A dark soul finds a companion

Mission Details::

"Today you will call on me. Whether or not I answer shall be a question, but it will be an answer you will desperately beg for." The voice came through his mind as he slept, chilling him down to his spine. He knew that the last time he had heard something like that, he had to do some atrocious things. What exactly was the plan that Yuumei had for him? He tossed and turned for a few moments before finally he woke up and he looked up to ceiling, with a concerned look across his face. He wasn't sure just what he was going to need Yuumei for today, but he was sure that it was going to be gruesome.

He didn't want to waste too much time on thinking about it, for he knew that no matter what he was going to go through the journey set for him, whether he worried about it or not. But still that voice struck a chord in his mind. "Why would I need to call on him? More importantly, why would I beg for his answer to those calls?" The boy thought as he rose from his bed and swung his feet over the side, placing his feet on the floor. 

He shifted his weight onto his feet and rose from the bed, beginning to walk over to his bathroom so he could get ready for the day to come. He walked to his bathtub and leaned his head over the side, turning on the cold water. He allowed the water to rush over his head and run through his hair. The cold water caused his eyes to shoot wide open as he began cupping his hands and splashing the cold water onto his face to really wake him up. 

He shut the water off and reached for the towel hanging on the curtain rod and he gently patted his hair dry and wiped his face. When he was finished drying himself he placed the towel back onto the curtain rod and walked back into his bedroom so he could get himself dressed and ready for a mission that was quite irregular for him. He had been so used to going to only the mines day after day, but this time there was news of a meteor coming down and hitting the desert a little ways outside of the village and the boy was one of the first to sign up for obtaining samples of that meteor. In exchange for finding the meteor and harvesting some of the materials from it, he was going to be able to get some of the material himself!

He wasn't too sure just what he was going to do with the material just yet, if it turned out to be extremely hardy and durable, then he would put a nice layer to surround his armor, making sure that he was even more prepared for battle should one ever come to him. He had finally come across the perfect weapon, a nice refined katana. It was lighter than his father's sword, and it was perfectly balanced so it was going to work quite well for him in battle. He had also come across a set of armor that was more than the boy could have asked for. It was tough and the look was very stylish, but simple plating that made it look very functional.

He didn't really need to worry about what it was that he was going to wear as the armor was going to be doing pretty much all of the covering for his body, but he still wanted to make sure that he was looking decent and presentable should the need to take his armor off come to pass. He looked through his closet and he found a decent t shirt and some shorts that he would wear. 

After dressing himself, he walked into the kitchen and he looked over at the coffee table in the living room, where he had laid out his set of armor that he was going to be wearing for his mission today and likely from now on whenever he left his home. He turned back to face the kitchen as that was going to be his first and foremost concern, making sure that he had the fuel his body was going to need to fend off any creatures that may be lurking in the desert where the meteor was said to be. 

He didn't spend too much time thinking about what it was that he was going to eat, but instead he was going to eat his usual sausage and eggs, and he was going to scarf it down for this mission was one that he wanted to get an early start on so he wasn't going to have to be hacking at a meteor in the middle of the day, during the hottest part of the day. He cooked his breakfast quickly and he poured it all into a bowl and began to scarf his food. 

When he was done he went into his living room and he stared at the set of armor for a few moments, analyzing the armor, recognizing each of its curves and plating. He was so excited that all of his work in the mines had led to this, his very own armor that he was going to be able to wear. He grabbed the armor and piece by piece he placed it on his body, feeling the fit of the armor being practically perfect, almost like it was made specifically for him. 

When the armor was completely put on, he practiced a few moves with the armor on. He wanted to see just how he was going to be affected by the weight of the metal. As he pirouetted a few times, he realized that his strength from working in the mines had aided him so much that the weight felt like nothing to him. He placed the helmet on his head, and he looked to his front door, where next to the door, lie his brand new sword. 

The sword was nothing flashy, but it was a brand new Katana, freshly forged according to the man at the weapons shop. He grabbed the sheathe holding the blade and he lashed it to his body, favoring the right side as he used to with his father's sword. With his armor on and his katana placed. The only thing that was left was his bow and arrows. He threw the bow around his shoulder and he lashed his quiver to his waist, favoring the left side, opposite his sword. 

When he was all equipped and ready he opened his front door and he headed to the village gates, that is where he was going to depart for the meteor and see just what there was out there for him on this possibly dark and greusome day.

WC: 1155

Ocean blue eyes scanned over ink on a scroll. Tsuna ended his read of it, rolling it and concealing on his person. The young Hatake sighs, he wasn’t particularly in the line of local scientific exploration, but he knew that when there was a Meteorite, there were also Iron. He could use such for an upcoming project. Looking up he would nod to the mission desk receptionist. Her eyes lingered in him, smiling he would turn to exit the building. 

The boy don his Bittersteel armor, silver-steel in color.  From neck to toe. Blue tunic around the waist, ashen fur from the shoulder guards to his lower back. Each leg, thigh and arm was holster with Kunai for swift access by the Genin. The inner forearms held shuriken that could be retrieved at a moment’s notice for him. The armor around his waist stored various other items that could be handy for the boy. To his back, over his right shoulder was his Crusader sword - Sloth’s Bane. To his right hip was his Chakra bonding blade. His lower back was his Tanto, the hilt over his left hip. His helm was collapsed into the neck of his armor. Thus his face was easily seen. 

Tsuna navigated the streets of the village until he reached the gates. There he would come across someone that was...presumably waiting just for him. The man was doning a unique armor. Upon closer inspection Tsuna couldn’t help but find appreciation for its craftsmanship. He came to a standstill with his right hand to his chin. “Shinogami Armor? That’s quite the addition to anyone’s arsenal. You have a good eye...” He would say, his eyes glanced over to the blade on the man’s hip. “Even your blade is true, from the looks of it. Oh, sorry, I tend to allows these things to get away from me. Hahaha. Hatake Tsunayoshi. I take it that you are my partner for this mission. Pleasure to meet you.” The boy would smile, giving the Genin a polite bow. 

Returning to an upright standing, the ashen haired boy would await to hear what his newfound comrade would have to say before they set out.  

[WC: 364]

The boy was nearing the gates, he was getting a little warm in his armor, but that was likely just because his body wasn't quite used to the feeling of having another layer on top of him out in the hot sun that baked this part of the world. When he got to the gates, he saw that there was an individual seeming to be waiting for somebody. He was passing by the individual when he commented on his armor, saying that it was a good addition to arsenal, something the boy could not have agreed with more. He stopped walking and he turned to face the other armored individual and nodded his head slightly and responded, "Thank you! To tell you the truth when I went to buy it, the shopkeeper told me that someone already bought it for me. I have no idea who, I just know that it didn't cost me any money, and I couldn't have been more thankful. This suit of armor is so comfortable and I truly feel ready to get into some combat when I put it on!" 

The child was more than just a little excited to be talking about his armor, and this individual who was called Tsunayoshi Hatake also seemed to be the kind of person that would get excited over something like armor and even swords. He commented on the look of his sword, and the boy couldn't have been more excited. This was mainly due to the fact that he had been pining over the idea of getting noticed for something that was his own, and not his parent's, so so far he was enjoying this individual's company. "Yes this sword is actually quite the piece. I spoke with the weapons shopkeeper and he told me that it was freshly forged when I had bought it. It had just been put on the shelf that day, so I was more than excited to call it my own."

Tsunayoshi then spoke about him being his partner for this mission. He was completely unaware that he was going to have a partner for the mission, but he figured that another member in the party would only make this mission easier, so he played along with what was being said. "Oh! Um- yeah! That's me. Name is Kurayami Shinkou, I can't wait to go on this mission with you." He then turned to face the village gates and spoke once more, "So shall we head on out to the meteor?"

The man seemed to be pleased by someone acknowledging his armor, Tsuna couldn’t really blame him, he too was overly excited about his first suit. Oddly, it would seem that this one was also gifted his suit from someone. Tsuna raised a brow when discovering this information. Thinking back to when he was bestowed his. “Already paid for, huh? This must be your first mission...” Understanding what that meant, even if the other Genin didn’t quite understand it himself. Tsuna knew exactly where the gift came from, or rather who it came from. “It looks great on you. I completely understand your eagerness when wearing it. Just keep in mind that your armor is just as important as your body. You must take care of it as if it was tethered to your very soul. Care for it and it will care for you. A bond must be made before anything else, learn from it and I believe it will learn from you.” He clenched his fist and pressed it - right fist - to his left chest plate. There was clearly a bond between himself and his armor. One that he took pride in. 

When learning about the genin’s choice in sword Tsuna couldn’t help by find comfort in his excitement. The boy smiled and then laughed as he listened. It’s been a while since he found someone to speak of weaponry in such a lax manner. “Sounds to me like it was destined to fall in your protection. Just as Sloth’s Bane fell into mine.” He pointed to the hilt over his right shoulder. There was a jewel that dangled from it, in the shape of a feather and claw clasping a jade gem. It was a gift, from when he and a close friend went on a mission...a mission that changed their lives for the better. 

When it came to the mission, it was obviously clear that Kurayami had now clue of them two pairing up. Which was as fair response. Tsuna usually get additional information to his scrolls due to be an ideal candidate to joining the Nova Corp. It was like a trial run, to prove his capabilities in the field. “You take lead, I’ll follow. I’d like to analyze you and your thought process on this mission, if you don’t mind. I hope that doesn’t offend you, I’d rather be open with my intentions than to conceal them from you. Either way, I was going to do it.” He used his left hand to gesture for Kurayami to take lead for the site. 

[WC: 429]
[Total WC: 793]

Kurayami was more than enthralled with the concept of going on a mission with someone else. Honestly doing anything with someone else was going to be quite a change of pace, something he was looking forward to. There was something about this individual when he spoke about armor, something that truly started a spark from within the boy's soul. The talk of simple weaponry was enough to get him excited, to the point that he had never been excited before. He knew that he loved weaponry, something he felt that he had inherited from his own parents, but now he was making it something his own, and with a comrade no doubt. 

Tsuna, as he would henceforth be known to him, unless he was actually addressing him, then complimented the way that he looked within his armor, which he was more than thankful for. Kurayami was always one that wasn't so much vain, but more so self conscious. He continued by speaking about a bond that one creates when wearing and using armor, and that they are nothing less than an attachment to one's soul, which sounded so right to him. "Thank you very much. I appreciate the compliment. I feel like I have only been dabbling in the world of weaponry, but now that I have purchased all of my own gear and was gifted the set of armor. I feel like I am ready to truly take on the world of weaponry, and become a master of these weapons. Maybe then I can become a higher up in this village, which is truly all I have ever wanted."

He looked at the sword that he spoke of, "Sloth's Bane, eh? That's a beautiful sword and I truly love the name. I haven't named my sword yet, what brought you to the name you chose for your blade?" He would be excited for the answer to his question about the name, for naming his sword had not yet crossed his mind. Tsuna would gesture for the Shinkou to take the lead on this mission, which was completely fine with him as he was already given a good idea as to where the meteor was, and he had no issue leading the two of them to their destination. "I would have no issue leading us to the meteor, please analyze away, I am always looking for ways that I can improve so I can truly stand out from all of the other shinobi in the village." 

With that, he then walked out of the village gates and he began the search for the meteor. He had heard that it was a decent ways out, at least sixty kilometers out, so they were going to have to have a quick pace if they were going to get there to the meteor, gather the samples, and get back before it had gotten to late. Lucky for them, they were both fast, or that is what the Shinkou had assumed of Tsuna as he took off at three quarter speed to the meteors landing site. He was sure to look behind his shoulder when his trail was clear to make sure that he wasn't leaving his comrade behind, and he was constantly looking over the horizon to make sure they weren't being ambushed by bandits or anybody else for that matter. Luckily they lived just outside of a desert, so an ambush was not very likely due to the high amount of visibility they had on the very clear day they were having.

The boy listened to the story of how his blade got it's name, and it was quite interesting to the boy. He wouldn't have pegged Tsuna for being lazy, but of course they had only spoken to each other once. There was certainly more to the story than the boy knew as of now, but he was hopeful that he would learn more about him in the near future, maybe even today. "I gotta say I didn't think of you as a lazy person. You seemed to take your training quite seriously if you're able to keep up with me, and your confidence with your weaponry also speaks to your lack of persistence when it comes to how well kept it is. I am excited to see what you look like when that blade comes unsheathed, I believe combat is when you truly learn all there is to know about a person when you see them wield their sword, and not just hold one." With that he continued to scan the horizon for any could be combatants.

As the newly formed team was traveling, the boy tried to keep his eyes peeled for any type of change in his environment. They weren't exactly to the meteor just yet, but they were going in the right direction. As the two were running, he noticed that his teammate had no real problem keeping up with him, but it was quite the opposite, he noticed that he was getting closer bit by bit. In response to this change in formation, he decided that it would just be best if he sped up a bit, as he was only going three quarter speed. "I think we should try and keep our distance from each other, just in case I get ambushed you have the chance to evade the attack or trap and react accordingly!" He would only yell as they were traveling at high speeds and were still a few meters apart.

He then took a look at his map out of the corner of his eye, still making sure that his peripheral vision was still locked on his surroundings. He then slowed as he realized that they were actually closer than he had originally thought. He went from sprinting to a light walk as he wanted to make sure that there wasn't any 'unfriendly' folk waiting for people like them to come and try to rob them of their belongings or whatnot. He decided that a slow approach was the best approach. He would stop his approach when they reached a rather high sand dune. He turned to face his teammate and wanted to talk strategy with him.

"Okay I believe over this dune will be the place where the meteor fell. I think one of us should take the hill, while the other goes around. If there is anyone down in the crater, then this way we can form a pincer movement on the opponent and not just be easy pickings for a two in one shot. I have my bow so I will take the high ground, and you can flank the crater. What say you?" He wouldn't move a muscle until both members of the team agreed on the plan and they were able to move forward with their mission.

As the two came to a gradual stop, the boy recommended a plan to his teammate Tsuna. To his surprise and delight, Tsuna agreed to his plan and the two immediately moved out to their positions to begin to take the meteor's position. The Shinkou was sure that he was being a little overcautious, but the last thing that he wanted was for the two of them to get ambushed or taken out by any bandits wanting to keep the meteor's resources to themselves, or just take advantage of any people who came by to see it. Tsuna formed a hand seal and suddenly his footsteps were unable to be heard, a rather impressive technique that the Shinkou decided to take note of, something that would greatly enhance his capabilities later on down the road. As soon as Tsuna began to move into position, Kurayami did the same as he grabbed his short bow from his shoulder and an arrow from the quiver on his hip. If there was any individuals within the crater, then he would be ready to shoot them down if needed. 

He got into position on the top of the hill, not letting his entire body be seen of course. He looked down the hill, only allowing his eyes to crest above the sandy hill when he was able to get the lay of the land pretty well locked into memory. The crater was exactly where he had expected it to be, on the other side of that very hill. It was forty meters in diameter with the meteor obviously being directly in the center. The meteor was a rock that was five meters in diameter itself. The Shinkou took another look around, like he had been doing constantly the moment that they had left the village, and he checked for any individuals that may have been coming up from behind the two. The area around them was barren wasteland and desert, so visibility would be of no issue or concern. He noted that there was not one person in the general vicinity within eyesight, which would be at least one hundred meters from their location. 

From within the crater, however, he was able to see that there was nobody in his direct line of sight, but he did in fact see footprints surrounding the rock, so they were definitely not the first ones to visit the meteor. This immediately put the Shinkou on guard and he hoped that his teammate would have seen them too. He knew that they were not alone, the only problem is, he didn't know just where these visitors were located, and whether or not they would be friendly or enemies. The Shinkou continued to check his surroundings, ready to pull back the arrow, or drop the bow entirely and pull his sword in a moment's notice, now the only thing to wait on was for the other visitors to show themselves.

WC: 491

Stat page:

OOC: Hello, one D ranked npc, coming right up!
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Suzume was in a small outpost about sixteen kilometers from the meteor impact site when it was about time to go and see if she could get it for herself. she knew some shinobi from Haven Country were really close, so she moved fairly quickly. As she had few things on her, she simply kept her ninja weapons and other items in the pockets inside of her coat. It was easy to reach in there and pull something out fairly quickly, so it was great for this current situation. Suzume had done a light jog here, contrary to the other two sprinting a bit, so she was there a couple of minutes before them. Suzume had seen them from far out, two tiny specs on the horizon essentially, but she saw the specs moving, so it was something she was prepared for. She had gone into the crater to look around, but sadly the meteor was far too hot to the touch for her to grab it, and so she needed to wait until it cooled down a little bit. She was resistant to heat, just not that resistant. She thought that there would be people coming here fairly quickly, so she had no choice but to wait it out from a good position. 

Suzume then walked over to a sand dune near the opposite side she had seen the two people coming from, although she was unsure if they were actually people, it would just be safer if she aired on the side of caution, plus the sand dune she was at was raised a bit, so she could peer over and look down at the meteor from around thirty meters away. Maybe it was some sort of fate or complete chance, but Suzume looked over the dune as soon as Kurayami did, and their eyes definitely met. Suzume would be ready in battle mode, but would first try to see if the person on the ridge would just walk away from this without a fight. 

"Hey, shouldn't it be finder's keepers? I definitely got here first." Suzume would yell over the sand dune, making sure to eye her surroundings with small glances every now and then, but she wanted to keep her eye on the ninja in front. She could only see the top of his head from his eyes, just like he could see hers, so she had no idea what sort of weapons he used, if any. 

"Is there a chance I could get you to leave peacefully and I get the rock? Or do we have to fight?" Suzume thought for sure they were going to fight, so she was secretly weaving hand seals from under the dune, ready to fire off a jutsu at a moment's notice. She had done three hand seals, waiting for any suspicious movements to complete the jutsu.
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WC: 478
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NPC Stats: