Mission Possible (Seiichi/Eliwood/Maku)

Mission:

Standing outside the restaurant Seiichi was waiting. He wasn't sure why. All the boss told him was to be there early in the day and with a bag packed. He was wearing his travel clothing, a black robe, high sandals that were made out of wood, and his hair was pulled back tight with a rope strap.

He was wondering who would get there first, Eliwood or Maku. Mostly Eliwood. The boss liked to take his time, or was it he was on his own time? That could be it. Either way, Seiichi was leaning up against the restaurant just thinking and waiting.

What would his boss have them do today? He let his mind wonder a bit. Killing seals was probably at the bottom of the list somewhere, and how would that help the restaurant? The only reason it came to mind was because of the rumors he heard near the docks. Young people killing seals... at least death got some nowadays..

WC: 162

Eliwood made sure his bag was properly packed and he was ready to hit the road. Maku had asked him to meet out front of the restaurant for a job. Mysterious as ever the boss did not give any inkling of what the job might entail. Eliwood just threw some clothes in his pack and slung his guitar over his shoulder. With that he was ready to go.

The weather this day was exceptionally good, perfect walking weather in fact. But today he would not be walking. He had been using the new technique that Akihana had taught him to get around basically everywhere. This would be no different, he would body flicker from the doorstep of where he was staying, directly to the front of the restaurant where Seiichi was already posted up waiting.

"Long time no see bud," he said upon arrival. Hed walk over and lean against the same wall as Seiichi
next to him and spend the time chatting about what this mission might entail while they waited for the boss to arrive. They were getting used to waiting on his fashionable entrances.

(WC 187)

The weather was starting to turn crisp, but the last days of summer were still trying to make their pretense known.  Taking advantage of this Maku was currently sunbathing atop the restaurant.  His folding mirror out to catch the last rays of warming sun.  Below he could sense as well as hear the two he’d picked up for odd jobs.  

Recently he’d heard a couple interesting words of gossip of certain merchants and restauranteurs that would be crossing nearby.  Perhaps it was shady business but he saw fit to relieve them of their good fortune in favor of his own.  It wasn’t personal just good business.  

Putting up his fan, he’d scale down the building to stand next to the two, reaching behind a shrub to pull out his own pack and a shirt that he’d placed their strategically prior to tanning.  “My boys, good to see you.  We got a job today, so let us not delay!”  He would say in a sing song voice before starting to march off.  As he walked he’d put on his black and red chef coat and adjust the Akatsuki headband he’d taken to wearing as a chocker.  

“Jobs easy today, we are going to intercept a little delivery, and see what they got.”  He would say simply, leaving out most of the details, such as when, where, and why.  Instead just taking a brisk pace.  “So tell me, you boys aren’t village Shinobi, so how are you in a scrap?”  He’d ask casually.  Since they were going to be working for him doing more than pushing paper it was good to get an idea of their actual abilities after all.  Who knows, perhaps he’d even teach them a thing or two depending on their answer.

As they walked Maku would finish outfitting himself with the rest of his pack, equipped with his standard array of ninja regalia, and placing his mask on top of his head.  The purple gemstone bouncing ontop of his chest.  

TWC - 332
TMWC - 681

Leaning against the restaurant Seiichi watched as his friend walked up. He would call Eliwood his friend, in fact, probably the only one he had right now. "Hey man." He lifted his hand in a wave. Suddenly the boss came out from nowhere. Sliding down the building and putting his shirt on. He wanted to ask what he was doing, but knowing him he was basking in the sun, trying to get his skin just the right tone. That is after he made sure his hair's were all in the right place. Fashion was definitely his thing. Seiichi couldn't understand it really. He was happy with the things he had and didn't really need anything more. In fact, the only things he was short on were because of cash. Hopefully this new job his boss had planning would fix that.

As they walked Seiichi pulled his bag up over his shoulder and strode next to the boss. He noticed the fancy headband, it didn't look to have any village symbol that he knew. "What's that boss?" He gestured to the head band. "You gone off an' join a village?" He laughed a little. The thought crossed his mind that it might actually be a good business plan, but he doubted he'd do it. But there was still much he didn't know about Maku. Maybe he did belong to a village..

Depending on what his bosses answer was he would sit in the silence for a moment or two. He was comfortable around them for the most part, so things kept coming to his mind. But he needed on the now.

"I'm alright in a fight. I can move a little and know how to handle my weight... Going to intercept a delivery, anyone we know?" There were always some kind of competition going on between companies, maybe the shipment was going to one of the places down the road. "How far do you think we will be goin?" He finished. Seiichi was just trying to make conversation, he'd walk for days as long as they didn't starve.

WC: 347
TWC: 509

Maku arrived in fashion as always. He slid down from the roof with grace and geared up on the go. Always seeming to be floating on the moment. Eliwood and Seiichi began to follow the ninja chef as he vaguely explained the job. The monk wasnt entirely sure what they were going to do, but he'd learned it was best not to predict the bosses thoughts and just go with the flow. That type of work suited the flighty wanderer.

