Dog Patrol - Old Versus Young (Mission)

Missions:

Heifu sighed. She was too old for this shi- stuff. She reminded herself firmly. Just because she was getting old didn't mean she had to devolve into such uncivilized talk. Even in her mind. She wasn't like that blonde tramp she had met recently. She rolled her eyes at the memory and continued to trot at a reasonable pace towards the dog shelter.

She had been assigned three tasks today. To practice stealth techniques, which was an utter insult to a former village assassin like herself. To train her patrolling skills, another mission she had given her assigner choice words over. And lastly to walk some dogs as they needed time to clean at the shelter. That last she didn't mind as she saw its actual value towards the village. Although the image of her being trampled by a pack of dogs was already seared into her brain and she hadn't even started yet. Of course, she hadn't been as lucky this time as she had been with her last unsuitable mission. She hadn't been able to scare off these taskmasters. Oh, they had quivered in fear and surprise at her short temper, but they hadn't relented and here she was.

Lastly, as perhaps the greatest joke of all, she had been given a partner to help her in these missions. She could barely contain her thorough dissatisfaction with the circumstance. She had no patience for the youthful low-ranking ninja of the village. They were why she had re-entered the workforce after all. She had to save them from their lazy, good for nothing ways. She harrumphed at this thought loudly as she arrived at her destination. She began to pace back and forth in front of the building only getting louder and louder as she continued to contemplate on the utter uselessness that was present in the Kirigakure youth of this day and age. The only somewhat salvageable Genin she had met was an utter thug! Too prone to violence to be of any use in a diplomacy mission. But her battle hardened skills were nothing to scoff at. Not even Heifu had been able to put up much of a fight when she had utterly snapped and battled her. Battle. If you could even call it that.

Embarrassment ran through her at the thought, further painting the picture of her to passersby as an elderly woman with somewhat scarlet ringed cheeks muttering and harrumphing loudly to herself as she paced in front of a building. She probably looked like she had lost her mind. After all, maybe she had.

WC: 432
TWC: 432

Arriving at the scene not entirely sure what to expect, Nemui would spot the old lady and begin walking confidently towards her. In his time growing up at the fishing hamlet, elders passed down their knowledge to the youth and demanded a great level of respect, so he would plan to treat this lady in the same fashion. Upon reaching a suitable talking distance he would offer a low bow, "Nice to meet you, I'm here to perform some missions and by the description of my partner, you're the lady I'm supposed to work with today." Nemui excitedly exchanged these words with certain expectations. He would smile and await her response after raising his upper body to a vertical position once more. The boy's height combined with his extremely long blonde hair, youthful demeanor and naivete were sure to have some effect upon this elder's opinion.

Nemui judged not the missions they were assigned. He had in fact performed one of them some weeks prior, that being the mission to practice stealth. Although he hadn't the chance to perform that mission with an obviously far more experienced ninja, whose insight he looked forward to receiving. The other two missions, to walk the dogs and practice patrolling the village, each excited the young boy in their own ways. He'd get to see more of the village and learn of it from the older lady, or so he expected. Plus, he hadn't spent much time with dogs prior from today, so he looked forward to the potentially fun and informative mission.

WC: 260

Heifu was interrupted from her musings by the approach of a young blond boy.

"Nice to meet you, I'm here to perform some missions and by the description of my partner, you're the lady I'm supposed to work with today."

She looked him over briefly as he spoke, assessing him quickly. What she found was clearly lacking. The only thing stopping her from making a complete snap judgment was her encounter with the last blonde ninja she had met.

"Well, at least you have some manners whippersnapper, unlike some of the other young Genin I've met. In my day they..." She carried on speaking but had devolved to muttering at a low enough level that only the occasional word could be heard, and the words that could be often were foul enough to make the listener regret their decision to tune in to her old rambles.

As she began muttering she swiftly turned on her heel and entered the building, not caring if the boy followed her or not. She grabbed her portion of the dogs  and quickly found she was no longer in charge. The dogs hurtled her from the building at a breakneck speed, them leading the way as she just tried to hold on for dear life. It was about halfway through the walk that she finally got the dogs under control and remembered her own manners. If the boy had followed along she would say "I'm Heifu Jōnetsu, by the way. Not that most youngsters seem to care but I used to be a high-ranking Jounin in the village. I retired after my fame and age caught up to me, my nickname back then was Cruel Smoke."

As she finished speaking she would give the boy a once over, a small hidden hope that he might recognize her code name. It was a very slight chance as she had established herself years ago and was merely a footnote in the history of the village. But she was immensely proud of her accomplishments. She loved her village and loved what she had done to keep it standing here. While she took no joy in bloodshed, her time as a village assassin had protected the thing she held most dear, Kirigakure.

