The Wolf, the Physicist, and the Medic [Sal, Jace]

Mission:

~

Ayame, being a medical ninja, kept up-to-date on many of the pressing medical issues in the news and such, so it came as no surprise when this "Mystery Illness" plaguing Suna began to get out of control and Suna's reserves of the herb needed to treat and cure this disease were running low.

She had volunteered to help with this mission as soon as it became available, due to her specializing in medical Jutsu and being rather good at herb harvesting on her own. She would just need to put together a team of her own with at least one Chunin or higher member in order to handle this delicate task.

Ayame held the mission description in her hands having had it delivered earlier that morning. As she read it over, she knocked on Jace's hotel room door. She figured she should try to give their group another chance after having cooled down a bit from their last mission.

Provided the door would open up, she would ask him to go on the mission with her and hand him the mission description and ask if Sal would want to go along. Provided he would accept the invitation, they would then go try to find Salzem wherever he was.

WC: 212

It was still pretty early when Jace Uchiha heard a knock at his hotel room door. He hadn't really had any visitors at all since he had arrived in Suna so the boy was curious as to who was there now. The boy had just gotten out of the shower a few minutes ago, his blonde hair still damp which he was drying with a green towel in his hand. He was wearing his normal black pants held up by a thin, white cloth belt that held his weapons pouches. The rest of his clothes were lying on his freshly made bed waiting for him to put them on. 

He opened the door to see Ayame standing there holding something in her hand. Before he could ask what it was she blurted out something about a mission to find a medicinal herb to help cure the mysterious illness spreading throughout the Sand village. Jace took the mission specs that the girl handed him and looked them over quickly, tossing the towel into the hamper to his right. "Ok. This sounds like the perfect mission for you, Ayame. Let me finish getting dressed real quick and we can go locate Salzem. You can come in and wait if you want. I'll just be a minute or two." he said, placing the scroll on the small desk beside the door and walking over to his bed to finish dressing. 

He pulled on the remainder of clothes quickly, rushing a little because of the urgency of the mission he had just received. Within minutes he was fully clothed; he wore a white button down shirt underneath a black jacket which he kept open to show the baby blue tie hanging from around his neck. A pair of white gloves covered his hands and his shinobi sandals were black as well.

"Ok. Let's go find Sal. I think his room is just a few doors down." Jace said as he lead Ayame down the hall to Sal's door. He knocked three times and waited for an answer.

WC: 343

Salzem was just brushing his teeth when he heard 3 *raps* at the door, dragging him away before he was even half-way done. He wasn't even dressed in his ninja gear, clad in only a black t-shirt and grey shorts with his feet bare, Salzem walked over to the door and opened it, brush still in his mouth as he leaned against the door-way. When he saw who it was, clad in fully in their normal outfits and scroll in hand, He held up a finger before they even started talking, giving him a moment to say his piece first.

"One second." And like that, he slammed the door in their faces, walking back to the sink to finish up his teeth-brushing. It took him a second or two, not especially speeding up the process before getting dressed, this process taking the most time. He had to slip on his jacket, change his shirt and out of his pants, slip on and tighten his boots, find his gloves, strap his swords to his back and one to his hip..... Suffice it to say, the list of things he had to put on was quite extensive.

Once he had gotten everything in order, he'd walk back to the pair of ninja waiting for him in the hallway outside his hotel-room, looking at them both tiredly. He had an idea what this was about. It was no secret some weird disease was ravaging the desert country of Sunagakure and the people were most definately at risk. While there haven't been any cases of people dying yet, that was only due to the quick and speedy response of the village's medical personnel. While they could certainly stall the disease.... whatever was powering it was COMPLETELY ignoring conventional treatment, much to the lycan's frustration.

"When do we go?" He asked, crossing his arms.

Ayame followed Jace over to the room that contained the Lycan and watched as their attempted interactions with the boy failed as the door was slammed in their faces. "Uh... okay then" Aya muttered as they waited a few minutes for him to make himself look pretty.

She would allow Jace to take over leading the mission for now, not wanting to take that distinct joy away from the Uchiha. However, she did still comment, "Shortly, I would presume. Village reserves of the herb we are being sent to gather are low, so the sooner we can get our hands on it, the better."

Ayame paused a moment before continuing on. "This herb grows down in the cave systems below Suna and the desert. We need to harvest enough to make enough of the antidote to cure the infected, but also make sure there is some left in the caves so that it can regrow itself in the event it would need to be harvested again. The mission warns of lots of monsters and stuff, so that would likely be why it is an A-rank mission." Ayame would explain.

