The Waterways [Mission] - Miyamoto

Spoiler:

A blowing rain lashed at Ayato's face as he climbed all the way up to the tall clock tower that pierced the gray clouds of the night sky. When he reached the highest point he gave the hood of his cloak a tug, muttering courses on the weather. Looking down, he could see thin tendrils of smoke rising from chimneys of the houses below. People inside would be sitting near the fire in their living rooms, drinking warm cups of chocolate before their supper. Ayato envied that for a moment. He had not been out in the rain for more than an hour but his necks and shoulders ached fiercely from the weight of the wet black cloak he wore upon his woolen clothes. Ayato was not atop the old clock tower to feel pity for himself, though. He made the climb so he could take a birds eye of the City of Haven and figure the shortest route to the Chuunin's office. "Byakugan." He let out softly, the veins around his temples bulged and his eyes shifted from brown to white. The world was different now, in shades of black and white and Ayato could not hear the sound of the rain anymore. Enhancing one of the senses resulted in another being weakened. Deciding on his route he leaped down from the building, his cloak billowing behind him as the wind came up.

Ayato's landing upon the tiles of a rooftop caused a gust of the wind that sent wet leaves around him like a flock of dead birds. Even for shinobi who had the ability to leap freely from one place to the other, it was difficult to move in this weather. "The office is just ahead. If gods are good Miyamoto will be there on time." He thought before making his way towards the Chuunin office where he and his teammate would be briefed on their C-rank mission. He tread carefully across the roofs of the buildings, a wrong step upon the slippy marble would be all it took. 

WC - 330

330/4000

"interesting night for a mission..."

Miyamoto said to himself as he looked out his bedroom window and out into the forest that bordered his house.  The downpour was heavy, anything that required stealth would be at an advantage, but visibility was going to suffer.  Miyamoto sighed as he tied his Gi and pulled a cloak from the shelf next to his window.  Opening the window, Miyamoto made sure his cloak was fastened and ready as he got on the ledge and with a quick motion stepped out into the cool beating rain.

"good thing I have a warm chakra nature otherwise forget this."

He said as he slowly closed his bedroom window and fell to the ground, landing with a light smack as he hit the ground.  His orders were to report to mission offices at ten that night.  He had about 15 minutes to traverse Hoshi to get to the center of the village, and as such he was off with a quick jolt-a blur to the untrained eye.  He would arrive with in his time constraint, actually within five minutes before they were to meet.  He stood outside the offices and used his natural lava and fire chakra that kept his body warm to dry himself while he waited.

"I hope that this is worth it Ayato..."

Miyamoto said under his breath as he could see his breath hang in the cold air, which was never unusual, but he was impatient...a bad quality for a shinobi...even though he was just a kid.  He looked out into the distance and waited, the rain was calming his nerves for this mission, and that was a good thing since he needed this to go off without incident so that he could show progress as a shinobi.  He was happy that he had this Genin on his team, he only had a glimpse of his current power level, but Miyamoto had not even shown him what all he could do yet.  

"Where are you Ayato...I am tired of waiting..."

WC: 337

From where stood, he could see the other shinobi clearly. He had arrived here earlier than expected and waited for someone. It was Miyamoto, he could see him under his cloak and hood with his Byakugan.  Ayato reached to his pockets and grasped the parchment inside of it; he moved his shoulder and pulled out the piece of paper with the broken blob of purple wax with the Hoshigakure symbol. He unrolled it slowly, drops of rain hitting it. He read the contents once more.