WC: 373
TWC: 805

Unaware of the old lady's assumptions about his character, Nemui would simply smile as she began ranting. The foul language that poured forth from her reminded him of the sailors that would often visit the fishing hamlet he grew up in. Needless to say, it didn't bother him in the slightest and instead, he found it rather endearing coming from an elderly woman such as herself. Nemui would of course follow her closely as he attempted to understand what she was saying, paying utmost respects to his senior. This would prove futile as her mumbling was far too quiet for one of ordinary hearing to perceive but he tried nonetheless. Suddenly coming up to the dogs which Nemui barely contained his excitement for, he observed the woman grabbing a handful of leashes before jerking forward, following their whim.

Thinking it looked like fun, the boy would suppress his strength upon grabbing his portion of dogs, allowing them to chase after the other pack of dogs while he barely maintained a standing position behind them. Gradually they would slow down, as the old lady gained control over her lot, Nemui would slowly bring his pack to a walking pace beside hers. It was at this point she would finally introduce herself. Although perhaps disappointingly for her, Nemui would not recognize her name and he would explain as such. "I also forgot to state my name, I'm Nemui, it's nice to meet you Jōnetsu Heifu. I'm sure your earlier service to Kirigakure must have been difficult, since I've heard many stories of hardship from those times. Perhaps fortunately, I grew up in a remote fishing hamlet, so I am quite new to living here but it's truly a wonderful place." Observing her momentarily, he would add. "Do you have any interesting stories to share from your time as a Jounin?"

Nemui's curiosity was genuine, as he wished to hear what Kirigakure was like during its greatest period of strife from someone that lived through it. During this time any force the dogs applied against the boy would clearly not phase him. Despite his body being light, he would dig a heel into the ground whenever they tugged to hold them steady so he could remain walking beside her. His attention also was clearly focused upon Heifu rather than the dogs, gazing in her direction frequently to ensure she knew he was listening.


WC: 400
TWC: 659

"I also forgot to state my name, I'm Nemui, it's nice to meet you Jōnetsu Heifu. I'm sure your earlier service to Kirigakure must have been difficult, since I've heard many stories of hardship from those times. Perhaps fortunately, I grew up in a remote fishing hamlet, so I am quite new to living here but it's truly a wonderful place. Do you have any interesting stories to share from your time as a Jounin?"

Heifu was taken aback and pleased by the young man's respect for his elders. It was a trait thoroughly lacking in this generation. She hoped he had the shinobi skills to match his manners, but she sincerely doubted that. Kirigakure's education system for ninja was thoroughly lacking, and she was sure it had done this fine boy the same disservice it had done others. It was after all the reason she had come out of retirement, to correct this fatal flaw in her beloved village.

As she realized she had been quiet for a moment too long she wracked her brain for a suitable memory. After all, she could show the boy the need for proper technique with her nostalgia and complete her mission at the same time.

"Unlike the crone you see before you now, I was a talented and strong ninja of my time. I was the top assassin of the village, hand picked by the Mizukage for most of my missions. Once, they assigned me deep into the land of wind to assassinate a high value target in a shinobi secured castle." She let out a wheeze and coughed for a moment before taking another deep breath and continuing her story.

"It was a test of my talents in stealth and covert ops. The castle was tightly secured and patrols ran regularly on its inner and outer perimeter. Not tightly enough, however. I seized a brief gap in their routine I recognized after observing their movements over the course of a day. With a brief amplification to my already significant speed, alongside the use of my smoke release to lighten my body I ran and then floated over the castle walls while their attentions were focused elsewhere." She smiled at the boy, hoping he grasped her point.

"You see a firm grasp on patrol technique is paramount, and their failure allowed me unhindered access to the castle. A firm patrol formation and routine is, of course, key, but any talented ninja can observe that and gain a firm strategy on how to break it. When patrolling you should always expect the unexpected,  look for discrepancies, and think like the enemy. Perhaps such thinking may have saved my target's life, but perhaps not, I was extremely talented." She finished with a smirk, thrilled to be given the chance to relive her glory days.

"Doors and windows were no barrier to me. My smoke body allowed me to flow through them unhindered. My advanced stealth techniques kept me undetected by the stronger sensory ninja within the enemies fortress. But one must never forget the basics. Control your breathing, be aware of your body and its capabilities, minimize noise and refine your motion. And of course never make the fatal mistake of not securing your clothing, a loose item can be even an experienced shinobi's downfall. With these core concepts in mind, I crept forward, found my target, and murdered him in his bedroom with no one the wiser, even him. He didn't know I was there until my sword was protruding from his chest. From there I went out the way I went in, his body the only clue that I had been there, and the faint smell of smoke my calling card. That's why I was nicknamed the Cruel Smoke."

As she finished her tale she beamed at the boy, wonderfully surprised by his attentive listening. But it seemed their time had come to an end, as they rounded the last block to the shelter. As they returned the dogs she finished making her point. "I know it's not a flashy story. No great tales of casting masterful jutsu, or vows of revenge. But those are tales reserved for amateur ninja. A skilled shinobi, well versed in stealth and tactics, will achieve victory with no one the wiser and save their strength to fight another day."