Seiichi inquired about the headband Maku was wearing around his neck, asking if it were that of a village. Eliwood hadnt thought about it, assuming it were just an accessory.

"I would not say I can really Duke it out in a fight, but I am quite light on my feet and I have got a couple tricks up my sleeve." He would answer in response to his boss' question. He hadn't really thought about the need to be useful in a fight, he might need Seiichi to teach him a thing or two. Or maybe even Maku, who had donned shinobi equipment, could teach him something. Eliwood was not a shinobi but he was trained in martial arts at the monastery and although he had absolutely no affinity for the fire techniques the monks utilized he had learned basic chakra control.

He didn't think too hard about it though. He was enjoying the heat and open air of early autumn, the laughter of his friends, and the prospect of money in his pocket at the end of the job.

(WC 260)
(TWC 447)

“A village?  Nah, I’ve been down that road and it just didn’t work out for me.  I like my life, my rules...........having to follow behind all that just clips my beautiful peacock wings, and this bird was meant to fly, ka kaw baby.”  Maku laughed at the start and finished with a wink to Seeichi.  That all had been true.  Village life was something he’d tried out two or three times, and it just never worked out.  Perhaps if a village granted him true freedom, but he doubted any village would grant him much of anything at this point.  

He listened to the twos stories on how they were in a scrap, and it was what he expected to hear.  He didn’t think either where shored up as finely tuned Shinobi machines, and in truth if anyone was out in the wilderness of the boarders Maku wasn’t about to trust them as much as a lick on peanut butter and squid kabobs.  

“That’s alright, we’ll think up a strategy to pull from every bodies strengths, and think of this as a.........opportunity of advancement interview.  This job should score us some big cash, and I’m more interested in the big than the cash, so should be plenty left over for the two of you.  He wanted his lads to be outfitted and strong, after all, if they got killed and he had to pay for funerals he’d hate to just give them a hole in the ground.  

“Well Eliwood my lovely chap.  It’s about a day or two walk to be honest.  I’ve got us the route planned, and I want to see if I can teach you boys a thing or two along the way.  Like I said, if yer workin for me, I can’t have you being a couple dandies, unless your dandy can turn into a lion on command.”  He’d finish by laughing at his own joke.  It was particularly funny, but Maku had always been his own greatest fan.

TWC - 664
TMWC - 1288

Seiichi looked at Maku with one eye brow raised at his comment. The man was far more, outgoing than he was. A confidence rang about his person that he admired and envied. Being the closed off type he looked at him like he was strange and then back at the road. There wasn't any true malevolence in his actions, though he found the man odd at times. The thought rang in his head, maybe they were all outcasts, they didn't really belong anywhere did they? Or did they belong everywhere and everyone else was just in the way? Only time will tell, Death calls whom he will.

"I have taken a liking in some of the techniques I've seen lately. Though, my Ninjutsu needs some work." He said. He was kicked out of a village after he had made genin and too early to really hone any of his skills as a true shinobi. If he was going to make it in the world he needed to pick up ninjutsu and he felt an urgency behind it. But, he kept his demeanor, he would take what he could get and put the work in where the work was needed. Hopefully his new boss would turn out to be greater than he's come to think.

"Those monks ever teach you any of that Kung Fu stuff, I hear some of them are great with the bo staff." Seiichi spoke in Eliwood's direction, "Unless they were too cought up and thought the flame would just consume all of their enemies." Death would eventually, no doubt..

TWC: 775
TMWC: 1554

Eliwood smiled as he heard Makus very brief history with shinobi villages. Eliwood had never thought anything bad about the village system, in fact some of the villages happened to be where some of the coolest sights this world had to offer could be found. However, the wandering monk could very much understand where Maku was coming from. Being cooped up inside some stuffy village walls would drive the young lad crazy. He enjoyed the freedom he currently had and would be happy to continue wandering for the rest of his life.

Seiichi inquired about his training with the monks, a touchy subject for the boy. "They tried to teach me I guess you could say. The monks of the Burning Monastery specialize in Fire techniques and they stick strong to that tradition." He'd say scratching his cheek nervously. "But I can not use fire; Because of this the monks thought of me as a cursed child. They taught me basic chakra control but my lessons essentially stopped there."

It was painful remembering the way he was shunned back home, but wallowing in the past was a surefire path to self destruction. He perked right up and his glee returned to his voice, "I may not be a practitioner of fire, but wind is the only thing that can make a fire stronger."

A couple days of walking would be nothing for Eliwood. He was a seasoned traveler at this point and his feet could carry him for days without getting sore. To fill the void of silence between conversations, he would strum his guitar. He was playing the same tune he had the first time he had met Maku, although quieter now to not draw attention.

