Burden of Rumors and Nightmares

Mission:

The rumor mill had been ablaze with word of strangely dressed merchants lingering in large groups around borderlands - avoiding main toll roads and trying to stay as inconspicuous as a group of that magnitude could manage - which was to say not at all. The reports had come via Lilith, she had been finding more reason to see Mizuki as the days after her learning of Assimilating Aura - much to her displeasure. After being instructed to look over the reports she was also instructed to gather a few shinobi to accompany her as it was a minimum full days travel just to get to the destination; with a blank stare she would nod and wait for the red haired woman to leave her property before turning and entering her home once more. Slapping the folder down on her table she would make some coffee - black with a spoonful of honey added - with drink in hand she would sit cross legged on the bench seat and pour over the information. Nothing really unusual, just a routine check through to make sure the dealings were going through the proper taxing channels - for Sunagakure as long as they got paid the cargo could be just about anything.


Draining the last dregs of her now lukewarm coffee she would rise and close the folder, she stared at it in her hands for a moment longer before holding the corner of it over the open flame of the decorative candles that laid lit in the center of the table - once on fire she would casually toss it in the sink while it burned itself to ash. The morning was still very young and she figured Souji would be waking up soon, but not before she would be gone so dragging the notepad to her she wrote out a quick message to the boy - basics about where she was going and why, not to worry as she would be back in 2 days time and to help himself to anything in the home he liked; knowing full well if there were things she wanted kept locked they already blood seals on them. Lastly she instructed him to continue his training and maybe get out and explore the village while he had the down time. 

Now who to take - she contemplated whom to bring as she got ready, pulling her hair back and adjusting her clothing in the mirror before staring hard into her eyes, the ring of violet was waning to a sliver now as the ruby red crept further through them. Sighing she would grab her weapons pouches, attach them to her person and head out the door - this wasn’t a particularly dangerous task and honestly she knew exactly who she was going to take. The half smile overtook her solemn expression, perhaps the hot head was up for an extended field trip. Having done her homework on the man since their meeting she knew where his home was, the summons had already been drafted by Lilith for her - she knew how much Mizuki resented extra paperwork - so all it took was for Mizu to slam her fist a few times on the door of the Sarutobi and leave the scroll at his doorstep. She did not wait for his response or even to listen to hear any stirring if there was any, she was gone from the street before she could even be detected - the next choice was an obvious one, where one went the other was not far beyond; plus she had seen first hand what his presence did for him. Repeating the same process she would leave the scroll at the doorstep of Zaine - each instructed them to meet at the gate immediately, packed enough for an overnight excursion, simply signed with her last name.

Leaned up against the wall she waited for the pair to show up - hoping that the presence of the other would ease any worry or conflicting feelings that may still be harbored about her. Even as heartbeats entered her vicinity she did not open her eyes, the sunlight only illuminating half of her face, she waited til the footsteps of the two men stopped before opening her eyes and greeting them with an appraising look - lingering long enough to make eye contact with Zaine. “Hope you two packed appropriately, we have a long journey ahead of us and will be setting up camp just outside of the target area before scoping it out in the morning light. We are heading to the border of the Wind Country and River Country - you two should be familiar as you most likely cut through it on your travels from the Fire Country.” Yes, her research on the two men had been thorough but she knew she lacked a lot of information… and as long as Zaine had kept her request of discretion then only one of the two men in front of her knew anything about her. 

“Zaine you know the drill, keep up and stay within a 5 meter range of me, no farther.”, she didn’t wait to address any further questions or concerns, taking point she would begin their journey out from the gates and head north east toward the border. This leg of the journey was obviously the longest, she didn’t request silence or anything so the two were free to talk as they went but she was busy losing herself in her mindscape - mostly blocking out the knowledge that feeding was going to need to happen again and soon… maybe 3 or 4 days so these two had nothing to worry about. The sun moved across the sky with its searing intensity, but she did not slow the group from their pace or take breaks - to make good time they needed to keep moving until dusk - thus when the sun touched the horizon she slowed a little as she began to scout their area for a suitable option. Another 45 minutes passed before she spotted the knot of trees that had a few larger boulders nestled around the surrounding 10 meter area - perfect.

Steering the group she finally slowed to a walking pace before dropping her bag on the ground in front of one of the trees. She needn't instruct the two men at this point, letting the two set up their sleeping area as they saw fit - instead she began collecting some of the branches of the tree, slicing them off the main limbs with her nails before dropping back down to the center of the area and quickly setting up a pile of the dry wood before forming a simple handsign with her left hand and blowing out a quick stream of fire from her mouth. The area immediately being thrown into new relief with the flickering warm light, with her work finally done she too set up her area - rolling out the sleeping mat and pillow along with her black blanket and Book of Mirrors before finally plopping down and leaning back against the tree trunk. She sat there for a few moments as she let the exhaustion wash over her before expelling it again, she had more to do; reaching up she would remove the straw hat and set it aside her while she brought her legs into her body in a cross legged fashion, covered her lap with the blanket and once she was comfortable would undo her hair from its pulled back position. The long ashen black tendrils would flow over her shoulders as the tension left her temples - she couldn’t help but rub her scalp in relief before smoothing it down and smiling tiredly at the two men; finally giving them her full attention again. There had been plenty of time for the two of them to eat, socialize and do anything they needed to do as she didn’t want to interrupt them… but if one were to pay attention they may notice that she hadn’t packed any food for herself nor did she seem worried about the misplacement of a key survival item.

