Stalking the Stalker C-Rank Mission

STalking the stalker mission C rank

Word Count Requirement: 2000
Reward:4000 Ryo / 20 AP

This mission would indeed be something for Zeo to focus on as he grew more accustomed to things after the Chunin Exams. He had embraced far more of his own eyes' powers, and even reconsiled things with Enishi. Things were looking better. Zeo didn't think he would soon be reunited with another aquaitance, to better his friendships with the shinobi of Hoshigakure. While he was already a respected star shinobi, Zeo's socialism was ever lacking, as his preferred method of free time was study and books.

The mission was to keep an eye out for one of the noble's security forces of Hoshikagure, as it appears someone was stalking him. It was hard to imagine, due to the extensive security detail nobles were entitled and requested to have. The fact that shinobi were to be included, meant t here was something odd about this. Likely the stalker was someone far more dangerous than some citizen with a grudge. And one who could evade common detection.

Zeo was now stationed over with the other guards in the courtyard while the noble did buisness. Zeo had met and spoken with all the normal guards, and was now just settled in and being observant. He knew antoher shinobi was around, but he had yet to encounter him yet.

WC: 215

Isemori had been doing a lot of missions with Toran lately, however, this time around, he was called to do a mission, with his companion not having been addressed to him. This was probably because it was perhaps something conducted at the last minute, due to its importance, and from what Ise had read from the missive that he was given, chances are that it seemed to be likely. According to the report, a noble was being stalked by someone and had hired the young Uchiha as well as another shinobi. Ise was kind of surprised that he was given such a task, however, the anticipation to prove himself made the silver-haired Uchiha all the more eager. Isemori’s Sharingan had developed quickly throughout his training, and that is not all that the teenage Uchiha had accomplished so far However, he was still just a Genin. He didn’t let that bother him however, He had decided that he would keep on doing what he had been doing, which was to train as well as complete whatever mission was given to him without giving any complaints.

Ise had quickly made his way to the courtyard, where he had seen not only a group of guards but also a familiar face that Ise had not seen in quite some time. Adjusting his belt which had his katana neatly tucked under it on his side, Ise had made his way towards Zeo, deciding to reacquaint himself with him. “Hey, Zeo! Long time no see,” Ise had said, giving him a small grin. The last time that he had seen Zeo was when the two of them had trained together. With Zeo’s help, he was able to learn quite a lot of things. In fact, Isemori had just started as a Genin around that time. Isemori was grateful that he had someone like him to help him, otherwise, Ise wouldn’t be anywhere near as strong as he was currently. “So, you’re the other shinobi assigned on this mission too, eh?” Ise had asked him, holding his grin in place.

WC: 344

THings were quiet as Zeo memorized the auras and attributes of the noble and his security allies, Including his trusted advisors. When the job was described to him, the 'stalker' was never seen, but the Noble felt the unsettling feeling of being followed by an unwanted presence. That kind of reaction had merrit, and was not to be dismissed. So Zeo took whatever avenues he could to determine friend from foe here. Zeo was in a sense of reflection and meditation, focused on the task and opening his mind. He was slowly becoming more aware of how things worked-- with ninjutsu and his new found power of his Kekkei Genkai. His eyes showed him far more than he realized, and he was still learning more...

His attention snapped back to reality as a voice called out to him. His eyes snapped open, his regular gaze, as he turned to find a silver haired youth towards him. It took Zeo a moment, but it soon clicked when he met him. Back in the training grounds months ago-- the overly eager boy of the Uchiha. He remembered how his cocky, fiery persona often was putting Zeo off, but not in an annoying way. It just appeared ... haphazardous. It was that kind of overeager ambition that easily got people killed...

... like that Senju who died when that arsinist attacked. That still stung Zeo to think on, and how he couldn't stop him. THe best he did-- was to rescue the hostage he had and escape.

He didn't want to see any of his allies fall to such a fate again.

A bit more kind to this person, Zeo turned and waved at him. "Hi there. I see.... Ise, was it?" Zeo asked, trying to recall his name properly. It had been a long time, and the time with him wasn't long to earn him an impression. "I guess I am here as well,."

His grin was just too bright, it made Zeo feel a bit uneased. He was trying hard to keep his guard up.

