Preparations

Sebastian would glance down at his things, wondering why he was even bringing them along with him. Perhaps it was merely habit, his body going through the routine of getting ready despite his realization that such things were completely unneeded when it came down to it. Perhaps his comrade was on his mind, as it was very possible that Youta would be better able to utilize such implements more effectively than he could. Nodding, accepting that answer as having must have been the truth of the matter, he would pack them away and head towards the village of Hoshigakure. While once upon a time there was a great deal of unease felt by the wolf upon such a task, now such feelings were far gone, replaced by much worse ones picking away at the wolf's resolve. Upon reaching the gates, he would give an acknowledging nod to the guards as he passed by freely and without even a second glance. 

The wolf would hastily make his way to the training grounds, hoping that he wouldn't get to the site too early before his teammate. Much to his surprise, Youta had already been on location and waiting for Loghain. With a grin, Loghain would approach his fellow member of Team Spring. "Youta! Why, it feels like its been ages my friend. How has the training been going?" 

Once the greetings were all behind them, Loghain would get to the point of this request to meet. "I plan on undertaking a rather dangerous mission, one that I could use a second pair of eyes and hands for." Assuming that Youta wouldn't be here if he wasn't on board with this, Loghain would continue. "As you know, there are a great deal of bandits and criminals taking refuge in the borders of Hoshi. Usually, these are easy to root out as they tend to be untrained, underequipped and uncoordinated. This isn't the case this time..." Shaking his head, he knew his next words might scare of his younger compatriot, but they needed to be said nevertheless, "These enemies are bunkered down, heavily fortified and equipped, and all capable former shinobi. We would be taking on a great deal of risk, and if not careful our lives could be forfeit."

"I would understand any hesitance, for what I ask is no small task. What do you say?" 

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“Ah Sebastian! How are you buddy?  It has been a good minute since we last talked.  Training is training been working hard and practicing how about you? How are you doing since the invasion? I heard you made Jounin.” He would say and Sebastian would get down to business soon after greetings were done with.  “Well you know I always got your back. What’s the mission this time?”  Sebastian would continue on trying to scare Youta a little he guessed.  “Bandits and thieves are usually ok.  Former shinobi out to be fun we would have to plan and be in sync and make sure no mistakes are going to be made. But sounds like it could be interesting and oh hell there is no one else I would want by my side for this kind of mission.  I mean what could go wrong?” He would laugh for a minute and then continue and say “So is there like an intel folder or at least some sort of mission brief? Is there anything that would give us an idea on who is out there and what kind of building or trap we might be springing.  I mean the best way to win is to be the best prepared.”

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OOC:

It was good to hear that Youta had been keeping up on his training, which was more than the wolf could say currently. He hadn't been training as much or as hard as of late, but felt that he was still plenty capable and prepared to take on this task. When presented with the daunting task, Youta didn't even think twice as he agreed to help. "I am blessed to have such courageous and loyal friends." Loghain would scratch the back of his head, a bit surprised by the enthusiasm his companion held. 

"Bandits and thieves aren't my main concern. Those sorts probably fill the lowest rank and file among the enemy. Its the ones at the top that truly concern me. Not only are they criminal ninja, but their presence in the borders is known to Hoshigakure. From my understanding, no efforts have been made prior to this to root them out." He would glance out into the distance, unease swelling in him, "Which suggests to me that these adversaries are high risk targets. Unfortunately, I don't have a great deal of intel on them. All I know is that they are firmly entrenched in a fort in the borders. Any efforts to gather intelligence on their numbers and capabilities would only ruin any element of surprise we might have and stir them to try and fortify any gaps they might have in their defenses." He shifted his glance back at Youta, shaking his head, "and I'm afraid even with stealth on our side, we don't know just what our enemies are capable of. Perhaps they have a capable sensory ninja able to thwart any such attempts." 