Nothing seemed to be suspicious there. However, no matter how genuine the ribbons and seals appeared to be, with letters there was always the possibility of falsification. Miyamoto’s presence in the area proved the last part of him summoned here to be true enough.
“You have received a letter too I take it.” Ayato asked aloud as he appeared from the darkness holding out the wet piece of paper.  A wooden lantern loomed above him serving as a small source of light. He was a few meters away from Miyamoto but his teammate had sure heard him clear enough. Unless that is, the sound of rain splashing against the road muffled his voice.  He started to move closer to Miyamoto and by then he realized he had best to deactivate his Byakugan. There was no need to startle the fellow shinobi with eyes he had never seen before in his life. Perhaps if they had been in another village with established Hyuuga presence Miyamoto would be impressed of Ayato’s heritage as a member of that clan. But not in Hoshigakure, this queer shinobi village located at the far end of the known world. In here, white eyes would only serve to earn him the distaste of anyone he looked upon.

One, two, three Ayato counted before thunder came. "I'm sorry if you had to wait in the rain for long.” He said to his teammate with cool courtesy.  He and Miyamoto had participated on a mission the Gardens of Village Gates along with the rest of Team Winter, Kyosouke Snow and Gven Oasis. Ayato had caught a glimpse of Miyamoto’s power when he used a weird power to nurture plants from the soil. And that was all about it, he knew nothing else about his teammate other than his appearance and the fact that he might have possessed the Earth affinity or Water, maybe even both. Well, truth be told it didn’t matter what element the fellow Genin used to make flowers grow. What did matter be if Miyamoto could use that power whatever it was to succeed in their first C-rank mission? That last name, though, Terumi, was one known through the history of the shinobi. A notable figure was a female Kage of Kiri that fought in a war hundred years past.  Ayato vaguely remembered any more details but he was aware of the potential that someone else in that clan had. A Kekkei Genkai.

“Shall we enter?” He put the palm of his hand upon the wooden door and pushed.  A sudden warm wind rushed to meet his face. When Miyamoto entered the ground floor building, Ayato would proceed to close the door to keep the cold and the rain outside. His cloak dripped water on the floor. The air inside this office smelled of paper and dust and wine. Around the two Genin, tall wooden shelves rose up into dimness crammed with leather bound books and bins of scrolls. They must be records from missions done in the past. He figured. The room was dark but they could see a faint orange glow filtered through the shelves. Ayato followed the light, wending his way through the narrow hallway.

The Chuunin hatched over a large wooden desk enjoying his supper. Roasted beef with fried rice that he washed down with a goblet of wine.  When he noticed the two Genin he proceeded to wipe his mouth with a dirty napkin placed upon his flak jacket. “Took you long enough.”  He said putting the napkin down. He was a man in his early thirties of medium build. He had a long face and gray eyes. He wore the standard Chuunin uniform, and bandana with the Hoshi Forehead protector was tied around his head, covering most of his black hair.  “As I’m sure you’ve heard there was a situation today at the village gates.” “Two missing-nin were caught trying to enter the city under the guise of merchants. I heard the Queensmen took care of the matter.” Ayato simply stated what he, Miyamoto and most likely every citizen knew. There was a big commotion about it this morning and news travel fast in this City. “Well not quite.” The man let out with a sigh. “The missing-nin escaped custody, killing one Queensman and injuring two other in the process. News about this t has not been leaked to the public.” Ayato understood that moment, he and Miyamoto were set to deal with it in the shadows, shinobi like. Doing the City watch’s work while local authorities get to keep all the glory.

The thirty-year-old male with stood up and plucked a scroll from a bin beside him.  With his hand, he swept at the table shoving plates and book aside. “They were last seen making a run for to the Waterways, tunnels that run deep beneath the city.” He said as he unfolded the large scroll upon the table. “Alright listen, the paint has faded but you can see where the mapmaker marked the site of where old bandit raids occurred. This is the abandoned part of the City spiral. The missing-nin are sure to emerge from here.”  He let them know tapping his middle fingers at the old scroll.Ayato felt the need to speak his mind again. “We are to capture them just as they reach the surface then?” He suggested just in case their orders had not been set in stone. The waterways were for a lack of a better word, the sewers. And with that downpour they were sure to be flooded.

