Under The Trees and Over our Heads (IO Pretty.)

Mission Details:

For the umpteenth time in her time in Kumo Coco found herself standing upon her hill. You know the one with the sadly dead tree with the wilting leaves, and the picturesque view of the river valley beneath. There was a heavy cloud cover, like it was getting ready to rain. However the sky wasn't completely grey yet. There were plenty of holes within the cloudly blanket for the bright light of the setting sun to shine through. The funneling light upon the silvery backdrop made the light shine brightly upon Coco's porcelain skin. The breeze was strong upon the high up hill. The mountains winds swept fiercely across the grassy landscape of the hill top. The storm winds were quickly approaching and with them they brought gloomy grey clouds. It's been too long since Coco had been in the middle of a good storm! Right now the atmosphere was hot and damp, more so than usual. The only example being the fridged winds blowing down from the north. This Storm would be traveling through Kumo before heading onto Amegakure. Coco dearly wished she could fly into the strom and let it's winds carry her back home. She looked over to her Umbrella. Well actually she could do that! But this was going to be a thunder storm, and have a big metal umbrella probably wasn't going to do her any good as a means of traveling through it.


Before Coco on that windswept hill were ten exact clones of herself. All of them stood at attention waiting for her commands. They were loyal soilders, as loyal as any commander could hope for. No one was more behind her mission than her. Because they were her. Coco was having a hard time wrapping her mind around the existential repercussions of these clones though. Especially when she desummoned them back and she had the memories of the clones swirling around with her own. That was without a doubt the most creepy part of the whole thing. The second creepiest thing was looking at herself spread out over the mountain top. It was kind of like seeing yourself in the mirror, only much much weirder. You know. Because they could move on their own will, and they rubbed their noses and such. Their own movments... their own thoughts! Coco was getting sick just thinking about it.


"She's thinking about it again." One of the clones whispered to the other. "I know it is getting a little weird."

"Hey clones! No back talk!" Coco shouted fiercly. She turned her back and took a second to gather herself before turning back to her clone sisters and taking a deep breath in. "Alright ladies let's get down to business! Today each of you will give you life in service of the Wei kingdom. We'll Be learning the Clone Great Explosion Jutsu, so I'm goanna need some of you to make sacrifices here. I just want you guys to know... I appreciate every bit of it."


Her clones all at once rolled their eyes. Coco understood it when other people got annoyed with her long windedness but when exact clones of herself did it was starting to get a little weird. Especailly since she was saying how much she appreciated them letting her blow them up! Honestly you'd think they would be a little more grateful for her loving consideration of them. "Alright fine. This just means that's I'm going to get to enjoy blowing you all off of this mountain." Just as she was getting ready to Do so a Hawk flying over head dropped a scroll down onto the hill top. Coco craned her head upwards and saw the bird gliding against the stormy winds. Coco looked back down and saw the Grey scroll slowly rolling down the green dales of her hill. She shot an angry glare over to her clones. "You couldn't have told me it was getting away?" She asked with an exasperated look. They all simple gave her an indifferent shrug. She shook her head. "I'm useless." She sighed desummoning her  clones and running after the scroll as it tried to make it's escape. It didn't get far before Coco had managed to scoop it up from the ground, and stop it's fumbling escape down the mountain.


She unraveled the scroll with a  satisfying 'zip' and took a look at it's contents. Inside were mission details pertaining to the eliminations of three rouges camping out in the black forest. It seemed a while back a Chuunin and two of his Genin students went rouge and left the village. The three of them had been harassing caravans and forest goers ever since. Boto was the leader of the crow it would seem. A low ranking Chuunin specializing in Fire Ninjtutsu.His students Miri, and Sakon were Winder, and Earth user's repectivley. They'd been seen near the southern edges of the forest. Far away from the city, but Coco would be able to make it there pretty quickly if she followed the river that flowed down her valley. Coco wasn't too sure about whether she could go ahead and accept the mission or not. It seemed pretty dangerous, plus she didn't have any backup . The whole thing just seemed kind of Risky to be honest. that was until she saw the Reward at the end of the mission. 10,000 ryo! Yeah okay she could handle a few low ranked ninja's for that kind of money. For sure, no doubt. With a distinct 'Cha-Ching' Noise her eyes turned to dollar signs and she gave the Bird circling overhead a thumbs up. "I accept!" She shouted launching herself down the hill and towards the gently flowing river. Money Money money!