"We will have to prepare as best we can without any specific knowledge." The wolf would state plainly, before a sudden idea popped into his head. "You are familiar with the Fuinjutsu arts, much like Doctor Terumi is, right? Do you know any defensive seals or protective measures? I'm open to listen to any thoughts you might have on the matters as well. You'll be risking your life no less than I will be." The wolf wasn't well versed in the details of the specialty, but he knew that the good Doctor sold various defensive seals in his shop. Worst case scenario, they could give him a visit before they started their quest.

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“Well when a great leader is courageous it is a lot easier to be courageous with him. Courage what a funny word one of my favorite quotes talks about it . It goes ‘Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die,’. But I am always a loyal friend after all we have been through. I thought I would drop some wisdom on ya. Plus let’s face it courage is only a few steps away from stupidity and I have that in spades.” He would laugh for a bit then look a lot more serious he would then look at Sebastian. “Well in the middle of it, no where I would rather be.”

“I get it Bandits and thieves are not usually hard to handle but do you have any sort of dossier or intelligence on the leaders or who we might encounter while there.” He would the look out in the direction that Sebatian was staring out at. “What are you looking at?” And Youta would listen and then say “Well you know what they say are the two best options for an attack like this. You either go silent and stealthy or surprise them with shock and awe. Should we invite some more shock and awe? I have some but more awe or shock might help. ”

“Yes I have started learning some of the ways of Fuinjutsu let me see what I can do for you.” He would then list the Fuinjutsu that he knows and would say “what catches your fancy there, boss? I can apply anything that you want me to.”

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The wolf couldn't help but crack a smirk upon hearing his comrades comments. It was good that he inspired courage in his team, though he couldn't help but feel a bit of concern. This was going to be the most dangerous mission he'd ever taken with others under his command. He was usually a lone wolf - no pun intended - when it came to dangerous missions like this. He was confident in his own ability to keep death from knocking at his door, or at the very least he had confidence that the beast within wouldn't permit him to die. Others had the tendency to be far more... fragile. The Shinkou was very capable, and the wolf had the utmost confidence in his comrade but this would be a true test of just how far Youta had come as a shinobi. It was just as much a test in the wolf's ability to lead others, though. Youta would help alleviate some of the tension in the air, everything far too serious for a moment. A lighthearted joke that would bring a smile to Loghain's face and simple shake of his head, followed by an acknowledging nod. 

"Two options, huh?" He would pause, thinking for but a moment before speaking once more, "Well why not both? A diversion would more easily allow others to sneak in. Or, we can simply aim to sneak in and then cause as much calamity as possible in the shortest window of time." He'd let the words sink in, not only to Youta but also himself. "If we need some extra manpower to quickly dispatch a great many of their numbers... well, I think I know just the guy." 

Youta would list off his Fuinjutsu techniques. If that was all he did, it would be like speaking Greek to the wolf, but if Youta gave the basic rundown of each that would make selection much easier. 

"Unity Seal should help minimize one of my main concerns. Never fun to catch an attack from your own ally. I'd recommend putting that on all parties involved, though. I'm not entirely sure how it works, so I'll leave the decision of most efficient application to the expert." 

"The Hogokage stated that the fortress on the borders was near a swampy jungle, so I think that giving the team access to those breathing seals could help. It could allow a more stealthy approach, plus not needing to actually breath might synergize surprisingly well with the additional companion." He would then listen as more seals were stated, giving momentary pause when Youta listed a Chakra Barrier Seal. "Never hurts to have additional protective measures, either. Make certain everyone participating has one of those on them." 

"I'll only consider this mission a success if everyone comes out the other side alive. And I have no intentions of failing this mission." 

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The days for Yuuma had taken a rather introverted tune- more often, he had found himself restraining himself to his shop and conducting business within the neighborhood that would rest between the upscale and lower-end parts of the village. However, since having captured a local vandal that had been ultimately apprehended and detained, Yuuma had taken to extending himself beyond more than just his section of the neighborhood. As such, the monk often found himself spending idle hours at the training grounds and speaking with those that seemed to be on a journey to better their understanding; a practice that had always been encouraged by his former mentor. It was not unusual for the Chuunin to share his knowledge of ninjutsu or irojutsu with the aspiring students and even the occasional genin that happened to cross paths with him. After all, if he could teach someone a technique that might save their life, Yuuma was more than happy to share what he knew.