"Well this will be our first mission together. I hope you're up to the task. The goal here is to identify the stalker, if just that. The client suggests they were following him for some time. So we should be on guard for anyone out of the ordinary-- and i mean by behavior, not just strangers we don't recognize." he explained. Since Zeo technically was a Chunin now, he was indeed of higher rank than Ise was.

WC: 422

At first. Ise wondered if Zeo even remembered him. Ise knew that Zeo wasn’t the ‘talkative’ type, although he was still nice enough in Ise’s own opinion. However, when Zeo had first spoken to him, Ise was relieved to know that Zeo also wasn’t the type to forget someone. “So, you remember me, eh? Good. At first, I thought you might have forgotten about me,” Ise had said while holding his grin. It was also clear to the young Uchiha, just by simply looking at Zeo that he too had gotten stronger. Ise however, had a feeling that Zeo’s skills and expertise exceeded his own though. He didn’t know why, but it was just this sort of gut feeling that he had.

“I’ve done a few missions like this before now, so that will make things easier for the both of us,” Ise had explained to Zeo, basically telling him that he was more than ready for the task at hand. Ise listened to Zeo carefully, reiterating the goal of the mission to the silver-haired Uchiha, which let him simply nod in response. “Right!” Ise had simply said, not caring that Zeo seemed to be the one leading. In fact, Ise didn’t really care who did the leading and who did the following. Moments afterwards, Ise had brought up something important. “So, the person who’s been stalking the noble hasn’t actually done anything to cause harm to him yet, right? Not saying that he couldn’t though. There’s probably a good reason why our stalker hasn’t made an actual move yet as well,” Isemori had said, which the two of them would more than likely figure out once the two of them learned more.

WC: 283
TWC: 627

Zeo blinked at him, realizing there was something more to Ise now. Perhaps, 'maturity' while Zeo didn't want to just jump to conclusions. He barely knew the kid then, and certainly knew little of him now... but Zeo too was ignorant of himself at that time. Now that he bcame more aware of what he was, he wasn't in any place to judge or scorn. He probably was wrong to press him back then. Zeo slowly stood up from his sitting position and faced the uchiha. "Well, you weren't exactly subtle to forget easily. It's good to see your doing well," Zeo commented in a minor joke to him. "But yeah... I guess we have both grown since last we met. "

It was when that Ise actually made an astute observation over the stalkers' motive. Having been unseen and haven't taken any action. Zeo listened and understood what he meant. That was a key fact to take away from all this, and Zeo was impressed Ise caught on to that. "You're right. It hasn't escalated, but that is what worries me. That is actually not a good sign. THis may be more than just simple stalking or following. According to the security guards, there has been no physical sign of anyone following him, and yet, there were disturbances plus the noble insists he is being followed. That kind of concern doesn't just come from sheer paranoia or concern,"

Zeo's eyes narrowed in concern. "The fact they don't come forth may mean its not just some attention seeker trying to get the noble's attention. It may only be a prelude to something far more dangerous, like an assassination or something similar. Because of that we still have to take this mission seriously and spare no effort in idenitfy this person. If they are remained undetected like this, its very possible they have shinobi-level skills like us." he explained.

It was then there was activity. The security guards watching over residents of the Noble. Apparently, they were about to escort him to the next place of business. "Don't take anything from granted. Even from the guards. Anything suspicious, don't hesitate to look deeper into it. okay?" Zeo gave in advice to his comrade.

WC: 376

Ise couldn’t help but chuckle at Zeo’s words, mainly because he was right. He was still like that at times, however, Ise had gotten used to not making it a natural as well as constant habit. Ise had in fact matured a little since the last time the two of them spoke to one another. Ise’s hand had slightly traced where his scar was underneath his pant leg slightly. Having his own leg cut off was one of the many things that made Ise learn that he needed to wise up if he wanted to continue being a shinobi. Not only that, but he also had his younger cousin, Toran to look after, as well be there for him whenever he needed guidance. Despite being a Genin still, he was one of the very few who understood things more than those within his skill level. “Likewise,” Ise had said with a smile, however, the smile didn’t stay there long as they started to speak about their job.