The long-faced Chuunin frowned to that. “No. You must not let them reach the surface, too many escape roots. If you fail this they are going to blend in with the crowd. It might take days, months before we successfully track them down.” He pointed his fingers at them. “You two are to go into the Waterways and capture or kill those two fucking rats." He proclaimed to them hotly with a salute. "Any questions?"  I was wondering how long it will take me to reach Chuunin and have the authority to kick your lazy ass for sending us down to that shithole. Ayato almost asked his hand curling into a fist. "Nothing? Good. Dismissed" He ordered them with a voice that was sharp like black steel. One, two, three Ayato counted before thunder roared faintly outside.

WC - 1180

TWC: 1510/4000

Miyamoto remained stationary, listening to the rain eventually letting his senses adjust as the loud piter-patter of rain would turn dull, the only thing that would cut the silence would be the occasional strike of lightning in the distance and the rumble of thunder shortly after.  It was relaxing and as such he did not pay attention to the sharp crack of the closeness of the lightning strike as he would smile.

It was not long until Ayato showed up and broke the silence of the world around him as he was asked if he had received a letter as well.  Miyamoto's reply was a simple reply in the form of a thumbs up, he did not retrieve the letter of course, but nevertheless he was here so that had to say something to the credibility that someone would summon two Genin in the dead of night for a mission.  Miyamoto did not notice the Byakugan active or otherwise deactivated, but nevertheless waited to see if there was anything more to be said.  To which to his surprise was a question if he had been here long in the rain, and Miyamoto just grinned and looked at Ayato as the thunder rolled by.

"not at all...I like the rain, makes the earth more malleable..."

His response was short and sweet as Ayato would smiled then motioned to the door asking if it was time to enter.  Miyamoto nodded as he would let down the hood of his cloak and walk into the office, the warm air hitting his face and the smell of hot food and alcohol wafted under his nose.  He stepped in and held the door for his partner as he waited till Ayato was past the threshold before closing the door behind them.  A quick scan of the room gave way to the fact that this was just an office for someone that was a pencil pusher...someone in the knowledge sector that prefered papers and books to kunai and blood.

That is when Miyamoto's eyes were drawn to the desk near the back of the room, the figure behind the desk was unimportant at the time, the mission was all that he was there for and as such when they were asked about their travel time and whether they had been informed of the happenings of the day, Miyamoto just nodded in agreement.  That is when the shinobi behind the desk stood up and retrieved a piece of parchment as he swept his desk clear of most things so he could explain. Ayato took the lead and asked about the mission, about the two missing-nin that were under the city, and was answered in kind with confirmation of their mission.  They were to intercept a duo team of missing-nin and capture or eliminate the threat.  The thought of having to actually kill someone did not bother Miyamoto...yet anyway as he dwelled on it for a moment before coming back to reality to listen to the details and given info of what was going on and what was about to happen.

"This is simple, if we enter the sewer...find out what is flooded and what is not...infiltrate, capture the missing-nin off guard...which will be hard, but not completely out of the question as they would be cautious due to the storm and the fact that they already had one run in with the queens guard...However...missing-nin be damned we need to make sure that we fix the mistake that they made in coming here."

Miyamoto said out loud, forgetting to restrain himself, but it was still made with precision and a rather deliberate coldness that would be on the border of emotionless.  That is when the shinobi issuing the mission looked baffled and then agreed before looking to the two of them asking there were any questions.  He noticed Ayato's stance change almost instantly, and as such Miyamoto put a hand on his shoulder, the warm touch was abnormal, but would signal to Ayato that he should pick his fights carefully, and as such he looked to the shinobi and quickly memorized the layout of the waterway.  One way out to the surface at the center of the city near the water gardens, and a few just past the village borders...their entry point most likely.  Then there was the fact that there were a few smaller spots that only smaller shinobi could be in...the reason Ayato and Miyamoto were summoned in the first place.  This plan reeked of setup or was it of chance to prove to the village that he was ready for more daunting tasks.  

"Come Ayato...we should do this quickly, we have wasted enough time here already..."