WC: 190
TWC 402

After answering the door, toothbrush still in his mouth, Salzem simply held up a finger asking for Jace and Ayame to wait before he slammed the door in their faces. Jace looked at Ayame and just shrugged before leaning back against the wall directly opposite the door with his arms crossed and waited. After a few short minutes it reopened to show Salzem once more, now fully dressed in his ninja gear and no longer with a toothbrush sticking out of his mouth. 

"Yea. As soon as everyone is ready we will head out. Which looks like it's now sooooo let's get going?" he said in response to the Lycan's question. Then he pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on and began to lead the group out of the hotel and toward the village gates. Assuming the two ninja were following him, Jace would begin to summarize their strategy for this mission.

"Since the basis of this mission is to find and gather medicinal herbs, Ayame will be our strongest member. Sal, you and I will make sure she doesn't get involved in any fighting if it were to occur. We need her to be able to focus on finding the herbs quickly." He was really only saying what the three already knew, but he felt it still had to be mentioned. "This time Ayame will take the lead moving in formation next to Sal. I will stay in the rear and keep close watch on our surroundings." 

Since the village gates were close to the hotel Konoha's ninja were staying at, it didn't take long to arrive. By the time Jace had finished talking they were already there. "Ok. Last check, everyone ready to go? If so then Ayame take the lead." he said now standing at the gates and gesturing for the girl to move ahead.

WC: 311
TWC: 654

Salzem shrugged, doing one last check to make sure his curse-mark was duely covered by his bangs before heading out with his crew. As they walked out of the hotel and into the streets, the lycan chose not to look for the people they would be saving on this mission fore he didn't want to know the exact details of the disease spreading. He may have been a medical ninja, but he couldn't remember a time where he actually went out to cure or help people with this kind of disease... Sure he could mend bones and heal flesh, but this was basic field medicine and the rest was used to give him a leg-up on his martial-arts abilities.

As they approached the gates, Salzem looked at Jace strangely as he declared that Ayame would be their most vital member and that he and Sal's job was to make sure she didn't get involved in the fighting. Of course, he didn't doubt that they could keep the girl safe from harm, what with most dangers being larger animals or brigands these days, but it was his statement that Aya would be their most valuable. Sure, she's a medical ninja and perhaps displayed the abilities to Jace more than Salzem had done his... but a ninja who can outfight and out-medical another would be far more useful in this situation, right...? Whatever. He wasn't in charge and it really didn't matter if he was. He probably would have made the same decision.

As per the usual, Jace would stand behind them while both Ayame and Sal stood ready at the front, ready to engage any foes that would come their way head on. Their fearless uchiha leader had one least ready-check, asking if everyone was prepared for this mission.

"About as ready as ever." The lycan remarked, cracking knuckles. And with that and Jace's order, they were off into the desert on the impossible task of finding an herb.

As the group approached the front gates and Jace asked if they were ready, Ayame simply nodded, for if she would open her mouth, her uneasiness and unsureness would really shine through. She wasn't by any means boisterous, even though she could get a bit of an attitude.

"Actually no," Ayame would mutter turning to the two. "There is something I must do first" she would say before pausing a moment. After what felt like minutes of her standing there and trying to find words when in actuality it was likely only seconds. "I'm sorry with how I behaved on the last mission. I shouldn't have used poison on Sal. In my defense, I was trying to do what would be best for the team from my viewpoint, but in hindsight, it was just a huge fail"

Ayame bowed respectfully to the two, jace slightly to her right and sal slightly to her left with how they were standing before they would get into formation. "Please forgive me!" She would mutter swallowing her tiny sense of pride and trying to get along. She hadn't spoken to either of the two since her last mission with them and still felt rather guilty about everything.

"I do suggest that Salzem takes the lead inside the caves, though." Ayame would stumble over her words not feeling very confident nor happy with herself. "You see, I obtained a tiny sample of the herb we need to find, and Although I have an idea what it looks like, I'm not sure If I'll be able to recognize it in the dark 100%. Nita's retired now, so I haven't brought her along, and The only other person here that could possibly track it is Salzem, if I am correct." Ayame would state matter-of-factly. "I mean if that's okay with you. If not, I'm sure I can manage, but still"

WC: 324
TWC: 726

Salzem confirmed that he was ready to take off, but Ayame said there was something she had to do first. Jace thought that was a bit strange since she was the one that had come to get him with the mission details, but it soon made sense. She apologized for how she acted on the last mission, asking for forgiveness. Of course, the blonde had already forgiven her, but he guessed he should probably tell her that. 