From the river she began heading down stream. Jogging along the side of the gently babbling river as it made it's own journey to the ocean. The crystal water reflected the cloudy sky, and before long it's crystal waters became grey as they reflected the stormy skies. The streaming water was soon splattering with the heavy droplets of water, as rain cascaded down from the sky. Before her porcelain skin was ever in danger of becoming we she flapped her Umbrella out, and held it proudly over her head. What there ever a situation where pulling Her trusty instrument out wasn't the answer?


Night was quickly befalling The Land of Lightning. The storm clouds were only adding to the darkness that was sweeping over the land. It almost felt like home, with the cold blowing winds, and icy rain. Luckily she had three layers of jackets and coats on her to keep her warm. Now this was actually pretty light clothing for Coco, but hey she wasn't exactly expecting to be hunting down some Ninjas tonight now did she? After several hours of her steady job, as well as have the cool wind in her sails she found her self at the southern end of the Land of lightning. More specifically the area where The Black forest was located. Up ahead through the dark rain of the night Coco could make out a small hamlet stationed in front of a bridge that spanned the river. Coco smiled as she came upon the small town. She hoped she'd get the chance to grab a bite to eat before she made her move upon the rouges in the forest.


Coco crawled her way up the slick muddy slopes of the river bank. Only slightly difficult considering one of her hands was busy with an umbrella. Still despite the slight fumbling up the slick hill Coco found herself without even a drop of rain desecrating her holy body. You didn't live seventeen years in the rain village and not know your way around an umbrella and a muddy hill. The village in question wasn't terribly large. As was often the case the largest building was the Tavern which stood proud in the cold rain. The sleeping Giant it's sign read. There wasn't anyone outside from what Coco could tell by her quick walk by of the village. It wasn't terribly strange considering the rain, but it wasn't late enough in the day for there to be no traffic at all.


She shrugged and headed over to a tavern, that's where she and the rest of her squad was suppose to meet up.

(1396/5000)

A boy in wool, cardigan with a dress shirt un-tucked in the back and his pants properly pressed sits at the bar. He is failing to get the bartenders attention. He seems to blend into the background of the taverns quiet and soft atmosphere. He is a perfect fit in this place. Almost to perfect. Its like if you were to blink away, he would fade away from thought. He seems to be non-existent. That was until Ransurotto kicked the bottom of the bar with his combat boots, the only thing that doesn’t seem to match his middle-age style; It is covered by his pants though. The bartender glares at the young man and hisses a bit but Ransurotto doesn’t have a care in the world about this mans bar. He had been ignoring Ransurotto for almost two hours now. It was time he got some sake in his system.
 
The bartender approaches with a gruff tone and a devilish stare. She speaks as she removes the fag from mouth. “What do you want you little-“
 
Before she can curse at him,  Ransurotto interrupts her and speaks up to place an order. “I’ll take a sake and if you have them, a smoke? It would also like some of these nachos everyone keeps ordering.”
 
The bartender scoffs with a light blush on her face. The gentle tone of the young man and the booze brain she has from drink her own product. The lady with a complexion and frizzy hair from her work in the kitchen, she walks over to our young Ransurotto with a pink flush painting her cheeks.  She slams the nachos on the table in front with some cherry blossom sake and a pack of smokes. It seems this girl has a crush on our young man. He pulls out to pay and hands over to Ryo. She nods and hands him the change with a note.
 
Come back anytime after we close. I think we could hit it off.
 