He would say as he would got to the door and open it, the rain had let up just a bit, but it was still troublesome.  This night was going to be a one for the annals that is for sure.

820

Ayato felt the warm touch on his shoulder as if the hand that touched him was gloved in the finest moleskin ever made, but it was only a naked hand.  Yet the heat pierced Ayato to the bone, enough to remind him his place.  A shinobi is bound to follow orders of their superior not to judge them. Regardless of whom, they came from. Even if it was  a legendary hero like Arashi Tekiatsu and Kyosouke Snow or  the unimportant Chuunin in front of the duo whom his name wasn’t even worth mentioning.   

When Miyamoto told him it was time to move Ayato gave a weak nod. Maybe the other Genin could see the tightness around Ayato’s mouth and his anger barely suppressed under the thick black hood of his cloak. And so they left the office and moved into the downpour. They moved into the darkness of the City of Heaven dressed in their black cloaks as if they were shadows among shadows. When they reached the entry point, written on the map, Ayato could feel fear coiling around him like a snake tightening his neck. His breath was coming faster than it should have and his mouth was dry like the sands of Suna despite the curtain of rain above them. Death waited for him behind that hinged wooden door on the ground. This was his long awaited important mission but as the sound of rusty iron hinges echoed into the night Ayato was even more in awe than before.  His entire life he yearned to be a hero but now he feared he might have been a craven.

Kyousuke Snow the Queensguard Sensei had announced during their first mission that he was hoping for all three make it be Jounin, in time. But in this city, walls have eyes and ears and a Queensguard not nurturing soldiers but leaders wasn’t a case to leave many satisfied.  The higher-ups of the village seemed cornered for his wellbeing and that of his teammate, aiming to improve them as shinobi while giving them experience and Ryo through a mission. It was almost touching, like the Will of Fire in the stories Ayato’s mother used to read him before putting him to sleep. 

But in this case, he felt as if someone had pissed in a cup and demanded of him to call it wine. He and Miyamoto sent to apprehend criminals on the run, in an underground coven nonetheless. Perhaps the Village Elders had hoped in the process of dealing with the missing-nin they were to meet their end as well. Then the names of the two of the three Genin from Team Winter were to be engraved on a memorial stone. People of Hoshigakure would bring white flowers symbolizing the expresses majesty and purity to the soul of the departed that sacrificed their life for the good of the village.  All while their pale corpses rotted in a cold dark room. Different kind of stories rushed back to Ayato then. Those he heard from his father, missing ninjas in secluded locations conducting experiments to humans, trying to harvest secrets from their body.  

When they well inside into the moist dark catacombs Ayato with a small lantern in hand to light their way would finally speak to his teammate. “Miyamoto this is the part where I ask you if share my unease. But I know you do. Not only about the eminent danger that awaits us there. I can feel them watching me, Miyamoto. Day and night their eyes are on me, noses sniffing for a whiff of treachery. You saw him, that pure excuse of a Chuunin and the trap he laid for us. Had I stroke him down as I wished then I would have suffered a traitor’s death. Your warm hand spared me of such fate. I owe you one. Miyamoto actually I..” He had decided to tell him everything then, of who he was, where he came from. The man he killed when he was eight. The Byakugan. The Hyuuga of Kiri that tried to be rid of him when they learned of his existence. How he and his father escaped when that hellhole sank to the depths of the ocean. 

But then a sudden splash of water echoed through the Waterways, interrupting him. Ayato forgot about everything then. "Someone is there." He let out coldly as his eyes shifted from brown to white once again that stormy night. 

WC - 740
TWC - 2250/4000

Miyamoto could almost feel the animosity that dripped from Ayato and seemingly enveloped the room.  Much like a warm breeze on a chilled day Miyamoto did his best to remind him of his place, his body was warm with anger as well, but something that Kyousuke had taught him resonated within in him and he held onto that sentiment for it was getting him through the moment.  Of course it was a trap that had been set to see if the shinobi of the village were following orders, or if they were just assassins with no honor or code.  As such as soon as they were outside, Miyamoto hesitated a moment and looked back at the Chuunin inside as he sat down to finish his meal that the two had interrupted just minutes before.  The time of deliberation was over, the time of action had come.

