped for the clean air, Chie collapsing as he continued to cough. Yume stood, her hands grasping her sword once more. Her jutsu having cleared the smoke, she leapt into the fray once more.
Blade met blade, as the assassin parried her blow, and then sidestepped Riki's. He was falling back, and the two pressed after him relentlessly. Until they noticed another faint ping.
A hail of senbon, coated in liquid, sailed towards Yume.
Yume saw the senbon. Her eyes squeezed shut, knowing there was no time for her to dodge them. She was going to die.
And then she felt warm breath on her face. Her eyes opened slowly, Riki standing right in front of her, a grimace of pain on his face. Her eyes widened, as Riki fell to his knees, a dozen poisoned senbon stuck in his back.
"Riki!" Airen shouted from across the clearing, as she raced over towards him. Yume's arms caught him before he fell forward, and she looked up, the assassin's sword in a straight arc for her head.
The blade was parried by Chie's wakazashi once more, the little ninja standing toe to toe with the assassin, his eyes showing not shyness, but anger. His wrists rolled quickly, his blade slipping away from the assassin's and then up under the man's guard.
The assassin leapt back, and as he did, Chie dropped his sword. His hands came together, quickly flowing through a jutsu, another ball of fire sailing towards the assassin.
As Airen dropped to her knees by Riki, she heard the sound of the flames, of a tree cracking as the ball of fire collided with it. And then another, and another. Airen slowly and carefully plucked the senbon from Riki's back, as Chie released jutsu after jutsu, almost too fast for the assassin to dodge.
What a kid, the assassin thought to himself, as he leapt from tree to tree, one step ahead of the balls of fire. To throw jutsu's at me that quickly, he is impressive.
Airen's hands flew through her own jutsu, and then her fingers lay gently at Riki's back. The wounds closed quickly, as he let out a gasp, the poison in his veins burning up at the power of Airen's healing jutsu.
Chie dropped to his knees, spent, having used so much chakra so quickly. The assassin leapt again, straight for Chie, his eyes narrowing.
This time, Yume was faster. She was by Chie's side, and her sword thrust up, burying itself in the assassin's side. His eyes widened, as he felt the blade, bringing his own back to strike at the woman that had impaled him.
His sword arced down, where it bounced harmlessly off of Riki's blade. The ninja swung his double bladed sword towards the assassin's head, and he leapt back quickly, taking Yume's sword with him, still lodged in his side. As he sailed through the air, his hands already traced through another jutsu, fire swirling around his hands. Unlike the simple balls of fire that Airen and Chie had thrown, this fire seemed to come alive, a long line of fire slithering through the air like a snake. It shot towards the three ninja that huddled together, all ready to leap away.
And then Airen stepped in front of them, her eyes narrowed. The fire shot towards her, and then, at her feet, the dirt began to stir. Just as the fire was about to connect with her, her chakra blazed around her, using the defense that she had learned from studying Neji. The serpent of fire shattered as it met the swirling chakra, and disintegrated.
Yume took up Chie's sword, and began to race towards the man. Riki was already moving, however. The assassin grinned, waiting for Riki to leap up and join him. However, Riki was more then happy to disappoint him. Instead, he pulled back, and swung, his blade connecting with the tree exactly where Chie's fireball had earlier.
With a loud crack, the tree leaned to one side, and then began to fall. The assassin fell from his branch, overbalanced. As he came down, he spun in the air, his sword meeting the one Yume held again. The two of them began to exchange blows furiously, as Riki raced up behind the assassin. The man dropped down under Yume's attack, his body spinning as he did, his sword coming up, and straight for Riki's chest.
Riki's sword dropped from his hands, knowing it was useless now, and his hands clamped down on the assassin's wrists. The man's eyes widened, as he felt Riki's powerful grip, and then a gasp left his lips, as Chie's sword pierced his lung, and then burst from his chest, spraying Riki's shirt with the assassin's blood.
Yume's hands grasped the hilt of Chie's sword with a grip so tight her knuckles where white. A grin spread over her lips, as she drew the blade from the man's chest, and he slumped to the ground.
Riki watched as a trail of blood ran from the corner of the assassin's mouth. Then he grimaced, as he looked down at his shirt. Nothing was going to get that mess out. He stepped back, lifting his sword from the ground, as the assassin fell face first into the grass.
Chie stepped closer slowly, his face pale, drained, as he held his hands out towards Yume. She returned his sword to him, and he knelt slowly, wiping it clean on the dead man's robes. And that was when they heard it. A soft voice.
"Excuse us." All four spun around, quickly, weapons raised, their eyes meeting the mask of a hunter-nin. "This belongs to us," the hunter-nin said softly, as he began to walk towards the corpse.
Yume took one last look at the man that he killed her sensei, and then slowly nodded her head. She moved away, as two other hunter-Nins emerged from the trees. "You should go now," one said in a gentle voice. Airen nodded slowly, watching for a moment longer. The first hunter-nin drew his sword, and knelt by the assassin's shoulders. Airen knew what was coming, and did not want to watch.
The four left the campsite, very differently to how they had come. Airen was in the lead, with Yume a couple of steps behind. Bringing up the rear, as always, was Riki, an exhausted Chie in his arms.
The four ninja stood in the Hokage's room, delivering their report on their mission. Iruka stood to one side, a smile on his lips. He had been glad this had gone well, as he had been the one to recommend that team for the mission.
Shinzui, sitting in as well, as the representative from the Hitomi clan, smiled a little as well. They had come to him as seeds, and now he got to see them blooming.
Author's notes.
Fight scene fight scene fight scene! My sister (the one I write this story for) loved this fight scene. I think it came out pretty well too. They are only new Genin now, having been trained by a Genin, and I think that comes through in their fighting. They have trained a lot, at the more simple stuff.
And now, you get to see Chie in action. Not much of a fighter, timid Chie, he uses his jutsu. I love Chie. :D
And now, WHERE ARE MY REVIEWS! :(