She goes back about her business and Ransurotto is left there to wonder what to do. His face was brighter than a cherry and his mind was racing with thoughts and questions of who she was? What was her name? Are her boobs real? What does she mean by hit it off? Are her boobs real? Why was she interested in him? He sighed and tucked the paper into his pocket as he radiated heat from his face. He quickly scarfed down the nachos in front of him to ward of f this blush but it wasn’t draining from his face. It is actually thickening. Ransurotto’s head is about to explode when he glances up at the woman. She has pulled her hair back to keep it out of her rather pleasant face. Her thin structure and elegant blue eyes, along with her raspy yet feminine voice, keep Ransurotto on his toes. He was extremely fascinated with this woman and would definitely be returning here.
 
A couple hours of him flirting with the bartender, sipping on his sake and smoking put Ransurotto into a state of relaxation he hasn’t been in since his last birthday when he went to the stri….A door swings open and the alert people in the room turn around.  Ransurotto’s face lightens up with excitement when he sees the woman. He rushes up to the young woman and smiles as he poses a little. He holds onto this head band and smirks like a happy child.
 
“Look Coco!! I’m a genin!! After all that training you helped me through I finally became a real ninja of the Kumo. I learned a few other techniques too. I can walk on water and tree's. I mean not for long but its still really awesome that I can do it."

Word Count: [635]

At First from underneath her scarf Coco's only reaction was to raise her eyebrows in appreciation. After Which she pulled her scarf away from her face to reveal a big smile full of pride, and admiration. "That's awesome!" She announced throwing her hands up into the air. She fixed Ransurotto with a warm smile. "Are you the person I'm meeting up with for this mission?" Her tone was slightly more hushed than it had previously. She didn't want everyone in the bar to know that she was going into the forest to take out some bandits. They might have men inside the town.

She gave the tavern a quick look around, scanning high and low for any suspicious activity. She could tell why the rest of the town had been abandoned. It seem that everyone and their mother spent there time here when off of work. The doctor, the baker, the candle stick maker, everyone seemed to be enjoying a drink.

(2192/5000)[We write 5000 words together, not 5000 each

He nods at you and watches your sight. He wonders why your glancing around the room and then it hits him. The bandits might actually be in the room and him blurting out that he is a ninja would be horrible, or good. It depends. He exclaimed he was a genin. His skills weren't advanced since he was a recently new genin but he was focus and dedicated. He looked to you and then to an empty table.

"Lets go sit. We should discuss a plan." He say walking over to the corner table and sitting. The bartender crushing on him walks over to the group and glares at the girl.

"What do you want?" She says rather reluctantly. She looks to Ransurotto and smiles. Ransurotto smiles back and slowly gets lost in her eyes. Her messy bun and the way she tapes her pen when she is impatient. He shakes his head to get out of he the trance. 

He speaks up, "Hey....ummm....Hey...." Ransurotto has taking a liking to this girl. She rubs his shoulder a bit causing him to forget what he was going to ask. As she asks for your order again in a abrupt, tearing tone, he remembers what he was going to ask. "Oh! Hey, Do you know where the local bandits might be? We are trying to get this town back on it's feet and we just need to take them out."

The woman goes quite before looking back to Ransurotto. She seems hesitant to answer your question but sighs reluctantly and nods. she needs people to move on from her bar just cause its the safest place in the town. She looks to Ransurotto and sits down next to him, resting a hand on his thigh. "You'll really help us...."

Ran nods at the woman and rests his hand on hers. "I promise you we will. Life will go back to being normal around her. Just tell us where they hide out." 

She in hales deeply before sighing and nodding on her exhale. "Okay. There is an ole sawmill in the woods. Its easy to find since there is a path of stumps that leads directly to it. We sent them supplies even after they take our carvans. Please. Help us. We can give you whatever you need."

Ransurotto nods at the woman and squeezes her hand reassuringly. "Thank you. All we need is some water and a map of sawmill and the surrounding area." 

The woman stands up slowly and gently rests a hand on the young mans face. She presses her supple lips to his cheek and caresses it with her thumb. She walks off to get the materials while Ransurotto is left there in shock and unexplainable awe. 