Just as shadows moved with their master, Miyamoto and Ayato would indeed move within the shadows of the peaceful village as the storm raged overhead.  Without a doubt the sewers would be flooded up to their ankles if not higher, but this is the life of a shinobi, and Miyamoto wanted to be a hero more than anything...but he did not think it was time to show what he could do just yet.  In his head he was scared...terrified even, he a not prepared mentally to kill a man if he had to...even on the road to Hoshikagure he never really had to fight other living humans, just animals...was this really the life he wanted.

The mission was simple, infiltrate, confirm, and capture or exterminate...but why give it to two Genin if a queensman was already attacked and killed...it made no sense unless of course these missing-nin were initially or are shinobi from Hoshi that have gone rouge.  The mission reeked of setup and betrayal, and if the two of them did not keep their wits about them...then they can add their names to the that of the Queensman that was lost during the day.  As they arrived it became apparent that the scope of the mission had beome clear between the two of them as Ayato opened the door to the sewer the stench was strong, and the air was still...no water beyond what was normal had been through this area.

"odd..."

Miyamoto said under his breath just as Ayato began to speak about his hand and his place as a shinobi, and even if he was scared or uneasy about the situation.  Then there was the talk of the Chuunin that issued the mission and that eyes always watching to see if he would screw up.  Then he fell silent as if thinking of something as his ears picked up something in the distance, and Ayato confirmed this by pointing out the noise.  Miyamoto went into combat mode then as he carefully removed his cloak and dropped it into the water, he did not need it anyhow as he kept his aura low around him as he placed a hand in his pocket of his Gi, pulling out two stones and holding them in one hand he would let his eyes adjust to the lantern as he would walk in front of Ayato.

"Whomever it is...they either blocked off the waterway, or have damaged the sewer system...either is bad...save the small talk for later, I hope you have had combat training...if not, stay close and strike out when you get an opening..."

His speech was cold...calculating...and different than any other time Ayato had been in the presence of Miyamoto.  This was how Miyamoto really was though...through and through he showed the world his true self, a giant of a man stuck in the body of a child.  He kept his stance minimal as he tossed one of the rocks to his left hand and waited for something to happen as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the waterway.

WC - 657

Maya and Lucille waited, hidden, but ears peeled for the echoes that would carry in the vast underground. Lucille had sensed someone coming and now they could hear them. It seemed there was an entire group and Lucielle began to tremble sightly. they had expected confrontation but from the sounds of it, a whole platoon had been dispatched. For a moment, Lucille's dark eyes wavered to ehr partner's, the question clear in her gaze?

Should we abandon the mission and get back.

In reply, Maya reached over and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

I got you

And with that, Leaving lucille hiden, Maya jumped out in front of the approaching party, a couple of kids who looked to be youngee than her, giving ehr slight confidence.

"Halt," she called out, raising a hand in front of her. "Turn your feet and leave or I will hurt you," seh warned, raising her hands in front of them.

Maya

Health: 30
Chakra: 59
Stamina:30
Speed: 30
Strength: 20

Spec: Genjutsu
Element: Water

Used Ephermal - 30 AP

(Ayato, please enable your signature and make sure it has your brief stats. Thank you. <3)

Ayato could hear the steps of the adversary echoing through the dark tunnel. It was a rather unsettling noise and it gave darkness an edge that put Ayato in more awe than before. His heart was beating faster every second and it felt as if it was about to burst from his lungs. “Relax. Relax. Relax. Remember your training. Remember who you are.” Ayato thought, grasping the left side of his chest with power hoping the pain would silence his weakened heart.  Miyamoto’s actions were a rude awakening. Stepping in front of acting like the hero who would leap in and save the day. There were guys like this in the world Ayato knew. No matter the pressure of a situation they would be oblivious to it and would keep trying their best, without letting fear consume them.  “The kind everyone likes.” Ayato noted about his teammate one of the qualities that made a great leader.  He wasn’t sure if Miyamoto was one of them, but he definitely looked the part.