The gathering of Youta and Sebastian would likewise catch Yuuma's attention, and he would slowly make his way across the field with his hands tucked within his robes, and the Mantle of Stars dropped across his shoulders though it currently didn't display the constellation above and was a simple but lovely blue fabric that covered the young man's form. Approaching without the intent of hiding himself nor with the intent of eavesdropping on the conversation, Yuuma would lift a hand in greeting to the two of them in order to catch their attention on his approach. "Good evening to you both," he would state, bowing his head once to them both then again to Sebastian offering a polite "sir" to follow up. Sebastian was a man that Yuuma had met only briefly but knew him much better as one of the guardians who had come to the gate when they were last attacked. The performance had earned him the village rank of Jounin, but even had that not been the case, Yuuma would always regard those who braved the perils to protect his home with the utmost respect. "I hope I am not interrupting anything particularly sensitive, but I thought I might come to say hello and offer any assistance I could with training."

He'd pause long enough to listen to their response if any was given, his mind tracing over the tail end of what he had caught Sebastian saying in regards to some manner of goal of keeping everyone alive. Naturally, the work that the village shinobi take on is often dangerous, but necessary. His eyes fell onto the younger Youta for a moment, not recognizing the boy in name but in rank before his gaze would wander back to Sebastian, motioning with a hand as he spoke. "I am well trained in some advanced medical techniques though my primary repertoire is earth-based ninjutsu. With a small smattering of taijutsu and genjutsu, though neither of them is as strong practiced as the previous two." He offered, folding his hands back into his robes as he finished, pale blue eyes wafting between the two.

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Youta would talk to Sebastian “Who do you think would be the best for this mission? I can also think of a few people who would be of service.  We could see if Ciel is in town, the is always Fu but she can be kinda flaky, Typhon is always a good option even with all the virusy and sickness thing, Yamato could be useful. That asshole buried me in a swamp, a swamp! It was a dick move but he is a good guy.  So who are you thinking about? I know a few other guys but those are the ones I trust the most present company excluded. You know I trust you.”  He would then say “We may want to wait for them for a few seals but I have a couple ideas but I might need to power up a little first.”  He would then start to activate the signalum however a young man walks in a chuunin from the village so Youta would turn and respectively bow and say “oh hello my name is Youta how are you doing this evening.”  He would then turn and whisper Sebastain “is this the guy? You know THE GUY? I do not know him but ey it will all work out. Is he coming to the wolfs den? Do you know this guy is the more important question?” He would turn back to the new comer and say “Oh earth based? I was considering that after Yamato trying to bury me alive but I do not know if I would prefer to try to learn some water jutsu but I have enough in my repertoire for now. How about you Seb? He might be interested in some medical stuff.  Do you need help with anything?”  He would instinctively activate meigan and see that the man was indeed had earth but he also had Water and new element he had never seen. But Youta would quickly deactivate it and continue “oh Sebastain where were we I can give you a few seals after we do some training or before it is up to you boss man.”  

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Youta would bring up some shinobi that they were both familiar with. Ciel would be brought up, to which the wolf would shake his head, "I am unsure if he is ready for such a task." It was unfortunate, but true. This was far too dangerous to bring the unprepared, and while the wolf could prepare the young man given time, he wanted to move forward with this sooner rather than later. Then Fu would be mentioned, "She's quite capable from what I've seen. Dependable when it matters, but seems rather headstrong. She is more likely to fly up to the fort and scorch the whole place than approach with stealth or caution." If they decided to push forward with the 'guns blazing' approach, Fu would be the perfect fit. But if they intended to focus on being undetected, it would be a bit different. Of course, the wolf only had a limited amount of information to base this idea from. Typhon would be mentioned, to which the wolf would nod. "A capable sort, with medical expertise should we need to fall back to heal and regroup. Couple that with his ability to rapidly infect an area and I think he would be a valuable asset for the stealth team. Plus, I think this sort of mission is just the sort of thing he needs to show the village that he is ready for promotion... much like yourself." The next mention was one that Loghain had greatly considered, but was unsure if would work out. Yamato was another of the higher ranking and capable shinobi in the village. Having too many of the capable defenders away from the village simultaneously could prove problematic. 