“Now that we are all settled, tomorrow we are going to be investigating some rumors that have come to our attention, the sources don’t think its threatening in nature but they are uneasy about the situation and that's why we are here. According to their accounts large groups of strangely dressed merchants or shinobi have been moving covered cargo without going through proper channels of trade, since they are mostly traveling on our side of the border we are in greater jurisdiction to handle this, I want both of you on high alert and anything that strikes either of you as odd or even off in the slightest I want to know about it. Now, its late, we all have a big day ahead of us, I will take first watch - Zaine you will be second and Raleth you will take third. I will wake you in about 3 hours time." She would make no movement to put out the fire and would instead settle herself more completely in her spot, bringing the Book of Mirrors into her lap and opening it with a prick of her finger - she would take this time to review already written profiles, perhaps this new setting would bring new ideas.

WC 1550

The sounds of steel clash around me, sparks of metal flash in my peripherals. I'm forced back into that place, the crucible and the kiln. I walk the blood soaked dirt of the arena. The stench nauseates me. I press forward, stepping over the corpses of genin. Their faces are twisted, their expressions are horrifying, their bodies have been damaged beyond repair. I'm glad its them and not me. I move on and reach the center of the blood-soaked arena.


Wrapped in chains of anguish and disgust, pinned down by nails of pain and sorrow, a vision of Wrath fights against its restraint. It's burning eyes dart to me, blind anger takes over. It's opens its maw and roars, spewing hatred. It fights to break free, to reach out to me, to bring me in its hands and crush me entirely. And, it wears my face.


A sudden rapping on the front door pulls Raleth Sarutobi from his dreams, the sound dissipates the images that overtook his mind. It takes moments the immense jounin to recognize where he is, and breaths easy when he realizes he must've had a nightmare. He wipes the sweat off his brows, and looks to the window for the time. Based on the sunlight spilling through the blinds, Raleth guesses its midmorning. Strange, he thinks to himself. He normally wakes up earlier. Shaking the thought away, he gets out of his bed and goes to his closet, grabbing a simple sarutobi-clan kimono to put on. He walks to his front door, expecting a vistior, and his surprised to find no one. As he looks around, he spots a small letter emblazoned with the crest of the Kazekage.  

What could this be?

Raleth grabs the letter and opens it, reading it over multiple times. His stomach tightens, he didn't expect a mission from Kenshin Uzumaki or Mizuki Ohta so soon after the apology. Hoping that their earlier confusion had been smoothed out because of it, Raleth wastes no time in getting ready, brushing his teeth, grooming himself, and donning his outfit: a black quarter-sleeve layerd under his dune-colored jounin jacket, and straight black pants and ninja sandals. He also grabs a white, sarutobi style kimono to put over this outfit, keeping it open in a way to still show the sunagakure headband wrapped around his neck and hoping the color will lessen the intensity of the sun. As he packs mats, tea, fruits, and food dread hangs around the back of his mind: he hopes the situation with her won't be awkward. He grabs a straw hat and walks out the door, placing the hat on his head to shield his face and head from the sun.

He walks to the village gates at a motivated pace, weaving through the alleyways and streets: not wanting to keep the Kazekage's second waiting. As the white-ash-haired shinobi arrives, he's surprised to see another familiar face, Zaine Uchiha. Not expecting this to be a joint-mission, Raleth is pleased to know his friend will accompany him and Mizuki: and hopes his old student can help mitigate any awkwardness between the two ash-haired shinobi. 


"This must be a serious mission if it needs both of us, eh Zaine?"


As Mizuki raises her head to the sunlight and speaks, Raleth notices something startling. A brewing intensity seems to stare through the eyes of Mizuki Ohta, an intensity that seemed to be missing when he went to formally apologize to her and Kenshin. That kinship that he had felt in the grove, one of a sharp-toothed rat against a car, wells up in the Sarutobi. A sudden image flashes behind his eyes, the red hair of an uzumaki flows around his mind. 

...

"The river country is quite scenic, has plenty of thick moss to use as improvised bedding," Raleth says to Mizuki "and I've packed enough for myself and one other person. We won't feel any discomfort on our journey."

Raleth notes the stare Mizuki gives Zaine, perhaps more than conversation happened at the dinner party? Not wanting to pry, nor jump to any rash conclusions, the Sartuobi stifles the thought down, and tries to ignore the familiarity the Uchiha and Miss Ohta seem to have with one another. 

The gates of the village open, the long trek to River Country begins. And, because of Mizuki's request of staying at least 5 meters behind, Raleth regrets packing as much as he did. As Zaine and Mizuki were leagues quicker than Raleth, the Sarutobi would have to keep more intense pace to keep up with the Uchiha and Miss Ohta. Though, as the day waned and night waxed, the pace slowed and Raleth was able to relax to a comfortable trot. When the Boulder cluttered, tree flanked camp ground was in sight, Raleth breaths easy.

Mizuki cuts branches, Raleth notes the weapons she uses, her nails. The mystery of Miss Ohta deepens, he wonders why he can't sense any chakra from the ash-haired shinobi. He looks to Zaine, and a smile spreads over his face, a memory comes back to Raleth: one where the Sarutobi had knocked out the young Uchiha to bring him to the Sand Village. As he recalls the look and face of his old student, the context of the memory brings Raleth near a familiar and dreaded place. In the back of the Sarutobi’s mind, steel clashes against each other. The white-ash-haired shinobi breaths in, calming his racing heart and sighing out the stress of a situation he ignores. A somber shadow hangs over his brow as he fixes the camp site, he finds a thick patch of moss and places it on the ground as bedding, and helps round out the area of the fire. As wood is ignited, and tinder is dried, the small 10 meter area looks pleasant and relaxing, backdropped babbling rivers and lush, green trees.