Still, Miyamoto’s words were all but inspiring even if they came out with the best of intentions. They felt more like a knife to the gut since Ayato did not enjoy being taken light off. And Miyamoto questioning his combat prowess did just that. Ayato found himself angry, but at the same time strangely feeling more level than before. Perhaps wounding his pride was all he needed to pull his act back together. He took a deep breath through his nose, the smell of still water, moisture and a tiny bit of human waste entering his lungs. Exhaling from his he took two steps forward to Miyamoto’s left. Ayato noticed a figure had begun to emerge from the darkness. It was his turn to say something, he knew. “Miyamoto, if we don’t make it out of here alive.  I just want you to know…” He let out calmly with a sad tone in his voice as he turned to face his teammate. “I hate your guts.” He announced hotly his voice cracking a bit; all the while he kept a straight face.

After he finished he removed his black cloak with the thick hood in one go with his right arm, revealing a gray t-shirt underneath and his hands bandaged to the forearm.  The cloak billowed against the air currents in the tunnel as he firmly held it with his hand. He felt a bit reluctant to let go of his possession since it was unlikely to find it again and even if he did there was a good chance it would be ruined from the moisture and dirt in here. But there was also a good chance of Ayato never making out of here alive, so there were more important things to worry about a tattered cloak. He finally let the cloak out of his grasp and it hit the water with a loud splash. It was easier than he expected, he didn’t even have to check if the weight of the cloth had made it sink.

He kept his eyes in front of him as the enemy finally emerged from the darkness. To the girl’s sight, Ayato was more than surprised. He had expected someone with an ugly face, crooked teeth and other characteristics that would scream cutthroat from a mile away. But a girl perhaps younger than he was out was out of the equation.  This is no glamor. My Byakugan can tell. It is definitely a girl. He had learned long ago not to judge a book by his cover. For all, he knew that girl might have been a serial killer capable of committing despicable acts.

Another disconnect he did not fail to miss was that there were supposed to be two missing-nin. Perhaps this one would act as a distraction while the other lurked in the shadows to attack them from behind.  Countermeasures had to be taken for that scenario so Ayato shifted his Byakugan from straight line to 360 degrees field of vision.  With that invisible line of the defense, there would be no daggers in the dark for them today.  Ayato wanted to praise his own wit and disclose this to his teammate but he figured it would be wisest not to. It was going to take some time to explain the power of his Bloodline to Miyamoto and the moment the enemy heard of this it would drop their tactical advantage.

The girl threw out a warning at them raising her hands and everything faded to black. Ayato then found himself in a ruined city walking through the world with no color. There was no sign of Miyamoto or the girl. Sharks, whales soared through the gray sky on black fins that served as wings. “Genjutsu huh?”  Carrion crows took flight from their feast in thick black clouds as his words echoed silently through the dull world. “Queer. Crows don’t live under the sea.” He let out as he gazed at them with disinterest. “No, no, no. None of this is real. Don’t let it fool you. ” There were corpses spread all over the streets of the village amidst gray shadows. The moon was a black corruption, looking down on the city that no longer existed. Kirigakure.  Thought Ayato Hyuuga . The village that no longer exists. Sounds did not exist in this world. There was no sound under the sea after a while the voices of the dead ringed into his ears, soft and terrible. They wept and moaned, they begged for an end to their misery, they wished to come back to life, and wanted their mothers. Ayato shared their pain he wanted his own mother too. But she wasn’t there his mother had died when he was eight.  