(TWC 734)
(TMWC: 1841)

They’d continue to walk that first day, Eli would play (Maku laughed though the others didn’t know why, this joke was just for him) and Maku even sang a couple times when he recognized the tune. He’d also give the lads his take on ninjutsu and chakra control. Essentially condemning formal education, and why the academy had gotten it all wrong. He’d even go into a bit about his past. Telling the two how he’d left his own village very young as a genin due to the politics and the lack of training he was receiving.

He’d recount his travel to Konohagakure with Youka Tau, his time there and their eventual departure to Iwa. Discussing his time there where he had taken on missions as a mercenary and jobs as an MN. In all he’d end the tale with when he took over Yukigakuri in a short fought battle. It was there that he truly developed his own powers and strengths. His experimentation with puppetry, weaponry, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and even some time jutsu. He wasn’t sure if they would like it or not, but he really tried to give him his perspective on how it all worked, with lots of crazy metaphors, but if they listened even they could tell that the act of chakra control was what Maku had built his career on.

Taking a small break from their lecture, Maku would stop at a little roadside inn and got them rooms. However, if they thought it would be as simple as just checking in, the two where soon to find that was not the case.

“Alright my boys, we’ve walked all day, got our joints loosened up.......why don’t we do a little training?” He’d day despite the long day they’d had. As for Maku, as usual his energy seemed endless. A mere day hike not taking any wind form his sails. Taking them out back he’d find a small wooded area away from prying eyes. “Alright.....here’s the regiment then we can start training for real!”

What came next was a montage from hell of training. All done in some of the most ridiculous of ways. Squats with rocks on a pond, upside down hanging from trees, chasing lizards, and Maku’s favorite, Fuma Shuriken frisbee. He’d keep them working until both boys where sweating a storm, and despite doing it with them, Maku merry had a glisten.

Once they were truly exhausted, Maku would have them start the next part. “Alright, you know how to surface walk, and we’ve gotten that down pretty good I’d say.........really everything after having that mastered is easy. You know how to put it where you want it, now just see it being how you want it, and don’t hold back.” With that Maku would make a couple seals and then stick out his hand. Forming the cero ball, he’d hold it for a moment, before it released in a beam spraying through the water. “Chakra is an easy puzzle boys, and hand seals are just the pieces. Put them together, and you’ll see the picture. Now, you can only sleep in a bed if you can copy.........I’ll be over here eating a sandwich.” With that, Maku went over, and began to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

TWC - 1833
TMWC - 2386

They day seemed to drag on a little for Seiichi. Though, it was buzzing with songs and music at times, the most interesting parts he enjoyed where the stories Maku was telling them. This man truly had a history behind him, leaving a village when he was young, taking over a village when he was older. Seiichi had a glimpse of profound confidence that this was the man, this was the guy who was going to help him control the anger, point it, focus it, meld it into something useful and tangible. Maybe this man could be a good friend after all. But, what was it? Seiichi was attracted to the power Maku radiated. The only way to get more power was to deal with his silliness, put Seiichi's own proud heart to the side, and listen like a little child at the foot of his new found father figure.

Once they got to the Inn Seiichi was looking forward to getting off his feet a little and taking a break. He soon found out that he was far from rest. Taking them into the back Maku began to beat them. Not with his fists, but with his commands. Squats on the loose rocky bed of the pond, running after lizards, hanging from trees. Through all of this Seiichi could focus on his body, feel how it's muscles tore apart, how his legs moved when he ran, how his mind worked as he looked for the lizards, there was a calm somewhere in there that made is anger subside. All of the rage that had been built up over the years was being weighed down with Maku's voice, "Now my favorite..." He pulled out a large shuriken.

Playing catch with a sharp object without being cut, that was the trick. Every time he was about to grab the spinning blades he would hesitate at first, afraid he was about to cut his hands off at the wrists. Eventually he got the hang of it. Catching it and throwing it back. It was heavy, but with enough force he learned it did move much like a Frisbee. Putting just enough spin to cause it to move right or left, he started to enjoy it.

When it was about dinner time Seiichi knew it. His stomach was rumbling like crazy, all of that work takes it out of a body. But, Maku wouldn't have it be that easy, there was now a test of chakra control. Sure, Seiichi could walk on water easy enough, but creating a ball of chakra was difficult to say the least. At first, it was like a tiny spec of light, he could feel chakra moving, but it was so defused over his palm that he couldn't dream of making it into a ball.

It took a couple hours. He actually ended up sitting cross legged in a meditative pose, his hands together in his lap. Focusing on a singular space between his hands. He could feel that the chakra was building up and condensing. Eventually he had to spread his hands out wider and wider, afraid if they touched the sphere it would explode. Once he was able to build enough to the size of a small apple while sitting he would stand up and go back to the pond.

Trying again. The jutsu was simple. Preform hand signs. His fingers meshed together like two raw potatoes, slow and with much force at first. Then, it got easier. They were flowing soon and he could focus his chakra more steadily, sending a solid sphere to the middle of the pound and watching the splash dance across the starlit sky.

Sweat running down his face, "Alright... how about some dinner?" He said.

TWC: 1400
TMWC: 3011