Raleth takes out a tea kettle and pours three cups of citrus peel and honey tea for each of his comrades. As well, he unpacks the fruit and food he brought, distributing among his friends. The Sarutobi is surprised to see Mizuki's lack of food, or any of the comforts one would associate with an overnight journey. He hopes she will at least try some of the food and tea he brought.

As the night wanes and food is eaten, others would notice The Sarutobi being uncharacteristically quiet. His face would be stone, betraying no intentions, but he himself would be lost in unexplainable thoughts: a remnant of the nightmare he had this morning. As he bit, chew, sipped, and swallowed, his mind would wander through unplaceable feelings: toward a mental door that has never been opened

Mizuki briefs Zaine and Raleth on their mission, the Sarutobi is confused. Why would he be chosen for a stealth and surveillance mission? With the eyes of an Uchiha and the skills of Miss Ohta, the Sarutobi feels that he is useless in this endeavor, more a danger to his comrades than an asset. A somber shadow crosses over his face, an Uzumaki's flowing red hair flashes behind his eyes. Raleth’s heart shudders with anguish, making him lose his appetite. 


“Apologize, Zaine and Mizuki, the journey here has exhausted me more than I expected. I’m going to turn in now, I hope the night is uneventful.”

Without another word, Raleth turns over on his side. Away from the fire and his friends, he loses himself in his thoughts and slips into sleep.

The sounds of steel clash around me, sparks of metal flash around my peripherals, I’m back in the blood soaked arena. The ground squelches with every step, I can feel the sticky liquid between my toes. My nose is gunked by noxious scents, it’s a miracle that I’ve made it this far. 


The battlefield has been twisted beyond repair, the various jutsu and techniques used warped the flat arena into hills and trenches. Bodies of potential chuunin litter the valleys of the battlefield, I step over burnt corpses and twisted faces, my senses heightened to their sharpest point. A genin from the cloud springs up from a wind-blasted trench, screaming is throat raw. His lunges at me with a kunai, his eyes are wild with fear. He slashes and attacks like a cornered animal trying to defend itself. I jump back, weaving between his attacks: breathing easy. He goes for stab, I move and palm his hand away, I waste no time punching through his chest. His sternum and ribs scrape my fist, I feel his heart beat its last. I dislodge my arm from his chest, I stare at the viscera and gore. I was more skilled than him.


I continue forward, keeping low and avoiding unnecessary conflict. I reach the center of the arena, the place we agreed to meet. My heart quickens when I see she isn’t here, did something happen to her on the way? No, she was cunning and skilled, no one in this exam could best her. I sit and hide in blood-soaked dirt, I scan the arena to search for her. My heart leaps, I see her rose-colored hair. 


I smile and wave, I beckon her to safety. 


Something’s wrong, she rushes in, her expression is shocking.


Chains sprout from her chakra points, blades and knives brandish their ends, what enemy does she see here?


My eyes go wide, my heart stops, she sends her chakra chains to me. I grab my kunai to defend myself, I stop when I see her eyes. I close mine as the Uzumaki’s chains come for my throat, I can do nothing to stop her.

Raleth bolts upright, sweating and breathing hard. Lost in the darkness of night, he panic rises in him. He scans the area, he hears the sounds of River Country, he sees the fire has burnt out, he remembers where he is and isn’t. He breaths in and calms his heart, he wipes the exhaustion from his eyes. He looks to Zaine, expecting to see him up, but is surprised to find him still sleeping. His eyes drift to Mizuki and his heart drops: her intense eyes stare at him through the darkness of night.

[[WC = 1707

Sitting in the center of his living room with legs crossed, eyes closed and his hands laced together in front of his chest Zaine meditated in absolute silence- he was still quite troubled by his poor performance on his previous mission and even more so by the realization he had most recently after seeing Raleth spar with that odd man from the north. "His eyes.. they were without a doubt the sharingan. But they werent like mine or my fathers or my mothers. Ive never seen anything quite like it." Days had passed since he had seen the mans unique tomoe pattern and unable to forget them he sat every night meditating on how to ascend to that level of visual prowess- he didnt quite know where to begin so he rationalized training in the one way he always had, hypertrophy and sheer effort. His eyes opened revealing the three tomoe sharingan that was hailed as the pinnacle of ability for his clan, or so he was always taught- he normally would never have his sharingan activated in a place of comfort, be it his own home or the home of an ally but he figured that if he kept his doujutsu activated constantly and pushed it to its absolute limit, he would at least gain some answers on how to reach the next level. Three days of having his sharingan active had drained him as he only truly shut it off to rest at night and he was beginning to wonder if this would truly benefit him- standing up and stretching he would walk to his front door and open it, planning to get some fresh air when he looked down and saw a mission scroll with an official seal. "I swear.. its like no one else does missions anymore except for me 2 others." Shaking his head he would smile softly after picking up the scroll and opening it up- truth be told he enjoyed being busy and his last few mission had been rather enjoyable.. excluding the one responsible for his new body art. 

