Through the Mists

Mission Details:

If there was something Arashi took away from his meeting with Akihana, it was that there was no reason why a genin would not be able to handle some things around the village.  And since missions were the primary source of income, it stood to reason that the young man needed to go ahead and run some.  While the village picked itself up around him, he went to the board and checked on some of the open mission, and which ones he was approved for. 

Thanks to the current state of the village, the perimeter of the village itself was more vulnerable, and therefore patrolling was a top priority.  However, with the number of upper level shinobi needed for other things, the patrolling was a bit sporadic.  It was the perfect first test for the young Tekiatsu, and Arashi found the man in charge of the village gates, and offered his services for a patrol.  That's how the genin found himself stepping outside the open gates in the early morning hours, taking a few steps and looking around.

The air was cool and crisp, and the day itself was only just breaking.  There was a decently dense fog around outside the village, not too much to lose vision, but enough to allow for cover.  Both for shinobi and those who were sneaking around the village.  Arashi smiled at the thought of running into people who were threatening his village and showing them what it means to be a Kumonin, but his orders explicitly stated that the young man was only to scout and a report, not engage.  It stood to reason that the ones who first attacked might still be nearby, waiting for the opportunity to strike. 

Arashi took a big breath of the fresh mountain air and jumped up into a tree, headed around the western perimeter like he was told to do.  He decided to give himself a challenge while he patrolled, by turning it into a training game.  Always go for the farthest tree, never touch the ground, and stop for exactly 10 seconds to scout the area.  It made sense, and it occupied his mind from what would undoubtedly be a quiet mission. 

Tree.  Stop.  Observe.  Sight.

Tree.  Stop.  Observe.  Sight.

Tree.  Stop.  Obser-.  Arashi froze, listening to what sounded like a snap of a twig.  From the ground.  The young man stopped and searched around, watching, waiting.  He thought he saw movement, but he could see movement everywhere in the fog.  This wasn't working as well as he hoped.  At all.  Arashi took a breath and did a half sign. 

"Condense."

The fog almost immediately began to dissipate as the water suspended in the air got too heavy and drifted down.  It didn't take long before he could see clearly, and there they were.  4 or 5 shinobi, none of whom had a Kumo headband.  Arashi was about to say something when the closest one sighted him and threw some kunai, impacting the tree below him.  Arashi immediately jumped up to a higher branch and did the Tiger sign, quietly muttering the release for the Hidden Mist.

From below where he was, a thick cloud of fog bellowed out, obscuring the area he had cleared away.  He could hear the voices of the shinobi calling for him to be caught, but Arashi had the benefit of having been through the area, and while he could certainly see through the fog, even if he couldn't he would be able to make his way back, which is exactly where he went, heading the warning of the patrol captain.

It took no time to both shake off his pursuers and make it to the open gates, where the shinobi he was supposed to report to was already there.

"You're back early, is everyth-"

"I found some shinobi outside the western perimeter, about 5, but I didn't see their headbands clearly.  I just know they weren't cloud shinobi.  They chased me, but I got them with the mists." he said, pointing in the direction they should go, where the top of his mist jutsu was clearly visible, like an unnatural bubble on top of the natural fog of the area. 

The captain nodded to a couple of Jounin who took off immediately, flickering out of sight, and then turned to the young Arashi.  Whether or not they were threats would be determined by them, and not Arashi.  And he would never know the results, but that wasn't what was important.

"You did well, most would have tried to take them on.  Go ahead and take a rest, I'll report on your completion.  You'll make a fine addition if I have a say in it." he said, gesturing to the interior of the village.

Arashi smiled and nodded, walking away.  He just saved his village some trouble, and that made him happy.

(WC: 812)
(Reward: 450ryo)