"No worries. We all make mistakes. As long as we learn from them that's the main point." he said, punctuating his statement with a kind smile. When she said she had obtained a sample of the herb and asked that Salzem lead the way in the cave, Jace had to agree it was a better option. He thought it would have been best if Ayame were to lead since, as far as he knew, she was their only medical ninja. But if she had a sample that Sal could use to sniff out what they were looking for that was even better. It kept Ayame out of unnecessary danger, even if it was only desert-cave animals. 

"Ok. I hadn't realized you managed to get a clipping. Sal, would you mind getting the scent so that you can lead instead?" the Uchiha asked. Once they were all set and if Sal agreed to lead the way, the trio would take off in the direction of the caves surrounding Suna. Jace would keep his senses on high alert, carefully taking in his surroundings for even the slightest hint of danger. You never know what could happen outside village walls.

Ayame had stopped them before the mission even began, acknowledging that it was wrong to spit poison all over him despite the results... and then ruined her apology by trying to justify it, claiming it was what she thought was right to do at the time... then claiming it was wrong in hindsight. This early in the morning, the lycanthrope didn't have the energy to feel spite, nor frustration at the girl and merely shrugged his shoulders heavily, signifying that he couldn't possibly care less anymore, but that he didn't want to hear about it again. In his mind, the gesture made it quite clear. Suddenly, Ayame bowed before both Jace and Salzem, desperate to make up for her little incident in their last mission. This time, he simply let Jace do the talking, smiling at her with a grin that was too sweet for Sal's taste and claiming they all made mistakes. A lovely sentiment... 'specially when people were lying dead at your feet. The lycan blinked that ever rising spite out of his thoughts, going through the motions of burying it under the shroud of lethargy. When one is so vulnerable to something and almost died to it, it's hard not to be cynical at the person who used it, though not for lack of trying mind you. Ayame was a child in an adult's body with adult powers... how could he spit on the ground at her feet and declare her a menace? Well... do it and sleep well that night? With this in mind, he shoved what minor, petty resentment he held for the girl into his stomach to stew into something later, but he didn't offer any words of comfort either. From this point on, they were going to start from zero. He only hoped it didn't go south again.

Speaking of going south, it seemed they were heading into the caverns that ran beneath Sunagakure, the nearest entrance about a mile north from the gates. How did Salzem know this? Well... He had a day and punched holes in the rock-face of that cavern. He didn't get very far in really as he calmed down long before he HAD to go deeper, but at least he knew an entrance. They got to the gates before they were stopped again by Ayame, stating that Salzem should, in fact, take the lead once more, what with his superior senses and his ability to sniff out the plant in the caverns where it grows.

"I'm not your sniffer-dog..." He grumbled before taking the small sample from Ayame, breaking it in half and crushing one piece in his palms so all it's juices would flow out into his nose. The way it was, there simply wasn't anything to smell... he had to crack it open to get a strong enough scent to track. If they had an issue, well... they wouldn't have him able to track it. If there were no protests, he'd transform into his lycan shape, hand the last remaining piece off to Ayame and head out into the desert.

They'd arrive at the cave entrance after about a 20-30 minute hike through the desert, the trail faint, but declarable enough. In fact, he was surprised it was as strong as it was... He expected to be running in circles for at least 5 of those minutes but nope... here they were, at the entrance, with herbs inside... He could smell them along with the cool wetness of the cave... Wait... there was something else in there... something large and musky... and there were humans too... Perhaps other ninja sent to look for the plant...?

"Be on guard." Salzem growled, almost tired of the risk that came with running an errand. One couldn't go shopping anymore without a dagger to the back or a sword in the gut... "There are people in there..."

Ayame was a little shocked that sal seemed rather grumpy regardless. She still offered him a minuscule leaf from the herb when he snatched it and crushed it proclaiming that he wasn't a sniffer-dog.

"I.. I didn't mean it that way" she would reply. "I-I was just trying to play on our strengths as a group." she would explain.

When they got to the mouth of the cave Sal would state that people were in there. "They probably need some of the herbs too." she would logically state, then activate her yureigan and look for auras.

"Wait... I only see a few small auras straight in..." she would state moving up to the front and ignoring his murky yellow aura. "Do you think maybe they or are lower down?" She questioned softly creeping closer to sal to get a better look.

If sal were to continue to lead them into the cave, Ayame would fall behind diligently. "Sal there's a large reptile up ahead. I don't think it means us harm, but it's huge and guarding something... I think eggs because the aura is faint and roundish," Ayame would say softly so as not to disturb any other creatures skulking around in the cave.

"It also looks like there are some snakes and worms around here looking for their next meal." she would comment, "but so far I don't see any people, nor any plants" Unfortunately, she wouldn't see any drop offs with her Yureigan either, though there would be one they'd have to clear up ahead.

WC: 267
TWC:993