"I can already guess who might have sent this one." The young Uchiha thought to himself as he read through the contents of the scroll- he figured out quickly just by the writing style that it was from Mizuki Ohta, someone he had become familiar with very recently but already thought of as a dear friend. "So weve got some shady shinobi lurking around our trade routes? Sounds pretty standard. I wonder why this was branded an 'A' rank mission and why more than one shinobi is necessary." Rolling the message back up he would close the door behind him as he reentered his home and began to pack his things- the message indicated that their excursion would be a lengthy one and while he didnt need much, it was never bad to be prepared or have enough supplies for the group. He spent the better part of an hour putting together camping supplies ranging from food pills (nutrient and protein based only), sleeping supplies and general hygiene equipment. He dressed himself in a black high collared shirt with the Uchiha crest on the back along with straight legged dark brown pands and black ninja sandals- his two weapons pouches were firmly secured to his lower back and his headband was tightly placed around his left bicep. He would walk over to his prized possession Benihime and pick it up securing it to his back with the hilt facing his right shoulder- his second and basic katana would be placed at his left hip. Grabbing his camping bag he would exit his home and head for the village gates to meet up with Mizuki, his sharingan still activated.

Travel by rooftop always seemed to be the fastest mode of travel to get to the village gates but more than that Zaine loved the feeling of the desert winds shifting the position of his unkempt hair as he cut through it. He would make it to the village gates to find Ms. Ohta leaned up against it by herself "I guess its just her and I on this mission, theres no way she needed me for this though. Shes more than capa-" His thought would be interruppted by the arrival of a familiar figure who spoke the summation of his thoughts out  loud- Raleth had arrived on the scene and he too jested about the needing of so much man power for a single recon mission. "Im guessing these merchants are more deadly than we think? Better keep our guards up." He would chuckle as he averted his gaze from Raleth and back to Mizuki who locked eyes with him as she spoke, she would be met with the sharingan- his chuckle and smile fading away just as quickly as they had come. Her chakra was just as it had been that night at his dinner party (waves crashing and colliding up against a rocky shore, the waters seemingly at war with itself. The chakra as plentiful as it was fierce) This display within her was in complete opposition to what he had seen in her when her eyes looked.. less like his. He decided it would be best not to make a comment about it out right as he promised her that he would keep her business in secret- plus it was hardly a joking matter if things did happen to get out of control. "I didnt bring too much but it should be enough to get me by. Anyways, Ral said he has extra so no worries there, right? As for where were heading, yeah youve got it right. Were very familiar with it." He was still getting used to this aspect of her as it seemed she had details about everyone around the village but very few knew about her, even he could tell he had only just begun to learn about her truly.

As they broke away from the village Mizuki would give Zaine the same instructions he had received on their prior mission except this time in verbal form- it was curious that she spoke the instructions this time but he wouldnt think too into it and instead would take off and match the speed of the group as they made their way to the country border. He remained silent as they traveled mostly to keep his focus on her and Raleth, noting the distinct difference in their chakra signatures- Raleths chakra seemed to be different fro normal in its intensity. Was he dealing with some sort of turmoil? It was hard to tell if this was the case but either he would hold off on questions until he got to the campsite later on. There was something strange on the wind and he couldnt quite tell what was going on "This sharingan training must be affecting my eyes.. maybe I should give it a break." This thought was brought on by a strange cream colored charka that danced on the wind as they traversed the desert- it was hard to tell if the chakra was moving with the sand or causing the sand to move much more violently and in erratic fashion, but one thing was for sure in that it was unlike anything he had ever seen before, a brand new shade of chakra. 

They approached the camping grounds and Mizuki wasted no time in creating a fire for them, a gesture that Zaine normally offered but it was nice to have someone else do it for a change "To think such a little lady could be so resourceful. Ral could learn a thing or two from you." He would smirk as he set up his bedding near the fire and placed his bag off to the right of it- his eyes shining a bright red as the light from the fire refracted off of them- he listened as Mizuki briefed them after she got comfortable and the words "even off in the slightest" etched themselves into his mind. Should he tell her about the strange chakra he had seen? There was a possibility it was a side effect from his training so maybe it was better to withhold the information from her- still he would feel dishonest in entirety now that his orders were specific and very clear. He would sigh as he laid back with his arms folded behind his head, his legs bent with knees pointing up. He listened as Mizuki explained their shift schedule for guard and he was to go after her- he would wait for her to finish speaking before addressing what he had seen. "Well, I saw something that might be of some relevance. Not sure it has anything to do with our merchants but did you two notice that the sands of the desert were kicked up much more than normal on the way here?" He would pause as he stared up at the nights sky before speaking again "I dont think it was was a coincidence. I noticed chakra flowing on the wind and almost hugging the sand and it was unlike any chakra i've ever seen before. I think after we tie things up here we should check it out on the way back." He would await their replies and upon hearing them take advantage of time and fall asleep, for he would need wake in three hours to assume his guard duty. 

[WC=1,576]

Jutsu Used:

Before the two of them turned in for the night Zaine had some troubling information to share with the group - information that made her relaxed demeanor re-tense into her usual alertness - a state that even the company of a warm flame could not ease. To be honest she hadn’t noticed, she had been too busy thinking over the plan for the morning and combatting her own rising thirst… she simply figured the winds were wilder today and nothing more but now… taking a sharp inhale she nodded quickly and jotted the note down in her book, eyebrows now creased in a contemplative manner - “That's something very worthy of note… good work Zaine as I would have to agree that looking into that will be our next plan of action.” She closed her eyes and slowly rubbed her palm against her throat and back up the right side to the back of her neck, as if she was desperately trying to shove the irritation from thirst back physically. Only moments after Zaine informed them of his findings did the two turn in - Raleth more in a hurry than his normal demeanor would note. As he turns away from the flames, placing his back to the group, her eyes would narrow in thought; Zaine was out like a light far faster and with an ease that being around trusted allies and friends would bring - finally she was alone in the dark.