As she finished speaking she looked over Nemui thoughtfully. "I think I misjudged you. You're a fine boy, and you'll hopefully grow up to be an excellent shinobi. Don't get killed out there, I'd like to meet you again. I'd be... disappointed if that didn't happen."

She then went to exit the building, her missions complete. But as she left a spiteful feeling came over her and she called over her shoulder. "Oh, and if you meet a blonde ninja named Izu please teach her a lesson. That girl needs to be taken down a peg. Consider it a personal favour from me."

WC: 826
TWC: 1631

Exit

500 WC Mist Servant Technique
250 WC Cat Eyes
500 WC Storage Displacement
381/500 WC Basic Sealing Technique

Stats:
+15 chakra
+1 speed

Mission Completion:
+3,000 ryo
+15 AP

The woman's silence at first caused Nemui to question if he said something offensive, this was until she began to regale him with a lengthy story. Just by the introduction he could tell it would be fascinating. The top assassin hand-picked by the Mizukage for most of her missions? What kind of legend did the boy currently escort dogs with? He'd wonder. Still, her tale had only just begun and he was enraptured by it. Assassination missions were fairly uncommon with the peaceful state of the world, although at any moment that could change and her knowledge may prove invaluable. So she'd continue, describing the way she infiltrated the castle her mark stayed at.

Some comments on the lacking technique of the guards that patrolled said castle piqued Nemui's interest once more. An effective patrol was essential not only for castles and the like, but also to protect one's village whenever the duty was assigned. To think these castle guards would be slacking in such a regard.. such a shame for the lady's target. Although, regular guards weren't a serious threat in any regard for a skilled shinobi, so perhaps the boy was judging them too harshly. Heifu's explanation of her technique, changing into smoke, was something he hadn't heard of before. It was good to know such a thing existed as his primary method of attack involved punches and kicks, which he could only imagine would be ineffective against smoke.

By the sounds of it, this technique was also perfect for infiltrating. Nemui didn't have any technique of the sort but he was fairly capable of pretending to be a regular member of citizenry. His humble beginnings were to credit for that. On top of this, being a Hiyu, he could change his shape and size practically at will. That too would lend itself easily to infiltrating similar buildings, so he now thought. Of course much of the woman's description focused on properly observing the enemy, seeking out weaknesses in their defense. It was a common thought process for shinobi but nonetheless, important. Nodding along with her words, Nemui wanted to ensure she knew he grasped her words firmly.

This smoke technique belonging to Heifu sounded more and more useful as she espoused its role in her infiltration of the castle. Many of the qualities of stealth that she explained to Nemui were already well-known to the boy. He'd practice them often and include most in his daily life. However it added tension to the story before abruptly ending with the target's death, stabbed in his sleep. It wasn't honorable but the work of a shinobi rarely was. Capping off this tale was the explanation of her alias, "Cruel Smoke." Seeing her smile so cheerfully in his direction, Nemui would take a moment to compose his thoughts before speaking.

"That is quite a tale, thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. A very adequate alias if I say so myself." The boy chuckled. Going on to return the dogs and hear the rest of what she had to say, the boy simply nodded again. She offered a fair point in that needlessly risking one's life for a job that could be accomplished instead with no-one the wiser offered no value. Then taken aback by her compliments towards him, Nemui would let out a faint and solitary laughing breath. "I hope to meet you again someday as well. Perhaps next time we meet I'll have an interesting story for you." Nemui would not consider the possibility that either Heifu or he could die beforehand. It was however while the woman was leaving that she'd say something quite interesting.

Being told to bring Izu down a peg, Nemui immediately remembered when she threw a rock at some ducks he was feeding to scare them away. Whatever she did to offend Heifu must've been rather drastic for her to instruct him to take the girl down a peg. Izu however, was also Nemui's senior. Considering this he wasn't sure whether it was right to do as Heifu requested but perhaps the spar Izu promised him back then could be the opportunity to prove himself.

WC: 693
TWC: 1,352

Exit

Claims:
26 AP
Dragon Attacks Tiger 0 + 1000 = 1000/1000
Healing Hands 0 + 352 = 352/500

Mission Rewards:
15 AP
3000 Ryo

Heifu Jōnetsu wrote:
WC: 826
TWC: 1631

Exit

500 WC Mist Servant Technique
250 WC Cat Eyes
500 WC Storage Displacement
381/500 WC Basic Sealing Technique

Stats:
+15 chakra
+1 speed

Mission Completion:
+3,000 ryo
+15 AP

Approved!

Note: Please make sure to track running total for Bonus AP. Per stat page at time of approval, previous Bonus AP of 45 + 15 = 60 Bonus AP.

Nemui wrote:

WC: 693
TWC: 1,352

Exit

Claims:
26 AP
Dragon Attacks Tiger 0 + 1000 = 1000/1000
Healing Hands 0 + 352 = 352/500

Mission Rewards:
15 AP
3000 Ryo

Approved!

Note: Please make sure to track running total for Bonus AP. Per stat page at time of approval, previous Bonus AP of 757 + 15 + 26 = 798 Bonus AP.