As the pair were discussing, another would approach. "I hope the day finds you well. No need with such formalities with me, though." he would offer back, unaccustomed to being called 'sir'. It honestly felt a bit odd, but he figured that such must have come with the territory of his recently found rank. "You aren't interrupting anything. It is us that should be using this place as intended instead of as a meeting room anyhow." 

When asked if he had known the man, Sebastian would reply, "I know of him, though I wouldn't call us well acquainted." When offered assistance in training, the wolf would nod, "It never hurts to practice together to ensure everyone is as well versed as they can be in the various techniques." He would offer a simple nod of his head, "I'm interested in anything you can show us. Do you have anything that may help avoid detection in a swamp?" The wolf of course had methods to avoid detection, but nothing that would prove particularly useful in such a region. Any perceptive target would be able to spot him coming from the water.  

"Youta, do you think that he might be able to assist with your efforts in genjutsu? He might not be a specialist, but that doesn't mean he won't have useful skills in his repertoire." Who knew, if it proved simple and useful enough, even the wolf might wish to learn such an ability. 

When asked about the seals, he would shake his head. "It can wait until after. Let us focus our efforts on learning from our comrade here."

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The lack of a need for formality wasn't, particularly, a surprise from the Jounin given he had never exactly seemed like the sort to rigidly adhere to such; the fact only became more obvious in the way Youta addressed the superior. Not only was it a first name, but a shortened version yet still. It was endearing in some part, though the sensation was dulled by more recent loss it was not a feeling that Yuuma allowed himself to be entirely rid of. Taking the notion of avoiding detection within a swamp to mind, Yuuma would find himself very quickly coming up with few options. Bowing his head, he'd speak up after a small gap of silence. "My apologies- avoiding detection in any regard is not something I am particularly well suited to aside from the clever use of a shadow clone; something I'm certain neither of you has many issues with presuming you accommodate such a technique. What I do have are a few things that could ease your travels through particularly unruly terrain."

Withdrawing his hands from his sleeves, Yuuma would weave a seal, though nothing apparent would happen. "Cat Eyes. A simple sensory technique that allows one to see in darkness. It helps to focus your charka around your eyes when performing this, and can't really be seen except by special means. Good for those dimly lit areas." Continuing on without pause, Yuuma figured the two had little trouble comprehending the technique and thus didn't linger longer. Next, another set of hand seals before lifting his hand as though to touch someone. "Cleansing Aura. A medical technique that can be used on your companions to free them from ailments. If either of you specializes in Irojutsu, it can be used on yourself without the need of completing seals. Very good for getting out of incredibly dangerous situations." With no visual effect to this technique, the only thing that gave away the authenticity of the jutsu was the sudden rush of chakra that the trained shinobi would quite easily feel at this close distance that gathered in the monk's hand.

"Lastly..." Yuuma started, one of those hands dipping into his weapon pouches and withdrawing a kunai that had an inactive proximity explosive tag attached to it. With such slow, fluid movements, it might be hard to believe that there was any real quickness to what was about to be shown. With a simple flick, the kunai would be planted into the ground at Yuuma's feet with the point sticking into the ground. One last set of seals and the kunai with the tag would morph; the tag having been gently wavering in a small breeze before the pairing transformed into a small weed that gently swayed with the same breeze. "False Surroundings Technique. A very helpful tool for concealing things already in the environment. Makes hiding traps very easy as one practically has to interact with the object in order to recognize it as Genjutsu."

Yuuma would look back up to the two after the short demonstrations. "I'm afraid these are the best things I could offer to your mission. You mentioned something about the Wolf's Den," he said, nodding to Youta but looking at the both of them. "Is that a bandit camp the two of you intend to see to? I haven't heard of such a location." He inquired, folding his hands back into his robes and listening intently.

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