Her mask of control dropped from her face and the look of pain would creep over her features - it was always worse at night, it was why she pushed their travel time as far as she could and why she took the first shift, when it was time to change they would be past the worst of it hell… she might even be able to distract herself with conversation and skip feigning sleep all together. The two were completely safe even as she warred with herself, she was nowhere near losing control but simply sinking in the pain of it - but as the night wore on she took to updating her book; opening it by pricking her thumb on the lock the mechanism would spring open with a soft clink and she would write. First choosing to update Zaine’s profile with the newly noted sharingan in it’s three tomoe state - she was well versed in this particular set of red eyes as The Wraith had ingrained an unhealthy hatred for them - but to assume all users were the same would be the same as assuming everyone from the Kyuketsuki clan enjoyed feasting on the living; and wasn’t she proof that just wasn’t the case? There was more written in his profile as she had a lengthy time studying him but she needn’t review those at this time. Next she would update Raleths personality profile, not much was written in this section as of late other than ‘Reckless- loses control to anger specifically. Lacking in spatial conscientiousness, relies on Zaine for emotional reassurance/control of temperament. Deep pool of emotions - susceptible to drowning.’ Her pen paused mid writing - the whole time her head had been filled with even breathing and easy heartbeats but the man of whom she was writing… was quickly rising out of rhythm. 


She stared fixedly at his form - having been able to see well enough to write simply by the moonlight and the smoldering embers - small twitches would overcome his feet as if he was running in his dream, a groan of despair then suddenly he was gasping into consciousness and sitting bolt upright - the sheen of sweat illuminated by the moonlight as he moved, looking for someone… Zaine. The faintest smirks would press over her lips as she was proven correct by the Sarutobi - at this point his heartrate is beginning to slow the more he grounds himself in reality, but the man who would fully ease his mind is fast asleep and the only company he has is her… and with a final faltering beat his eyes finally meet hers in the lightening dark - how long had it been surely past 3 hours? “Nightmare Raleth?”, her tone of voice was musing - she knew what a nightmare looked like but what would he have to haunt him? The eyes would shift over to the still sleeping form of Zaine and back to Raleth - “Let him sleep, his heartbeat was strained today, I fear he is overworking himself. It’s why I am still awake when it should be him here to comfort you… but let's change the dynamic for a night, give him a day off so to speak.” With those words he would hear the soft thud of a closing book and a soft snapping of a lock securing into place - all the while her eyes remained on his. 


“What do you have so repressed that it has to force it’s way into your dreams to be acknowledged?” She made no attempt the relight the fire, the soft red glow of embers and moonbeams were to be his only aid in sight unless he so choose to relight the area himself. “I’d suggest speaking about it sooner than later, I have a feeling this mission we are on isn’t as simple as it seems and I need both of you mentally ready - and as of right now… you are slipping.” After this she would remain silent, awaiting the man to address her words - he could easily brush off her offer and simply return to sleep or he could let the words flow with the veil of darkness and the ear of a kindred spirit at his disposal.

Either way - once the decision was made and a possible conversation would occur - the sun would begin to creep over the horizon and would surely wake the Uchiha who had been left to slumber. A man who embodied the warmth of the sun itself must wake with the rays as well - it was for the better too as the camp site needed broken down and the last bit of travel needed to be achieved. Once all of this was done the three would crest a hill that overlooked the back-end of the trade route, and on this crest they would make their plan of attack.


WC 1044
TWC 2644

The voice of Mizuki drips like honey in the aged Sarutobi's ear, her musing at his stress is unwelcome, her words cause clouds to brood over his brows. He mutters,

"Just a dream about a different time..."

The immense jounin reaches for his bag and grabs a cold-packed tea, something he did often when he felt stress pressing against his skull. He blindly paws in the cloth sack, finding a chilled thermos, and brings the tea to him. As he opens it, he smells roses. The scent resonates with the pressure in his mind, the echoes of his nightmare causes him fright. He can hear the distant sounds of steel clashing around him, smell the hints of blood-soaked dirt. He inhales, unable to hide from the pain of his past, and exhales, sighing out the stress. He eyes the resting Zaine, agreeing with Mizuki to let the boy sleep, as he had been straining himself. He sips his rose tea, the warm liquid soothes his throat and sedates his frayed nerves. Mizuki would notice his demeanor and speak.


“I’d suggest speaking about it sooner than later, I have a feeling this mission we are on isn’t as simple as it seems and I need both of you mentally ready - and as of right now… you are slipping.”

Her words hang above the dying embers of the campfire, her meaning echoes in the night. In most other circumstances, the white-ash-haired shinobi would answer with stone-faced-silence. In fact, if anyone else had asked such a question, the aged Sarutobi would've flown into a rage, the very thought that his mental will was compromised was insulting. But, Mizuki Ohta had asked him this question. She was the Kazekage's second, and therefore her word was akin to the law of Wind Country. But, that was not why Raleth Sarutobi put down the chilled thermos of rose tea. It was because he knew that he had wronged her, and his own..."mentality" had endangered her, his comrade. A hefty sigh escapes the Raleth, he tries to find the words for a thing he can't explain.

"Her name was Rosalina Uzumaki, I called her Rose. We had been friends since birth, our family estates being near each other and our parents close friends. Whenever I think of my childhood home, I see her red-colored hair. She was...inspiring. In everything she did. She was tactful, skilled, and deadly. I was considered a martial prodigy and yet I was never as good as her. Truth be told, I admired her. Not as a boy to the girl next door, but as a warrior to another. We pushed each other, way beyond our limits. And she was unrelenting, and the sweetest person I've ever known..."

Time turns back in the Sarutobi's mind, he can see his young genin self arm and arm with his red-haired, best friend.

"We became genin around the same time, but her before me. 'Told you I was better!', she'd say. She liked to remind me of that and I didn't mind. Because it was true. 'I'll become chuunin before you!' I'd always say back..."

The pair of genin leave the village of Konoha, in step.  Their smiles are wider than the horizon that lays in front of them, they head to the next chapter of their lives, the village Hidden in the Mist.

"We were ecstatic when we were allowed to join the chuunin exams together. I thought that meant we'd be side by side, taking on all opposing villages and showing the shinobi world what the Sarutobi and Uzumaki could do. But..."

Panic dulls the bass voice of Raleth, swords and steel clash in the peripherals of his mind, he once again smells blood.

"The Blood Games were not a normal chuunin exam. Village lines didn't matter, there was no honor or sport..."

The ghosts of the dead wail in agony, they clamber from the depths of Raleth's unconscious, grasping and holding the Sarutobi in their shaking hands.

"My senses sharpened themselves in that battlefield, every second I breathed was a miracle, every opponent that fell before me was unlucky. I fought and bested many, anyone who came up to me met with a swift end. There were times where I thought I was going to die but…"

Red-hair flows behind the white-ash-haired-shinobi's eyes, the smell of roses perfume intertwines with blood, the sticky-sweet scent is sickening.

"What kept me going was the thought of Rose. When my back was against the wall and hope seemed lost, the idea of her would motivate me and allow me my second, third, and forth wind. Her presence, her skill, her… beauty made me want to continue living."

The aged Saurtobi finds his younger self traversing the chakra torn battlefield, jumping in and out of improvised cover: using the ground raised by jutsu and the bodies of the dead. He spots flowing red hair, from this distance she looks like a blooming flower. His heart skips many beats, passion and emotion pour from his mind and into his chest, a secret he never knew he kept wishes to be let out.

"I had lasted so long because of her...i...realized I loved her. And more than anything, I wanted her to know. I made my way to the center of the arena...and…"

Images and visions flood Raleth's eyes, he's in the center of the arena, calling out for Rose. She spots him, they lock eyes, the Sarutobi's stomach jumps to his heart: she's okay.

"I let my guard down...I…"

He waves toward his red-haired, best friend, something sinister twists her face. Lustful eyes drenched with blood wildly stare at the young Sarutobi, a Visage of hate and malice greets the confused boy. Rosalina dashes at him, blind with the joy of a battle high.

"She…"

The adamantine chains of the Uzumaki burst from her chakra points, tapered with vicious blades and points. Raleth is stunned, shocked, and confused. Questions well up in his mind, why is she doing this? Is she under a genjutsu? 

"I froze, my mind went blank...I...I couldn't…"

He can hear her shrill scream, a battle cry dripping with hate. He can see it in her eyes, she's still there. The competitive spirit, that unrelenting ruthlessness, still burns behind her pupils.

"I couldn't...I couldn't attack her, I couldn't defend myself. Not against her, not against my Rose…"

With his body not moving, Raleth Sarutobi succumbs to his fate. He drops his arms and his gaze, he allows death to take him. He looks to the face of Death, the red-haired beauty, Rosalina. Her chains burst forward, aimed at his neck. He closes his eyes. A sudden scream, a shrill shriek, pierces his ears, he opens to see Rosalina engulfed in fire, a nearby gennin having casted Fireball at the distracted Uzumaki. The odor of burning roses, flesh, and hair cloud the white-ash-haired shinobi's thoughts, his younger self vomits from stress and fear.

"I should've died that day. By her hand. But, fate would not have it that way. By random chance, a jutsu had caught her unawares. She died in front of me, turned into a charred corpse by luck and misfortune." 

The sight of her body still burns in Raleth’s eyes, he stares at last burning ember of the campfire. A strange weight is lifted, the aged Sarutobi’s shoulders feel lighter, his head is less heavy. A tear wells in his eye and rolls down his cheek, trailing with it the sadness, pain, hurt, and confusion of his past; splattering on the floor and absolving him of his guilt.


“Thank you, Mizuki. I appreciate you lending me your ear. There is no gold in the crack of the clay cup, the pressure of the kiln was not enough to break it: but the fires left it scorched.”

Raleth would hear the response from Miss Ohta, and take her words to heart. He would meditate on what transpired. The sun rises, bringing with it a new day and a changed Raleth Sarutobi. As Zaine wakes, he prepares himself to accomplish the task at hand.


[[WC= 1358 / 3065]]

Mission:

Quite the phenomenon was occurring right before the eyes of both Raleth and Mizuki as the young Uchiha laid as still as a stone under the moonlit sky- this abnormality would appear normal to anyone who didnt truly know him but this behavior was anything but that in his case. Normally the slightest noise would be enough to wake him and have him on high alert but tonight was different- his body felt as though it weighed five times as much as it usually did and his eyes were heavier than weighted vests. There was no doubt about it at this point, Zaine was completely and utterly exausted. Maintaining his sharingan for what would now be four whole days put a strain on him that he had never experienced and his body had decided at the worst possible time that it needed to regain its vitality in full- he would not wake until morning and the conversation between his two travel companions would go unheard by him. A small smile of relief came over his face as his body fully relaxed and he sprawled out on his back, arms in a wide and opened stance and his head tilted to the left just slightly. He would need to consider himself lucky that Mizuki opted to take up the responsibilities of the night shift for him- although if she had chosen to wake him, it would not have taken much physical effort to do so.

Morning would come and bring with it the bright rays of the sun that streamed down in a linear fashion onto his face as his eyes slowly began to open- yawing and wiping his eyes with his left hand he would take a moment to look around, finding both Mizuki and Raleth near him. It appeared that the two had gotten an early start on gathering up all of their supplies and getting camp picked up- he was quite embarrassed that he had been asleep for so long and subsequently missed his lookout shift. Looking at Mizu he would wince slightly while smiling, his eyes closed and his left hand behind his head, nervously scratching away "Im really sorry that I slept in. Not sure what had gotten into me but I was completely out." He would come to a standing position as he dusted his pants off and altered is facial expression to take on a more serious appearance, his eyes opening revealing the three tomoe sharingan yet again. "I cant explain it but I almost feel as good as new and Im ready to get a move on so we can bring this horrible business to a close." He would begin picking up his portion of the camp site and continue to tidy up until everything was taken care of and noone would have been able to tell if they had been there in the first place- and with this, it was time for them to venture up a nearby hill that overlooked the back end of the trade route and form a plan.


From their vantage point four "merchants" could be seen next to a parked caravan with six people next to them that appeared to be civilians, but something was off..- it looked as though these civilians werent making much of an effort to walk around freely and what was even more strange was the way in which they stood, in some sort of line-up. He would begin to speak softly while keeping his eyes on the civilians specifically "There seems to be a clear difference in status between those two groups of people down there. The four merchants almost look like theyre.. in charge of those people." Were these civilians somehow in a mutualistic work situation with these merchants? That didnt seem too likely thus he would do away with the notion as quick as it appeared. "Im going to focus in on the six on the left to see if anything is up." A closer look would reveal a strange development indeed, the chakra patterns of the civilians appeared to be altered- Zaine immediately recognized this as some type of genjutsu and began to go person by person to confirm that they all held the same disturbance, to which he found was the case. "Just as I thought... those six civilians are under a pretty powerful genjutsu and by the looks of it, the genjutsu was cast by the second merchant on the right." He began thinking of a strategy that would end in the least amount of bloodshed possible while also rescuing the civilians but would be met with an issue- for whatever reason these hostages were important enough to warrant genjutsu rather than chains and cuffs- which must mean that the physical condition of the hostages is of great importance to these criminals. The only option would have to be a full on diversion and thankfully, they had the perfect amount of squad members to pull it off. 


Turning to the others he would place a confident smirk on his face as he spoke, "I have a plan that could work perfectly. That is, if you two can work in complete harmony while I do what I need to do." He felt the need to add this preface due to the past that these two had and that the only combat experience they shared was against one another- but for this plan to work, they would need to act in unison as a joined front. "So, heres the deal. You two are going to engage the merchants as soon as im in position near the hostages. Theres four of them and only two of you, but by my visual estimation of their chakra, you two should be able to handle two a each without issue. So, while you two take on those four ill handle the hostages." He figured that at this point there might be a bit of confusion as to why he would be the one to handle the hostages while they fought together against the merchants- in truth he had more chemistry with each of them individually than the both of them had together combined but he was the best option to help with the hostages at this point for reasons he would soon explain. "Im not sure if it has to do with my training recently but I was able to pick up on the genjutsu disrupting their chakra from here and if my hunch is correct, once I get close enough ill even be able to dispel the genjutsu with my sharingan. Meaning the merchants wont even know that the civilians are being freed because theyll be preoccupied with battle and ill be virtually out of sight." He would return his gaze to the hostages as he counted them off in his head in a line and noted a nearby tree that would provide the perfect amount of coverage but would also get him close enough to release the genjutsu- next he would plot a route to the tree that would allow him to keep his presence completely masked and once he had finished, he would turn back to his team mates and give a nod, indicating that he was ready to begin the plan if no one had any objections. He understood that Mizuki was their team leader but hoped she would hear his plan and understand that their options were limited and that if they were to rescue these hostages unscathed, they would need to use ever advantage they held, his sharingan being a prime example. 

Once his two companions finished deliberating and gave the okay for the plan to begin its execution Zaine would move with quieted footsteps down the hill at which they stood and along the outlined path that he plotted- this path would lead him directly to the tree he had marked after he passed through a fair amount of greenery. Once behind the tree he would not his position of 4 meters from the hostages and to his benefit, he had not yet been exposed to the merchants- he would focus in on the civilian that was closest to him as he made the Tiger handseal, waiting for Raleth and Mizuki to ready themselves and begin their assault. Once the attack began in whatever fashion they chose, Zaine would utilize the jutsu of "Genjutsu Release" on all of the civilians one by one, noting the change in their chakra flow back to a normal rhythm shortly after the jutsu was activated. He would then wait for the moment when all of the merchants were distracted by the onslaught of his teamates to leap over towards the civilians, explain the situation along with who he was and kite them over to a safer environment 15 meters away. He trusted that while he was doing this, his partners would cover him and ensure his safety along with the civilians- he would watch over them as he looked on at Mizu and Ral, paying close attention to the way they were battling and the fact that they actually seemed to make a great team. He was surprised to find out that there was a greater joy than fighting along side the two people that he cared about most and that was watching them work in tandem to accomplish something together and in a sense, protect him.

Jutsu Used:

[WC= 1,563/3,139]

EXIT


Claims:

• Putting 3,139 WC towards Mangekyo Sharingan [4,014/8,000]
  
• Putting 3,100 WC towards 62 AP
  

Utilizing double AP training Bonus

The red eyes would stare at the man with an unusual softening as he told her his tale, broken up as it was she could feel his pain and understood even just a bit what he had gone through - at enough to nod respectfully at the end of his tale. She had grown a bit more respect for the man, it took a lot to bare a soul to someone, and she knew she wasn’t the easiest person to open up to to say the least - unfortunately she had no advice… nothing she could say would help the man and as it seemed all he needed was the ability to say them out loud. Release the trapped ghost of her memory that haunted him day in and day out - was he fixed, of course not - but healing would be a much easier process from here on out. Simply she let them sit in silence and let the feeling resonate with the two - those hardened by bloodshed didn’t need to always speak to be understood. 


Standing on the hill her attention would be diverted from the scene ahead of them and onto the words coming from Zaine, the crease of concern forming in-between her eyebrows the longer she listened. An ensnared group of people all under a powerful genjutsu with 4 aggressors herding them around like sheep - she would close her eyes as she continued to process his words and listen to his plan. It was a good one, and it was definitely do able… but she had never fought alongside the Sarutobi and from what she remembered they were like opposites when it came to combat technique - how do you mix that seamlessly. She turned her eyes back to Raleth, and in the morning sun they seemed to glow as the light hit them - bloodlust and hunger dulling them even as the rays hit. “What do you say old man, wanna see what two of the strongest and fastest shinobi of the sand can do together?” The look she would give him was one mixed with mischief and bloodlust - she was just as curious if she was honest. “The plan is to make this a clean and easy kill, we don’t deal with body snatchers; Sunagakure might be a haven for missing nin but even we have standards…”, as she spoke her face was morphing into an angry snarl, her eyes intense and full of hate, focused solely on the line of shinobi that had dared deal in human lives. 


“Plan is simple, once Zaine is in position and the hostages are released from hold Im going to rush in, you will stand as my initial distraction so you go out first, I’ll go past the first two to grab the two furthest from us and closest to the hostages… My back will be turned to the other two and I will do what I can to hold them in place long enough for you to come in and…-” she would pause and look back at the hulking man - her trust in him had grown miles, she was already willing to put two enemies at her back in the trust he would get there in time - “.. Destroy them Ral, today we take no prisoners.” As the plan was solidified she would wait for Zaine to move to his determined position before she look back at Ral and reached out a single fist for him to bump - “Let’s go.” She would wait a few moments as Raleth went out to garner their attention long enough for her to blitz past them with an alarming blur of speed - the two closest would notice Raleth first and begin to react but it would be too late for them already.


In a heartbeat Mizuki was past them, her 4 inch razor sharp nails dug deep into the necks of the men at the rear of the group, as she had run she formed the hand signs required for two chakra chains to spring from her back and latch onto the back of the necks of the two shinobi she had blitzed past - she would simply hold them in place until Raleth did what he intended. Once his attack was finished she would drop the chains and let them slide back into her form. Her eyes would be completely entranced by the warm blood that was sliding over her fingers and down the necks of the two men she still held in her grasp - the life long gone from their eyes. Closing her eyes she would retract her nails from their bodies but remain holding one in her grip; she was barely breathing at this point. “Round up the hostages and see what information you can get from them if anything… I have something to do.” She had now drawn breath again as she dragged the limp man back around to the other side of the caravan - once out of sight of the two she would strike at the still warm corpse, latching onto the open wound she had already made and drained him; finally dropping the corpse to the ground and wiping her mouth off before opening her now full violet eyes again. 


It was… close, she had barely kept it together and Zaine would understand but she was still reluctant to allow Raleth to know exactly what she was and why… one day. The blood spattered on her front was from the initial blow and her face was clean - the only difference would be her eyes now and her temperament which would feel much calmer. Rounding back around to the two men she would listen to any information given and nod in understanding - “Anyone looking for sanctuary can return with us to Sunagakure but if you wish to return you your families please do so.. Knowing that these degenerates are on our radar now and we will ensure this doesn’t happen again.” She would do her best to avoid obvious eye contact with either Raleth or Zaine and as the situation came to a close she would take point again and lean her face to the now mid-day sun as she struggled to hold back tears - “Let's go home.” 



That night, after their safe return to the village, she would wake screaming from the nightmare of the unknown man's last moments - the image of her own ravenous face tearing the life from him without a second's hesitation… his emotions would reside in her for a few days before dissipating but that was the exchange of life owed to the one who it was taken from.

WC 1102

EXIT

Approved @ Zaine

EXIT 
TWC 3746

25% max stat discount

2122 towards Mercury Release: Depriving Mist [V7] [3750/3750] previous words from A Formal Apology (Private)
598 towards V7 Human Technique [1875/1875] previous words from Desserts in the Desert
1026 towards [V7] Chakra Enhanced Strength [1026/1875] Able to learn A rank Medical from Clan spec being Medical.