Ise could tell that Zeo was impressed that Ise had picked up on the small details that were given to them, which had led to his possibly accurate speculation. However, what couldn’t be ignored though that it was still speculation nonetheless. In fact, judging from the look on Zeo’s face, he too also had concerns about the matter as well. Ise too had a feeling that this stalker was skilled - possibly someone who had capabilities equivalent to theirs, which made this mission seemingly more difficult. “That tells me that the stalker wants him to know that he’s watching, without physically revealing himself, psyching the noble out until his guard is completely dropped.” Ise had said, making yet another observation. “And despite the guards hovering around him, if the stalker is that good, then chances are, it wouldn’t matter how many guards the noble has currently with him at the moment,” Isemori had said, folding his arms while thinking. Despite that though, there was no way that the stalker would know though that Ise and Zeo would be tagging behind from the shadows. That’s what gave them the upper edge. Revealing themselves in any way could mean trouble.

Once Zeo and Isemori had caught wind of the Noble being escorted by his guards, Ise started suppressing his own chakra while starting to follow alongside Zeo. Ise had nodded with a serious expression and said, “Understood,” Ise didn’t really look it, however, he was rather eager to get this mission finally started. However, rather than physically express his excitement, he decided to save Zeo the trouble and keep it in his mind for the time being.

WC: 441
TWC: 1,068

The noble was now walking through the courtyard to one of the other major buildings, and there were plenty of guards, all in formation around him, both keeping an appropriate distance, but also close enough that no stray people would intercept them. Zeo kept watch, observing everything from the guards to the onlookers nearby. He saw mixed faces, mixed expressions but nothing that appeared same person enough to be a stalker. Could it just of been paranoia?

Ise was nearby no doubt. Zeo could only guess that he picked up some excess burdens too as well as he did. It was only natural for the growth of a shinobi. Whether physical or mental scars, they were not the same people they met before on the training grounds.

They were at the half-way point when something caught Zeo's attention. The guards. True some were around the perimeter, keeping the crowd in line to keep a distance. However, one of them was not in formation. They were almost perfect otherwise-- a perfect square or intrigued design to leave few gaps in protection-- but now there was another guard. He was familiar and seen from among the others, but he was not in the formation when they left the courtyard. When did he join the escort?

"Hold on..." Zeo said as he saw the odd guard. He then closed his eyes briefly-- and as he opened it, Ise would get a glimpse at the new power Zeo discovered. His eyes suddenly became black-- with specks of starry sparks glistening around his corneas and iris. He now wielded the Uchugan, and unlike before, he was aware and in control of its use. His vision changed to see their chakra, as well as the auras they had. It was a brand and mix of all kinds of colors, like looking into an unincombered night sky and seeing the colors beyond the blackness of space. It was almost overwhelming to focus on them and the sensations he got from each one. With a deep breath, he focused in on the one who he noticed as odd.

He saw the chakra-- the soul it was part of, and it wasn't familiar to whom he saw before. Most of the guards had violet, blues, and other tranquil colors. However, what he saw was different-- a shade of deeper violet, and black in its core, almost radiating a cold, sociopathic, cruel feel he got from it. Almost like a freezer, able to freeze food or people in a short amount of time. ANd he was moving closer to the noble.

"There!" Zeo said and quickly moved in, jumping out of his formation to follow in. He and the man looked at one another briefly and that was when the man made a desperate move.

BOOOM! The guard tossed out a smoke bomb, obscuring their vision and events as the guards were stunned by the sudden eruption.

WC: 488

Ise had silently lay in wait while watching the bodyguards as well as the vicinity around them, watching for the slightest slip-up, as well any signs in general that the stalker was somewhere nearby. "It’s a good thing I decided to suppress my chakra, otherwise, chances are that the stalker would have probably spotted me by now," The silver-haired Uchiha thought to himself. Normally, he heavily relied on his Sharingan, but this time around, he knew that it would be too risky to use it right away. Instead, Isemori had decided to wait and see if the stalker would make his move, and if so, Ise would be ready. Ise gently held his hand right below the guard of his sheathed katana, having it at the ready if needed. Zeo was also keeping a constant watch on the guards that were currently escorting the noble as well.

As both Ise and Zeo continued to observe from their position, Ise looked over at Zeo, seeing a look on his face that something was off. Then, came the change in Zeo’s eyes. “A Doujutsu?” Isemori questioned in the back of his mind. He did not know that Zeo possessed something equivalent to that of his Sharingan, but then again, Ise had never even bothered to ask him. Zeo’s eyes had turned black with what appeared to sparkle within. Ise had wanted to tell him that his eyes look awesome, however, now was not the time for him to lose his focus. Ise glanced back over at the guards, now seeing what he was seeing. One of the guards had appeared to be slightly out of formation? Then just as the ‘guard’ moved closer to the portal, Ise had instinctually moved on the opposite side of Zeo, his body moving on its own. Just as they had moved, a smoke bomb had gone off right in the vicinity of where the noble stood, however, before even the cloud of smoke, Ise activated his Sharingan, quickly drawing his blade, swinging it forward.