Why did they all die? He had known once but somehow he had forgotten.  He made his way through the village that no longer existed trying to remember what brought him here. The face of the dead was still and swollen, their  garments ghostly pale. Some of them were shinobi, he understood from their uniform. Their flak jackets were broken and slashed.  He wanted to ask Miyamoto but he was nowhere to be seen, neither he nor the girl. That realization terrified him; he was alone in a world of the dead. He didn’t belong here; he belonged to the world of the living. He was a Genin of Hoshigakure a member of Team Winter and his sensei was a Queensguard. His name he could not remember, though, neither how he looked.  Ayato panicked he began to run. He shouldn’t be far from the City of Haven. He would be safe there, away from all these dead.  
 
“Where do you think you are going bastard?" The words send a chill to Ayato’s spine. Death had turned Reiji Hyuuga unrecognizable, hardly human;  his face was a dark ruin, white maggots burrowing through his rotten flesh.  Reiji Hyuuga stood in front of him blocking his path like he had done a thousand times before in his dreams.  His pure white eyes glaring at him in death with the same malice they did in life. “No. You are dead. You are not real. Just like in my dream I’ll wake up and you won’t be there. Please, you can’t be real.” His uncle paid no heed to his words and proceeded to say his part.  "I cursed you bastard, with my dying breath. “He pointed at the hole on the left side of his chest. The blood on the gray flak jacket was black and crusty. "Your work bastard. You killed me." The dead man accused Ayato once again. In this world, the dead moaned and cried and walked in the night. All this making him appear more terrifying than ever when was when alive in Ayato’s dreams.

Ayato had to make up the courage to talk back to him. “It wasn’t me.” He finally let out.  He searched for his father voice. Hibari Hyuuga was the only one who could talk back to his dead brother with the same ease he held a kunai. "You wanted me dead and father ran a black blade through your black heart. Your body is rotting in the bottom of the ocean with the rest of Kirigakure." Ayato said his voice cracking with every word.  He couldn’t show he was scared; he was a Hyuuga, a living one. “And where do you think we are, bastard?” His uncle answered with an evil grin.

Ayato woke up gasping for air. Still, dizzy from the Genjutsu he stumbled and fell to the ground. The blurring figure of another kid his age with a ponytail was to his side. It’s Miyamoto. He had never felt such comfort at the sight of his teammate. For how long he was lost he wondered. It felt as he had been in the Genjutsu for centuries. Maybe the battle was over. No, it shouldn’t have been that long, Miyamoto hadn’t moved an inch. His eyes swept to check if the girl was the still there, but to his horror, someone else stood in her place. Ayato’s voice abandoned him and groped for words that did not come. They froze in his mouth.

“You should pray now. Pray that all this is a bad dream. I’m the one who taught you how remember?  I will always be part of you. You can never escape me!" Reiji Hyuuga's white eyes shined brightly in the darkness of the sewers. I’ve grown sick of you. Ayato screamed in anger, taking up his battle stance he put his left hand into his weapon pouch and pulled out a kunai.  He activated his Seven Heavens Breathing  Methods and a yellow thin aura engulfed him, making his hair spikier. He charged towards the girl who had the appearance of his dead uncle with a total speed of 70.  When he closed the distance he would use a hook palm thrust with his right aiming for the left side of the neck at the same speed that would result in -5 chakra and -5 AP if it landed.  With the opponents attention turned towards the first strike Ayato would throw his left arm that held the kunai in the form of a compact uppercut, hoping to slip in the tip of the kunai from below aiming for the jaw with a sharpness of 76.



AP: 301 - 1 [Byakugan] - 20 [Seven Heavens] - 5 [Gentle Fist Palm Bottom] = 275
Speed: 40 + 10 [Byakugan] + 20 [Seven Heavens] = 70
Strenght: 16 + 20 [Seven Heavens] = 36
Sharpness: 70+36/4 = 26 + 50 [kunai] = 76

WC - 1740 

TWC 3390/4000

Miyamoto's eyes adjusted to the darkness quicker than he expected.  That is when he heard the footsteps, then the voice...soft and sweet, yet firm as it implored the duo to turn back and walk out.  Miyamoto's vision filled with a vision f something that he had no recollection of.  A burning city, people screaming, a familiar voice...his mothers as she was grabbed by a dark figure as he melted her arm in a graphic and obvious torture.  The screams filled Miyamoto's head as he began to breathe heavy, his body giving off a bit of steam as he knew he was not strong enough, but he had to try.  Moyamoto thought hard, realizing that he had seen the figure of a woman in the dark as his eyes adjusted before he saw the visions.

"this...is not real, but nice try."

Miyamoto said as his body gave off the steam, yet his vision was still impaired as the vision seemed to over take what he actually saw.  The longer he was encumbered by this technique...the worse off his teammate would be.  This was life or death, and Miyamoto was always a fighter, never a coward as he clenched his fist, feeling the sensation of pain as he looked down to see blood running out of his palms as he opened them to reveal the rocks he was holding.  

"Thats right, I am in front of Ayato...the waterway...the mission."

He looked up as the cloaked figure looked towards him, the same steam was rolling off of his body, and as the cloak fell away-Miyamoto saw a dark figure, ashes were flying across his face, but something seemed familiar as the being spoke out.

"you and I...one and the same."  

It said as it stepped close to Miyamoto, the darkness seemed to drip off of the figure revealing the skin underneath.  After a few agonizing moments, Miyamoto saw himself.  Horrified of what he saw, he moved as fast as he could to perform the hand seals needed for Rock Fist as he yelled out loud, enough to have it echo in the waterway.  This caused Miyamoto to come to his senses long enough to see that Ayato had launched his own attack.  alongside Ayato, he tried his hardest to move at his top speed.  He could only manage to get up to 15 speed out of the gate, knowing he would have to time this right as the technique this figure used seemed to still bother him.  In his head he saw Ayato and himself battling what seemed to be a grown up version of himself.  Whether the fates or just a symptom of the technique, it made Miyamoto mad with anger.

 He would wait for Ayato to connect, and if he did he would aim directly for the head of this figure, seeing himself rather than the woman.  He was hard pressed as his very instincts told him to go...leave this place...never to return.  IF his blow were to land it would be as his hand moved at 50 speed with 50 power behind it.  IF he did not connect he would continue to run and focus on gaining speed to try hitting his target at top speed of 30 at the beginning of his next post.

Miyamoto knew in his head that this was all an effect of whatever technique the woman had used on him.  Ayato proved it all as he seemed to be moving with purpose and a target in mind.  The vision was fading, but it left a mark on the young boy.  

The vision of Amekagure burning once again, whether from the figure that looked like him or something other.  The woman that fell before the man as he melted her arm then her body...Miyamoto was terrified, but his body moved upon instinct...he only knew fighting.  Was this his future, was this a memory of something in the past long forgotten, was this even truly him...what technique could do this.  He had to find these answers out for himself, but he knew something that kept his instincts always moving forward. 

He was the architect of his own destiny.

AP:

While Maya was out doing her thing - and with some success it would seem, she had managed to subdue the scarier looking of the two - Lucille go to work quietly, covering the area of twenty meters all around them with the starch syrup technique that would ensure any targets who stepped into the sewage area were basically stuck. it was how Maya and Lucille worked, Maya targeted them with the genjutsu while Lucille made sure they stayed put, or the other way around. Their combination had proven deadly in the past.

The starch syrup disguised expertly as sticky sewage muck would spread out around the two as the bteo boys attempted to move. Having already ben caught in maya's Genjutsu initially even if they ould recover later, they would find themelves stuck tot eh ground, both their feet now glued solidly to the liquid she'd been exuding from her mouth while hiding quietly.

If any more back up arrived, they too would be caught in the sticky sryup trap seeing as the grow all around them in a twenty meter circumference.

Lucille

Health: 23
Chakra: 40
Stamina: 16
Speed: 30
Strength: 35

Spec: Ninjutsu
Element: Lightning