Word Count: [635+500=1135]

'Well that was easy' Coco though after seeing Ran's performance with the bar wentch. She patted him on that back. "That was pretty slick. Though I can't tell whether you just got us a lead, or yourself a date." She gave a slight chuckle, and pulled her scarf back up over her face. No one in the bar seemed to be paying them any mind. No one was even leaning in, in their direction to get a better shot at listening in.  She'd been pretty impressed by Ran so far. Not only back when she was training with him earlier, but with the move he'd just pulled. Coco would have just wandered through the forest looking for some smoke. She was all that social of a person so the idea of gathering information from another person hadn't even occurred to her, and that Kids is why you have team mates.

After a short wait the bar wench back holding a map and a few bottles of water. Oh Thanks goodness. Coco's mouth was bone dry! Coco snatched herself a bottle of water, and the map and made to exit the Bar. Turning her back on however the Bar Winch a Ran were going to say goodbye to each other.

When they were out of the bar and Ran had caught up with her the two of them would travel into the forest! Getting just far enough into the shaded wooded area that no one in town could hear or see their monkeyshines. When a safe distance was reached Coco would plant her umbrella into the Ground, keeping the water off of the map. She outstretched it, and her eyes darted over the details of the area it pertained to. It was a decent location for a ninja hide out. The deforested area around the mill made for a long empty clearing that would be hard to sneak up on. However the mill was powered by a running river that ran right next to it.   A skilled water user could easily turn that to their advantage. Too bad Coco was not one such person. Luckily neither were the three ninja they were hunting either.

Coco had a few ideas formulating in her head, but she was suppose to be showing Ran the ropes of being a ninja. It was a pretty dangerous mission for a Genin on their first mission, but he'd show resourcefulness so far, plus he had that special seal. "What do you think of the situation? How should we proceed?"

(2992/5000)

Ransurotto stared down at the map. He watched over every crumbled corner and frayed scroll that it was painted on. He trails his fingertips gently over the detail of the cartography. He is seriously impressed by how detailed this map is. Ran glances up at you once he realizes you had been speaking to him. He gives you a quick nod and looks over the map with intent instead of admiration.
 
“Yea, it looks like there are a few ambush places if there is a well enough distraction. I think with a few clones and a few kunai this might just be simple. Im not very skilled with jutsu’s or things like that but I am rather intuitive.”
 
He points to the mills water-wheel and smiles at you. “That’s the first distraction I can think off. Get a clone to stand by it when as they are distracted with a meal or with the evening drinks. Another clone to walk straight up the middle to catch them off guard. One last clone just standing as a shadow in the forest. I feel like a some physiological warfare would be perfect for some low ranking ninja on the run.”
 
He nods at the plan and then looks to the map. He gathers some pebbles and starts placing them at different spot on the map. They all stand around ten feet into the forest and all stand in the west. He grins t you and points to the sun. “When sunset comes on, it will hit the forest casting long strong shadows over the entire forest and give the impression that we have a huge groups waiting a command.  While they freak out and tense up, we should make some rustling happen so they waste weapons.”
 

He places to twigs near some log piles that were drawn on the map to make it current. “Ill be here, but till I go into more of the plan I need to know your techniques.”

Word Count: [1135+331=1466]

Coco was slightly taken aback by all of this. Did Ransurotto say that he worked at an animal shelter or a General's office before he became a ninja. Whatever the answer was he seemed to have a masterful understanding of tactics. He may not have been very well trained in the way of Jutsu just yet, but he had power where it mattered. In his Grey matter.

Coco nodded her head in appreciation of his place, and fixed his him a glowing smile. Her scarf wrinkled in reaction to her smile. She pulled it down from her mouth so she could talk freely. She was enjoying this, immensely. It was nice to be on a mission where you have to fight people, and you were the one who had the drop on them! Usually Coco was the one being ambushed.

"Righto." She paused for a moment and considered the tools in her Arsenal. "I'm quiet skill at both The Shadow Clone Jutsu, as well as transformations. I can summon up to 10 Clones, and transform them into different people from the village. That'll not only give us the numbers advantage you mentioned, but if they don't know that they're clones, and simply ten different ninjas it'll be much more intimidating. I can also Clone Shuriken in the hundreds, so ammo should be no problem. I have two natures, Wind and Lightning. I have a basic understanding of the Chidori Technique, which is the only lightning technique I know. I have several Wind Techniques mainly revolving around enhancing my blades sharpness. Though I can create a strong wind if needed."  She grabbed her backpack and unzipped it revealing the ninja tools she had stowed away in there. "I'm a weapons specialist mainly, so I have plenty of sharp toes to play around with." She tapped her umbrella that currenty stood opened and above them. "My umbrella is a weapon of it's own. Acting as a shield, and well as a senbon launcher. There is a katanna in the hilt." She paused and gave Ran a look. "It also let's me fly a little bit." She gave him a wink. "Now if you ever plan on killing me, you know just what I have up my sleeve."

He looks over the entire map and smiles to you. He grabs the edges and then launches them off into the forest. He grabs some more smooth pebbles, two jagged rocks and enough twigs to cover the map. He starts breaking the twigs as he looks over the map.

"Okay! New plan. Your clones..." He holds up the pebbles. "Will spread out around the forest every three trees. I don't care how long the distance. If its two inches between a tree or two meters. It needs to be every three trees. Thats the first bit of psychological warfare. The sawmill is surrounded in a circle by the forest and only the chunin will notice that if he does. It will be a fare warning that this is definitely a strategy which will keep him on guard but in the thought of defense. We have to keep them in fear. Tahts key."

"Next! We take the traps, or twigs for placement, and we set them up in front of each and every clone just incase they chase after them. Now there are many parts to this plan so we need to be precise and accurate. We are the jagged rocks. We will stay here while your clones set up the traps and then you'll cancel get the jutsu and recharge. Then the real party starts. You will send fifty of those clone shurkin at them. Whiel they goes, your clones while be walking into view of the shadows. It will look like a giant group of ninja. Then you will send out the next fifty. If they get hit or not wont matter. Everythng we do will be to take them out."

"So next your clones will run into the shadows and just out of site. They will release they jutsu. If they chase after them or not doesnt mater cause you know....traps. Finally, if none of that works, I will transform into a fuma shuriken and you will keep me on your back. You will walk into the zone with your umbrella and toss it into the air. You know it better than anyone. If they aren't dead then they will be after this. You'll launch me towards them and when they dodge me, i will release the jutsu and toss my kunai at them from a close range....so what do you think?"

'Nice.' Sounded a bit safer than just charging in on mass. Not that there was anything wrong with that particular strategy. This one just seemed like a bit more fun. She gave him a firm nod. "It sounds like a solid plan." Through the cracks in the forest canopy she could see the setting sun began it's long journey beyond the horizon. "It's just about time." She formed The Clone Handseal, and summoned 10 exact clones of herself. They all posed in awesome action poses, looking like a band of Charlie's angels "Make if fast ladies!" Coco announced sending her clones away with a flick of her hand.

She pulled her umbrella out of the ground, and leaned up against a tree trunk. "So do they teach you strategy at the pet shelter?"

Mean while her score of clones flew through the forest like the highly trained ninjas they were. In no time at all they were upon the perimeter of the lumber mill. They quickly went to work setting up traps, and slapping explosive tags to some of the ancient trees of the forest. Slowly one at a time after they finished their work they made their presence at the edge of the forest detectable to any keen eyed ninja who may have been on look out.

It had begun.

[Feel Free to use my clones, and Coco how you please. I'm going to Rp as the rouges a lil' bit next post. 1000 more words and we're there!]

He looks to each of the clones and gives out individual orders; Each consisting of long lengths and precise actions. He will have the area around the sawmill like a cage for his prey. He is like a master hunter or a monster human at this moment in time. His plan is gone into action and one of the clones appears out of the shadow of the forest. He gathers the attention of one of the genins. He is about to yell for attention when around twenty-five shuriken come at him like a violent storm of bloodlust.
 

The other girl clones are waiting command behind the tree. At ever other minute, one pokes out from behind a tree and eventually all are hidden in the shadow of the forest but present enough so that the chunin and other genin can them. Suddenly, seventy-five shurkien rush out at the other two, while the twenty five come at the targeted genin.