The swing of his blade had caused a disruption of the air current in front of him, essentially clearing the smoke before it had begun to spread out.

WC: 366
TWC: 1,434

The smoke bomb was most effective. While soon they were moving in, Ise swiped the smoke away using a shockwave of his sword. BUt soon the time had ended as the smoke cleared, showing the masqarade guard now behind his target- - the Noble. A kunai was produced from his hand as he reached to deliver a blow. But by then Ise perhaps, if using his Sharigan right could see the change in things...

Alarm struck them all as he stabbed his Kunai into the noble's back. The deed was done and now time crawled as the noble bucked and cried out, clearly suffering the wound. A devilish, toothy grinned was on the rogue guard's face as he stabbed him in the back, completely unstopped. Even Zeo was not anywhere close to stop him. The duke soon arched and began to fall. Time almost seemed to slow in that moment and...

... Shreeeee...

The form of the assassinated Noble rippled like water-- before he burst into a dissolving of a strange mass. A black-whispy substance, laced with the glow of many stars as if looking in to the depths of space itself. The smoke dissipated, revealing nothing to the eyes of those who saw.

"W-Wha?"! the assassin gasped, realizing he was played.

A Genjutsu!!

The moment senses returned, the sound of a soft blub fell down and soon-- it was over.

Blub!


His eyes were wide with stupid shock as he suddenly found himself inside a giant soap bubble! He was completely secured inside and despite him pushing on t he surface, it wouldn't break. He was trapped in such a flimsy barrier, it was almost laughable in that moment. "What the hell?! Let me out!!" the man screamed.

It was soon clear what happened, and if Ise was sharp he would see it. Zeo used his newly discovered eyes to cast a Genjutsu on the guard-- and though a genjutsu, the surrounding people saw it too. The real noble, was a few more meters ahead, as Zeo created a duplicate, altering the man's spacial relations.

Standing a distance away, Zeo was there, bubble pipe in one hand, and a focused-hand sign in the other, holding the bubble jutsu in place. He acted just in time, catching the man in the act. "Got you, so drop the act. Transforming into a guard was clever, but I caught sight of your true idenity a while ago..." Zeo declared.

The stalker was using transformation jutsu to move around unseen and undetected.

WC: 426

Ise had been able to see something that the guard had not been able to see until after he had supposedly struck down noble. Shortly after the man had cursed while now being trapped inside one of Zeo’s bubbles, Ise started to speak. “Didn’t you think it was odd that we would not at least attempt to strike you down? My Sharingan saw that you were trapped in Zeo’s Genjutsu the moment we revealed ourselves.” Ise had said to the stalker, basically calling him an idiot. The real Noble had actually been a few meters ahead of the stalker, which had apparently dumbfounded the stalker even more. Ise had decided to sheath his katana back slowly, while keeping his Sharingan activated, speaking once again.

“It’s over. You lost the moment we made our move,” Ise had said sternly. Honestly, due to the stalker being captured in Zeo’s bubble-like barrier, there was no need for a further altercation. Also, judging from his most recent attempts, the stalker could not escape from the bubble, no matter how hard he tried. After a good while, the stalker had been taken by the authorities whilst Zeo and Isemori were properly thanked by the noble whom which they were tasked to watch over. The mission had been completed, which made Ise look over at Zeo. “Well, that was pretty easy, don’t ya think?” He had asked his comrade, giving him his signature grin once again.

“It was also nice seeing you again, Zeo! Who knows, maybe we’ll be able to work together again sometime in the near future!” Ise had said, his face obviously showing that would definitely be looking forward to it. Ise had wanted to ask him about his Doujutsu, however, Ise doubted that Zeo would be so forthcoming in terms of telling him about it. However, Ise was grateful that Zeo had used it’s power when he did, otherwise, the mission could have had an entirely different ending, and not the one both of them had originally hoped for.

WC: 337
TWC: 1,771

Exit and Claims: